Must have 'Bits n Bobs'

[ricc]

our aproach is completely different

we dont have a motor home, we do have a lwb semi hitop transit van.


when we want a tin tent for a couple of nights away back of the van gets cleared , except for basic tools and and all the "essential" stuff that lives under the seats... snowchains, jump leads, hydraulic jack etc.

what goes in is the basic camping gear

mattress and bedding
gas bottles and 2 burner hob
couple of solar wind up led lanterns
portapotti
couple of folding chairs and a folding table
washing up bowl and sundries
plates ,mugs, cutlery ,frying pan and saucepan
food and a couple of gallon bottles of water


thats about it..no worries about weight, or the tent leaking or blowing away and the comfort of a proper mattress.
when we retire and go roaming more the mattress may get repaced by a folding wooden futon on legs to give a poor mans rock and roll bed with storage under.... but still easy to remove.

 

[harrow]

A roll of Gaffer tape some scissors and a sharp knife/stanley knife.

 

[Sharon the Cat]

Marmite
Tea Bags
Dog

 

[Auld Pharrrt]

I'd suggest that it is not all that helpful for newbies.

I've been motorhoming for well over 50 years (my parents had a VW camper we used to wild camp in all over Europe) and I'd specifically advise against taking about three quarters of the items on that list.

The stuff you do take with you should live in the van. I keep clothes in the wardrobe. My packing for going away is just fresh food, my laptop and a few little items that live in my pockets.

I agree 1 dog leash is superfluous but I usually have it clipped to the seatbelt to safely restrain her within the van, the other is one of those long ones that allows her a little freedom when we go walkies or are parked up (I usually clip her to the van door.)

I agree the woodsman saw and small hatchet aren't essential, but I like to have them with me.

Also I could manage without the plates and cup as I can (and often do) eat and/or drink from the mess tins.

The Kelly Kettle is only really for fun and because I've had it for years.

Same as the wee Bluette stove, I see no harm in having a back up emergency stove.

As for doing away with three quarters of the list, well, I guess it depends on how much you want to rough it, I enjoy roughing it most of the time, but I enjoy a little comfort too.

 

[Auld Pharrrt]

our aproach is completely different

we dont have a motor home, we do have a lwb semi hitop transit van.


when we want a tin tent for a couple of nights away back of the van gets cleared , except for basic tools and and all the "essential" stuff that lives under the seats... snowchains, jump leads, hydraulic jack etc.

what goes in is the basic camping gear

mattress and bedding
gas bottles and 2 burner hob
couple of solar wind up led lanterns
portapotti
couple of folding chairs and a folding table
washing up bowl and sundries
plates ,mugs, cutlery ,frying pan and saucepan
food and a couple of gallon bottles of water


thats about it..no worries about weight, or the tent leaking or blowing away and the comfort of a proper mattress.
when we retire and go roaming more the mattress may get repaced by a folding wooden futon on legs to give a poor mans rock and roll bed with storage under.... but still easy to remove.

Before I retired this is more or less what I did, I'd hire a van for a week or two, throw in an air mattress, a duvet, some pillows, a minimum of old clothes that would get binned instead of laundered or brought home, basic toiletries etc., and little else in the back, more often than not eating out and stopping in campsites, with only occasional sleepovers by the side of the road. Mostly I'd use sites for the sake of my daughter who usually would have been with me.

It was definitely a lot more fun as we roughed it, but, well, now I prefer a little comfort ... after all, it is mostly why I bought the van as soon as I retired because my other main interest is Geocaching and having a mobile bedroom gives me the ability to roam further afield (or at least that was the plan,) but in reality I've done very little geocaching this year because I have been busy doing my mkI, mkII & finally mkIII conversion. It's basic and rough but comfy for me though absolutely nothing like the jobs others have done.)

 

[Auld Pharrrt]

Two points: Firstly, if you use a motorhome regularly, you really don't want to have to load and unload it each trip. Yes, each time we get back there is a laundry session and the bedding and clothes go back out. Apart from that, it's ready to roll any day of the year.

Secondly, not having useless crap that you don't need isn't "roughing it" It's making life better.

Life is not improved by an excess of stuff. Axes, stoves, lanterns and the like. I have a cooker in the motorhome, and a fridge and freezer. I don't need an axe: I have gas heating.

If you want to play Bear Grylls, dump the motorhome and find a more back to basics mode of transport.

