Dry camping at range*** UPDATE!

[Hoss]

Planning to buy a small camper for going to multi day matches. I do t like staying at motels due to security issues with either leaving guns in truck, or lugging them into room. I’ve stayed at Airbnbs a lot, and they work well, but not always convenient to range. Plus visiting with cowboy friends at range better than sitting in motel room. 
 

my questions for those of you that camp:
is it ok to run a small generator overnight, or is it considered rude to neighbors? 
is 36gal water enough to get thru a couple of days if used judiciously?

not planning to use “black tank” (will use range facility) is it ok to just dump gray tank? 
 

any other tips?

Edited January 10 by Hoss

[Doc McCoy, SASS #8381]

That’s why I bought my first camper in ‘96, a 18’ pop up, and now I’m up to 37’ and a 4 month trip to EOT.

For the generator, many do consider it rude to run overnight.  But there are considerations; if it is a very quiet model there will be fewer complaints.  If it is a medical need like a CPAP, no complaints.  Most places prefer that you are quiet after about 10 or 11 PM.  With a pair of batteries in parallel you should have plenty of power to last the night with the heater running.  I see you are in TX so you probably want the AC more than the heater.  That will need the generator, and probably more than 2000 W. Mine takes 3000W.  I use a pair of Honda 2000 hooked together.  My guess is that if it’s so hot that you need the AC at midnight you won’t be alone running the gen!

36 gallons is plenty.  My wife and I can stretch 100 gal to two weeks.

Very few places will allow grey water dumping on the ground.

 

Many of us consider camping at the range to be the best part of the fun.  A couple of my friends say that’s why they are still in the game.  When I have to camp off site I feel a piece is missing, unless there are enough other cowboys there too!

[Beartrap SASS#57175]

Quiet hours at the range are generally 10pm to 6am and generators are not allowed.

36 gals is plenty for 3-4 days. Use bottled water for drinking and cooking.

Dumping gray tanks is generally prohibited, buy MAY be allowed at some ranges.

Get solar panels and they'll keep your batteries charged so you don't have to use the generator to charge them.

[Yul Lose]

I dry camp a lot at multi day matches in my little Casita 17 foot trailer. Usually the generators aren’t allowed past 10:00. I use a cpap machine at night and run it off of a battery pack without the humidifier turned on. My Casita has a 32 gallon tank and I’ve never run out or water even at a 4-5 day match. Dumping gray water on the camping area is usually prohibited.

[Badlands Bob #61228]

Camping on the range is a big factor when I'm choosing which matches to attend.  36 gallons of fresh water will be fine if you take Navy showers.  Wife and I have gone 5 nights on 40 gallons but that's pushing it.  Don't dump the gray tank on the range.  You won't make any friends that way.  Using the black tank is fine.  Just dump and flush it when you leave the range.   Most campgrounds will let you dump your tanks for $5-$10.

 

Quiet time is usually between 10:00 p.m. and 6:00 a.m. on ranges and is pretty standard at campground too.  Smaller campers usually don't come equipped with inverters.  You can install one to run off the batteries with a small learning curve.  A small $50.00 inverter will run a CPAP machine or the TV set.  I will not run the AC unit.  

 

Generators come in all shapes and sizes.  The inverter generators are considerably quieter than the open frame construction generators.   Quiet comes with a cost.  The 2000 watt Honda generators are very good machines but they run about $1,000 and still won't run the standard AC unit.  You can buy two of them and link them together to make it work.  I went with a Champion 3500 watt generator with remote start.  Runs the AC and i can crank it up from inside the camper for that 1st cup of coffee in the morning and I can cut it off without going outside at bedtime.  The only drawback is that it weighs about 100 lbs.  They run about $1,000.  

[Edward R S Canby, SASS#59971]

7 hours ago, Hoss said:

Planning to buy a small camper for going to multi day matches. I do t like staying at motels due to security issues with either leaving guns in truck, or lugging them into room. I’ve stayed at Airbnbs a lot, and they work well, but not always convenient to range. Plus visiting with cowboy friends at range better than sitting in motel room. 
 

my questions for those of you that camp:
is it ok to run a small generator overnight, or is it considered rude to neighbors? 
is 36gal water enough to get thru a couple of days if used judiciously?

not planning to use “black tank” (will use range facility) is it ok to just dump gray tank? 
 

any other tips?

