Basic Camp Gear Run information and mistakes

If you have read my first post you will know that I was lucky enough to start out with some base kit from my Dad.  I am going to post in the coming weeks about the kit for different types of camping duration, weather and scenarios (ie couple, family, single etc).

 

This post focuses on the basics, and some mistakes I made so you can learn from from my experiences. 

You will notice I keep mentioning size when discussing gear, this is reference to what fits in my car, Rav4 2012 model.  It takes into consideration that camping with kids also means I pack a lot of extras that we have gradually bought across the years: 3 x kayaks on our roof, and 3 x bikes mounted off our spare wheel, plus the following inside the car: 3 x Boogie boards, paddles, wetsuits, life jackets, helmets, cricket sets, footballs and scooters. It takes clever packing and having essential gear at small sizes in order to fit in all the extra sporting goods we travel with.  If all 4 of us are camping, we take 2 cars, as there is no way with all the gear and sporting goods,  that Mark can actually fit in our car too. 

I will cover tents in another post. 

Lighting

Headlights : I only got our headlights last year, something I wish we had bought earlier.   It is much easier when doing early morning or late night camp set ups.  We tend to travel far - so often we are either up before dawn packing up or arriving in during the night and setting up.  Head lights leave your hands free and you can see exactly where your head is pointing to. I have gone with cheap ones, but I do have to be careful on replacing batteries as the cheaper ones break easier when opening the battery part.  Fantastic for reading at night, my kids are not straining their eyes or fighting over lamp positions. 

Luxury item but they definitely make life easier in the dark.  

Lamp lighting : I've only just changed out our original lamps, which was a set of 3 for $10 in an Australian post store back in 2012. Recent ones are now from #SupercheapAuto, can stand and hang, much thinner in size (main reason for purchase) and have a low light setting.  Low light setting is important if you are leaving one on during night for kids. 

Main considerations when purchasing is that they hang and can hook onto tent loops, that they also stand easily, how many batteries and what type, so you know the extra costs involved in keeping them on. 

Mandatory, but doesn't have to be expensive. 

Solar lighting: This was another recent purchase, with a kit from Aussie Disposals, which has 2 lights that look similar to light globes, with an inbuilt speaker as well.  Only used once so far, definitely an investment ($100), and whilst it means less batteries, it is going to take a lot of trips (i.e. best it last many, many years) before I see it as saving money. 

Luxury, definitely an investment for the pricing of solar lights. 

Update: Solar lighting: I have really been impressed with LuminAid solar lights - these are small - "blow up" square lights - and the light they provide is really soft but bright.  The recharging is optimal - as I have never had them run out of light.  I also have a Lucci inflatable light - but definitely prefer the Luminaid.  I have just invested in e couple of Luminaid Max - as a way of providing charging to our phones - which has become part of our setup as the kids now don't like being cut off from their friends 😒  Even though we now use a lighted tent - having a potable light iis something I see as Mandatory

Rechargeable lantern: This is big heavy style lantern, that is much better quality lighting.  I have one I bought from Aldi many years ago,  which needed a new battery fitted about a year ago.  I charge this before I leave and it always lasts the week.  Mainly used if I am cooking late, and for any instance when you want more than the glow that battery powered lamps give you. 

These are charged via a wall GPO or by cigarette lighter point in car, sometimes they also offer USB so you can charge your phones off them (although this will drain the battery much quicker)

Luxury, although not mandatory, definitely an item you will use and value.

Update: Since investing in a couple of blow up LuminAid solar lights - I no longer take this item.  

Cooking:  

Just a note, the main reason I invested in camp cooking gear, is to have the "ready to go" camp kitchen box.  I initially used to have to pack a fair bit out of my kitchen, (I made a list), then also have a huge job unpacking on the return to put everything back, to be ready to cook at home upon return. So purchasing items are luxury, but if heading into national parks or not camping at camp grounds with facilities, then it at least packing stand alone cooking gear for camping will be mandatory. 

It is easier with kids if you are self sufficient, especially when they are younger, so they can be napping, or having quiet time after the beach/bush, and you can be getting the meal ready.  It was certainly more exhausting camping experience for me when I was having to lug gear from tent to camp kitchen with two tired kids in tow for every meal.  

