Carry-on Camping – Is Red Oxx Gear Tough Enough for Mother Nature?

Favorite Camping Gear from the Red Oxx Herd

While most people use their Red Oxx gear for contemporary travel, both carry-on and checked, on airlines, buses and even road trips, CEO Jim Markel is fond of heading outdoors and sleeping under the stars.

So with that in mind, he’s made certain through years of extensive testing in the field that Red Oxx gear is camping tough — tough enough for anything Mother Nature can throw at it, including dinosaurs.

Numerous photo safaris and overlanding trips have confirmed that a number of Red Oxx bags are ideal for just about any camping situation.

“The Big Oxx is a gear-hauling dynamo for camping. I took it to a music festival, hauled it in and hauled it out. I fit my entire camp, tent, chairs, cots, etc. It sure beats trying to use a chintzy short-handled wagon. Red Oxx for the win!” ~ Christian, Red Oxx Customer Care

In addition to outfitting your camping gear with Red Oxx bags Jim and the herd have tested and approved of a number of outstanding travel accessories (hereby deemed travel “essentials”) that are also tough enough to reside within a Red Oxx bag while engaged in an outdoor adventure.

CEO Jim Markel contemplates his next cabin camping move.

Best Bags and Gear for a Weekend Camp-out

Containing your camping gear, keeping it organized, and available at hand was a bit of problem until now. With our invention of the Big Bull Roll-up you can jam nearly all your camping gear into one bag. Then simply roll it up to fit in the trunk. When you’ve reached your campsite whip it out, unroll it, and hang it on the nearest tree branch. Talk about handy!

“Big Bull Roll-up holds all my camping tools and it’s easy to find everything I need. Plus it hangs up for access when no picnic tables are to be had.” ~ Jenna, Red Oxx Media Marshal

Stuff your camp kitchen cooking gear in the smaller pockets and your extra blankets, tent covers, jackets and whatnot into the larger pockets. Then everything is right where you can see it through the mesh pockets.

Red Oxx Big Bull Roll-up Is a Camper’s Dream Bag

Since this wonderful bag is also carry-on legal you could even fly somewhere and camp out with your sleeping bag stuffed in a Small Aviator taken aboard as a “personal item”. Super heavy-duty ballistic nylon exterior and double-stitched seams means the Big Bull snorts at tough camping conditions.

Stay Clean Even In The Muddy Wilderness

Keep your toiletry items organized and at hand so you’re refreshed when you clean up with a Tri-fold Shave Kit. This handy little toiletry kit unfolds and hangs up so you can access (and see-through) the interior mesh pockets.

Some campers have even found it a nice storage for camp cooking and meal prep utensils. Same tough heavy-duty zippers, same attention to detail stitching as all our bags. This superior toiletry kit might end up going everywhere with you, forever.

Staying On Grid While “Off Grid”

So you like to “stay in touch” with the grid while pretending to be “off-grid”? No worries, our Lil Roy has all the room you need for jamming cables and chargers into its twin snap mesh interior pockets.

Or just stuff it with survival essentials, like bug repellent or first aid kit. Some overlanders are known to use a Lil Roy to store their tire inflation compressor pumps. Either way, if you have more than one Lil Roy, you can organize your smaller camping items by color.

Team Red Oxx mountain bikes the desert.

Organize Your Smaller Camping Gear by Color Using Packing Cubes

Speaking of packing cubes and organizing camping gear by color, our line of packing cubes can’t be beat. Designed in five handy sizes and shapes and finished bright neon colors, these packing cubes feature mesh covers so you can see your shirts, socks, pants and so forth.

Each cube has a matching set of Red Oxx Reflective Monkey Fist Zip Knots, a useful see-in-the-dark safety camping accessory available in sets of six – add them to your tent or sleeping bag zippers!

Don’t Let the Rain Bring You Down

While all our bags are classified as “water resistant” it’s seldom heard anyone complaining their belongings getting soaked in a sudden squall.

If that’s strikes you as an issue of concern, Red Oxx recommends Made in USA “water-proof” SealLine Drybags to ease your water worries.

If you’re really concerned about moisture, but don’t want the added hassle of yet another bag, we recommend Scotchgard Water Shield, sold in a convenient travel size. All Red Oxx bags can be coated with this fantastic fabric protection spray and your bag warranty will still be “No Bull“.

Armadilla Packing Cube lives as belt-mounted fishing gear bag.

I Hear You Got Dirty Laundry?

No matter where you go while camping your clothes will get dirty. Toss your dirty (or wet) clothes in the pocket-friendly Laundro bag. You’ll be able to keep your stinky body drapes separate from your dry belongings until they fume out and dry out.

Then wash them clean with a little Dr. Bronner’s travel soaps, available in two lovely mildly scented mini travel bottles.

“I use my Laundro Bag for dirty clothes and I also use another one on my raft for all the rocks I collect.” ~ Lacy, Red Oxx Lead Bag Designer

Got Wet? Dry Off Fast

If you do get wet, dry off with a compact PackTowl. PackTowls are an inspiring camp towel that will hold many times its weight in water. They can be wrung dry by hand hundreds of times. Choose from four useful sizes; from hand towel to body towel.

