Essential Camping Equipment

[Peter Betts]

National Luna Fridge Freezer with Solar Panels charging so you can go anywhere where there is no electricity

[Peter Betts]

I have camped at most of the dams and coastal resorts in KZN and this started at the age of 3 with my ballie.

My current setup, which I need to try in KNP.









The clan enjoying the fire.

We have the exact tent but have a Turbo 360 Gazebo for our kitchen ...But we are replacing the Corolla and Venterjie and the tents and for retirement want to go back to Zim/Nam/Bots/zam and are getting a Afrispoor Eezy camper off road camper trailer (No ladders to get into bed ) and either a Ford Ranger 4x4 Double Cab or Hilux 4x4 Double Cab ...Kitted out with Alucab, Drawer system, 150 litre fuel tank replacement, Dual battery system C Tek charging, Solar Panels, Suspension upgrade Old Man emu and we should be done with the latest GPS , first Aid Kit etc etc ...Kruger has become a bit lame and crowded and we will be back but need to travel to Mabuasehube , Central Kalahari, Caprivi etc etc

[Tent dweller]

I would like to know from other forum members if they can give me some "packing tips", we have been going to the Kruger forever but sometimes I end up with so much "stuff" that just ends up laying around lose in the car and in the trailer, thanks

[iNdlovu]

I use ammo boxes, but the most important thing is discipline when you pack. If it's a case of being a nice to have or "i might use it", I leave it behind.

[Mel]

I hate stuff that's loose (as I'm a manic tidiness manageress) - anywhere even in my suitcase.
So, I have to use all sorts of bags and containers (like Tupperware, Ziploc and whatever they are called)
and fill them with candles, clothes pegs, all sorts of laces / cords, knives, charging cables, even socks.

I think the tempting bit is, that your car will drive anything you drop into it
wherease when you have to fly out, we must contain yourself to one suitcase
and some hand luggage. Can be both - curse and blessing -O

[iNdlovu]

-O A visit to a place like Outdoor Warehouse is a dangerous undertaking for campers. We can so easily find many gadgets in these places that end up being one of the things that role around in the car or trailer and we simply unpack them when we get home, unused.
Planning a trip is a big part of the fun, so do it meticulously and stick with the plan when it comes to packing.

[H. erectus]

Planning a trip is a big part of the fun, so do it meticulously and stick with the plan when it comes to packing

So true indeed,.....did not spend enough time at packing/planning the last trip.

So, I have to use all sorts of bags and containers (like Tupperware

,

ended up with a 12 x 6 x 4 inch plastic tub for sugar only. That amounts too almost
2 Kg's for sugar only,... heh he who done the packing,

[iNdlovu]

There are quite a few people who obviously draw the line at camping, which is fine. To each his own. However if you want to see Africa in all its glory and get to those remote places where time has stood still, you will need to put your reservations about camping behind you, or just stick to going to the usual touristy places.

[H. erectus]

Will try plan the next trip more carefully.
No more Plastic cooler box and little bricks.

No more rigid travel bags and such like..
Except for the fridge the idea will be to pack
all into collapsible and soft containers.

Talk about fridge/freezer needs attention too.
My equipment proved to be very disappointing.

Photographic equipment,.... ,........
Let me rather shut up 'cause I am destined
lotsa work,.... Heh

[Tent dweller]

We bought a cooler box (looks like a Coleman BUT much bigger and much better insulated) then I got hold of a lot of new silver bags in 2 different sizes (the bags that you get in box wine, the silver one with a tap), we half filled the silver bags and froze them. All our meat had been vacuumed packed. We packed our cooler box with the frozen silver bags, the meat was then wrapped in newspaper and packed in between the silver bags. The cooler box was only opened once a day (to take out the meat we were going to use for that day), the cooler box was left in the trailer while we were doing are day trips. The frozen silver bags lasted the whole of our trip which was 14 days, when emptying the cooler box when we returned home 3 of the silver bags still had big pieces of ice in them. Our cooler box was bought from a 4 x 4 shop called Mega World, it cost us R1600.00, 3 years ago, our best investment ever