Butane stoves :  I have a phobia about gas tanks in cars, and up until only recently, never had roof racks.  Butane stoves to the rescue. I originally had a single, then went a double from Aldi which lasted 7 years.  I have just gone back to 2 x singles as it gives me the option of just taking one in a smaller set up, where I know I won't need 2. (I always meal plan and prep before camping - that will be another post).  Watch out for specials, its one of the few things I buy new, but 7 years out of first new one, means it you are getting a good amount of use of them before they need replacing.  

Pots : I started off with some of my Dad's pots, and many more out of my kitchen cupboard. Cooking for 1 as opposed to a family - definitely meant needed to raid the cupboards.  Now using pots from your cupboard as opposed to camping pots, means you do use more gas - they are thicker so take longer to heat. 

I highly recommend just using what you have in the cupboard to start out, as that way you are using familiar tools, and keeping costs to start camping low.  It also means if you discover you don't love camping, you haven't spent money on goods you no longer want.  

I did invest in the #Aldi pot set the second year of camping, which worked perfectly for me and the boys, until recently when their appetites outgrew the quantity the pots hold.  I love the size of the kettle in the Aldi kit, as you boil enough for 1 big cup of coffee, and don't over use gas or water to make it. 

I have so much kit now, that size matters, so I have invested in the Sea to Summit cookware, as many pieces fit inside one another, so the amount of space they take up, to have the full range as cookware I like to use, takes up as small a foot print as possible. Keep in mind I cook all our meals, and the boys eat more when out in the fresh air and being more active. 

Plates & cultery etc : In the interests of not having to keep track of who turn it was to use which of the mish mash of bits and pieces my dad gave us, I picked up the picnic set and cutlery roll, from Aldi, when they came up for sale. These are plastic, but hard wearing, not attractive (yukky green color) but are still the same ones we use 8 years later.  I was always envious of the pretty enamel ones - but I've seen first hand in a friends kit that when they chip you have to bin them, not as hardy as I thought and in comparison my plastic ones are definitely going the distance. 

The cutlery roll is great, as we just pull it out of the kitchen box and put on the table.  It also ensures that you notice when you lose a piece (somehow I still have lost a couple of pieces though). The plastic ends of the cutlery always annoyed my, so for one trip i swapped out for my house cutlery, that's when I discovered that having the plastic ends means the cutlery stays in place in the roll and does't fall out when you move or pick it up. So I have gone back to sticking with the plastic set (which are also 8 years old). 

Fat Max Box: Dad gave me a tub with his gear inside, which I used for years as my kitchen box. However it was big, and awkward to carry when full, and took up a big footprint in the tent.  It also mean lots of bending up and down to cook, set table and jumbling stuff around to find what I needed.  So thanks to Pinterest I saw the Stanley fat max box being used for camping. I pretty much became obsessed with getting it, so saved many birthday and Christmas vouchers, insisting that is all anyone could give me. It was $125, keeping in mind my second hand Coleman tent cost $90, so to me it was too much to just buy and little over the top that the most expensive item was not the tent! So it took several years after first looking at it, but I finally do have one, and I do love it.  Whilst it is heavy (but doable) to lift in and out of the car - after that it is on wheels and fits perfectly beside my table I cook on.  Having 3 levels and an internal top tray means everything has a place and is much easier to find. It also means less strain on my back. This is definitely a luxury item, and as mentioned above, having a full camp kitchen set, for me it meant less time packing and unpacking, as I simply pull it out of shed and load and on the return it goes from car to shed. It's taken a while to have a full kit, a lot of pieces are from op shops, or sales, I made a list and just gradually bought it across the years as I saw things at a price that I thought was good. I will do a separate post with its complete contents.  

