Which 5 pieces of kit are essential

Hi Cane Toad, can you give us a tad more info- like are you camping in a caravan park or out bush, with others or on your own, couple of days or longer?Cheers. doc.

Cane Toad,

Not sure of the camping situation with you and the family and where you intend to camp at but I would put the following on the shopping list.

- Esky
- Gas cooker and bottle (take bottle off BBQ at home)
- Some form of lights (either gas or 12 volt)
- Chairs
- Bedding (mattress and sleeping bag/swag)

These would be a good base for your camping check list.

Good luck.

If you are on a really tight budget and sleeping bags and self inflating mattresses are out of the question then use doonas for mattresses and sheets and blankets for sleeping under.

Camping chairs start at under $10 to over $100 each. A good table will last a long time and can be bought for under $150. A camp stove can be had for under $100 and a decent light for around the $80 mark. Build from there.

Fridges are exspensive so a good esky and ice. Freeze water bottles, as they defrost you drink the cold water. Saves space and weight.

Are you travelling with kids? With only $500 left you'll need a couple of good chairs ($30 each), maybe a camp table ($50-90), a 2 burner gas stive ($50-70) and Bottle ($30). An airbed or two lilos (up to $120). A light of some description, a plastic 20litre container for water (or just buy the 15 litre containers at the supermarket ($6). A basin for dishes ($5). Maybe a fold-up BBQ plate ($60). An esky (in lieu of a car fridge). Hows that for a list and should come in under $500. Have a look at Annaconda or Rays as they always have deals going on.

Cheers. Mick

You want table and chairs to sit and eat. Bed to sleep on. Stove to cook on. And a light to see while you are doing it.

If it were me - I'd consider trying to borrow a tent if at all possible. Tents come in so many shapes/sizes and designs, it is going to be one of your bigger camping decisions. So i'd look at borrowing for now, and whilst you are camping- spec out what everyone else has got and what looks like it will suit you and yours.
I'd probably put sleeping bags next on the list- good quality to last a while. No one has a good holiday if they don't get a good sleep.
A couple of air mattresses and a good pump to go with the sleeping bags.
Check out what facilities you have at the caravan park- if they have a halfway decent campers kitchen you might not need to get too much in the way of cooking gear.Don't be shy to use their barbeques (and gas) either. Otherwise a gas bottle and two burner gas stove. Once again - stoves come in all shapes and sizes. If you stick with a known camping brand like Coleman you won't go wrong.Then if money allowed I'd try to get a good quality ice box. Finally - a quality torch/light, probably rechargable or battery operated if you have littles.Hope this helps. doc.

A good tent is a odessey dome tent. You can pick one up for about $350 and it has two rooms about 3x3 mts each . We sleep in one room and put our bags and other odds and ends in the other . Also buy a gazebo for about $200 . You can sit under this in the day as its quite high and cool . Put it at the end of your double dome tent and attach a small tarp from the gazebo to the tent if its raining to give more room . A table like this is great and a couple of chairs and a light and a cheap esky and food and drink is all you need to start off .

Hi Cane Toad,
Just a hint. Watch for garage sales. Sometimes people get all geared up for camping then decide it is not for them. Sometimes you can get near new stoves etc for not much cost.
Yoga mats don't cost much and the kids would be fine on those. Cold weather shouldn't be an issue at that time of the year so sheets and blankets from home should be enough. If you are staying in a van park, some items from home could be plugged in to a power box site eg., jug, light, electric fry pan. We took our 4 kids camping all at young ages. They will have a ball.
Cheers, Sally

Cane Toad,

What about something for the Kids to sit on, everyone seems to have forgotten them.

Those little fold-up stools would be right for them, and you could have one of the bigger chairs, with arms & in-built stubby holders. Probably won't need a chair for the Wife, because she'll be flat out keeping you all fed, most of the time.

Just get her a comfortable camp stretcher & good quality sleeping bag.

One of those fold-up aluminium tables would be good too, but with 4 kids you might need two.

Don't forget some plastic dishes to wash up, and for washing little faces & hands. Many a great holiday has been spoilt by poor hygiene.

Hope you all enjoy it.

Hooroo,
Bob.

If you bush camp, rather than caravan parks, then privacy isn't a problem and you won't need a tent - a tarp shelter or two will do? two x 12' x 10' tarps = $20 each?

Tarp shelters

Mike Harding

$500 ??

That's plenty.

An Esky: $50

Two Card Tables from a cheapo shop $20.

6 foliding chairs from a cheapo shop (they come in kids sizes at about $8 each) $50.

An 8 x 12 tarp ($10) plus some poles and guy ropes ($50) for cover. Or perhaps one of those "walk out" Gazebos at around $90.

