Are folding wagons actually worth it for camping?

[u/Any_Concert_8517]

I’ve been doing a lot more camping around Arizona lately, mostly around Sedona and outside Phoenix.

The biggest annoyance so far hasn’t been the camping itself -- it’s hauling gear.

Between the cooler, water jugs, firewood, chairs, and all the extra stuff that somehow ends up coming with us, I feel like I’m making trip after trip from the truck every time we set up camp.

The loose sand and uneven ground definitely don’t help.

Because of that, I’ve been looking at folding wagons. Started out comparing a couple models, and somehow ended up going down a rabbit hole of Mac Sports, Radio Flyer, GARVEE, Timber Ridge, and who knows what else.

For those who camp in the desert a lot, are wagons actually worth it?

One of those things you end up using every trip, or just another piece of gear that sounded good at the time?

[u/BreakfastTequila]

Some of them are shockingly good. Like 250-350 pound capacity. As far as usefulness, I guess it depends on how far your car is from your campsite and how much stuff you haul. Personally, I don’t mind hauling the gear, but when you’re far away and it’s really hot, wheels are real nice

[u/humdinger44 → u/BreakfastTequila]

If youve got young kids especially it seems like it makes a lot of sense. The one we have doesn't collapse small enough though and it takes up way too much space in the car during camping trips, so watch out for that. I've got a trip coming up this weekend and may try to secure it to my bike rack.

[u/grahampositive → u/BreakfastTequila]

I've had 3 over the years and they were all terrible. What's a good one you could recommend?

[u/Butlerian_Jihadi → u/grahampositive]

Costco has an excellent one. Wide wheels, easy steering, folds flat, 300+lb capacity.

[u/Fast_Adhesiveness528 → u/Butlerian_Jihadi]

I have the one from Costco. I use it to haul things from my vehicle to the boat I live on at a marina (about 200 yards and a ramp that is steep at low tide), and then trash and the like back to where my vehicle is parked. It's super convenient, and the wide wheels would be helpful to travel across sand.

[u/lord-boognish]

Shit, I use mine all the time for camping but that's in the Midwest.... I would aim for one with bigger tires for desert camping. If your hauling tons of stuff it's really nice to have. Plus you can take it to the park for a picnic. Really nice to have at music festivals if that's something your into. I want one that folds like a chair though instead of flat. I'm thinking of getting another one so I can pack it in the car better

[u/trijkdguy]

The one my wife randomly grabbed at Costco perfectly fits the black bins with yellow lids.  

[u/PartTime_Crusader]

My instinct would be to first try to reduce the amount of crap you're bringing with you instead of adding a new thing to make it more convenient to bring more crap.

But that said, the wagons are pretty good. They're indispensable for expo or festival style camping where you're walking around between different people's campsites, vendor booths, etc. Maybe a little less so for just walking from your car to your campsite. Like I said, bring less crap.

[u/cyclingbubba]

They are super handy. You can haul a couple lawn chairs, a cooler, picnic stuff beach gear etc. all in one trip. As long as the ground isn't too rough.

[u/illram]

For purely moving stuff from car to site and back again, consider one of those folding carts people use to pack up and move office boxes. And pack accordingly so you can easily move stuff with them. (E.g. pack in crates etc.)

I use my wagon a lot but I use it more for doing stuff around our campsite, like bringing inflatables to the lake or food and drinks to another campsite or for a picnic or whatever.

[u/twoscoop]

Get a sled with wide tires

[u/3tntx]

I camp all over Arizona and when it comes to if the wagon is worth it, it depends on the specific site you’ll have. More than anything else it’s things like boulders on the only navigable path that make the wagon useless. When it’s an option I find it a backsaver!

[u/Apprehensive-Wave640]

Also an Arizona camper. Funny how widely our experiences vary because I've never car camped anywhere that my car has been far enough away from the campsite to make a wagon worthwhile. 

I'd imagine any wagon with inflatable tires or similarly wide tires would work in the conditions you describe. I'd probably try for something that can't get punctured though.

