Camping Gear Recommendations for Trip from ADL to Queensland

heychacha on 29/10/2020 - 17:25

Hi all!! My partner and I have purchased a 2010 Toyota RAV4 for our a month long camping trip from Adelaide to Queensland and return in Dec. We will be taking our dog as well so its gonna be fun! We always went camping in a smaller car and only for a few days max. While we have some basic equipments, I would like to get some suggestions on what to buy (e.g. what you reckon that's essential, what's worth the $ even it is costly) and what to avoid (e.g. brand that's poor quality) etc.. We do not want to convert the interior as we still wanna use the car as it is the rest of the year. Currently, we have a few ideas:

  1. We have a nice tent. But considering to get a roof rack and roof tent will save us so much time and hassel. but I know its gonna be expensive. do you think its worth it? as we can only travel like this 1-2 times a year or plus a few weekends. we will have remove it and will that be too difficult to mount and dismount it by just me and my partner? how much are we looking at to have both in place? We were told by some to avoid King's, especially roof tent. Is it bad?

  2. should we get an awning install as well once we have the rack?

  3. some of our friends suggested us to get a Brass Monkey dual zone fridge/freezer. We will certainly need a powered fridge but our concern is we won't have dual battery system (only the cigarette plug at the back), do we need to have it install or any other cheaper/simpler options to keep the food in the fridge fresh/stay frozen? any other brands you would suggest to us as well? would 60L suitable for us?

  4. If you can share with us any tips on staying organised during travel and nice spots in Queensland that is pet friendly would be great!

Much appreciated!!!!

Sports & Outdoors

Comments

  • apsilon on 29/10/2020 - 17:32
    +2

    Where are you mostly planning to camp? ie caravan parks in town where you'll have access to amenities and shops or bush camps where you'll be digging your own latrine? It makes a difference to what you'll need for longer trips.

    • heychacha on 29/10/2020 - 18:05

      Thanks for you reply! we plan on doing free/cheap campsites and only camp at caravan parks every few days if possible (for water refill, proper shower and do some washing). and so I'm also looking at a "pop-up pod?" and a portable toilet. I think it can get trickier with a dog and we wont be able to camp at most of the national parks. I reckon that can give us a bit more flexibility?

      • apsilon on 29/10/2020 - 18:55
        +4

        OK, so the main areas you need to consider are obviously shelter, water, hygiene and cooking.

        Shelter I'd say if you already have a tent just use it. I've never used a roof top tent but I can't see the expense being worth it for a one off trip. I'll assume if you have a tent you also have mattress, sleeping bags etc. Do you also have chairs, table etc?

        Water is the next big item. It's important, bulky and heavy and you need it for hydration, hygiene, cooking and washing up. If you can refill every few days a couple of jerry cans should suffice but that's 40kg or so and fairly bulky. The alternative is using river water if you're near any spots and can filter/treat it but if you don't have that gear it's an additional expense but it will save you bulk and weight.

        Hygiene, you can get by with simple washes for a day or two so I wouldn't worry about getting a shower set up. Toilet there's several approaches from squatting over a hole dug in the ground to chemical toilets. Personally I go somewhere in between using a Jimmys Thunderbox, basically a seat you place over a hole. Chemical toilets are pretty good but ongoing expense of the chemicals and you need to find dump spots. You can grab a pop up ensuite tent, doesn't have to be fancy but think of lighting and where to hang the TP etc.

        Cooking is the last big item. Coming in to summer you're going to encounter fire bans so consider what you'll do if you can't light a fire. If you have a tent you might already have something? if you don't and can fit it in the budget I'd recommend a Weber Baby Q. Awesome for camping but you'll use it a heap at home as well. With a few accessories you can cook every meal with it. Something like a Jetboil can be very useful for a quick cuppa and heating water for washing up. You mention you don't have a fridge. They are great but without a dual battery set up it's probably going to drain your battery if you're not moving a fair bit everyday. If it's only going to be a few days between staying in town you could get buy with a good esky and ice. Something to think about.

