Simple campervanning help needed.

[Moonraker 2]

Does anyone else go simple campervanning??

My recently bought van ( September 2013) is a bit like a tent on wheels. I have a fridge I hardly use, some cupboards and a bed, I quite like to keep it simple - no awning, wind break, lounger, shower, hot water, heater, or tv . I have only just started vanning having been a solo camper for about 5 years, but what is necessary and what can I do without? Recently I found myself sliding down the technology trail and was not sure if that is what I should do.

I wanted to try wild camping as it sounded fun and I like something a bit different, as well as saving a bit on pitch fees. The first snag was that I could not download the POI's on my old Navman satnav, so I have to consider if I should buy a new one.
If I am going to be off site a while then perhaps I should think about solar, that is a big learning curve, on how to choose the right one and, I cannot fit it myself.
Lots of info is on the net or on cd so should I get a tablet or laptop, and if so which is the best and how does Wifi or 3G work, especially in a field or abroad.
I use a night bucket at the moment so should i get a proper port a potty if I am staying over on a carpark or layby. Woodland is fine I have a trowel.
There are also a lot of small issues to settle that I won't bore you with and I will discover what I need during my next trips.

Not only is the mass of information I have been trying to deal with clogging up my tiny brain but my tiny pocket would be severely stretched too - wild camping is surely about budget as well. I have spent a great deal of time on the forum reading many of the other posts and gained some very useful information but thought I would try this request.

I am sure the first bit of advice might be to slow down and not try to do it all at once ( a failing of mine) so, to end this rather rambling post, does anyone else have a small camper van, follow a simpler approach to being in the great outdoors and would you share any of your tips and thoughts, and advice.

Thank you.

 

[MikeH]

Im in a similar boat.... or van. I have a swb, low roof Citroen Relay van that I converted myself about five years ago. It has no mains power, just two leisure batteries. No running water, just a 10 litre water container. No cooking facilities built in, just a one burner portable gas stove. Inside my van is a cupboard and two caravan style long seats that turn into a bed. All really simple and I love it!

 

[carol]

I have a VW T4 which I also refer to as a tent on wheels - and here's us thinking we're being original! However the one I've got now does have heating and a toilet. I had a bucket for15 years! I'm constantly thinking about upgrading. Then I think about how economical my van is, how mant things can go wrong when yo get hot water etc, etc. All in all I like being minimalist until I go into other peoples vans when van envy descends!

 

[MikeH]

Forgot to list my most essential "luxury" ... a porta potti!

The only thing Id like is a shower so my next project may be a curtain at the back doors and rig up some way of sprinkling warm water on me like the ideas Ive seen elsewhere on this forum.

 

[vindiboy]

It is down to you basically,you can manage without lifes luxuries and just rough it if you like, but we like all the goodies we have in our van and are very comfortable,as for your choice of toilet,it matters not really because you will need to empty it sometime,whether you have an all singing dancing heated flush toilet or a bucket and chuckit.

 

[Deleted member 12539]

I used to have a basic T4, a Caravelle, I could take the seats out and built a frame in the back the size of a double air bed and there was storage underneath. I travelled down to the south of France in the T4 with the four of us sleeping in it for four nights en route.

 

[n brown]

we've been at it for years-no,not that ,silly !-and have had a similar list of things in the last few vans . as I fit them out myself ,it can depend on what turns up secondhand at the time.
we never have a water heater,i see it as a waste of gas and water and space.all hot water comes from a kettle
we usually have a shower,a basic cubicle with a drained flat floor lined with cheap flooring vinyl. the shower is a pump dropped into a container of warm water and pumps to a showerhead
a portapotti is handy as it stores the crap in a sealed container until you're ready to empty it-buckets are a bit more demanding !
we normally have a home made woodburner,but a webasto turned up cheap and I quite like having it !,but we also spent years with just the hob for heating
you can get a 2 burner and grill new for 30quid.
we were given a satnav recently,but I was fine with maps
you can easily do without a fridge,just pour the butter on the bread instead !
no need for a sink,just a plastic bowl,tip water from a container
etc etc

 

[campervanannie]

simple is best for me

I have a 16 year old T4 it has a rock & roll bed in it we have no running water, we have a solar shower, a two ring cooker with a grill not fitted in the van, we have a porta potti. We have wild camped for years with just the basics and I would not have it any other way. I recently did a thread on this called wild camping or glamping ( pssst it rufled a few feathers, have a read ) and as far as satnavs go never had one don't want one.

 

[Deleted member 207]

I think the most important thing about wildcamping is to leave no trace that you've been there, SO, I'd say a porta potti and a waste water tank are the bare minimum so that you can take your liquid waste and dispose of it in the right spot. After that its pretty well a personal choice.

I lived for nine months in my James Cook Westfalia in 2007 with an MP3 player for entertainment, downloaded BBC4 programmes galore, Librivox'ed plenty of spoken books.

Couple of chairs to enjoy a sunset/sunrise or chats with others.

 

[Deleted member 27306]

I used to own a laika would sleep 6people had everything you could wish for sat TV air con blown heating huge fridge oven hot water shower marine toilet.the van I found to be to much trouble to take out so hardly used it.sold it and bought a Renault master lwb been converting it over time usually as things turn up when you do the conversion yourself I don't think you ever finish best thing I found was to put some sort of heating in as that extends the time you can use it plus plenty of insulation.best of luck hope you enjoy it as much as I have wouldn't go back to a bespoke one myself

 

[shawbags]

Forgot to list my most essential "luxury" ... a porta potti!

The only thing Id like is a shower so my next project may be a curtain at the back doors and rig up some way of sprinkling warm water on me like the ideas Ive seen elsewhere on this forum.