Thanks, but no thanks. I'm happy with my life the way I live it. I suspect you overlooked the fact that, apart from the first 14 items I listed, everything else does live in the van 365 days of the year or is permanently fixed in the van. The lantern was a gift from my daughter a number of years ago and I used to use it to save my battery (I didn't have a LB until last week, but also the interior lights in my van shutdown after about 15 minutes.) The axe and saw could be useful should I get bogged down, or for any other reason I see fit. I cannot honestly agree that toiletries, towels, food, water, toilet, litter bags, cutlery, condiments, tea, coffee, clothing, dry boots, camera, various means to light my stove or make fire, bedding, plates, mess tins (instead of bowls,) paper towel (I guess you are right, the tea towels are crap ... thanks,) chopping board (usually used when cleaning fish & rabbits,) oh, you have saved me another bit of crap I can live without the place mat and coaster woohoo!, trolley jack in case of puncture, nuts, bolts tools etc. in case of break down (me or someone else,) cables to charge my electronics, the jump leads will be redundant after Christmas 'coz I'm getting a starter pack thingymajig,) propane cylinder (the gas would spill without it, torch (it's dark at night and sometime I like to see whats going on outside,) I guess I could live without my head torch(es) and my COMFORT bottle (saves me having to mess about if I need a pee during the night) could be classed as "useless crap" but please, feel free to enlighten me of anything in my list which you feel is non-essential and I'll explain why I disagree or will reconsider and thank you for reducing my weight.

So, by encouraging me to re-think my gear, you have helped me eliminate about 2kg ... that'll save me a lot of fuel, thanks.

 

[maingate]

Before I retired this is more or less what I did, I'd hire a van for a week or two, throw in an air mattress, a duvet, some pillows, a minimum of old clothes that would get binned instead of laundered or brought home, basic toiletries etc., and little else in the back, more often than not eating out and stopping in campsites, with only occasional sleepovers by the side of the road. Mostly I'd use sites for the sake of my daughter who usually would have been with me.

It was definitely a lot more fun as we roughed it, but, well, now I prefer a little comfort ... after all, it is mostly why I bought the van as soon as I retired because my other main interest is Geocaching and having a mobile bedroom gives me the ability to roam further afield (or at least that was the plan,) but in reality I've done very little geocaching this year because I have been busy doing my mkI, mkII & finally mkIII conversion. It's basic and rough but comfy for me though absolutely nothing like the jobs others have done.)

You do it the way you want to mate. Your van, your choices.

I'm pleased I never chipped in with my way of camping. Some would have criticised me for taking the Jacuzzi and Trampoline.

 

[Auld Pharrrt]

You do it the way you want to mate. Your van, your choices.

I'm pleased I never chipped in with my way of camping. Some would have criticised me for taking the Jacuzzi and Trampoline.

Good God ... you think that's bad, my nephew takes a chiminea (or whatever its called) along with him.

Thanks, that's exactly what I do.

 

[Tbear]

You do it the way you want to mate. Your van, your choices.

I'm pleased I never chipped in with my way of camping. Some would have criticised me for taking the Jacuzzi and Trampoline.

Some strange practices going on up norf nowadays.

Richard

 

[sasquatch]

Love it!! I must admit reading some of the lists I wonder just how big their motorhomes are! We have cut down a lot, after going from an Autotrail Cheyenne 630 to a Devon conversion on a Renault Master. Our friends didn't believe it would work, but we have been quite radical because of the lack of storage space in it, and the SHAME of unloading our Autotrail at the dealers!

I regard my Kindle as absolutely essential, and the means to charge it. Our bedding, our wheelie walkers, and the bloody TV for Derek. My father once said that the essentials are a comfortable bed and chair, and somewhere reasonably watertight/windproof to use them. I am a "just in case" loader, and still have loads of stuff in Riley we don't probably need - but you never know!!
View attachment 48506
The consequence of "just in case"!!

Thats neat!

 

[IanH]

Not too much, the truck, Froggie is now 25 yrs old!

On top of the home made chest of 3 drawers (each the length and width of a wine bottle and the depth of a standard bean tin) is a charging station, simultaneously does both tablets, both phones and camera either from the solar panel, the leisure battery, or the alternator if the engine is running.

New toy,,,,,Klarus XT10, google it. I was attacked recently and had seen these before,have one now. Not only is is the most powerful torch you have ever seen, it has a strobe function which blinds anyone you point it at for circa 12 to 24 hrs, thereby somewhat discouraging those of a nefarious nature!!

 

[wildebus]

I'm with you on the wet wipes, loads of uses,
I also use my head light a lot for reading, saves a bit of power,
Mi-fi to keep I touch, don't have an internet phone,
An inverter to keep everything charged,
A battery powered radio,
A wind up torch,
Sounds like Brucie's conveyor belt
Just remembered, we bought some tape that holds to itself so useful for emergency repairs.

Along with Duct tape, this is very handy stuff to keep handy. If anyone is looking for some, it is called "self-amalgamating tape"