        Few other tips, you say you don't want to convert the car but consider pulling at least one of the rear seats out (I'm assuming you have split seats). It'll probably only be 4 or so bolts and you can leave it at home and put it back when you return. It'll gain you a fair bit of storage space.

        For packing, storage tubs are probably the way to go. Label them and think about what you'll need to get out first/often etc. You mentioned a roof rack but if you can avoid it I would. Anything on the roof is going to add drag and cost you fuel. An awning can be great but that alone isn't enough of a reason to get a roof rack IMO.

        LED headlamps, if you don't already have them get one each. They don't have to be fancy, you can get Energiser ones at Woolies etc and allows you to keep both hands free for eating and other tasks.

        Brand wise, typically you get what you pay for. Most stores have their house brands and they can be very hit and miss. You may be better off picking up quality used gear in some cases. Kings do have a poor reputation though I have no personal experience with it. It's easy to spend big dollars and big name brands but it isn't always necessary..

        That's all very general but without knowing what you already have and budget it's hard to make any specific recommendations.

        • heychacha on 02/11/2020 - 16:49

          thank you so much for the reply! we have given up the idea of roof top tent and I think I may get a camper fly so its even more versatile without the need of installing a roof rack. we have already own one of those gas stove but I find it quite annoying really and the brand I got (spininex) was terrible. I may look into getting a weber

  • Headless on 29/10/2020 - 17:42
    +1

    I can help with two:

    1. Roof top tents not worth justifying spending the money for the odd camping trip each year, the best ones are the hard tops which go into the thousands, the soft tops genrally take time to setup and can be apain in the .ss (review the hell out of it before you buy it)

    2. If your getting a roof rack too, sure, just make sure to use it

    • heychacha on 29/10/2020 - 18:13

      Thanks! sure. I felt like its a lot to spend considering we just bought the car and we have basically everything we need for camping.

  • jcapone96 on 29/10/2020 - 17:48
    +1

    There are fridges on the market that have their own lithium batteries that charge off the cig socket.
    Another route is buying a portable power station like one engle provides in a box that also charges off the cig socket and then the fridge runs off the box.

    • heychacha on 29/10/2020 - 18:11

      Thanks for your reply! Yes i would consider that too! Cause I plan on taking my laptop so it can probably charge it too!

  • Willco88 on 29/10/2020 - 17:51
    +1

    Yea it really depends if you're planning to live off the land or at a proper camp site with amenities?

    • heychacha on 29/10/2020 - 18:11

      Thanks for you reply! we plan on doing free/cheap campsites and only camp at caravan parks every few days if possible (for water refill, proper shower and do some washing). and so I'm also looking at a "pop-up pod?" and a portable toilet. I think it can get trickier with a dog and we wont be able to camp at most of the national parks. I reckon that can give us a bit more flexibility?

  • Meho2026 on 29/10/2020 - 18:43
    +3

    Ive recently done a 4 week road trip in outback QLD.
    My advice if you want to do it on the cheap…

    Try and have a quick setup and packup system, a quick pitch tent and sleeping mats you can inflate quickly.
    Have a good organisation system so you know where everything is and store your containers in the same place in the car every time. Its frustrating when you cant find stuff all the time.
    You dont need a roof rack tent but a roof rack is a great idea as is an awning but you dont need a fancy one, theres cheap ones that suction cup on the car do the job.
    Having a source of shade that isnt attached to the vehicle is helpful too.
    I always wonder about falling down the ladder in the middle of the night with a roof tent

    Think about water containers, collapsible ones are good.
    Get one of those solar showers, the cheap black bag ones, fill it and leave it in the sun all day, then you have hot water for washing dishes.
    If you are bush camping or parking up at the side of the road, packets of baby wipes are good to clean dishes and personal hygiene.
    A popup shower tent for a portable toilet are good in those situations too. Ive got a Biotoi which folds flat.

    Think about your cooking, a gas stove with a hot plate so you can BBQ on it is good.
    You can have fires in some places, you might want to cook on that too.
    You need a table to sit and eat at but a second table to prepare food on and keep things off the ground is good, one of those high blow mold ones saves your back.