I have a citroen romahome C15 , very basic van, cooker , cold water ,fridge and night heater , that's posh for me , as yourself I would like a shower and I am thinking along the same lines as you , some kind of shower connected and boil a kettle to tip into my water tank to take away the chill , I did have an a van with all the mod cons 10 years ago , it was an old one , but I think simple is better , hot water and shower is great but as many wildcampers on here will know you can never have enough water and water means weight , more mod cons more to go wrong , keep it simple it's more fun.

 

[MikeH]

I`ve never been cold in my van, even when I was up Snowdon and it was -5c outside. Its well insulated and has a massive heater in the form of a 1.9l diesel engine at the front. If its cold outside on my journey, the heater is on and it just stays warm so long as I`m not in and out of the doors too much. Thats another positive thing about having a low roof van, the sliding door is not as high and is mostly vertical so the heat stays in better when its open.

I do have a tv with a digital freeview aerial (got 169 channels parked in Benllech) but it doesnt get used very much.

My normal day to day life is packed with technical gubbins so its great to switch off and live the simple life when I go camping.

 

[steco1958]

Although I have a fully fitted MH, ie, running water, blown air central heating electric all sorts of stuff, the majority of my camping is without EHU.

Last weekend, Friday evening Banbury Wharf next to the canal, nice but 20 metres away, Saturday evening Braunston Marina, again by the canal found a lovely pub excellent grub.

It is nice to go simple, however it is also nice to have the option to glamp up and use all the mod cons, especially in the dead of winter when it is c c c c c cold out side.

 

[jagmanx]

internet and more

You can get a wifi dongle or phone that does same.
then you can use tablet or pc.
my samsung tablet has built in gps so if you have marked locations with an app such as "maps with me pro".
You can use without internet Sometimes.
all these need power so solar panel looks essential.
Also suggest a cassette loo of some description.
Good luck..

Does anyone else go simple campervanning??

My recently bought van ( September 2013) is a bit like a tent on wheels. I have a fridge I hardly use, some cupboards and a bed, I quite like to keep it simple - no awning, wind break, lounger, shower, hot water, heater, or tv . I have only just started vanning having been a solo camper for about 5 years, but what is necessary and what can I do without? Recently I found myself sliding down the technology trail and was not sure if that is what I should do.

I wanted to try wild camping as it sounded fun and I like something a bit different, as well as saving a bit on pitch fees. The first snag was that I could not download the POI's on my old Navman satnav, so I have to consider if I should buy a new one.
If I am going to be off site a while then perhaps I should think about solar, that is a big learning curve, on how to choose the right one and, I cannot fit it myself.
Lots of info is on the net or on cd so should I get a tablet or laptop, and if so which is the best and how does Wifi or 3G work, especially in a field or abroad.
I use a night bucket at the moment so should i get a proper port a potty if I am staying over on a carpark or layby. Woodland is fine I have a trowel.
There are also a lot of small issues to settle that I won't bore you with and I will discover what I need during my next trips.

Not only is the mass of information I have been trying to deal with clogging up my tiny brain but my tiny pocket would be severely stretched too - wild camping is surely about budget as well. I have spent a great deal of time on the forum reading many of the other posts and gained some very useful information but thought I would try this request.

I am sure the first bit of advice might be to slow down and not try to do it all at once ( a failing of mine) so, to end this rather rambling post, does anyone else have a small camper van, follow a simpler approach to being in the great outdoors and would you share any of your tips and thoughts, and advice.

Thank you.

 

[janegam]

Hi
I've got an old Westfalia Nuggett with a rock and roll bed, a cold box and twin spirit burners. Had running water but then the pump packed up which at first seemed it might be a problem but is in fact the opposite- no weight to carry and no worry about how much you've got. A chemical toilet and a pot with a lid for the night.
My first ever trip in it ( or any other) was to Greece in 2012, away for 5 months and had a fab time. Bought myself a gps cause everyone said I ought to have one- drove me mad the first time i tried to use it so threw it in the bottom of a cupboard. Have never been lost only ever mislaid - map reading improved significantly but more importantly just went where my fancy took me not where a disembodied voice was telling me. As to technology- well have my trusty little notepad for internet and emails- never had a problem finding wifi and as theres nothing that important in my life that I need to check every day. Loaded up my ipod- bought some fantastic little mini speakers and a kindle- of and lots of puzzle books. also got a small backpack size solar charger that just sits in the windowsill when Im driving -useful for loads of things, an inverter so that I can charge the laptop when I'm driving. No tv- for goodness sake- you have the beauty of the world.

But for me the best is that I can go anywhere- little towns, little roads, tuck away and park on the streets. did the same this year except turned right at Newhaven and have been on Iberian peninsula for 7 months.
So for me- the smaller the better- the less technology the better - just be free - oh and by the way- had just turned 60 when I left, travel on my own and have never regretted it.

 

[steco1958]

It takes all sorts, that's why there are so many variations of camper !!!

 

[campervanannie]

very stylish

Take no notice of young David here. I am 59 racked with rheumatoid arthritis and wild camp with the bare minimum it makes me feel young and still able to have fun. I had the big M/H and it took the fun out of what camping and wild camping was all about so we downsized to a Bedford Rascal we had years of fun in that now we have a T4 and still having fun:drive::drive:

 

[Tezza33]

[No message]

 

[MikeH]

I don`t think anyone`s knocking the other for how they prefer to camp. Just saying what they enjoy. I`m sure I`d enjoy a motorhome if I had one but for now, I`m happy with what I`ve got.

 

[steco1958]

I don`t think anyone`s knocking the other for how they prefer to camp. Just saying what they enjoy. I`m sure I`d enjoy a motorhome if I had one but for now, I`m happy with what I`ve got.

And that is exactly what it is all about !!