Sleeping:

Stretcher beds : I broke the bridge on my vertebra, and had back issues as a teenager, so blow up mattresses on the ground have never been my thing. Our initial camping trip we used yoga mats on borrowed camp beds, with doonas on the top.  Not all stretcher beds are created equal.  For me - having the same for my boys was important. I recently upgraded from the original beds I got for them, and discovered the joy of having higher stretcher beds means they can store torches, bags etc under their beds.  This keeps the floor room on the tent much clearer.  Again I picked their beds up second hand, and we got 4 that were exactly the same, for what would have cost for 1 new one in-store. The reason I looked for upgrades was the initial set were not firm sided, so as they grew the more like a sling shape the beds took on, which just wasn't comfortable. I will do a YouTube video to describe this better. 

Sleeping bags : We have only just changed our sleeping bags, which has been very cosy and warm, however over time they have worn a bit thinner.  As we now camp in spring and autumn, having sleeping bags that can cater for the changing seasons became a necessary upgrade. I always packed a bag of extra blankets for the boys for any random cold nights. The new bags (Adventure kings premium winter/summer bags)  are way bigger than the previous ones, however not needing to take a bag of blankets means the size difference still fits in our car. Roomy 2400mm x 900mm – Versatile zip-out flannel liner for all weather versatility -5°C to +5°C rated – Tough poly-cotton exterior -  zips together to make double sized if buying a Right side and Left side pair - includes compression bag.

Pillows : They have always been the last item packed - only if there is enough room. If they don't come with us, we use clean clothes shoved in pillow slips. We did try out the blow up pillows (cheap ones) from Kmart, but between the slight rubbery smell and feel of them, we haven't used again. I have just bought some spinfex barrel pillows that were on sale ($10 each), that are like padded head rests.  I don't mind them, the kids are happy but Mark didn't like them. To me they aren't essential, there is always something you can use, and they do take up allot of space in the car. It is definitely a personal choice as I realise that pillows are sometimes special items. 

General Gear: 

Towels : This is one thing I wish I had discovered earlier.  Initially, like everything, I simply packed towels from the linen cupboard.  We always take two towels per person, one for the beach / lake, one for the showers. This means you aren't rubbing sand or dirt on yourself after a nice hot shower. When I could, I put aside some old towels in a separate bag, that became out camping towel set - again having a separate kit just meant easier packing, definitely luxury not necessary. 

However I received a bonus microfibre towel with something I purchased in January and used it on our last 2 camping trips.  Game changer - it was a decent size, actually made my skin and hair feel soft, and I now use it daily for my hair when at home as it seems to not break it as much (I have long curly hair).   The size is the biggest bonus, as 6 pack down to the size of 1 normal towel. Kmart have them for $6, so now we have a 2 each, again one for beach and one for showers.  Another advantage is how much quicker the will dry onsite. They actually are more resistant to sand so great to use on the beach.  This was one of those items I wish I had tried out earlier and invested in. 

Clothes Line : If you are at a caravan park, there is usually a line installed near the kitchen to hang out clothes on. Usually you find the people camping closest to the lines are the ones using them. I have made do with pegging towels and swimming togs to the tent ropes, however I did pick up an aluminium clothes line from Aldi after a few years.  We usually fill shopping bags with sand to help secure it, however you can use long pegs to secure it at the base.  I like having a clothes line right behind the tent, so the towels can dry and your wet togs, and having them right by your tent is super convenient.  It also means the tea towels and washing up sponges can be pegged and air dried after each use. i don't pack it for small trips, but for the trips that are 7 days I always take it.  There are the simple twisty elastic you can get, but to me - you have to be damn lucky to get the perfect trees to hang it between, or you are straining your tent in a way that it wasn't designed, and they do not cater for crazy windy days. Having the clothes line mean I simply pick up and move into tent, if I know we are going away from site for extended periods or it starts to rain, and whatever is on the line dries inside the tent instead. The convenience of it when more than 2 people, to me makes it a great piece of kit to have when staying for a while and knowing you are going to have wet gear every day -  which given the water sports we do - we always have wet gear. 

Table & Chairs : I am grouping these for a reason, as the table you choose, you will need chairs that work with it. I found this out the hard way, after initially being lucky enough to get the right chairs by sheer luck.

We have had our simple square table for about 7 years. It packs up small, is a great height, and small enough that on wet days we can squash around and eat inside. Our first set of chairs were all actually kid ones, from the op shop (can't beat $10 for 3 chairs).  They have started to tear, for we are all probably too heavy for their design now, and it has taken a few bad choices to find good replacements.  

