Thread: My Camping setup and questions

I strongly support Xtreme's suggestion that making items accessible makes life much easier when setting up camp, packing up and during lunch stops.

It doesn't have to be an expensive or elaborate system or even as cleverly engineered as Xtreme's.

In My Series III LWB, I had a shelf at the back across the raised seats/toolboxes/mudguards with a couple of boxes underneath that slid out to give me access to all cooking gear and everything needed for lunch.

A shelf at the front half of the back, supported by the gutter inside held all the sleeping gear and the next day's clothes. That also had the benefit of providing heat and sound insulation for the roof.

I never needed to remove anything to get access to things that were needed frequently.

When we started prepping my 90 for overlanding (initially, specifically, a 4-6 month trip around Oz) we soon realised that overlanding in a 90 isn't the usual... more people choosing the 110 or even 130...

However, a 90 is what we had already, rebuilt by us, to our specs, so we decided to stick with it rather than up-size to a 110 that we'd need to start all over again with!

We decided an Oztent wasn't practical as it would have to be put on the roof and if we were going to go to the hassle of that they we'd be better off with a roof tent, which will also store most of the bedding, leaving a bit more room 'downstairs'... Also, for the length of time we are going to be travelling, I wanted to have a decent mattress, rather than sleeping on a ground mat or stretcher... Stretchers also take up space we don't have...

However, stability is also an issue with a 90, more so that with a 110, so we opted for a full expedition roll cage 'just in case' the worst happened, plus we are very careful about where we store stuff. We decided against a drawer system as you can end up with wasted inaccessible space, and we wanted to keep the fridge low, on the floor of the load bed, so you can just reach in, rather than having it sat higher up on a drawer and then having to slide it out to get into it...

Anyway, if you want to read more check out our blog... so far its mostly about 'the build' but with some bits about our 'test trips'. We are now working our way through a final list of bits to do and things to get before the truck gets collected by an artic on Friday 13th (!) Dec, after which it will be going into a container on ship bound for Botany Bay...

Landy Travels | Up on the roof

Originally Posted by Xtreme

In your original post you stated that you wished to "make life easy".
IMHO the most important thing to achieve this objective is to consider how you pack all your bits-n-pieces. The last thing you want is to have things loaded on top of other things in such a way that you have to unload half your truck when you stop for a quick lunch along the track. This is especially important when, as you say, you have a 90 where most access to your gear is through the rear door.

Admittedly I have a 110 but the rear is set up so that I have 4 levels of loading - and I can still see out the rear window. Tucker box and cooking gear in are two simple drawers (no fancy metal runners) under the false floor, fridge on LHS and a deep storage box on RHS with camp stretchers and chairs on top of false floor and between fridge and box. Then there's another shelf above the chairs and between the fridge and box where clothes and tarp/small tent goes. Then the 4th level, and the most useful one, is a hinged shelf in the roof where the sleeping gear is stored - see pictures. These were taken prior to the 3rd shelf going in but it actually sits at a level about half way up the side of the fridge. The light has also now been replaced with an LED strip light.

I realy like the shelf idea, is that an old bit of fence? I may need to knock up something like that for somwere to store sleeping bags and pillows. .

Leroy

Originally Posted by Leroy_Riding

I realy like the shelf idea, is that an old bit of fence? I may need to knock up something like that for somwere to store sleeping bags and pillows. .

Leroy

Indeed it is - just happened to be available and the right length. So a couple of 8mm bolts to hinge it on the part cargo barrier and support bracket to hold it up at the back and all was done.
Just take care when positioning as stop light at top of rear door needs clearance.

BTW, the support bar across the back is simply screwed into where two handles were originally so no drilling of extra holes into Landy was required.

Originally Posted by vnx205

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It doesn't have to be an expensive or elaborate system or even as cleverly engineered as Xtreme's.

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Not really 'engineered', just developed over 50 years of travelling and camping with Land Rovers.
The tucker boxes/drawers have served me well for over 40 years and have seen service in numerous SWB and LWB Landys and still get transferred to the Disco occassionally.

Instead of a shelf I have a stretchy cargo net up there - for light stuff like pillows and jackets, etc. Thought about a shelf but decided a net gives a more flexible storage solution - can take it on or off easy, adjust the stretch, etc

Whether you use a net or a shelf, I agree that it should be just light things like sleeping bags and clothes that go up there.

Not only does it keep the CG low, but it makes better insulation.

Originally Posted by Pam W

Instead of a shelf I have a stretchy cargo net up there - for light stuff like pillows and jackets, etc. Thought about a shelf but decided a net gives a more flexible storage solution - can take it on or off easy, adjust the stretch, etc

how do you secure the net to the top of the car?

Leroy