Some ranges allow quiet generators overnight.  Four Corners Regional is one of them.  I run my cpap off a marine battery and charge it in the morning.  I have a couple of Yamaha 2Kw generators.

36 gallons of water can get you through a weekend.  I bring an extra 50-gallons in jugs for longer matches.  Use disposable kitchenware when dry camping to avoid washing dishes.

You will use your black tank at night rather than taking a hike to an outhouse.

Most ranges and state regs prohibit dumping gray water.  A neighboring farmer at Cal State in Sacramento allowed dumping gray water in his field.  You can shower at truck stops to conserve water.  Some larger matches like Land Run have a pumping service.

Tips: Toy Hauler trailers often have larger tanks making them better for dry camping.  You can easily pull your gun cart inside the trailer for travel and to keep it out of the weather during a match.  Some have a built-in generator that can be run when raining.  This saves waiting for rain to stop when running a generator.

Get a truck with plenty of towing capacity.  One that barely can tow your trailer might work on the coastal plain of Texas but will be inadequate when climbing mountains in the West.  Get rid of the cheap Chinese tires that come on new trailers.  They may explode causing extensive damage.

Someone said a CAS match is just an RV rally built around a shooting match.  Expect to potluck with your neighbors.

Edited December 29, 2024 by Edward R S Canby, SASS#59971
duplicate statement

[Chief Rick]

My little TT has approximately 30 gal fresh, gray and black tanks.

 

Gray always fills up faster than black.  To minimize gray, I will use the outdoor shower to hand wash things when in places that allow that.  Otherwise, use plastic/paper.

 

I carry 4-6 gallon water jugs to use for cooking and drinking water.

 

I am a member of Planet Fitness, so I try to find one close to the range to go take a shower.  Otherwise, baby wipes and the outdoor shower to minimize water usage.

 

I have a 200W solar panel on my camper, with two lead-acid batteries.  They are not true deep-cycle batteries and can't be run down completely without damaging the batteries.  My camper has a couple of USB ports and a cigarette lighter that run off the 12VDC battery so I can keep small electronic devices charged.  The camper also came with a 12VDC TV, but I swapped it out to a 115VAC smart TV so I can stream from my phone if I'm stuck inside.  Dry camping over 3-day weekends with good sunshine, I've never run the batteries down.

 

I have two Champion 2500W quiet-run inverter generators.  If all I need to do is occasionally run the microwave or help out the solar, I can hook up one generator.  If I want to run the A/C, I have to hook them both up in parallel.  I have run both generators, powering the AC, overnight on a couple of occasions and I can't hear the generators over the AC noise.  A lot of the AC units on small campers are on the loud side so if that's a potential problem, ask to run the AC before you make a purchase.

[Krazy Kajun]

Sounds like you have most of it figured out.  You should do yourself a favor and upgrade your batteries to LI (you need to check to see that your convertor has a LI setting or change it out).  You can run LI batteries down all the way without damaging them.  I have 2 100ah LI batteries and I also have 200 watts of solar on the roof of my camper.  I also installed a 2000w inverter so I can run my AC stuff (except the air conditioner) off the batteries. I carry a quiet run inverter generator when dry camping to run my air conditioner should the need arise.

 

Kaun

Edited December 29, 2024 by Krazy Kajun

[Old Man Graybeard]

Make sure the axles on the camper are heavy enough for the weight you will have. I had a Rapttor toy hauler...it only had 7500 lb axles...not nearly heavy enough. It was pretty close to max empty. Add water and you were probably over. The camper I have now is 5000lbs lighter and has 10,000 lb axles. Some manufacturers are trying to cheapen things up where they shouldn't

[JohnWesleyHardin]

For me, the best part of CAS is the camping at the range.  That is were the great stories and memories come from, not the match itself.  Unless you get stuck next to old man greybeard.🙄

[Griff]