Two Butane Stoves at $15 each plus 8 canisters of gas $20. $50.

Pots, Pans Frying Pan, Crockery, Cutlery etc. Just take it from home. No cost.

Don't waste too much on a tent. There are very good family tents available from the likes of K Mart for $200. They may not be the most water tight thing on the market but bunging a $30 tarp over then will make them as dry as a $1000 tent.

Good luck and enjoy your camping, it is a wonderful to bring up your children.

Jim.

Check with your caravan park too, as most good ones have a camp kitchen which will take care of much of your cooking and meals equipment.

Cheers Pesty

If you want to make your money go further,check the classifieds in your area.
There is tons and tons of hardly used camping gear out there and because there is so much ,you can usually get it cheap.
For a few hundred bucks you could almost live like a king in the bush.
You can hire fridges for about $60 a week

My 5 things
1st aid kit with knowledge
Bedding,you need a good nights sleep.
Lighting ,preferably overhead and able to read under.
Chairs and table
Gas stove

but you also need a suitable container to store food in that insects cant get to.
Rope for cloths line for drying clothes,towels etc

A good caravan park is a great way to intoduce your self to camping.
You can often use their kitchen,eating areas and electricity which means you dont need to take that gear with you

And when you have had brekky, exactly what are you all going to do for the rest of the day ? Kids need to be kept busy. Missus will be busy with the kids. And you ?
Comfortable bed gear and shelter will give you a good nights rest, an essential when camping. Nothing worse than a cranky cook.
Search the archives on this site and you'll get plenty of great ideas for camping.
BTW you won't need an alarm clock :))

If you're going to caravan parks they generally have good camp kitchens so maybe all the cooking gear is not essential. My top 5 would be;

1. the best esky you can afford
2. a good light - gas or electric depending on where you intend to camp
3. something comfy and warm for the family to sleep on
4. a small gas bottle, single burner and a billy can for cuppa's on the road
5. a first aid kit (or a fishing rod we used to share 1 fishing rod between our 2 kids. They would sit there and hold it together. How things have changed...)

Hey cane toad, gas cooker from woolies for $20 dollars, spare cans for $6, BCF for 70litre esky $99 dollars, ice stick some plastic bags full of water and tie knot in so don't leak, double plastic bags, stick in freezer for a few days, 2 bags last 2-3 days, cheap sleeping bags at big w, camp chairs at the reject shop or silly solly's, cheap table at reject shop or silly solly's. some cheap tarps from bcf or reject shop, and rope reject shop, four or six poles big w.

have a look around big w has some good stuff cheap!!!
so do the reject shops!!!

I have a two room tent I don't use anymore happy to give away so you can take the troops camping. If you get half the fun we got out of this tent you will have a ball.

I have not used this tent in 10 years but has been in the garage the whole time so cannot see any reason it not ok. All poles are there may have to rustle around for pegs although they are usually in the bag with the tent.

I noticed someone else has offered a tent not wanting to step on toes but if interested I'm in Brisbane northside and can be contacted on 0422158378.

As for the 5 well maybe 7 :) items, table, 2 - 3 burner stove, chairs, airbeds and pump, esky and a light.

Cooking gear from home simple.

Brian

Cane Toad


Most important equipment if good sleeping gear.

If you don't have a good mattress and the wife doesn't get a good nights sleep life can be hell. Get a good self inflating mattress and you can't go wrong.

Also watch out for people with spray bottles of detol. They can be fatal for Cane Toads.



Tjilpi

Al the advice so far is noteworthy and worth your consideration.
My only advice is whilst you are there, walk around and look at others gear, ask them questions as most people are only too happy to help then you will have a good idea what you may want for your next camping adventure.
I have been camping and vanning for over 40 years and I am still learning as there are so many great ideas out there.
Most of all enjoy yourselves and take time to smell the roses.

Cane toad,

go to this site Anaconda as they have just released their spring sale catalogue. You have to be a member for the discounts (free to join and no fees) They have a camp combo for example Tent, two chairs and two sleeping bags for $109. Really good sized family tent for $329 (Spinifex jardine) Sleeping bags from $24 (a pair), 2 burner stove for $39, 9 watt rechargable lantern for $35 and a picnic table with 2 benchs and 2 chairs for $149. If you're a Qlder they have stores at Ashmore, Everton Park, Logan and Townsville.

Worth a look on the internet at least.

Cheers and happy camping. Mick

Thanks for all your replies and really good advice. We will take on board all that has been said and think things over.

I will be back with more questions as they arise and hopefully make some good choices thanks to you guys.