Thread: How serious a camper are you?

I either pack everything, or take virtually nothing.

Last 2-3 years my passion for hiking has returned, and as a result, learning to travel light. So now I like to travel light when 4wding.


can't wait to get the SIIA Ute finished and on the road to get back out in the bush

This all stems from the NYE at Stockton setting up camp taking about 45mins, packing up took me nearly 1 1/2hrs


Not good in the heat of the beach,

I endeavour to cut both setup and packup down to 10 - 15 mins each regardless of kids, wife, cat, dog, horses etc..... I have seen folk do it at horse events and 4wding so I know this is possible.

What are the tricks to living with a few luxururies and having a quick get up and go policy.

Originally Posted by dobbo

This all stems from the NYE at Stockton setting up camp taking about 45mins, packing up took me nearly 1 1/2hrs


Not good in the heat of the beach,

I endeavour to cut both setup and packup down to 10 - 15 mins each regardless of kids, wife, cat, dog, horses etc..... I have seen folk do it at horse events and 4wding so I know this is possible.

What are the tricks to living with a few luxururies and having a quick get up and go policy.

45 minutes sounds great to me

1) Simple accommodation: camper trailer/roof tent/simple tent (my Taj Mahal would take 45 minutes on its own). Don't take fancy airbeds etc: use foam mattresses or camp stretchers. I prefer the ones with legs that work like a bow, and they're about 2 minutes each if you leave the side rails in. Again, do what I say, not what I do. The double bed we have takes 10 bolts every time and has 7 separate parts to put together - it's no 2 minute job!

2) Simple eating setup: cook on the trailer, eat on a picnic table (we use one of the ones with 4 seats attached that form the legs, fold up to a small suitcase size. About $40 at Kmart or $150+ for quality items.) I use the Army trailer these days but when I had a 6x4 I found that the (Kmart again) 6 seater plastic outdoor table TOP sat neatly on the top to form a "kitchen bench." That trailer had a ladder rack that could then be used to run a tarp over to give all-weather kitchen access. Advantage is that the kitchen is permanently packed in the trailer, just put everything back in the box after washup.

3) Have a trailer! - don't take things out unless you're about to use them, put them back when no longer used. We use covered plastic boxes in the trailer.

I pack as much as I can carry away!

For the first time this year, I've started "camping" with a wind-up camper.

Microwave now possible!

I'm still bound to requiring a powered camp site, otherwise it's time to buy a Honda EU20i generator....

We try and find a balance between setup/packup time, comfort, and space available.

If we're going away for a big trip most people would say we pack quite lightly. After getting two adults, two kids, a fridge, and 150l of fuel, 120l of water, and enough food for three weeks into the back of the 110 there isn't much space left for comforts!

its more about how you pack that sets your time limit.

With the trailer on I can go from on the ground to going in under 10 minutes If I have to but we always run with the "if its not in use its in the vehicle or on the trailer rule.

The airbeds go on the spare tarp with the vac pump on them and as the first goes down alex's toys and stuff are chucked in the spots on the vehicle then the first airbed is folded and the pump gets put on the main airbed as the tent is packed up and put away when the tent is done the airmattress is folded up the tarp is then folded over the lot and tied down as needed.

If time permits after its all tied down the premade breakfast comes out along with the jaffle iron and the cooker. If there isnt time for that then its sandwiches for breaky.


Generally its not that quick tho as Im rarely in a rush that early in the morning what without a morning coffee and all.

Originally Posted by scrambler

That would take away from the minimalist approach

I've been known to do 3 day "solos" with a backpack tent and whatever (little) else was absolutely essential (but including hot food).

Good attitude .

I guess the initial question "how serious a camper are you?" depends on whether you are focussed on the act of camping or the destination - not that to favour one over the other is essentially right or wrong. For instance, there are those who get as much pleasure out of playing with their gear, as they do just being at their destination.



On the other hand, there are people like me who are "serious" campers in the sense that I take it waaay to seriously - and that, in many respects, means I am also not a very good camper.

For starters - I am very serious about where I will and won't camp. I WILL NOT camp where there are likely to be any other people (unless they are with me) - so that rules out most camping grounds. If I must stay at a regular camping ground, then I need to do it off-peak, off-season, and I will grill the manager about where is the most secluded place within the camping ground to set up.

Next, I am very serious about my gear. I only choose gear with a lifetime warranty, or from super-dooper positive recommendations from trusted friends (like on this forum). This probably explains my choice of vehicle too. If it bends or breaks then I am likely to throw a mega-tantrum and woe betide the retailer who sells me something that fails first time out (a'la Supercrap and their imitation Bushranger air compressor).

Then, I am very serious about what I take and how to pack it. Since there is only me and the wife, and occasionally the dog, then if I see any gear above the height of the window sills (except the dog), then we've packed too much. And packing itself is like the most serious game of tetris for me too.

I am serious about choosing my site to setup. I will walk or drive around for hours untill I find the right, flattest, rock-free location, with just the right amount of shade but no dodgy looking overhanging branches, upwind from the fireplace and toilet etc etc.

When I am in the process of camping, I am very serious about getting the most out of it. I enjoy the challenge of transposing my day-to-day routine into a minimalist setting - kind of like proving to myself that in a post apocalyptic world I will still maintain my usual level of civilization. If there is something to walk to - I will walk to it. If there is somewhere to swim, I will swim. If there is somewhere nice to sit, I will sit and enjoy it. It's very serious stuff.

Finally, I am very serious about packing-up. We must leave the campsite not just the way we found it, but the gear must go back in the car as neatly as when we arrived - none of this "just chuck it in and we'll sort it out when we get home" crap. And when we DO get home, the gear must be cleaned, re-packed and put away ready for the next nature assault, as if we were likely to be required to evacuate at a moment's notice sometime in the future.

I am a very serious camper!

Solmanic raises a point that I would expand on -
I not only leave a site as I found it, I usually leave it better than I found it - I always do an emu parade and end up taking a big big bag of rubbish away from the site (and I'll bet there are many on here that do the same), and I strongly encourage others to do this, every little bit helps.