Help, Where Are My Glasses?

You’ll be amazed at how treasured a Red Oxx Travel Tray will become once you’ve used one in a tent or RV. Now you’ve got a reliable and safe place to stash those all important items like keys, phone or eye glasses.

You’ll always know where there are when you wake up from that hard-partying night around the campfire. Pick a bright color and you’ll not miss it among the pile of drab camping gear stashed in your tent corner.

Best Red Oxx Gear for a Day Hike

Light day hikers and amateur backpackers will appreciate the versatility of our famous Rucksacks. Available in three sizes, from narrow shouldered Mini Ruck to our monster size Rail Runner Rucksack.

The Red Oxx midsize C-Ruck Rucksack utilizes that tried and true ages-old top loading classic knapsack design, complete with extension collar. Plus the usual Red Oxx bells and whistles like Mil-spec hardware all round, twin raised side pockets (perfect size for a big bottle of water, soda or wine).

Red Oxx Rucksacks Make Great Companions, too!

There’s a raised front pocket to stuff things you might need at hand like headlamps, clotheslines or a sparking or torch fire-starter.

“I’m a tent camper. I use my Medium and Large Aviators to carry my tent, poles, sleeping bag, pillows, and blankets. Market Tote for food and a small cooler. I put my clothes in a Safari-Beanos PR5 Duffel. I also like the Flexo-Line Clothesline in case I get caught in a rainstorm… when do you not?” ~ Lisa, Red Oxx Shipping Manager

Rucksack, Backpack… It’ll Still Get You There

Top loading Rucksacks not your style? Double down and pick out a colorful Kat Pack Backpack, its capacity will amaze you and the utilitarian 3/4 wrap around zip down heavy-duty zippers allow easy access to that suddenly much-needed light jacket you jammed near the bottom when a squall hits.

Best Bags and Gear for a Remote “Wilderness” Camping, Overland, or Safari Adventure

Many times safaris require you to squeeze into a puddle jumper and go hopping over the hills to a remote location in the wilderness. For this scenario, the Safari and Expedition travel series bags are ideal choices. They are flexible enough to fit into a cramped cargo hold in a small aircraft or toss them into the back of a four wheel drive vehicle.

PRO TIP Be warned that pilots of these smaller aircraft can be picky about the bags that go into their cargo holds. Hard sided bags and bags with wheels are frequently frowned upon. If you don’t have a garbage bag handy you might find your clothes left behind on the runway! This is why safari tour guides recommend using our soft-sided bags.

Luckily our Safari Beanos PR-4 and PR-5 duffels also have the distinct advantage of being carry-on legal.

Hole in the Rock trail.

The up-sized Safari Beanos PR-5.5 and PR-6 are popular among safari adventurers as shoulder-carry checked “cargo” bags. The large main top access compartment and twin end compartments are highly appreciated.

Cause You Like To Bring Everything Camping

If you really have a big haul of camping gear on your hands check out the Sherpa Jr. or the Big Oxx, thus named because it’s the largest cargo outfitter bag in the Expedition lineup. All three contain the brilliant, and often copied, stow-away retractable shoulder straps.


Pachyderm photobomb

In fact, the entire Expedition line was originally developed by world famous mountain climber Dr. Jean Ellis and refined from years of African Safaris by Red Oxx owners Jim and Perry.

Sports Duffels For The Sporty

Should you happen to be headed somewhere you might be snorkeling, the Sun Chaser (also carry-on legal) and its big brother the Flying Boxcar have long primary compartments. These will easily contain your SCUBA gear. They feature nifty raised side pockets for smaller items like snorkeling goggles.

Both sports duffel bags offer the padded bottom protection for those who love to photograph wildlife using long telephoto lenses. Count on the ballistic bottoms of these brutes to stand up to rough handling in any environment. These two top access sports duffel style bags are super popular among the hard-core overlanding crowd.

Best of Both Worlds – Duffel + Backpack

How about a bag so smart it can live two lifestyles? The Tres Hombres is a three compartment carry-on legal duffel with hidden retractable backpack straps. The padded bottom protects your camping gear while the end grab handles help pull it from the back of your rig. It’s the ultimate duffel bag / backpack.

Red Oxx Tres Hombre Goes Exploring

Now You Know You Can “Carry On” Camping with Red Oxx!

When you’re out in the field, whether it’s a mile from home or 100 miles from civilization, you can count on Red Oxx gear to get you through whatever Mother Nature can throw at you. Our gear is time tested tough and tried and true.

The Red Oxx herd believes in our gear and they use it every day no matter what they’re doing or going.

So to answer that pesky question…is Red Oxx tough enough for Mother Nature? If we didn’t think so it wouldn’t be backed by our no questions asked, “No Bull” Lifetime Warranty that is hands-down, the absolute best guarantee in the bag business!

Got cabin fever yet? Chomping at the bit to make your great escape? Need a few camping essentials to get you there and back? Browse Red Oxx Camping Gear and recommended accessories here!

And Now a Message From a 24/7 – 365 Camper

Did you know Overlanders camp 24/7 – 365 days a year? Here’s Billings’ own Clay Croft from Overland Guru Website Expedition Portal giving props to Red Oxx.