Help me with my next purchase, please! Fridge/Freezer or Lights and awning?

[GLOCKer]

I've been very careful about deciding what I want to add to my truck, trying to keep my purchases practical and I've been shopping carefully. I've been saving up money from my food blog earnings and I'm ready to work on one of two things. I'm very conflicted on which one to do. I have approximately $300 to spend on one or the other of these additions to my truck.

Option 1: Alpicool 53 qt, fridge/freezer (dual zone or single) for my camp kitchen. This would obviously allow me to hold food at safe temperatures on outings without having to buy ice or suffer melting ice issues and waterlogged food. This goes along with my desire to have a really nice and cool camp kitchen as I love cooking and eating and is also in line with my long term goals to do long distance trips. The fridge/freezer can pull double duty if I take it to work and use it in my office as a personal fridge.

Option 2: 5ft wide awning and "work lights" for my truck's bed rack. I would fasten the awning over the side of my truck that has the camp kitchen for, obviously, shade and to have a dry area for food prep in the rain. I'm looking at the idea of adapting rock-lights to my bed rack so I can have lighting that is not just controllable from my phone, but I could also use my phone to change the color of the lighting depending on my needs (red for night vision, amber to not attract bugs, bright white for best vision, etc.). These additions to my truck would also benefit my cooking hobby by giving me a shaded or dry food prep area as well as a shaded place to sit and relax with light to work with. There is no practical application outside of overlanding though.

I'm curious to hear your thoughts on this, folks! Thank you.

My setup so far. I have a Coleman two-burner stove and the beginnings of a chuck-box for carrying my cooking stuff out with me. I also have a LPG powered generator for powering a fridge overnight, if I go the fridge/freezer route. So fridge/freezer or awning and lights?

 

[Pretzel]

There's been a similar topic lately, "Fridge vs. Sliders" and I have the same comment here as I did for them. Which will you get more use out of first/most frequently? For me, I always pack food and drinks that need to stay cold on multiday events and the upgrade from coolers & ice was more important for me than any of the other costly upgrades under consideration for me at the time. Do you have the capability for foul weather cooking already or were you counting on the awning for that? We travel with a Tent and Tarp so it's not been a problem.

My vote is for Fridge.

 

[enjoitheride]

I would go for a fridge, and here’s why. Going deep into the woods, and having food that is ruined, could lead to some survivalist issues. What if you were to be trapped? I.e. a snow storm, stuck in mud, etc. you would want supplies to hold you over till help arrives, or until you can free yourself.

You can make a makeshift awning/cover until you save up more money. All it takes is some inexpensive tarps from Harbor Freight, and some guy lines. Attach them to your truck with a carabiner, and stretch to fix to the ground with some tent stakes. Problem solved until you get the awning you want.

Hope this helps a little. Cheers!

 

[RodgerS]

Time on the road and a tight budget drives your choices as I see it.

Not for me to get by without an awning and lights. You can find ways to avoid waterlogged foods, just research what others do (assuming short trips).

Check on the quality of the refrigerator, compatibility with your power sources, and draw down times on all power sources if you go that route. No question, food storage is a critical issue as the trip time extends.

This is outside your budget, but I use a Dometic CFX3 Portable Refrigerator and Freezer - AC/DC or Solar (55IM) in my F150 truck.

My Goal Zero 500x lithium power backup stays plugged into the truck and into the Dometic all the time. When the truck is off it stops feeding juice into the Goal Zero, but the Goal Zero keeps feeding power into the Refrig. The Goal Zero uses about a 1/4 of its charge overnight. The truck automatically recharges the Goal Zero when back on the road.

 

[GLOCKer]

Time on the road and a tight budget drives your choices as I see it.

Not for me to get by without an awning and lights. You can find ways to avoid waterlogged foods, just research what others do (assuming short trips).

Check on the quality of the refrigerator, compatibility with your power sources, and draw down times on all power sources if you go that route. No question, food storage is a critical issue as the trip time extends.

This is outside your budget, but I use a Dometic CFX3 Portable Refrigerator and Freezer - AC/DC or Solar (55IM) in my F150 truck.

My Goal Zero 500x lithium power backup stays plugged into the truck and into the Dometic all the time. When the truck is off it stops feeding juice into the Goal Zero, but the Goal Zero keeps feeding power into the Refrig. The Goal Zero uses about a 1/4 of its charge overnight. The truck automatically recharges the Goal Zero when back on the road.

HAHA Way outside my budget! But nice equipment!

 

[DMS1]

12 volt fridge, has many uses outside of overlanding as well.

 

[By way of aztec]

My vote is frig all the way. But I would be careful on a cheep fridge/freezer. I started out with a cheap one, and soon realize I threw my money away. Ended up in the long run with an ARB. Well worth the money. Rolling 8 years now with mine and no problems what so ever. Best of luck with your decision. Cheers

 

[GLOCKer]

My vote is frig all the way. But I would be careful on a cheep fridge/freezer. I started out with a cheap one, and soon realize I threw my money away. Ended up in the long run with an ARB. Well worth the money. Rolling 8 years now with mine and no problems what so ever. Best of luck with your decision. Cheers

Out of curiosity, which fridge did you start out with. I'm leaning towards an Alpicool fridge with a LG compressor based off reviews and the experience a coworker has with his. Plus it's right at the top of my price point.

