Tailgating

[mattjones]

With the college football and NFL seasons about to start, I figured I'd ask if any of you guys use your Tahoes/Yukons regularly for tailgating? How do you use your SUV to foster a better tailgate experience? Any specific add-ons or accessories that you use?

I've had my Tahoe for about a month and a week now so I'm about to experience my first football season with it. It's going to see a few tailgates in Blacksburg this season, as well as one at FedEx Field for Virginia Tech-Cincinnati (and probably at least once more for a Skins game), and--if I can dream for a minute--possibly a World Series game at Nationals Park!

I'll probably be using a tow hitch cargo carrier like this one (excuse the Ford) to carry ******** boards, coolers, and pop up tent if it will fit so I can maximize the seating inside. A word of advice though--if you're looking at one of these, go for one with a low enough profile to allow you to open your rear liftgate! I borrow one exactly like that picture from my girlfriend's parents and my liftgate will open right into the cargo carrier if I try to open it.

What is your solution for music at the tailgate? Most people just open their doors, maybe fade their music towards the rear, and rely on their truck's speakers. I'm a little worried about draining the battery doing that. A few weeks ago I left my Tahoe playing music, even started it up for a few minutes from time to time, and then it wouldn't start when I tried to leave--DESPITE the fact that the music was still playing. I guess up to that point I assumed that if there was enough power to play music, there was enough power to start. Learned that lesson.

I've always been intrigued with getting one of those whisper-generators and using it to power a pair of nice Logitech 2.1 computer speakers but I recently looked into them and apparently generators like that cost around $900 and up from what I saw. Probably a little out of my price range because I'd probably use it less than ten times per year.

I've seen people on this forum mention upgraded batteries in their signatures (Optima Yellow Top, for example), but I don't know much about upgraded batteries. Any advice on if this would allow me to play music longer?

So yeah, how does your Tahoe or Yukon make your tailgates awesome? What do you bring to your tailgates (******** boards, beerpong table, pop up tent, kegerator and satellite/tv for the truly awesome tailgators, etc)? Hell, you can even feel free to tell any great tailgate stories here if you've got em.

 

[Intimidator3]

I have been tailgating at Jets and Giants game for a long time. I used to bring my '97 Yukon but it had barn doors, so there wasnt an actual 'tailgate' to sit on. That set up wasn't the best, but it worked. Now, my '10 avalanche takes tailgating to a whole new level. By far the best tailgating truck ever made.

A couple of keys to tailgating for me are: 1) a generator and 2) a tv with directv hooked up. The generator allows you to not worry about your battery dying and will run your tv and cable box for several hours on one tank of gas. There's been plenty of times where I don't even make it into the game and just watch it in the parking lot.

Can't wait for football....

 

[mattjones]

I have been tailgating at Jets and Giants game for a long time. I used to bring my '97 Yukon but it had barn doors, so there wasnt an actual 'tailgate' to sit on. That set up wasn't the best, but it worked. Now, my '10 avalanche takes tailgating to a whole new level. By far the best tailgating truck ever made.

A couple of keys to tailgating for me are: 1) a generator and 2) a tv with directv hooked up. The generator allows you to not worry about your battery dying and will run your tv and cable box for several hours on one tank of gas. There's been plenty of times where I don't even make it into the game and just watch it in the parking lot.

Can't wait for football....

I've seen some pretty crazy generator/tv tailgates and they are awesome. What kind of generator do you have? How much did it cost? I'd love to go that route, but I'd probably only do it if I could find a generator that was under 300 bucks. Though now that I think about it, whenever Virginia Tech has had a prime time night game that I've gone to, we've ended up tailgating for a solid 8 hours (10 hours of complete lawlessness in Atlanta for the '09 Bama game!). There's really no way I could pull that off with the Tahoe's speakers.

---------- Post added at 10:28 PM ---------- Previous post was at 10:18 PM ----------

Any idea if something like this would work to run these Logitech Z-2300 speakers and how long it could power them?