    Get decent chairs, most camping chairs are terrible, go try them out at a big Anaconda, get decent back support and be conscious of the amount of space they take up in the car.
    Lucky you in ADL, Snowys is one of the most competitively priced camping stores in the country.

    Think about power supply. I just used a Mi powerbank with 2 USB sockets, charged it in the car or any cafe pub with power. Then just charged phone, bluetooth speaker and lights off it.
    You need decent lighting too, easpecially for cooking and a good headtorch. those rechargable table lamps are generally mood lighting only, gas is better. Bunnings sell USB and mains rechargable worklights which are loads cheaper than camping marketed lighting. Arlec brand, the orange ones. I got the 1400 lumen one, its too bright on full power.

    In my experience those ciggie lighter coolers are useless and the only real option is the expensive secondary battery set up.
    You can get away with using a decent quality cooler not the cheap Coleman or Esky brand ones though. I got a Technice one, these are better but still a bit shit. the trick is to have 2 of them. One you are rarely going to open, it stays colder longer and another you are in and out of all the time. You can buy ice at nearly every outback pub. The cost does add up though to $5-10 a day so factor that into your final decision.

    You dont need to spend lots of $$$ on gear, look on gumtree and marketplace for secondhand stuff, loads of people go camping once and sell out.
    Basic food items are available in remote areas but obviously more expensive than the city, same with alcohol. Stock up on wine and spirits before you leave. Think about your meal ingredients, outback grocery stores have got a product range similar to a city service station store.

    Check out the freecamps, theres some great places to camp that cost nothing. Lots of people dog friendly at them. I use fullrangecamping app, theres a website version too. They list all camping not just free ones but you can filter the results.
    Hicamp is another good site that might be helpful finding dog friendly places.

    Only Telstra gets service when you go remote, get a telstra or boost SIM for the month if youre not already with them.

    Last thing mossie repellent, get that on in the arvo before the sun starts going down and you'll be OK. I find that homemade mix of baby oil, dettol and metho is best.

    • heychacha on 02/11/2020 - 17:05

      Thank you so much for your reply! I got most of my camping stuff from kmart they are still going alright lol I am planning to get a camper from Snowy's as they seem to be the cheapest and their products get lots of positive reviews as well!! I think Biotoi seems like a good idea! Also thanks for the work light suggestion! it will be good even using it for light on the driveway etc.
      I have been checking camping items everyday on gemtree/market place. now I got a list which make it easier for me to find a good deal for it!
      Thank you for the mossie repellent tip as they LOVE me!! I will surely give it a go :)

  • AustriaBargain on 29/10/2020 - 20:54

    Rav4 isn't terrifically big is it? Could store things on the rooth, Rav 4 has slots for the roof mount doesn't it?

  • Euphemistic on 29/10/2020 - 22:13
    +1

    Roof top tent is only good if you know you won’t stay somewhere and want to go for day trips. Travelling for a month, you’ll want to stay a few days and won’t want to pack up the tent to go and get supplies etc.

    I run a fridge in the car without a second battery. It works ok, just don’t use it as a freezer as it won’t use as much power and make sure the car goes for a run every day. Realistically you don’t need a freezer unless you are straying away from civilisation for weeks at a time. To ensure I don’t get a flat battery I have the fridge voltage cutoff set so it won’t drain the battery. A good fridge will stay cold just like an esky so you might get away with a day or more without turning it on, just be a bit smart with what food you store.

    If you need, get a battery box and run the fridge off that and charge it up while driving.

  • apsilon on 30/10/2020 - 06:25

    Roof top tent is only good if you know you won’t stay somewhere and want to go for day trips. Travelling for a month, you’ll want to stay a few days and won’t want to pack up the tent to go and get supplies etc.

    Long gone are the days where you could leave your camp set up and unattended. These days there's a good chance you'll come back to something if not the lot missing.

    • Euphemistic on 30/10/2020 - 08:23

      On a long trip it’s worth staying in a caravan park or similar from time to time. Use the facilities, relax a few days etc.