The biggest error I made was not considering the height of the new camping chairs in relation to the table. The first new ones I bought from BigW, easy to carry, compact, but when sitting at the table it was trying to eat with my plate at bust height.  

The next ones were Coleman from Buy Swap and Sell, I love Coleman gear, so I knew I was getting a bargain, however when I picked them up - they were the SUPERSIZE ones, both in the pack down size and width of them. Too big to pack, and too wide for the table.

The last ones that finally worked, was one new chair from Snowy's, which is a directors style chair ($70), and then 3 others from op shops ($15 total). 

These are solid and high enough that you don't feel like you are eating off a plate at eye level.  

I don't like the fold out tables built in stools - as there is no back support, and having chairs you can move around makes a huge difference when camping, as you use them for more than just at meal times.  

UPDATEon Tables and Chairs : We managed to go camping with my brother - who had the Helinox chairs (highbacks), and they didn't sit at a table to eat - light bulb moment - as I realised my kids were big enough to eat in situ too. what I found even more appealing was the size they packed down to. So on our return I investigated alternatives - because I could not justify the cost of 4 helinox chairs.  Instead i came across FE Active - which offered them for a really good price point -  I note that recently they have gone up substancially.  We tried these out for the last couple of trips and they are really comfy to sit back and relax and enjoy the view - but still okay for sitting at the table for food or games. One important measure to note is the distance from ground to seat - so if looking at alternatives to the Helinox - make sure you are happy with the height you are lowering yourself to. 

Tools : Take Tape - good, woven tape, as we have survived many bad weather events due to having tape to make temporary pole repairs after storms or hazardous winds.  I have small kit of tools, one spanner, screwdriver multi tool, pliers, good scissors, that stays with our tub of camping gear. Hammer for pegs, I actually have 3, which just means the set up and pack up go quicker as we all pitch in to get the pegs in and out. (I'll do another post about setting up and packing up tents).

Kitchen / Utility table : Initially our melamine second hand table was both the kitchen bench and kitchen table.  Once we got the smaller square one, it became our kitchen bench.  You need to make sure what ever table you are cooking on, can take the heat and the spills.  Size really depends on your set up.  Take also into consideration the height in which is goes up to and if it is comfortable height for you to stand and cook on. I have recently upgraded to an OZtrail table with built in storage - 6 compartments - whish means all out food and sink can be stored underneath and be zipped up securely.

 

Cleaning items : 

Basic : Surface Spray, Sponges, Paper towel, scrubbing sponge, dish-washing liquid, baby wipes, dust pan & broom.

All of which can come from your house, until you decide that camping is definitely something you love. 

Baby wipes - the handiness is endless. 

Surface spray (food grade) can help if you are not washing up after an easy meal.

Paper towel for any spills that need to be tossed, or cleaning shoes etc

Dustpan & broom - this came from a discussion with my brother about our gear. He has a very clean tent environment and ours would be the complete opposite as we are not about having a perfectly clean tent - at all - part of the point of camping for me is to not be worried about floor dirt.  However before packing up your tent, to help it's longevity, we sweep up all sand and dirt once tent is empty before packing it down.  This will help on the wear and tear of tent, make sure it's not developing any nasties whilst stored away, and makes for a nicer start of the next holiday when your tent floor is mostly free from dirt as you unpack clean gear. 

Washing Up: I initially used the caravan park facilities, however once I started to cook at the campsite, cleaning dishes at the camp site was something that made sense to make happen at the campsite rather than lugging dirty dishes across to camp kitchens.  Tent location does play a part here - if you are near a camp kitchen it's not such a big deal to use their facilities, however again with children, being able to let little ones got to sleep or rest whilst you clean up is ideal.

I hesitate to mention what I use as I know they are not produced anymore - and it is is the BEST set of kit I've seen, and I have no idea why they stopped making them. Below is the stock photo, it is the Coleman All in one portable sink.  It all packs up into the one large container, includes a pumping tap (battery operated), and has the drain rack included. I boil water, and dishing liquid and some cold water, and dishes washing is good to go. Washing dishes under a fresh stream of water means you are not having to dive your hands into murky water with all the dishes.  I love this kit, ticks all the boxes, and it's innovative.  I picked mine up on sale when Rays Outdoors were closing their doors, after spending a long time eyeing it off wishing to have one.  

