Equipment - must have / useful / can't do without items

[VanDamMan]

Comfortable chairs…foot rest….sunglasses ( helps with the glare from your ceramic coated van ) ice box for beer…

Just make sure what ever you buy makes for enjoyable camping… Enjoy

 

[Long tall John]

Spare tent for when you have that inevitable argument

 

[Newadventurer]

What is your favourite must have's / cannot do without items you use in your camper cabins?

 

[EAN]

Remoska, the larger capacity one.
Purchased for the camper, use it all the time, and now also used in the Kitchen at home more often than not instead of the electric oven.

 

[Newadventurer]

Remoska, the larger capacity one.
Purchased for the camper, use it all the time, and now also used in the Kitchen at home more often than not instead of the electric oven.

that sounds like a very useful item to have !

 

[c17rsf]

So just recently bought a T6.1 that has been converted, but i now need to get some bits and bobs to be able to go away for a few nights. Picture of the van, awning and interior below.
We are family of 4, 2 adults, 2 kids aged 5 & 8 with a small dog.

What i would like to know is what are the essentials to have and can you provide links to what you have?
Just wondering how you all fit it in the vans also, (first time camper owner)

cooker (was looking at a camping gaz 2 burner with grille) as wasn't going to cook in the van unless absolutely necessary
kitchen table for cooker
chairs
additional small table
cutlery
cooking pans (seen a lot of recommendations for ridgemonkey)
kettle
What bedding does everyone use (duvet / sleeping bags)?

 

[Welshjake1]

Bottle opener! Torch/lamp, electric hookup cable, playing cards. Also made up washbags for each of us to leave in the van

We use sleeping bags atm as they take less space than the duvet.

 

[Paynewright]

Go-outdoors membership card As we’re heading to autumn lots of deals around.

- go small / light
- just enough / essential items only

We’ve camped for years so have a lift and go kitchen set of kit in 2 really useful boxes.

Re cooker - we have a ‘halfords’ type single burner that we’ve used for years in conjunction with a Trangia meths burner (for simmering). Last year we upgraded to a twin burner Cadac with 907 gas bottle. The new set up cost quite a lot and I wonder if we should have just bought a second halfords single burner? The cadac does have a set of griddle plates so dont need a frying pan.

We got a new set of handle less pans last year which pack up neatly - MSR Alpine.

Bedding - we just grab the duvets out of the house now. We have ‘coffin’ shaped sleeping bags but find them uncomfortable as we tend to tangle up in them somehow. If buying sleeping bags go for rectangular ones.


All that said, you will need to purchase some items (kettle for gas burner etc) but I’d grab what you can from the house and see how you get on then accumulate kit over the winter.

 

[Bigsidavies]

We have one of these kettles. It boils much faster than a standard flat bottom one.
Ridge Monkey. Get the biggest you can.
We have a cadac safari chef but I would probably get one of the new cook 2 pro 3 if buying again.
We have a couple of red robes that we carry in quite small stuff sacks-it’s amazing how small they go
A JBL charge speaker

 

[Salty Spuds]

Re. pans. We have 2 pans in the van. A frying pan & a large stainless pan, both bog standard normal kitchen pans out of the house. The frying pan is big enough to cook bacon/eggs etc for 4 people. The larger pot is big enough to boil spuds/pasta/rice/crabs/mussels for 4 people. Between the 2 pans we can cater for our needs. I wouldn't spend money on "proper" camping cookware, it isn't big enough or heavy enough for proper cooking. Fine if you're backpacking across the Himalayas, not much good for a family of four on a campsite in Blighty.
We also find that a single gas ring is sufficient, we have a double burner & hardly ever use the second ring. A single gas ring and a BBQ seems to be the sweet spot.
Crockery, we won a set of melamine camping crockery in a raffle years ago, commonly available from camping shops, still going strong. 4 plates/dishes/side plates.

 

[GUMY]

Go-outdoors membership card As we’re heading to autumn lots of deals around.

Second that! We were first-timers earlier this year, and wish we had shares in GoOutdoors! And if you have any other memberships (Caravan/camping clubs, YHA etc.), check to see if you get any additional discounts - they won't always ask you at the checkout!

cooker (was looking at a camping gaz 2 burner with grille) as wasn't going to cook in the van unless absolutely necessary

We bought a 2 ring Camping Gaz stove for the same reason. However, having been shocked at the cost of gas and how quickly it goes (just two of us), and following other recommendations here, we now have a 2 ring induction hob, as all the sites we've stayed at so far have EHU. We also picked up an electric pan. We have a kettle to use on the gas in the van when on the road (although usually we just fill a large Thermos before setting off, and that suffices for the day), but also picked up a low wattage kettle to use on site - why use the gas when you've already paid for the electric?

Table & chairs and other bits and bobs from you know where! Particularly fond of our Torch/lantern

Bedding we take from home. Mrs.GUMY made a nice stuff bag for the duvet out of an old sheet.

Wouldn't be without the Thetford toilet (we have the 345, which fits nicely under the rear seat/bed) - strictly No1s only

Dryrobes - for when it's No2 time

Crocs - highly divisive issue, but we're fans!

And by the way - nice van!