Best Gadget you have brought to make camping easier?

jaycey001

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We travel 2 or 3 times a year down the the south of Spain with two young kids and a mad Springer Spaniel in our old (1989) transit motorhome. Each time we travel we are slowly getting more efficient at what we take. We are also learning how to make the journey as enjoyable for everyone as possible.

The latest addition has been a Waco Cool box which has been amazing, it was about £80 but is perfect at keeping things cool. Last Easter we filled it with 2 bags of Ice and scrunched up newspaper and made a few meals which we froze and put in the box before we left. Everything was still cool and mostly frozen 4 days later when we hit Spain!

Last Summer I took along our single gas stove (the basic cartridge type) and cooked all meals outside the van on that using an Iron griddle, it made the van so much more usable as were not having to "set up" the kitchen bit every meal time. It also kept all the cooking smells outside the van. (the other bonus was that I could sit quietly outside "cooking" with a beer while the kids were busy inside colouring and making a mess.

This Easter I may look at installing some form of extractor or fan so that we can at least cool down a bit with in the evenings (no aircon).

I am interested what other people have done or brought to make travelling easier for them, or any clever space saving ideas?

Looking forward to replies :)
James
 
We bought two Endless Breeze 12v fans from America last year. I think they cost about £80 each delivered but they were worth their weight in gold last July and August in sweltering temperatures in France and Spain. They can be used anywhere you can reach a 12v supply and they fitted perfectly into our rooflights at night, blowing a breeze over the kids and our bed.

The other thing I wouldn't go without is our Cadac barbeque, which we use almost all the time when travelling.
 
V1nny said:
We bought two Endless Breeze 12v fans from America last year. I think they cost about £80 each delivered but they were worth their weight in gold last July and August in sweltering temperatures in France and Spain. They can be used anywhere you can reach a 12v supply and they fitted perfectly into our rooflights at night, blowing a breeze over the kids and our bed.

The other thing I wouldn't go without is our Cadac barbeque, which we use almost all the time when travelling.
Click to expand...

The EB saved our bacon in Italy
 
jaycey001 said:
We travel 2 or 3 times a year down the the south of Spain with two young kids and a mad Springer Spaniel in our old (1989) transit motorhome. Each time we travel we are slowly getting more efficient at what we take. We are also learning how to make the journey as enjoyable for everyone as possible.

The latest addition has been a Waco Cool box which has been amazing, it was about £80 but is perfect at keeping things cool. Last Easter we filled it with 2 bags of Ice and scrunched up newspaper and made a few meals which we froze and put in the box before we left. Everything was still cool and mostly frozen 4 days later when we hit Spain!

Last Summer I took along our single gas stove (the basic cartridge type) and cooked all meals outside the van on that using an Iron griddle, it made the van so much more usable as were not having to "set up" the kitchen bit every meal time. It also kept all the cooking smells outside the van. (the other bonus was that I could sit quietly outside "cooking" with a beer while the kids were busy inside colouring and making a mess.

This Easter I may look at installing some form of extractor or fan so that we can at least cool down a bit with in the evenings (no aircon).

I am interested what other people have done or brought to make travelling easier for them, or any clever space saving ideas?

Looking forward to replies :)
James
Click to expand...
Have to have a think, but up there near or at the top would for sure be one of those little stoves as you have included. For the price of them they really are hard to beat for convenience and usefulness
 
I love my Karcher window vac. Not only does it quickly dry the windscreen in the morning, but it’s also great for drying out the shower.
 
Actually a few things are kinda Level Pegging for my Full time Traveling/Working Livaboard Life.
Generator,
Washer/Spinner,
Combination Microwave/Grill,
George Forman Grill,
Water Filtration unit,
Nesty My Multi Fuel Stove,
Oh I could go on but there all part of my lifestyle & in almost daily use !
 
2 years ago I managed to buy an unused British army number 12 diesel cooker This week I purchased a 20 litre Swiss army water bladder this should give us free showers each day hanging outside van during the day to warm up in Spain, also easy to collect water to fill my water tank up .In case anyone has one you can use the screw cap from the 10 litre adblue containers and also the flexi filler to pour into water tank.
 
