What camping gear did you think was essential… but barely used?

Hi Erik

We have been camping for over 50 years and trust me it is a learning curve.

I will only comment on 2 things, first a tent.

Over the decades, we have had many quality canvas tent and upgraded for a number of reasons but our last tent happens to be our best, having it now for over 20 years, the OzTent RV4

Absolutely brilliant tent, 100% waterproof and ample room inside and so very easy and quick to put up and pack away.

Next regardless if you use a swag or mattress inside your tent, do not scrimp out on a cheap quality sleeping bag and get the best minus rating that you can. Have a cold nights sleep and this will put you off camping for ever. Ours are quality Australian made bags and we have never had to upgrade them in over 30 years and we have had night temperatures down below minus 5 and we were as warm as toast.

As for other camping items, travel lightly and only take what you will use.

I will leave other items to others to comment on.


Cheers

Stephen

Get yourself a gas ring that screws to the top of the gas bottle.
Then with a frying pan and a set of stacking saucepans/steamers you can cook almost anything.

I second the Oztent, terrific product.

Paul

Hi Erik V,

Another vote for OzTent. I have an RV4 with annex walls. Yes, they are heavy and expensive, but it is quantity gear. I have had mine for 16 years, and still going strong. Whilst the RV4 is probably large enough for two people, particularly if you have the awning walls, I would recommend you go for the RV5 with awning walls. When camping in inclement weather, the larger size makes it a lot more comfortable.

I would also recommend screw in tent pegs, and carry a battery drill/driver. Makita actually have a 12 powered charger that will recharge their 18 volt batteries from a cigarette lighter socket.

Swag or no Swag, whatever you choose, as others have stated, do not scrimp on price vs quality when it comes to sleeping bags. This is equally important with a camp bed or stretcher if you choose to use one. I use a sleeping bag inside a Swag on top of a camp bed, it brings you higher off the ground. You can always peel back the layers if it is warm.

As for cooking, we prefer to cook on a wood fired box BBQ, but I also carry a 3 burner LPG stove with a 2.5 Kg gas bottle in case of Total Fire Bans and inclement weather. If camping for an extended period, I would recommend a 4.5 Kg gas bottle. I also carry a single screw on gas ring for the small gas bottle. Spacesaver or stacking pots and a fry pan all with removable handles are the way to go, takes up less room. Also, insulated mugs can be used for both hot and cold beverages.

A decent collapsible wash up basin and a collapsible bucket save space. A couple of good quality folding aluminium camp tables, the ones with slated tops, one for the camp stove, and one for eating off. Quality camp chairs, I have the OzTent King Kakoda with solid arms.

Whilst you may think that all this gear takes up a lot of room, I carried all this when I camped on motorcycle camping trips. I had a small trailer that I towed behind my motorcycle, it had a deep cycle battery and charger in it, and a 35 Ltr. Waeco fridge on the front. We didn’t bother with the box BBQ on motorcycle trips.









Macca.

Before we were married, if we could not carry it, it did not go.
For our honeymoon, we had a DIY roof top tent on a Mini. After that we fitted lay-back seats and slept inside our vehicles including in an Austin 1800 with 2 kids.
The biggest change to camping came with our first fridge. That changed everything.
Cheers,
Peter
OKA196 motorhome

Essential? 1st Aid Kit including snake bandages, hopefully you never need it.
I've just completed 9 days of back country hiking carrying everyone my back, 1st aid kit always comes.

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Hi Erik,
It can be challenging making selections of what to carry. I suggest that it is better to start with as little as possible then add rather than overloading and discarding. Although certainly do not start as we did with a little nylon tent that leaked water at any point of contact with bedding!!!! But we could not afford more at the time and it did induce togetherness. lol
We did have an advantage with the experience of hiking/camping with the lot on our backs.
In regard to the single-burner stove mounted atop the LPG bottle….. we tried that but found it perilous in terms of balance and hopeless in a wind. A basic 2-burner camping stove is reasonably compact and affords the benefit of 2 burners whilst being wind resistant and stable. But get one that is low pressure with a small regulator at the bottle because they have larger aperture jets which are less likely to block.
Don't overdo spare parts. Thorough pre-trip maintenance is more worthy. Change hoses (including heater hoses) and belts annually and you will likely not have a need for spares. The odds are that the very spare you may need is not among the many carried.

OZtrail toilet tent. Brought one the first trip years ago. Blows down easily and we deemed it unnecessary. Never used it after the first few trips. We used to take firewood away but now we dont. 50% of the time it's to hot anyway.
Cheap tarps is one thing I do recommend. Add a few tent poles and some tent guys and you have a makeshift shelter also they are great ground sheets if you have to work under your vehicle etc.

I appreciate it sounds like a simple question but it is a bit like asking for recommendations on footwear. What you intend to do will have a massive impact on whether thongs, sneakers, football boots or stilettos are the most appropriate for the situation.

The same applies to camping, the weather , duration at each campsite and your basic minimum needs have a significant influence on the type of tent that best suits you.
Canvas style tents are better in cold climates but in warmer areas we sleep in mozzie domes and carry a fly for wet weather
If you are staying put for several days the setup and packing time is less important than one night touring style stops
If you have young family you may want to all be in the one tent V a couple or young teenagers where you will want individual style accommodation
The same variables apply to most other camping items like chairs, bedding, cooking appliances, refrigeration etc

If you are not an experienced camper you will likely not know the answers to any of these questions until you actually go and work out what works for you
I suggest you buy a cheaper tent and some basic equipment and do a few weekends away and it will become apparent what works best for your situation