Weight is your enemy.  Poor weight distribution is a killer.  The most dangerous vehicles on the road are over-laden tow vehicles.   If you are pulling a bumper pull trailer, a weight distributing hitch is your friend.  Where your weight is concentrated is of extreme importance.  I've towed trailers with a ½, ¾ * & 1-ton trucks, regardless of the weight of the towed vehicle, give me a 1-ton dually every time.  Weight added to the trailer should be as close to directly over the axle(s) as possible.  Weight added to the tow vehicle should be as close to the front axle as possible.  Adding weight in front of the trailer axle(s) or behind the tow vehicle's rear axle only decreases the weight on the steer axle, reducing control.   Weight added behind the trailer axle(s) reduces weight on the tow vehicle's rear axle, reduces stability and can make the entire rig uncontrollable at speed.  Add wind, and you're simply asking for trouble.  95% of drivers on the highway don't know the first thing about how to drive courteously.  You should plan on getting cut off, or being forced into emergency braking situations.  In anything over a small (less than 15') trailer, insist on trailer brakes & a brake controller for the tow vehicle.  The newer electronic ones are very adjustable, and you will need to adjust it so the trailer brakes engage before the tow vehicle... Not so much that the trailer will skid, but enough so both units brake in a straight line.  Weigh your combined rig empty, so you know where you can put the added weight you ARE going to add, guns, ammo, food, water, fuel for the generator, generator(s), kitchen & eating utensils,  etc.  Then weigh it loaded so you know how well your total weight is distributed.    As a professional driver, I want my trailer axle(s) to carry approximately 1,000 lbs less than the drive axle(s) on my truck.  Less than that is okay, (depending on the total weight), but never more.  Most recreational trailers may find this difficult, but a weight distributing hitch will aid in this greatly.  The above weight goals apply to fifth wheel or gooseneck hitches also.

 

Wind is not your friend... if it's blowing more than about 35 mph you're going to be fighting to maintain stability.   Even with a perfectly balanced load.  The higher the wind,  the taller/longer your rig, the slower you need to travel...  I've been told that the blower over point for my 18-wheeler (empty) is about 55 mph.  That might be a bit on the conservative side, but... Wyoming, which I believe has the best wind warning system I know of, closes the roads to high profile rigs at around that 55 mph wind speed, (usually defined as rigs weighing less than 40,000 lbs.   I weigh approximately 34,800 lbs, empty.  Even with 25,000 lbs of cargo on, I sit and wait for the winds to die down... even a 45 mph wind can have gusts that exceed that magic 55 mph number.  The farther the distance is from your trailer's axles to the rear of the trailer, the more pressure you will have on the entire rigs stability... remember your basic geometry,  (how a fulcrum functions).  The amount of tire contact with the road is a factor in vehicle stability.   As with any trailer, things happen quickly... plan your trips to travel a little slower, take more rest stops, and maintain a higher level of alertness.

 

I may seem a bit cautious... but I have about 3 million miles of safe driving behind me.  A former Air Force pilot was told me, there are old pilots & there are bold pilots; but there are no old, bold pilots.  Same applies to drivers.  

 

Knowledge is power... Here's link to the National Highway Road Condition & Closure website.

[The Original Lumpy Gritz]

Make sure the range even allows overnight camping. 

 

 

[Lawdog Dago Dom]

"Get rid of the cheap Chinese tires that come on new trailers."  

 

This x 100

 

We went with Firestone truck tires. When the tires were swapped our local mechanic could not believe how thin the walls of the factory supplied tires were. And that was in 2018. They have probably got even thinner.

[Edward R S Canby, SASS#59971]

17 minutes ago, Lawdog Dago Dom said:

"Get rid of the cheap Chinese tires that come on new trailers."  

 

This x 100

 

We went with Firestone truck tires. When the tires were swapped our local mechanic could not believe how thin the walls of the factory supplied tires were. And that was in 2018. They have probably got even thinner.

I went to Goodyear Endurance trailer tires after an OEM "China Bomb" tire blew and cause $8k damage to my trailer.  The fellow I bought the trailer from recently bought another trailer.  One of his tires blew within months of the purchase with similar damage to his new trailer.