V1nny said:
We bought two Endless Breeze 12v fans from America last year. I think they cost about £80 each delivered but they were worth their weight in gold last July and August in sweltering temperatures in France and Spain. They can be used anywhere you can reach a 12v supply and they fitted perfectly into our rooflights at night, blowing a breeze over the kids and our bed.

The other thing I wouldn't go without is our Cadac barbeque, which we use almost all the time when travelling.
Click to expand...

They look great! There is a UK stockist on ebay... That could be perfect for us! Thanks :)
 
Another vote for Kaercher vacuum window cleaner, especially for our 'huge' 'A' Class windscreen.

Hyperbolic mirrors mounted on our standard mirrors, for 45 degree lateral and vertical coverage.

Battery-to-Battery charger, giving max alternator power to Hab batteries all the time.

Wrap-around step carpets for electric steps - easily fitted and detached, by springs.

Autosmart G101 cleaner for flies and black streaks.



Probably more but maybe later.

Geoff
 
wildebus said:
Have to have a think, but up there near or at the top would for sure be one of those little stoves as you have included. For the price of them they really are hard to beat for convenience and usefulness
Click to expand...

Now then....those little cartridge gas stoves.....they're great but take lots of spare cartridges with you to Spain as they are dear even in the "china shops" !! Milletts frequently have them on offer very cheap so take plenty with you !! (Works out at about 50p each in blighty but 2-50 in Spain). Maja
 
Two packs of playing cards.. Who needs TV, when you can play versions of Rummy Cub, Uno or double patience?
A kindle fire... Keeps the Child Bride's hands occupied and unable to spend, when engrossed in it.
 
Karcher has been brilliant as others have said.

Ridge Monkey toasty maker thingy is also a must have.
 
jaycey001 said:
We travel 2 or 3 times a year down the the south of Spain with two young kids and a mad Springer Spaniel in our old (1989) transit motorhome. Each time we travel we are slowly getting more efficient at what we take. We are also learning how to make the journey as enjoyable for everyone as possible.

The latest addition has been a Waco Cool box which has been amazing, it was about £80 but is perfect at keeping things cool. Last Easter we filled it with 2 bags of Ice and scrunched up newspaper and made a few meals which we froze and put in the box before we left. Everything was still cool and mostly frozen 4 days later when we hit Spain!

Last Summer I took along our single gas stove (the basic cartridge type) and cooked all meals outside the van on that using an Iron griddle, it made the van so much more usable as were not having to "set up" the kitchen bit every meal time. It also kept all the cooking smells outside the van. (the other bonus was that I could sit quietly outside "cooking" with a beer while the kids were busy inside colouring and making a mess.

This Easter I may look at installing some form of extractor or fan so that we can at least cool down a bit with in the evenings (no aircon).

I am interested what other people have done or brought to make travelling easier for them, or any clever space saving ideas?

Looking forward to replies :)
James
Click to expand...


Hi ya James,
Some great replies to your thread & sure more to come, I wonder if we can slightly expand this into asking-
What did you THINK at the time was a great gadget, & then either Binned it or are STILL trying to warrant its cost or having it around?.
So kinda Best Gadget & Worst mistake?.

Mine would be -
Fammia F45 Wind Out Awning complete with Safari room (Got rid a cpl of years ago now)
Rear Tow bar mounted Scooter carrier (Got rid of at same time)
& most recently
366DC463-3A37-46A5-A067-0A25579DC73E.jpg
 
Nesting Zombie said:
Hi ya James,
Some great replies to your thread & sure more to come, I wonder if we can slightly expand this into asking-
What did you THINK at the time was a great gadget, & then either Binned it or are STILL trying to warrant its cost or having it around?.
So kinda Best Gadget & Worst mistake?.

View attachment 68643
Click to expand...

I answered the best above, but for for worst I have these



Milenco Quatro levellers - never used, now in house garage after lugging them round Europe for 8 years.

Inverter, which we cannot remember what we bought it for. Never used.

Couple of 12v fans - been used occasionally, so not useless and were cheap.

Geoff
 
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