Thread: Show us your camping set up

Originally Posted by davidgate

Oz Tent RV4 attached to Gunyah awning - simple and easy to set up and provides reasonable living space.

Dave G

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is that an extra side awning or a side panel lifted up on the oztent ?

Originally Posted by Rosscoe68

is that an extra side awning or a side panel lifted up on the oztent ?

Yes its the side awning.

New Side Awning | Buy Online RV Accessories For Camping By Oztent

Dave G

While we can't go to 100% of the places we could go with the camper when towing a van this size still it is quite surprizing how far you can actually take a 18' pop top when it has lots of ground clearance. A Trigg hitch helps as it is far less restrictive then a tow ball when off road, as is the Simplicity independant suspension that we ordered which also comes with an extra 2 inches of chassis lift over the usual Outback model.

We have just had installed a Webasto diesel heater for the really cold nights as a pop top doesn't retain heat very well but is really cool in summer compared to full vans, so as per normal for every positive there is a negative to balance things out.

After doing lots of research on what was available and what we thought we needed we then settled on this van and ordered it from new with many of the extra's we wanted. Still we found out fairly quickly that some things we thought were not required were if you want to make the most of going free bush camping.

Along with the diesel heate we have just purchased and will be fitting two x 135w solar panels in the next week or so which should give us plenty of power for free camping without the need for a noisy generator. The van carrys 240 + litres of water in three tanks, also there is over 210 litres of refrigeration between a chest fridge freezer and the built in up right fridge, so being able to stay away from civilization for extended periods comfortably should be pretty easy which is what we were looking for.

We are still setting up the van and getting used to how best to make the most of one, but so far for a lot less money then many of the flash off road hard floor campers that are on sale we can go camping in comfort to nearly everywhere we would want to go. We also found that you can get really good deals on even the most popular vans if your prepared to order them and wait several months.

If you check out the photo's you will see the van has far more ground clearance then the D2a has, still that doesn't mean we can take it everywhere the D2 can go. The main restriction I have found with vans like this when going camping in the bush you get on or near the coast in NSW is the width. not the length or the height. Having said that taking a van like this way out west where the size of the van isn't important won't be a problem providing we take it relatively easy and drive to the conditions.

While we intend to do some long distance outback camping in the not to distant future in reality most camping opportunities are over a weekend. We found going away for only a couple of days with the soft floor camper as quite often a hassle as you spend way to much time setting up and then packing up to go home. With this set up we can be fully set up in ten minutes and its the same for packing up, which means we go camping far more often now then we did with the camper.


cheers,
Terry

My solo arrangement in the 101 - sleep in the back and cook under the sun screen. The issue is, what happens after you have set up and then want to go for a drive - I am on the lookout for a tent but have also just bought this camper for the appropriate longer trip. I haven't used it yet so have not set it up.

I could also do the 101 setup in the RRS - there is just enough room to sleep in the back with seats down, tailgate up and sun screen hanging off the back.

Can you give us the details of that lean to shelter set up on the back of the 101?

Originally Posted by Mick-Kelly

Can you give us the details of that lean to shelter set up on the back of the 101?

It is a BCF Deluxe RV Shade - I don't think it is stocked any longer but is basically the same as this but with sides.

Wanderer Shade - RV - BCF

I think "Coleman" have something similar in their product range.
Saw one at Undarra last year being used to cover a teardrop camper and provide ample seating/cooking space at the rear...excellent setup and seemed quite stable in the stiff breeze as well...

Originally Posted by garrycol

My solo arrangement in the 101 - sleep in the back and cook under the sun screen. The issue is, what happens after you have set up and then want to go for a drive - I am on the lookout for a tent but have also just bought this camper for the appropriate longer trip. I haven't used it yet so have not set it up.

I could also do the 101 setup in the RRS - there is just enough room to sleep in the back with seats down, tailgate up and sun screen hanging off the back.

I'd be a bit concerned with the weight distribution with that 'camper'. Those wheels seem an awfully long way back resulting in excessive loading of the towbar. What is the load on the drawbar unladen and laden?