 

Changing the subject, my wife and I camp at nearby commercial campgrounds or state parks when possible.  The microwave works whenever she wants hot water, and she does not have to ration water and tank capacity allowing daily showers.  My cpap runs reliably all night too.  We find that many of the campers are also CAS shooters - many of whom we have possed with before.  The best possible camping is on range with partial hookups.  Land Run has many water/electric sites.  The San Juan range in Montrose has electric sites.  You can also dump your gray water on nearby juniper tree roots.

[Krazy Kajun]

double tap

Edited December 29, 2024 by Krazy Kajun

[Hoss]

7 hours ago, Griff said:

Weight is your enemy.  Poor weight distribution is a killer.  The most dangerous vehicles on the road are over-laden tow vehicles.   If you are pulling a bumper pull trailer, a weight distributing hitch is your friend.  Where your weight is concentrated is of extreme importance.  I've towed trailers with a ½, ¾ * & 1-ton trucks, regardless of the weight of the towed vehicle, give me a 1-ton dually every time.  Weight added to the trailer should be as close to directly over the axle(s) as possible.  Weight added to the tow vehicle should be as close to the front axle as possible.  Adding weight in front of the trailer axle(s) or behind the tow vehicle's rear axle only decreases the weight on the steer axle, reducing control.   Weight added behind the trailer axle(s) reduces weight on the tow vehicle's rear axle, reduces stability and can make the entire rig uncontrollable at speed.  Add wind, and you're simply asking for trouble.  95% of drivers on the highway don't know the first thing about how to drive courteously.  You should plan on getting cut off, or being forced into emergency braking situations.  In anything over a small (less than 15') trailer, insist on trailer brakes & a brake controller for the tow vehicle.  The newer electronic ones are very adjustable, and you will need to adjust it so the trailer brakes engage before the tow vehicle... Not so much that the trailer will skid, but enough so both units brake in a straight line.  Weigh your combined rig empty, so you know where you can put the added weight you ARE going to add, guns, ammo, food, water, fuel for the generator, generator(s), kitchen & eating utensils,  etc.  Then weigh it loaded so you know how well your total weight is distributed.    As a professional driver, I want my trailer axle(s) to carry approximately 1,000 lbs less than the drive axle(s) on my truck.  Less than that is okay, (depending on the total weight), but never more.  Most recreational trailers may find this difficult, but a weight distributing hitch will aid in this greatly.  The above weight goals apply to fifth wheel or gooseneck hitches also.

 

Wind is not your friend... if it's blowing more than about 35 mph you're going to be fighting to maintain stability.   Even with a perfectly balanced load.  The higher the wind,  the taller/longer your rig, the slower you need to travel...  I've been told that the blower over point for my 18-wheeler (empty) is about 55 mph.  That might be a bit on the conservative side, but... Wyoming, which I believe has the best wind warning system I know of, closes the roads to high profile rigs at around that 55 mph wind speed, (usually defined as rigs weighing less than 40,000 lbs.   I weigh approximately 34,800 lbs, empty.  Even with 25,000 lbs of cargo on, I sit and wait for the winds to die down... even a 45 mph wind can have gusts that exceed that magic 55 mph number.  The farther the distance is from your trailer's axles to the rear of the trailer, the more pressure you will have on the entire rigs stability... remember your basic geometry,  (how a fulcrum functions).  The amount of tire contact with the road is a factor in vehicle stability.   As with any trailer, things happen quickly... plan your trips to travel a little slower, take more rest stops, and maintain a higher level of alertness.

 

I may seem a bit cautious... but I have about 3 million miles of safe driving behind me.  A former Air Force pilot was told me, there are old pilots & there are bold pilots; but there are no old, bold pilots.  Same applies to drivers.  

 

Knowledge is power... Here's link to the National Highway Road Condition & Closure website.

Back in my much younger days I hauled horses all over. So I have some experience pulling a trailer. 
my 24 F150 has a GVWR if 7100 lbs. I’ll be well under that with a 20’ camper, even with gear! Truck does have tow pkg with brake controller.  I did have a salesman try to talk me into a 30’ trailer with weight of 5700 lbs he insisted I’d be fine. I knew I would be “under/trucked”! 

