Camping Gear; guides, reviews and heaps more
There’s a lot of different camping gear on the market today, and some of it is high quality, with other gear being borderline rubbish. On top of this, you don’t need every bit of gear available, and you can actually camp comfortably with limited, quality gear.
In this hub post, we look at a huge range of camping gear that we use, or have used over the years.
General camping gear
Portable Fire Pit; the ultimate guide
If you’re in the market for a Portable Fire Pit, there’s a heap out there, and they suit different needs. Don’t rush out and buy something in a hurry, without first looking at the different options, and choosing something that’s actually going to do what you want it to.
Oztrail Ironhide Table Review
We’ve been running an Oztrail Ironhide table for more than a year full time now, and the kids have given it an absolute flogging. Want to know how it goes, and what we think of it?
Darche Awning review
We installed a 180 degree Darche Awning on the rear of our Isuzu Dmax about a year ago now, and have been using it fairly regularly on our Big Lap of Australia. Want to know how it goes, and if we’d get another one?
Ecotraveller Pro Treat Portable Toilet chemicals
There’s a lot of different portable toilet chemicals on the market, but when we heard of a relatively new one, we thought we’d give it a whirl. This is our review of the Ecotraveller Pro Treat Portable toilet chemicals, and we’re currently reviewing some others too.
Cgear mat review
The Cgear mat comes with a pretty hefty reputation. We purchased one for our camper trailer, and one for day use on the beach. Do they live up to the hype? Would we get another one? Find out here!
Muk Mat; are they just an over priced piece of fake grass?
We always thought that the Muk Mat was a giant rip off, and then I saw one in store and gave it a flogging. We’ve changed our tune a lot, and here’s why.
Ecospin Portable Washing Machine
If you want to wash clothes on the road with no power, we’ve been running an Ecospin portable, manual washing machine for some time now. It’s not built amazingly, but it does a reasonable job washing and spinning clothes.
DIY Hot Water
If you are looking for a cheap, easy and simple way to make hot water on demand, here’s an interesting post that will show you what’s required.
Blacksmith Camping; Aussie made Canvas Bags
We’ve long been in need of some quality, solid canvas bags, and when we were approached by Blacksmith Camping it was a no brainer, for a number of reasons. If you need canvas bags for general storage, for your weber, towing mirrors camp oven or anything else, they are absolutely worth a look.
Smartspace Cookware Review
We’ve been running the Smartspace cookware bundle for a couple of years now on our gas and induction cooktop, and have done a comprehensive review. These are square pots, and a rectangle frying pan which work quite well.
The Ultimate Camping Travel Mug
If you are still drinking from a normal cup, you need to get something better. We stumbled across these epic travel mugs that have been a game changer for us.
Oztent Sturt Chair Review
After nearly 10 years in the same chair, it was time for an upgrade, and we’ve gone with two new Oztent Sturt Chairs. Keen to see how they’ve performed, and why we got them? Here’s our review.
Oztrail Hammock Review
If kicking back in a hammock at camp sounds like your kind of style, and you want to do it cheaply then the Oztrail Hammock might be a good option. Check out our review here.
Darche Fire Pit Review
After falling madly in love with cooking on the fire, we picked up a couple of new items including a Darche Fire Pit, which we’ve used quite a bit over the last few years. They are well made, and you can read our full review and comments here.
Thetford Toilet Review
Toilets might not be the most attractive camping subject to talk about, but they are pretty important. We’ve been running our Thetford Portable Toilet for a number of years now, and its time to write a review.
Why we take a stainless bucket camping
A stainless bucket is one of the most versatile camping accessories going around. Find out what we use ours for, and why you should consider taking one with you here.
The ultimate guide to camping toilets
Going to the toilet when camping is a normal part of life. For many, its no big deal, but it can be concerning for those who’ve just started out, or for those who aren’t sure what type of toilet setup to get.
In this post, we cover everything from where to go to the toilet, what toilets you can use, chemical options, where you can dispose of the waste and how to do it in the best possible way. Whether you are in a motorhome, tent, swag, caravan, hybrid camper or something else; there’s a toilet option for everyone.
Snowy’s; the best place in Australia to buy your Camping Gear
The outdoor lifestyle is hugely popular in Australia, and for good reason. We have some of the best places to camp, hike, 4WD and fish on the planet, and with today’s fantastic products you can do it in comfort.
Portable Diesel Heater
As the rain falls from the remnants of a tropical cyclone heading south, I’m reminded of how much fun it is to go camping and 4WDing in winter. The cold weather, the camp fires, the mud, high water levels and raging rivers. At the end of a fun day, you crawl into bed, and hope that you’ve got warm enough clothes on for the night. Except, we don’t anymore, as our camper is always toasty warm thanks to a Portable Diesel Heater.
Screw in tent pegs
If you are still banging traditional tent pegs into the ground, there’s a product on the market that will make your life so much easier; screw in tent pegs!
Roof Top Tents; everything you need to know
If you are in the market for a roof top tent, we’ve put together a comprehensive guide that covers everything you should look at, and consider before laying your hard earned down. Roof Top Tents can be a pretty great way to travel, but they aren’t without their shortcomings, and we discuss these in depth too.