Protection : I'm talking about insects here... just in case your mind wandered elsewhere. 

Basic :  Surface spray, person repellents, mosquito coils or bug zapper  

Insects can make a camping holiday unpleasant, if you happen upon a spot where they are thriving.  We actually use surface spray on the floor of our tent, when we set up, just to discourage creepy crawlies to coming in. We also burn mosquito coils at night, use some sort of personal repellent ourselves if we start to find the flies overwhelming. We carry bite cream and calamine lotions to treat any bites.  Check that what you are buying is correct for the environment you are camping in, especially if you are travelling a long distance from home and can be encountering different creepy crawlies. We have recently purchased a rechargeable bug zapper, we have only used on a short trip so far, with the advantage that it meant all our gear didn't come back smelling like mosquito coils (which produce quite an odor, so all your clothes need washing on return). 

  

Showers: Starting out back to camping, my one essential was a hot shower.  This becomes interesting when you are a mum with boys, as taking them into female bathrooms at caravan parks is a problem.  I thankfully used one that gave me keys to use the disabled bathroom, which was later called the family bathroom. definitely something to check, if single parenting with children.  This would mean we would all go together and shower, use toilet etc. Sending children into public facilities, is something I've always struggled with until they started to introduce more "family" toilets and facilities.

It's taken a few bad buys to sort out the shower and toilet situation for National Park camping, and is definitely something to look at if you too become an camping fan .

Firstly - those black bags you lay in the sun- with gravity flow shower head have a few issues:

1. No shower enclosure has a strong enough structure to hang them from.

2. Gravity fed water will not have much of an impact on my long hair or extreme dirt (think River bank mud + children....).

Both my cousin and I were researching solutions, and independently came across the same item as the solution: Nemo Helio Portable Pressurized Camp shower.  Basically it works similar to the black shower bags, you fill it, keep it in sun. The difference is you have a foot pump to pressurize the bag, which then you have a shower head to use, with a really good amount of pressure and volume.  Now the only bad review these get is for the smaller one, the opening and closing of the top value is hard. I have arthritis in my hands, so I bought the larger size, which is a twist lid, and no problem to use, even when I have a bad arthritis day.  My cousin did buy the smaller pack and definitely has a problem with opening and closing it.  The larger size lends to more showers per bag.  Also need to keep in mind whether you have access to water or not when camping in national parks. 

I did pick a cheap ensuite tent, wanderer brand, however ensuite envy came out to play when I saw my cousin's one - it is seriously amazing, and caters for having a portaloo as well.  So now we both have Joolca double ensuite tents.  Seriously they are the Bees Knees in ensuite tents.  I'm talking towel rail, easy drain floor, ventilation, handy pockets, privacy, easy to set up, even if you are short like us. I even bought the "veranda" for the front - as it will fit perfectly across the back of the van doors, when we move to van life. It was actually purchasing this kit that lead to my discovery about the travel towels, as I received a free towel with my purchase. 

Toilets: Not something to worry about if facilities are available.  My first buy was a bucket style, with toilet lid on it. We used kitty litter (environmentally friendly type) to avoid the sight of each other's business.  However the kids (and Mark) were not that enthusiatic about it, and I didn't want to give them a reason to be  hesitant to bush camping, I ended up investing in a portaloo. This means they can flush, and the smell will be better contained.  We haven't been camping with the new loo (thanks Covid19), so I'll add more comments once it's been in use. Note that you need to set up the water component before leaving if you are heading somewhere like the national parks, where water is not avialable.

Water Storage Bottles: I'm talking about water storage here, not the drink bottles (which is something you should include anyway.)  Even before we ventured into bush camping, having bottles of water at the tent meant we could have the all important cup of coffee before leaving the tent.  This can be a simple 2 litre bottle that you refill each night before going to be, if water facilities are available. 