 

[Fretless]

As somebody who camps out of a van, without AC, I first want to say thank you for recognizing that a generator can be annoying.  That aside, what has not been mentioned is the exhaust from the generator.  If it's hot, my windows are open, often with fans drawing in outside air.  I might not like listening to a generator but the noise won't kill me.  The exhaust, on the other hand, could.  So, please have a plan for aiming that exhaust away from other campers, and ideally, above them.

 

Lots of good tips in this thread so far.

Edited December 30, 2024 by Fretless
Adding to one sentence

[Ya Big Tree]

On 12/29/2024 at 8:14 AM, Hoss said:

my questions for those of you that camp:
is it ok to run a small generator overnight, or is it considered rude to neighbors? 
is 36gal water enough to get thru a couple of days if used judiciously?

not planning to use “black tank” (will use range facility) is it ok to just dump gray tank? 
 

any other tips?

 

Camping on the range is the best part of Cowboy Shooting.

 

Everywhere I have dry camped allowed generators to run all night. You will definitely want an Inverter generator"s" that is big enough to run your air conditioner. We just place the generator as far away from other campers as possible to limit the noise and exhaust. 

 

I have a 30 gal. water tank and two of us make it last for a week or more while taking navy showres every day.

 

Some places may let you dump the gray tank, just ask. I will almost always empty my tanks at home or at a dump station on the way home.

 

*side note* carry extra blocks to level your camper out. Most dry camping areas are not level.

 

You'll figure it all out as you go. 

[Edward R S Canby, SASS#59971]

29 minutes ago, Ya Big Tree said:

 

Camping on the range is the best part of Cowboy Shooting.

 

Everywhere I have dry camped allowed generators to run all night. You will definitely want an Inverter generator"s" that is big enough to run your air conditioner. We just place the generator as far away from other campers as possible to limit the noise and exhaust. 

 

I have a 30 gal. water tank and two of us make it last for a week or more while taking navy showres every day.

 

Some places may let you dump the gray tank, just ask. I will almost always empty my tanks at home or at a dump station on the way home.

 

*side note* carry extra blocks to level your camper out. Most dry camping areas are not level.

 

You'll figure it all out as you go. 

Yes, and a power cord extension, an extra-long freshwater hose, a Y hose connection and a 50A to 30A adapter might be needed too.  All these were needed at Land Run this year.  (No complaints!  I love camping on range with utilities.)

[Chief Rick]

11 hours ago, Hoss said:

Back in my much younger days I hauled horses all over. So I have some experience pulling a trailer. 
my 24 F150 has a GVWR if 7100 lbs. I’ll be well under that with a 20’ camper, even with gear! Truck does have tow pkg with brake controller.  I did have a salesman try to talk me into a 30’ trailer with weight of 5700 lbs he insisted I’d be fine. I knew I would be “under/trucked”! 

 

Hoss,

 

What is the cargo capacity of the F150?  I had an F150 with a ~1900 lb cargo capacity.  Two adults, camper shell, truck vault, guns, ammo, extra water and camping gear ate into that real quick - before I hooked up the trailer.

 

I have a GeoPro 19FBS.  The factory spec is 3300 lb unloaded, 4479 lb GVWR, and ~450 lb hitch weight.

 

I promise, that hitch weight in NOT ACCURATE.

 

The 19FBS potable water tank (~250 lbs for a full load of water) is forward of the single axle.  Then add the two lead acid batteries and the two propane tanks.  It's a very tongue heavy trailer for it's size.

 

You may know this, but others may not - most trucks run out of cargo capacity before they run out of towing capacity.

[Boulder Canyon Bob# 32052L]

Good advice all, the only thing I'd ad is look into a "soft start" for your AC unit. It allows the compressor to kick in with a much lighter draw. My current trailer has a 15,000 BTU AC unit and my little 2850 watt Yamaha generator runs it just fine. Ours has a 30 gallon fresh water tank and we've never run out of water at 4 day events. 

[Kid Rich]

5 hours ago, Boulder Canyon Bob# 32052L said:

Good advice all, the only thing I'd ad is look into a "soft start" for your AC unit. It allows the compressor to kick in with a much lighter draw. My current trailer has a 15,000 BTU AC unit and my little 2850 watt Yamaha generator runs it just fine. Ours has a 30 gallon fresh water tank and we've never run out of water at 4 day events. 