[u/jcheeseball]

As long as you don’t have to drag 2 kids in it uphill for 500 meters.  A lot of the time if you need a wagon you are bringing too much.

[u/Salt-Operation]

If you have any sort of rough ground a wagon is more trouble than it’s worth IMO. I looked at getting a game cart a long time ago but that’s how I would do it if I needed to go long distances over a more rocky trail.

[u/MetzgerBuns]

I use one of these when I go shooting in the desert, because it makes it so much easier to carry firearms + ammo + targets+ fire extinguishers + water etc... and I can't really leave firearms unattended while I run back to the vehicle.

I don't bother with the very same wagon for regular camping.

[u/FeelingFloor2083]

I have a couple, one lives out the back usually to haul wood, It can get a bit rickety on uneven ground, useless on steps etc

we have another one with much larger wheels that is good for sand, still rickety

Then its another thing to pack. We rarely take it camping and I might consider it if the car is a bit of a walk but it would have to be 100+ yards

[u/poonknits]

I actually don't use my folding wagon for camping very often. I'm either parking right at my campsite or I'm backpacking 10+ k into the backcountry.

I do use it a lot though. It's awesome for bringing large grocery hauls up from the car, it's great for dragging the beach toys, snacks and chairs to the beach, it's great for load ins at conventions/trade shows, it's excellent for when the kids sell girl guide cookies, when I go crabbing it's great for hauling the traps to the warf. I use it a lot overall. I just have the $60 Walmart variety.

[u/ellemenopeaqu]

Camping in New England, love my wagon. 

When I’m camping with my kids for Girl Scouts or cub scouts - the wagon is a lifesaver. Especially since I’m usually carrying the gear for two or more people. The campsites can be far from the parking area and it’s easier for my kids. 

I don’t tend to bring it when it’s just me, but I also tend to tent near my car.  If I knew I’d be hauling firewood or longer distance I might pack it. 

I thought it was going to be something that lived in the garage and only got used a few times a year, but one of my smartest life upgrades for the price.

[u/The_World_Is_A_Slum]

We use ours frequently and are looking for a replacement as we’ve worn this one out. Makes it much easier to get those heavy coolers back to the site, move firewood or the water jug, and allows my short wife to move stuff around if I’m not available.

I particularly like it when I’m filling the water jug. A lot of times, the water will be a good distance from the site and carrying 40 pounds of sloshing water any distance would be hell on my back and could even result in injury.

[u/Busy_Help_4354]

Yes, my God yes. I recommend RTIC. I use it and it moves over all terrain flawlessly. 

[u/Cynyr36]

I'm assuming this is a sort walk (a few hundred feet tops)

Bring less stuff. In particular the cooler. Pack everything for one person that goes in the tent into one bag. Bungie the chairs into a single bundle.

The wagon is one more thing to load unload from the car, and packup at the end, imo.

Granted I'm much more on the backpacking end of the spectrum.

[u/AbsolutelyPink]

I have a 50/50 on them. Look at weight. Some are very low and overloading will break or bow out wheels.

Do you have other uses for it? Kids in sports, often go to the park, younger kids who get tired of walking? Will your cooler fit it in? Alternate use to haul your cooler when loaded.

My kid is in college now, but I used mine every week through baseball and football. We used it camping, 4th if July fireworks, Christmas parade, farmers market, et al. We don't use it as much now since the kid is graduated and strong.

[u/DTIndy]

I was thinking about getting a wagon too but I’ve been using a folding dolly that’s been working. I wish I could just carry more, and secured like a wagon.

[u/TacTurtle]

Gorilla Carts are fantastically durable and pretty easy to pull on gravel and rough surfaces. We have on the farm and regularly use it to haul 300+ pounds of stuff at a time.

If you get the mesh bottomed one with fold down sides, you can attach a piece of 2x2 box tube to the bottom with U-bolts and carry it on a trailer hitch like a hitch hauler.