I just completed 5 days off gravel driving through Death Valley, 2 people and a dog and here is the total gear that I brought with me and MPG:
- 70qt Pelican Cooler
- 2 Plano 56 quart storage (Food, Utensils, Propane, condiments, cooking gear, water, dog food, headlights, clothes, speaker, misc stuff)
- Small 4 person tent
- 2 tarps for shade and under tent
- 2 Self inflating mattress
- 2 Pillows
- 17in. Blackstone Griddle
- 5lb. propane tank
- Butane Burner
- Coleman Northstar lantern
- 2 Sleeping Bag (40 degree)
- Recovery gear
- Tool Bag
- First Aid Kit
- Hydraulic Jack
- Tire repair kit
- Viair 400 inflator/deflator (I am planning on mounting an onboard system so this would go away for future trips)
- 7 Gallon Water Container
- Jerry Can (5.6 Gallon Fuel)
- 2 lightweight folding chairs
- Folding Table
Everything fit in the bed of the truck under the cover. This is the gear I use for most trips because I am both on and off roads. Off road I was avg. 11.6mpg and on road 16.8mpg for this trip, there were 3 4runners and an extremely lifted Subaru on this trip, the only car that got more range than me was the subie, the Toyotas did have to exit the park to refill once.
On this trip specifically, I spent time in Vegas prior to Death Valley. I also do many kayak based camping trips so some of my gear is small and low weight so that I can pack it into the kayak.
I have been considering a RTT but if I do I would look to mount it low so it sits behind the cab. This would be for convenience because we move locations frequently and currently setup and breakdown takes time.
Lastly, if I am looking for comfort I pull a travel trailer which kills gas mileage to 10.8mpg and limits how adventurous I can get.