+10 on the EZ start. My ac will start and run on a 15 amp Honda generator. Just don't try to run the fridge, microwave and water heater at the same time.

kR

[Rye Miles #13621]

On 12/29/2024 at 8:14 AM, Hoss said:

Planning to buy a small camper for going to multi day matches. I do t like staying at motels due to security issues with either leaving guns in truck, or lugging them into room. I’ve stayed at Airbnbs a lot, and they work well, but not always convenient to range. Plus visiting with cowboy friends at range better than sitting in motel room. 
 

my questions for those of you that camp:
is it ok to run a small generator overnight, or is it considered rude to neighbors? 
is 36gal water enough to get thru a couple of days if used judiciously?

not planning to use “black tank” (will use range facility) is it ok to just dump gray tank? 
 

any other tips?

I prefer hotel rooms and I can always leave my guns and cart with fellow shooters that are camping. I go to maybe 3 multi-day shoots a year. 

[Mister Badly]

Good time to buy

 

Edited December 31, 2024 by Mister Badly

[Mister Badly]

Deleted 

Edited January 1 by Mister Badly

[El Chapo]

36 gallons of water will last you for a long weekend no problem

 

You will have no reason to run a generator all night long.  200 watts of solar and an inverter will make coffee or anything else you need 120 volts for.  Most everything in your camper will be either 12 volts off the batteries or propane (fridge).  The only things you need a generator for are air conditioning or the microwave.  If you're in a place that is 100 degrees at night and need the generator, nobody will care because they will all be running theirs, too.  Outside of that, it would be rude, and unnecessary, to run even a quiet generator all night long.

 

You will want to use the "black tank."  You can dump your tanks on the way home; there are tons of places to do that.  I have a truck stop that I go to, fill with diesel on the way home, and dump my tanks at the same time.  That way when I put the camper away, it's empty.

 

As to what to pull with and what size camper to get, just make sure you are well within your tow ratings.  I would not pull more than 80% of whatever number your vehicle is rated for.  I could go further into the technical details but just make sure you have a good cushion. 

 

Agreed on all of the comments regarding trailer tires as well.  Whatever you use, it needs to be made in USA.  I am running a combination of Michelin XPS Ribs and Goodyear Endurance.  I have had two Goodyear Endurance failures but I have a tire pressure monitor now because road hazards are usually what takes out quality tires and the last flat I had, I probably drove on for 50 miles before I realized it was flat.  Discovered it the next morning after sleeping in the truck stop when doing the walk around inspection for the day.

[Eyesa Horg]

So far I'm having good luck with Carlisle trailer tires. Not US made, but half the cost of GY endurance and have excellent reviews including the vendors whom carry both. Got mine from "Tires shipped to you". Much heavier than the china bombs the camper came with including higher speed and load rating. I've only run them about a thousand miles so far. They show zero wear and are flat across the tread compared to the china bombs that were invented in the center of the tread. TPMS is also a good idea for peace of mind.

As a side note, most new campers come with electric only refrigerators, 12v, I recommend upgrading to LIFPO batteries. It was near impossible to make it thru the night with the lead acid battery and it takes hours to recharge it. My 200W solar recharges 2 100 ah lithiums in a few hours if the sun is good, about 2 hours on the generator. I bought a separate charger rather than change out the one in the he camper which I just shut off.

[Barry Sloe]

Payload/Cargo Carrying Capacity is a big item on trailers. Remember that water weighs 8.34 pounds per gallon. 

Two main reasons we ended up going with an Arctic Fox:

- on board generator.  As far as I know, Northwood Mfg is the only mfg to put generators on travel trailers. 

- from the factory (with the generator included) my trailer has a cargo capacity of 3600 pounds.

With regard to tires; look very close at their rated load. I'd love to put truck tires on the trailer, but none will match up with the GVWR. I may upgrade to 16" wheels sometime in the future (15" currently).

 

Good luck with your search,

BS

 

Note: Northwood Mfg makes both the Arctic Fox and the Nash. 

