Thread: Camping Bits

By far the best thing you can buy is a second battery for the landy so you can run a compressor fridge, Engel, Waeco or Bushman (not going to get into the fridge arguement!!) camping light I have used a SEE-EEZY for years with no compaint. I have used a $20 Primus portable cooker with good effect. Cast irom camp ovens are a good buy and after all the tent thingy I have gone back to a Swag on a stretcher and have never slept better in the bush. Whatever you buy make sure you enjoy it and not store it at home for to long!!!

Everyone has their preferences, I'll give mine!

Tents: I'm a fan of full head height and don;t mind spending a couple f extra minutes setting up to get stability and space. I prefer a "geodesic" dome tent with full head height. The extra bracing poles give a lot less movement in wind. Many prefer canvas quick-setup types.
Mattress: I get seasick on airbeds and spinrg is heavy to move. We have a self-inflating (foam covered with airtight vinyl/smocking) mattress which goes on a cut-down Ikea standard timber base. For short trips we don't use the base, but it does add a touch of luxury. Not quick to set up or pull down but VERY nice for longer stays.
BBQ: We have two small stoves - a generic cheapo tabletop/camping cooker with refills from Coles etc plus a petrol pressure stove, which is super hot. For BBQ we add a large rectangular frypan.
12v freezer: we use an icebox plus a supermarket cold back inside it. Freeze everything and take out what you want to thaw.
Lighting: Battery for use in the tent, petrol pressure lamp for outside use (with hook to hang off a tree).

With minor modification the double bed can be made to sit across the top of the utility back on a Land Rover (under the full-length canvas top if you have one) leaving the tray for storage.

After camping for over 20 years and trying a lot of gear, here's what we now have and recommend ( but you will of course get many differing opinions ). Many of the brands are expensive but I've learnt over the years that quality = comfort.

Most of this will last a long time if looked after - and that means airing, drying and cleaning everything thoroughly when you get home.

I'd recommend you first decide which energy source you want to use predominantly ( 12V or gas/dual fuel ) and try to get all your gear to go with that. We've gone totally away from gas now and use 12V and liquid fuel only. 12V stuff is very good these days and quite efficent. You will however need to invest a good secondary 12V source other than your vehicle starting battery. Those portable "Thumper" style packs are quite good.

This is for camping in Victoria's climate - depending where you are you might vary it a bit :
Tent - centre pole "bus tent" style - Freedom Camping (or Southern Cross). Get a big awning and the poles for it if possible. For one night stays just set up the tent, for longer stays set up the awning as well. If you find the center pole a bit annoying you can get an internal frame which removes it.
Mattress- Thermarest salf inflating matresses - full length touring style
Sleeping Bags - Mont minus 6 degree - down filling
Cooking - Coleman Dual Fuel Stove - we use two single burner stoves. These chuck out a lot of heat and you can use unleaded petrol or Shellite in them. These will actually fit inside the billies ( see below ) if you're short on space.
Portable BBQ - Weber "Q" - but I've never taken it camping.
Fridge - Waeco (or Engel) 12/240V compressor style. If your camping style is to stay in one place for a while, you could consider a 3-way absorption fridge on gas, but it will be no good for touring. Whatever type you use go for one around the 50 litre mark.
Lighting - 12V "Versalite" or "Piranha" flouro. These throw out a lot of light for very little current draw. We would never go back to gas mantles. Avoid the cheaper flouros.( or those that look to be Versalites but are not ). You will need a 12V power pack of some sort.

Other things :

Folding chairs - Coleman ones or equivalent with the reinforcing in the seat and a insulated high back. Out of all your gear you'll appreciate a good chair the most !
Table - you need at least one good solid folding table - a lot of people have those aluminium roll up ones but I prefer something a bit more stable.
Water Containers - plastic is Ok but get good strong ones. If you use the tap at bottom, it will always leak or break off. A better method is a caravan style hand pump fitted to the top spout with a bit of tube down in the container. When travelling just take the pump off and put the normal top back on.
Cutlery - one of those backpack "picnic packs" - they come with most everything, have compartments for all the cutlery and plates and pack into a compact size and don't rattle ! . You can add the other implements you need.
Cooking pots - two Stainless steel billies ( that your dual fuel stoves will fit in to for transport ) and a wok/frypan, plus a spun steel camp oven.

Originally Posted by waynep

Cooking pots - two aluminium billies and a wok/frypan, plus a spun steel camp oven.

Why do you prefer the spun steel camp oven over the cast iron ones?

Originally Posted by EddyCortinaMan

Why do you prefer the spun steel camp oven over the cast iron ones?

1. Less Weight and shape is easier to pack
2. Won't crack
3. Can use the lid as a frypan.
4. Lid goes over top of main part so easier to remove lid to check meal without getting ashes in food.

Many say they don't cook as well as cast iron, but we've had ours in a hot coal trench alongside cast iron ones - it all turns out pretty much the same. ( Great !)

I meant to say stainless steel billies too ( I changed it )

You need 7 items, as a basic kit.

1. Beer
2. method of keeping item 1 cold.
3. Food.
4. method of making item 3 hot.
5. Chair.
6. campfire
7. Mates.

Look of good advice, here. To re-iterate and add some things, my favourite camping bits are:

My Engel, we won't get bogged down in the brands arguement but a good 12v fridge is a must (you can rent them, remember). I'm single but i can verify that as important as keeping the booze and meat cold they keep the other half happy. Nothing puts a chick off camping faster than rummaging around half melted stale ice for soggy matter that once was edible. And if you use cooling bricks they'll just be paranoid about whether it's cool enough. And i don't blame them one bit. A 12v fridge is a must even for weekend.

My Versa-lite - 12v flouro. I was told by those claiming to know that you do not buy a 240/12 one, they aren't as efficient as the 12v only. Versa-lite is re-assuringly more than twice as expensive as any other make.

A good chair and a sturdy table.

A larger lunch box with, some Kiwi knives, a Peugeot pepper grinder (it must be Peugeot -every other type of grinder is rubbish) some elastic bands, salt, cutlery, peeler in a bright lairy colour, corkscrew. tongs, spatular, ladel. Don't pilfer these items from the kitchen have some camping ones in the box ready to go at all times.

A Petzel headlamp.

.....to each person his own preferences of course...

however, for those not aware of it, there is a camping cooker system called Trangia, and one (or two) of these can cook almost anything fairly quickly... I don't go on a trip without a least one