Camp Braai Review
We’ve fallen in love with cooking on the camp fire, and the Camp Braai has opened up our options considerably. If you’ve never seen these before, its worth a look.
Camping Kettle Upgrade
For years and years, we’ve had a basic stainless whistling kettle that we’ve taken camping. It works fine, except for one thing; you cannot avoid spilling hot water when pouring. Now, looking back, I have no idea why we put up with it for so long. Commence operation Camping Kettle Upgrade!
Is an Oztent worth it?
The Oztent is one of the most popular tents in Australia, which is primarily known for its fast set up time. They come in various sizes (and now various models), and are built to last. They are all dark green and shaped the same. Numerous accessories can be purchased to add extra rooms, awnings etc (more on this below).
Solar shower bags; do they actually work?
Having a shower when you are camping takes comfort to a totally new level. I’ll never forget the first time we boiled a big pot of water over the fire and used a cheap 12V shower pump to have a shower after a days motorbike riding in the freezing evening at Broome Hill.
Our cheap and simple camping shower
There are lots of ways that you can have a camping shower when off the grid, and we’ve tried a heap of them. These days, a lot of people run hot water on demand units, which essentially take a supply of water, and a supply of gas, and spits out water at what ever temperature you want. We have one, sitting at home that came with the camper trailer, and I’ve never bothered to use it.
Camping with a tent isn’t always quick
We purchased an Oztent several years ago, and absolutely love it. You may know them as the ’30 second tent’, which is pretty well true, once you have the bag on the floor.
Weber Q for camping; are they really worth it?
If you are wondering whether its really worth the money to purchase a Weber for camping, here’s our thorough, unbiased review. Spoiler alert; the food you can cook is simply incredible, and we really love it.
Aeropress; camping coffee review
Coffee is super important for lots of people, and we’ve been using an Aeropress for many years now. Here’s our thoughts, and whether we think its really worth getting.
Milk for camping
Wondering what the best options are for taking milk camping? We’ve tried a heap of different ways and have settled on using powdered milk, and a decent bottle that you can wash easily.
Portable Clothes Line
Washing is a part of travelling Australia, and you need somewhere to hang it when off grid. We’ve gone with a light weight, aluminium Portable Clothes Line that does a pretty good job.
How to reduce your water consumption when camping
If you’re wondering how to reduce the amount of water that you are using when camping, here’s a number of handy tips.
Electrical
12V upright vs chest fridge; which is better?
If you are in the market for another fridge, or you just want to shed some weight an upright fridge is an option that is seriously worth looking into. Find out all of the pro’s and con’s here.
Induction vs gas for camping
If you’ve been considering making the move to induction cooking when camping using a big battery bank and inverter, check this out before you do!
Camping Induction Cooktop; our initial thoughts
If you’ve been considering getting a big inverter to run an induction cooktop, here’s our initial thoughts after running one off grid for a week. It was a bit of a learning curve, but we really like it so far.
Kings Solar Blanket Review
After losing a fixed solar panel on our Reconn R2 somewhere between Albany and Perth (you can read about that here – Where’s my solar panel gone?), we needed to get some extra solar capacity happening, and the Kings Solar Blanket popped up online. Now, we’ve only ever bought a couple of very small items from 4WD Supacentre, and are well and truly familiar with the reputation that they have.
Luci Lights; our favourite camping lights
I’ve lost count of the number of camping lights we’ve been through, but we have landed on Luci Lights, and continue to use them every single camping trip. They are totally unique, and we seriously rate them
Solar Panels for Camping
The world of solar has created so much freedom when it comes to camping in comfort. A top end solar and battery system will keep your appliances (even 240V ones!) running endlessly, so you never have to run a generator, or plug into 240V power again. That sort of freedom is priceless; days on end camping along the Ningaloo Reef, or somewhere else super special.
eBay Head torch Review
After 7 years of abuse, its time to do a review on our eBay CREE LED head torches. I have to say, they’ve well and truly exceeded our expectations
Ryobi 18V Fan Review
If you are in the market for a portable fan for camping, the Ryobi 18V option is worth considering. They are quite large and heavy, but they last a long time, are very versatile and have done us well.
Ryobi 18V Chainsaw Review
A good fire really makes camping. Nothing compares to sitting around the warmth and flickering light of a fire with friends and family at night.
Low Energy Developments Solar Panel Review
After having 3 panels from Low Energy Developments, I’m confident that they sell a quality product that is as advertised. To see our full review, check it out here.
Solar panels for camping aren’t really worth it, are they?
While camped at the Kununurra, a bloke arrived on the campsite next door, and we got chatting. He wandered over to our mammoth solar setup on the camper trailer boat loader, and asked me what I thought of solar panels, saying ‘Solar panels for camping aren’t really worth it, are they’.
Vacuum Sealing Food; our secret to easier camping
Food preparation and cooking at home is usually a fair bit easier than done while camping. What if I told you that food could be prepared and cooked at home, and then made ready in minutes when camping?!
Ridge Ryder Bug Zapper and Lantern
Queensland is beautiful, but its also got more small bugs that seem to get through our camper than we’ve ever experienced, particularly in the north. We had to do something quickly, and picked up this portable bug zapper and light. Here’s our thoughts!