      My brother did a lap of Aus. He got about a month in and sold his RTT and bought a standard tent. Still maintained the in-car kitchen setup etc but was able to pull up for a stay and set up, then duck off to the shop for supplies while leaving partner and kids on site relaxing. Or could stay in a caravan park for a few days and do some day trips a lot easier.

      • apsilon on 30/10/2020 - 08:38

        I agree about staying in caravan parks every few days but I still wouldn't leave stuff unattended. In fact I'd be less likely to as there's more people about compared to 4+ hours out of town. Might be OK but might not and having your whole set up stolen while you're away is going to ruin your trip real quick.

        If budget allows I recommend staying in a cabin occasionally if the caravan park has them. Makes a nice change from staying in a tent, especially when you're on the road for weeks or months.

        • Euphemistic on 30/10/2020 - 09:41

          I fairly regularly stay in van parks. Never leave anything valuable unattended and lock bikes, fridge etc up depending on the location. Haven’t had any issues but ultimately think it’s pretty unlikely, in most locations, for someone to steal your tent, mattress and clothes. Buggered if I’ll be packing up all my kit everyday because I want to go for a swim or a bush walk.

          They’ll def take your phone and wallet, probably take bikes and fishing gear though especially if in the wrong area.

  • [Deactivated] on 30/10/2020 - 08:21
    +1

    In order of what I would get based on what you already have.

    1. Fridge
    2. Lights (driving lights and work lights)
    3. Awning

    Check your roof capacity. A RTT easily weighs 50kg. You'll need to factor in the weight of the roof rack and anything else you mount there as well.

    The RTT will significantly increase wind noise and fuel consumption, and will make the car far more top heavy.

    • Euphemistic on 30/10/2020 - 08:24

      Driving lights might not be necessary. Just plan not to drive much at night. If you do plan on much night driving a bullbar is highly recommended. Skippy isn’t real smart and can mess up your trip real fast.

      Did a 5000km 3 week trip and used the driving lights on one morning only. Night time’s for relaxing.

      • [Deactivated] on 30/10/2020 - 08:35

        That's true but given the very low cost of driving lights (especially DIY install), I think they represent a significantly improved experience for the dollar.

        It's also a good contingency. I remember when our day walk took too long and we had to locate our intended campsite in complete darkness.

        Only damage skippy has done me is running into the side of my vehicle… After I have stopped.

        • Euphemistic on 30/10/2020 - 09:42

          True. Self install LED bar can be had for under $100.

  • antojamo on 31/10/2020 - 09:17
    +1

    Skip the rooftop tent but get some roof racks and attach an awning to it. I got a 2.5x2.5m unbranded awning from SuperCheap and works fine. But dont overload the roof racks.

    I'd recommend working out a simple storage system in the boot. Something to incorporate your fridge (assuming its going in the boot) along with everything else. Drawers are great, but not cheap and may not be readily available for the Rav. But you might be able to make something from plywood and plastic storage boxes. Avoid the cheap opaque ones as they just break. The black Tactrix ones are quite sturdy. Secure everything heavy down so that in the event of an accident or rollover, things dont go airborne.

    This is the 1st version of mine, but I made some mistakes with the containers and straps.

    https://ibb.co/yg3Wwcf
    https://ibb.co/FDrGxn1

    I wouldnt run a fridge that size off your starter battery. Although if you do, make sure you take a portable jump starter with you. But if you're traveling alone, its good to have one anyway. If you take a fridge, I'd get a battery box but I'd avoid Kings.

    What are the Rav's tyres like? No need to go for an aggressive all-terrain tyre, but something with stiffer sidewalls than a highway tyre would be good if you're planning on driving a lot of dirt roads. No idea if you can get a light truck tyre on a rav.

    • heychacha on 02/11/2020 - 16:53

      Thank you for your reply! I am thinking to get a camper fly so it wont require any roof rack attachment. I am definitely looking into getting a battery box as we would like to charger laptops and stuff like that. We haven't planned much for the route but I guess we wont go off road too much.

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