 

[GalaxyBlackEsky]

I use mine every once and a while. I have season tickets to the Ravens games but we have about 15 people go down and we have a old UTZ truck converted into a Ravens tailgate truck fully wrapped with ravens stuff. But anyway, I usually take it to some Ravens games if I cant meet up with them and also I take it to some Navy games as my dad has season tickets and also go to Army/Navy every year as well as going to PEnn State/Navy game this year. So I just take out the 3rd row and we have a grill/cooler that we put in plus corn hole. I play music basically the whole time tailgating and only had once a issue where it wouldn't start and that was because I was on my stock battery from when i bought the car. I have put a new one in since and after a while I will start the car and let it run for about a half hour to charge every thing back up. I love tailgating with this thing kinda funny seeing all the jaws drop when I pull in with the Tahoe.

 

[jdpber]

Oh boy do i ever use the tahoe for tailgating.. atleast 6 people each game.. (i have season tickets) we bring a 40" lcd, huge stereo, HD sat dish, couple Ez-ups, beer pong table, grill, bar table, food table, corn hole.. we average 25-30 people at the tailgate a game..

buddies eki

 

[doubletapdrew]

Wow nice setup!

I'm still disappointed GM never brought out the NFL edition sierra

 

[jdpber]

buddy of mine has a 50" on a bracket the same as that setup.. and has an alum cover to protect it while traveling.. if i ever get a truck i am going to do a similar setup..


I have been at the same spot 6 years now.. and each year we add something new.. and i try and stream line things each year to make things easier.. i have a new packing stratogy for this year that i hope will make setup easier..

i do not know what i would do without my roof rack and trailer hitch basket..
ill have a pont table another folding table, 2 ez-ups, about 5 chairs on the roof.. then a 148 qt cooler on the hitch with a grill.. i need a trailer lol..

so glad i dont have to deal with generators and only have to bring an extenuation cord..

 

[mattjones]

buddy of mine has a 50" on a bracket the same as that setup.. and has an alum cover to protect it while traveling.. if i ever get a truck i am going to do a similar setup..


I have been at the same spot 6 years now.. and each year we add something new.. and i try and stream line things each year to make things easier.. i have a new packing stratogy for this year that i hope will make setup easier..

i do not know what i would do without my roof rack and trailer hitch basket..
ill have a pont table another folding table, 2 ez-ups, about 5 chairs on the roof.. then a 148 qt cooler on the hitch with a grill.. i need a trailer lol..

so glad i dont have to deal with generators and only have to bring an extenuation cord..

That's awesome. And I'm glad to see more ACC tailgaters. How do you get by without a generator? Is there a power outlet at your spot or something?

 

[jdpber]

Ok so i know the guy that owns a house next to our fav Bar.. and made frineds with him years ago.. been tailgating there for years now.. we plug into the house.. he has an acre in the back yard all under huge oak trees.. and thats where i tailgate.. he sells spots to people.. i have had the same spot for 6 years now. well actually 3 spots.. but never the less.. i plug my extension cord into the house and have endless power..


if you are lookign for a power solution.. you can get 3-4 group 29 (the large) marine deep cycles. and a good inverter. some 0 gauge.. and link the bats, uncle gets about 5 hours of tv time out of 3 and powering the sat box.. i think he has like a 26-30" led.. he bought a Honda 1000 last year on thanksgiving sale. thats another thought..

for $130 you cant beat the little Harbor Freight gens..here
uncle used to have one it does fine for a tv and sat box.. Suggestion. if you get it.. rig a dual tank setup to a 3gallon tank as with the higher draw it burns more fuel and running out of power and resetting the sat box in the middle of a big play is never good.. we used one for a while at unchles tailgate.. but he upgraded to a Honda 1000. plus they are small

 

[Intimidator3]

I have a generator similar to the Harbor Freight one shown above. You really don't need anything crazy if you're just running a tv. Might be a different story if you're pushing some big speakers though. Actually, before I got the generator, I would just run the tv and dish from an inverter out of the accessory in my Yukon. Wasn't the best set up, but it worked fine. You just have to start the truck every so often to charge the battery.

One thing I'd love to get is the low-profiel satellite dish that mounts to your roof rack. They are usually used on RVs. It's a pain in the ass to lug around the whole dish set up.