Bush camping, I use two lots of water containers for 2 purposes:

1. Drinking water: Before camping I save any 1.25 litre bottles we use, fill with water and freeze during the week leading up to being away.  These I load into an old style eski/icebox/chillybin, and when I'm camping I pull out 2 per day to use as drinking water, this minimizes the opening and closing of the eski, so after 6 days, we still have cold/ partially frozen water. 

2. Large tapped water containers: these are the 10-20 litre ones with large lids and taps on them.  This is our cooking, cleaning water.  The tap just backs for easy pouring/use. Note: you need a sturdy cooking table to sit these on. 

3. Yeti Drink Bottle: These were an investment to help us increase our water intake at home - and I have to say - I am in love.  They are nice to drink from, easy to refill and clean, indestructable, and maintain the chill if you are putting in chilled water. I wish I had brought these first - I have literally emptied our cupboards from all teh cheap water bottles - we each have a different colored Yeti and we are responsible for keeping them with us. 

Food Storage: I was lucky to use my Dad's powered camping fridge initially. This made the first few trips pretty easy, although it meant powered camping was mandatory and is also more expensive. Until the fateful trip were we returned to the campsite after a day at the beach and discovered the fridge had blown, and not only stopped working, but actually overheated, so all our food was ruined. We were close to shops, but had very little dollars but managed to purchase enough non cooled food to get us through.

Now powered camp fridges cost big $$, so it was not something we could replace, and it opened the door to moving to unpowered camping.

I now use an ice box - only a small one - 25 litres - which might seem tiny, but totally works for 4 of us with a weeks food, as I menu plan, and cook and freeze before we go. We also have an old style eski/chilly bin which is dedicated to water for drinks - so the opening and closing of the ice box which contains the food is minimized. 

The keys to making an icebox work for week are outlined below:

1. Ice your box before use : 2 days before going I buy bags of ice and completely fill the icebox, topping it up each day.  This brings down it's internal temperature.

2. I cook/prep meals and freeze where I can, all in appropriate sized stackable containers I know work for my icebox internal dimensions. The better packed it is the more it stays cold.

3. Bigger ice blocks. I freeze water in snap lock bags.  Think in terms of ice melting - a bigger block takes longer. I use these bigger blocks of ice on the bottom, top and sides.

4. Pack you icebox last: I have my entire car packed, kids in car (windows down), and then I do the icebox pack.  The icebox has a designated spot in the car, so it can be last.  This ensures you are reducing the amount of time it's in use, and not losing "cold" whilst packing the car.

5. Pack that icebox FAST.  Iceboxes are not fridges, the minute you open it - the cool air is escaping.  I recommend you learn how to pack your containers and milk etc in advance, so come packing time, you empty ice that has cooled down your icebox, and pack as quick as possible with your frozen items, large ice blocks then scoop in the smaller ice blocks over the top.  Air is the enemy so packing that little fridge solid is the aim.  Get the lid closed and sealed as soon as possible.

6. Put your icebox in a cold spot in tent.  Don't put your icebox on the side of the tent that gets the sun, keeping the icebox cooler on the outside, will help it go the distance.

7. Have a separate eski/icebox for drinks - so the food/dairy icebox stays closed as much as possible.  

8. NO BROWSING rule applies when you open the food icebox - it is a race against warm air.  I pack my icebox meals in the order we eat them.  I keep milk and butter on top so you can open, pull out and close very quickly. 

Note my drinks eski - is an old style one that was marked FREE on the side of the road.  We have a water only rule whilst camping, and as it is frozen ahead of time, we use refill our Yeti's, having really cold water to drink for a week, and is good detox. 

Smaller side ice box also means when fully loaded I can still manage it on my own to lift and move it. Which was great when the kids were smaller and not as strong as they are now. 

Update on Food Storage: I now have 2 x 25litre iceboxes - due to appetites of teh kids has increased to man size.  So one has all the main meal meat/frozen portioned dinners, the other has milk, cheese, butter, snacks - it has become our basic browse ice box.  So the "main Meal' ice box only gets opened once a day, and is packed in teh order in which I need to retrieve the top item each day.  The other ice box contains items that are not frozen and gets ice added when possible during the week - as it is opened more often, so the ice melts quicker.