Depends how often you go. But I guess the joy is, once the initial outlay is made, you can pretty much go as often as you like without it costing anything.
If you aren't going to go more than once a year, I personally wouldn't bother investing unless you just really want to camp. If you want to go away a few times a year, then yes, camping is great. We can decide to leave at the last minute and decide to cancel too, if the weather turns nasty. We free camp a lot.
30 second tents are expensive and honestly, it's still easier with two people!
Would you consider hiring a camper trailer? Just to try it all out. Then you don't need a separate cooker, mattress, washing bowl blah blah. And then you can see if you like camping.
We have made lots of lovely friends camping. You can't help but meet the neighbours. And if there are kids involved, they just gravitate towards each other and make instant camping friends.
About to sound stupid, but what is free camping? What does it entail?
I'm thinking that I would like to try and take us in each of the school holidays to *somewhere* where we can explore actual things if that makes sense. And perhaps do a few weekends to no where in particular during school term. Just to give us some time away to reconnect and relax at the same time.
I don't have a tow bar for a trailer, but I could potentially borrow a mates car who does. :thinking:
I had a look on BCF, there is so much stuff! :O What are the bare essentials that we would need? I would look at doing small trips at first and build up to longer ones. TBH we would probably do it in the back yard first and foremost lol!
Thanks heaps for your replies, this information is invaluable.
Tent
Sleeping bags
Something to sleep on (stretcher, bed roll)
Or just go for a swag for each of you
Something to cook on. You can get 2 or 3 burner cookers for a reasonable price. Get a stand or a table to go on. We have a Gas mate 3 burner and it is pretty good
Gas bottle to go with cooker, swap and go ones are fine
Chairs. Depends on your weight and what features,how much these cost. Less than $10 at Bunnings for pretty basic ones. $100+ for super duper, hold a sumo ones
Esky aka ice box- go for a good brand, not the actual Esky ones. One of those thicker ones, they keep the cold better and you can actually sit on them without killing them.
Check out Techiice. Good ice bricks or just freeze plastic bottles of water (doubles as drinking water if you need it)
Cooking equipment you maybe able to raid from your kitchen, but you will probably need a stove top kettle.
Water containers incase you need to take your own.
We have camping gear which friends borrow. Table, chairs etc. We are happy to lend out stuff. Helps people get started, without having to outlay for 100% of stuff while they got going. And especially because kids grow like weeds
We got awesome kids camping chairs from Kathmandu. $7 each! Better quality than Bunnings but we had to wait for super special day.
We get a lot from Aussie disposals. And we research on the net too.
We got a yellow techni ice cheap because it was a second. It was not damaged internally - just malformed in one teeny tiny spot on the outside. No one would notice. They guarantee it's performance.
Our first camping trip in Aus was one a farm of a friend. A big bush block. We had to dig a hole, if you know what I mean. But other than that it was good fun.
Don't get a cheap 'use at home' air bed. They are cold. Oh so cold. A proper 4x4 mattress or stretcher.
Free camping. There are thousands of little spots (some busy, some quiet) all over the place in National Parks etc, that are free (or absurdly cheap). Some have toilets and showers. Some have nothing.
We have an app called Wikicamps, we also have Camps Australia book. Both great resources for places to go and things to see. Lets you know cost -if any, facilities, sights, reviews etc
If you stay on caravan park camp sites - you don't even need all the cooking stuff - most have camp kitchens you can use (and often they are empty because most people have their own gear).
We camped with just a Hyundai Getz and a very small tent - when we were back packing (DH and I) - we had just an esky and a saucepan. This was pre-kids but I could do it again now like that also.
Now with two adults in the car (a corolla) plus two car seats - we would struggle to take just tent, bedding, stretcher beds etc and no cooking gear, but without DH (sometimes he hasn't come or has come on the train due to work etc) that front seat gives alot more space so manage ok, so really depends on how many you have in the car. (We haven't had to take cooking gear etc as have only gone to join my parents who have all of that stuff)
Do you know anyone with a tent you can borrow? We just borrowed a friends when we needed one. Will get one at some point, but I seem to have a fair few friends who camp who would love me to borrow their gear :-)
Re: Camping - Educate me please
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