CAMPING GEAR
Whether your swagging, tenting or towing a camper trailer, chances are you’ll also need to include some of these items in your camping kit. Camp lighting, cookers and barbeques, storage, camp oven, saucepan kit, fridge, table, camping chairs, bedding, sleeping bags, portable hot water showers and toilets.
Choosing an awning
We get asked about awnings quite often, so here’s the low-down on selecting and using the right one for your needs. We’ve lived with all types of awnings and we’ve yet to find one that’s wind-proof.
Composting caravan and camper toilet
The Nature’s Head self-contained, composting toilet is an alternative to the traditional cassette toilet, with fewer disposal issues.
Aussie-made Firewood Carrier
It’s now easy to carry wood or loose gear to your campsite with the Aussie-made Firewood Carrier from Blacksmith Camping Supplies. We’ve bought one and we’ll test it this winter.
Assassin F-A3 multi-tool
Folding shovels with blade edges aren’t new, but the colourfully named Annihilate Assassin F-A3 is more than just a folding shovel: it holds multi-function survival tools as well.
In line water filter
There’s nothing worse than getting a load of crook water, so we’re always very fussy about the source of any water that we put into our camper tank – and we always filter as we fill.
Black Wolf compact directors chair
We prefer upright director-style camping chairs and we’ve finally found replacements for our aged OzTrail chairs. Black Wolf compact chairs are strong, fold up easily and have a lifetime warranty.
Moulded-sole boots – why we don’t buy them anymore
Over the past year the soles on three pairs of our Blundstone boots fell to pieces. We’ve since heard that Redbacks and Oliver boots have the same problem.
Swiss Army knives with a difference
Everyone is familiar with the long-serving red and silver Swiss Army Knife, and in recent years the Victorinox company has developed new derivatives. The latest are white or black finish Spartan series, fitted with specially-coated blades and tools, wood-finish models, marine ‘camo’ designs, gold finish and a new Hunter model.
Instantaneous water heater from Dometic
Truma has developed new-generation instant propane-fuelled water heaters that do not need a storage tank.
Drone regulations
The laws regulating the use of drones have been changed. Here’s the low-down.
Scrubba wash bag
We’ve been testing this novel portable ‘washing machine’ for the past few months and it’s certainly worth considering by those who have packing space limitations.
Sea to Summit cookware and ‘crockery’
Space is always at a premium when it comes to loading your vehicle or camper. Pots and bowls that fit inside each other used to be as good as it got, but now there are collapsible pots, pans and ‘crockery’.
Beware the electronically-controlled camper fridge
Electronics have crept into the camper fridge market. Our experience with one such fridge wasn’t great, but a fix was easy.
A blown thong can spoil your trip
We’ve busted thongs on bush trips and some types can’t be fixed. However, Crocs can and this is how you can do it.
Music to camp by
Keeping up with the latest technology is, seemingly, a full-time job these days. Our latest purchase is a harman/kardon Esquire Bluetooth remote speaker that normally sells for around $300.
BiteAway Insect Bite Healer
We’ve been using a Bite Away Insect Bite Healer for years. It really works and we wouldn’t leave home without it.
Expanding hose
Filling the water tank on our Tray Tek camper is easy enough at home, using a hose on a reel, but filling from the widely differing water outlets around Australia is another matter.
Icebox test
Not everyone has a portable fridge and those who do sometimes need additional cooler capacity. That’s why the portable icebox still has a place. We tested six of them in summer heat.
Ice Mule cooler bag
The Ice Mule range of soft cooler bags and back packs rewrites the soft-cooler concept, we reckon.
Environmentally Sensitive Camping
There’s nothing more uplifting than camping under stars after a day’s scenic drive through some remote part of the Australian Outback, but it’s depressing to come across an idyllic spot that has been marred by irresponsible driving and lack of camp hygiene.
Camping Gear – Check List
So much to be packed, it’s easy to forget things! Sure, you can usually buy again somewhere along the way but why waste the money. Use this handy list and you’ll be sure to have everything.
Coleman Pack-Away Kitchen
The Coleman Pack-Away Kitchen disappears into a compact case. The sides of the case open out to form the serving table top. The stove stand opens on one side of the table top and a slip-on cooking tool frame clicks in place to hold tongs, spoons and the like.
Happy Camper Gourmet packed food
We’ve been taste-testing the range of Happy Camper Gourmet pre-cooked meals and now we don’t go anywhere without some of them in our food boxes. If our fridge packs up we won’t starve.
Portable Fridge Options
Portable fridges and coolers look much the same from the outside – they’re all insulated boxes with lids – but there are significant differences in the way they work and the type of energy they use. It’s necessary to know something about the ebbs and flows of the cooling business if you want to be sure of buying the right unit for your needs.
Refrigeration Basics
Tough and efficient mobile refrigeration gives bush travel a five-star touch, but you have to get the basics right.
Espresso for campers
We love our morning coffee and for years we struggled to find the best way to have espresso quality coffee in the bush. With our Handpressos we’ve found it.
Mi Lite Screw-in Tent Pegs
Mi Lite screw-in tent pegs make setting and retrieving tent and awning pegs a piece of cake.
Hide Away Travel Safe
We’ve inspected two Hide Away travel safes and found them to be well made and easily portable. They’re not cheap, but what price security?
GO Anywhere portable toilet
GO Anywhere toilet kits eliminate chemicals and storage tanks, and the need for dump stations. No more digging holes either!
How to pack
What and how you pack may determine how happy your bush travel experience will be.
Lightweight camping
It’s easy to get carried away with the camping kit you come across in shops and at camping and outdoors shows, but it’s possible to have a successful camping experience without carting the kitchen sink with you.
Camping gear – our top 10 check list
The secrets of happy tent or swag camping are being in the right spot, at the right time of the year, with the right people and the right gear.
Menu Planning
Portable refrigeration has changed the camping menu for the better: there’s no good reason why meals served at home can’t be enjoyed when you’re camping. With a bit of careful planning, you can even enjoy a cold beer or glass of wine at the end of the day.
Coleman Instastart AL-3 Cooker
The stove is a clever design, the two round burners are separated by a rectangular burner and with all three alight and the griddle on top there’s even heat over the entire plate.
Staying Healthy in the Outback
One of the greatest health risks in the bush is illness caused by poor hygiene. We have a camp rule that we never touch food or eating utensils without washing our hands.
Quarantine Laws – Australia
Before you start filling your food containers for your next trip, you should be aware of what you can and cannot take across State borders and into special exclusion zones.
Katadyn Combi Microfilter
We hadn’t travelled with a water filter before, but after one trip using a Katadyn unit we wouldn’t go bush without one again.