Edited December 31, 2024 by Barry Sloe
Added info

[Three Foot Johnson]

One person should be able to make 36 gallons last all week, if used "judiciously". 

 

A trailer doesn't have to be big - outside of making coffee, something to eat, and sleeping at night, you're outside shooting, then sitting around afterward with a cold one lying to each other about why you got those two misses and a P, comparing meds, and what CPAP machine you're using.  I have a 29' "Paradise Pointe" bumper pull and a 14' Jayco - if someone offered me a decent price for the big one, it would be gone in a heartbeat. I didn't even have it out this year. I think the little Jayco has only 14 gallons, but that's PLENTY for me for a couple days & nights. It's nice to take the big one if I'll be gone for more than a weekend, but certainly not necessary. The Jayco has a sink, toilet, tiny shower, small closet, two burner stove, microwave, refrigerator, furnace, A/C, and a roomy bed. I made the bed sort of a semi-permanent setup by buying a 10" thick foam mattress and just leaving the table folded down. If I need a table, I have a "personal folding table" from Walmart that suffices, and a remote start 4500 watt Cummins generator under the truck topper. 

[Lawdog Dago Dom]

This might be out in left field, but we haven't talked about bump-outs yet.

We have a 20 foot, single axle Sonic Lite, that has a bump-out for an extra bed or dining table. After one of our first matches with it in the summer, we noticed the air conditioner running full blast could not get the indoor temp below 80. We added an extra fan, but didn't cool off until night.

 By the third day I noticed the sides of the bump-out, when exposed, were painted dark brown. The dark color was absorbing the sunlight and radiating heat. We confirmed this with a contactless thermometer.

Once home I painted the sides gloss white and things cooled off dramatically.

And the air conditioner worked beautifully. 

[watab kid]

when i can use it i camp in my wifes [inherited from her father] miniwini motorhome , its long ago had its plumbing damaged and she wont fix it , we camp dry often without issues and when needed we use a nice campground with showers and such , its all about packing and knowing what you need , you will get there , when the camper is not available [she takes the grandkids often] i have a tent that turns my SUV into a camper and a tent if needed ,  always take my popup shower/toilet/changing tent as well , 

[Dred Bob]

If you're not trying to run an A/C unit try getting a portable Solar Generator.  Basically a rechargeable battery pack that can supply clean A/C.  I like Ecoflow and you can add more battery and scale to your usage.   If you're not trying to run an AC unit you can probably get a day of power out of a recharge and I can recharge it off of a Honda 2200 in about an hour.   Run gas generator only as needed.  Ecoflow also has a small inverter generator that is able to pair with their power units to startup and recharge whenever needed (ie. start recharge at 10% and stop at 80%).  best of both worlds.   The lower end units are good enough to supply portable 30A.   It gets a bit more expensive for one that supplies 50A 220.   It's nice to run silent all day/night and just do a quick recharge when nobody is bothered.   I've also tried Bluetti but I'm more impressed by Ecoflow products.  They can also recharge off of solar panels but I'm saving those for the zombie apocalypse.   The small generator is fast / easy / cheap as needed.  Overall a great off grid boondocking solution for power.

[Waimea]

As a tent camper I found it best to set up far away from trailers and generator exhaust.

[Griff]

The only physical altercation I witnessed at a cowboy match resulted from the use of a generator.  Didn't result in any blows, but some very harsh words were bandied about, and almost resulted in a trip to jail for at least one participant.  Generator boy forgot to put up his awning when he left... ripped it off against the entrance arch...   Parting words as I recall were, "...if this is the way you cowboy shooters welcome someone new, I don't anything to do with you!"  I'm sure the feeling was mutual.  I had to turn myself in to the match director for inspiring generator boy to leave...   There's much more to the story, but I save it to trade for free barley pops.  😉

 

Ooops... just recalled one more, but as a participant, a non SASS match... outcome was different...  but as the belligerent party was belittling my junior shooter son, I felt justified... 

Edited January 4 by Griff

[WOODFOX , sass#34179]

Some ranges are ok with generators   running all night some aren't I use 2 Honda 2000's in a series if I need to run AC but usually cools down enough at night and don't run them . As far as water goes depends on the size of your tanks and how you use it .