 

[By way of aztec]

I believe it was a cost way. Been a while, but I remember the compressor went out just after the warranty was up.

 

[RoarinRow]

I'd go awning and lights, then save for a better/bigger fridge since it going for your long term goal anyway. You could also get a slide out for the fridge since you have a covered bed. A slide out would make it easier to get it in an out, instead of crawling.

 

[GLOCKer]

I'd go awning and lights, then save for a better/bigger fridge since it going for your long term goal anyway. You could also get a slide out for the fridge since you have a covered bed. A slide out would make it easier to get it in an out, instead of crawling.

I can't do a slide out. I've got my truck configured to be able to use the bed for regular everyday truck stuff if I need to. I can take out the rear most wood divider and the rest of my storage system will slide out allowing me to use the bed for hauling stuff if i need to. If I get the fridge, it will be seat-belted into the back seat on the driver side (the cooking side!). That way I can use the power points on the beck of my center console to use power it while under way.

 

[RoarinRow]

I can't do a slide out. I've got my truck configured to be able to use the bed for regular everyday truck stuff if I need to. I can take out the rear most wood divider and the rest of my storage system will slide out allowing me to use the bed for hauling stuff if i need to. If I get the fridge, it will be seat-belted into the back seat on the driver side (the cooking side!). That way I can use the power points on the beck of my center console to use power it while under way.
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Ah ok makes sense. I think you have a lot of gear. So I would go with Option 3 - Fridge and lights lol

 

[Kilo Sierra]

Fridge is probably the best options since you really seem to be concentrating on the full kitchen setup.

 

[MazeVX]

Out of everything I bought in gear and vehicle mods, the fridge was the absolute gamechanger.
Nothing came close, especially when traveling in summer.

 

[RodgerS]

Whether a refrigerator or a cooler, its roughly the same space. My refrig fits in the back seat area of my truck with the seats up and easy access to the electrical ports.

I don't have experience fitting all the stuff required into/on the side/on top of a jeep or mid-size truck, for example, but basically you go up from the bed and make use of slid outs and mounted bars. But whatever works for you from what I have seen so far.

I have a Decker storage system in my truck bed which are two huge long slide-out drawers that are easy to access.

That high lift farm jack looks new. If you have not used one before recommend you take the high lift jack class from badlands 4x4 for your own safety. Those jacks can kill or seriously injure you if you don't know what you are doing. Sorry, no negative vibes intended, but only saying because it looks new.

 

[GLOCKer]

Whether a refrigerator or a cooler, its roughly the same space. My refrig fits in the back seat area of my truck with the seats up and easy access to the electrical ports.

I don't have experience fitting all the stuff required into/on the side/on top of a jeep or mid-size truck, for example, but basically you go up from the bed and make use of slid outs and mounted bars. But whatever works for you from what I have seen so far.

I have a Decker storage system in my truck bed which are two huge long slide-out drawers that are easy to access.

That high lift farm jack looks new. If you have not used one before recommend you take the high lift jack class from badlands 4x4 for your own safety. Those jacks can kill or seriously injure you if you don't know what you are doing. Sorry, no negative vibes intended, but only saying because it looks new.

I think you've mentioned that before in a different thread, and I'm not getting any negative vibes! Just concern from someone who is experienced.

I will look into getting some training on it. I know they can be problematic and dangerous.

 

[MegaBug]

First, protection against the elements THEN feed the beast. Maybe my priorities are dictated by the climate I live in (Pacific Northwest). YMMV

 

[IceBear505]

...instead of rushing to make significant investments with stop-gap measures, why not save a little longer and have better quality products? I have considered the lesser expensive refrigerator options, but decided it was such a significant investment that I would rather make a quality investment instead of a rushed investment.

 

[dpsmedic]

Plus one on saving a little longer and getting a fridge. There are a lot of options out there now. At the time of my purchase, I went with an ARB50. 6 yrs now and running like a champ. Was expensive on initial purchase, but I have used it every trip and on weekends all over. I am lucky enough to have an awning as well, but rarely use it, doesnt rain much here, so if you have more rain in your area that might change the equation. While saving, you can rig up something using a tarp and paraCord and surplus tent poles (huge but I bet there are many other options out there) or these poles. As far as work lights maybe defer on those for awhile, get one of these ARB Lights and save up some more? This works great for me, is portable and I can hang it in different places. I also use these solar powered lights around my camp kitchen and campsite which work really well for me.

 

[Sebt1890]

Honestly, it's all about the use case for your vehicle. If you go on trails where you are likely to encounter rocks then I'd lean with armoring up the rig (that was my first experience on a trip to Georgia of all places) then protect the vehicle and use the dry food/MRE combo when out. If not, then the fridge will be the better option.