Top 10 things to buy when starting out...

[Doogle]

Hi All,
For all the novices here I am hoping the more experienced amongst us will chime in and share their wealth of knowledge.

To the more experienced 'vanners here, looking back with what you know now, what would you suggest are the top 10 things to look at purchasing for those novices (like me) that are just starting out???

If 10 is too much (or too little), please feel free to post what you think are the most essential things to get (and if possible, why?).

Thanks in advance...

Dave

SUMMARY OF THINGS TO BUY WHEN STARTING OUT:
- Spirit Level (for levelling van)
- 15 Amp power lead (for connecting van to electricity)
- Water Hose and fittings - DRINKING HOSE/FOOD GRADE (to connect van to mains water)
- Sullage Hose (to drain waste water from sink away to a drain)
- Bucket
- Dirty Gear bag (place to store dirty clothes or rubbish when camping)
- Quality ground mat for under awning/annex area
- 12volt fridge for car (to keep food & drinks cool when you're off exploring)
- Small broom
- Coffee plunger/percolator
- Earplugs (to block out the natives, or kids, at night)
- Sticker/colouring books for the kids
- Old digital camera to keep the kids entertained/busy
- Good digital camera to keep you entertained (and to share your experiences here with us)...LOL
- A set of level ramps (and wheel chocs)
- Wood for under the jockey wheel (when on soft ground)...as well as wood for under your van's corner stabilizers
- Dustbuster (wet/dry)
- Thongs (for if you need to use the amenities block)
- Rubber matting (for the amenities block)
- Tent pegs and hammer (to hold annex flooring or guide ropes secured)
- Diary (to record your trip history and adventures)
- Microfible towels (lightweight to pack and dry quickly)
I'll also add to the list:
- A set of Melamine plates, bowls, cups, cutlery etc (to keep in the van)
- TV (to connect your laptop to), or to watch TV, if you can get reception...
- A USB external Hard Drive to take all your favourite movies, TV shows, music etc away with you (to connect to your laptop and/or TV)
- Bedding (unless you're happy to pack this from home each time you go away)

Keep the ideas coming and I'll continue to edit the summary...

 

[cruza driver]

One quick and simple thing is a spirit level on the draw bar as it takes the guess work out of leveling the van and it can be checked while adusting it with the jockey wheel.

I had a T shaped one on the Hawk which was good for levelling it out front to back and side to side if that makes sense.

Here is a pic of the one on my Hawk when I had it, I'm yet to mount one on the Expanda :rolleyes:

 

[Wattie]

Great question Doogle and one I was meaning to ask myself being new to vanning as well. I look forward to our more experienced members advice as well. So far my list includes spirit level, 15 Amp power cord, hose, sullage hose and bucket.
Cheers,
Wattie

 

[Moto Moto]

Not sure if i could think of 10 things, but I have a few suggestions.

I'm sure i'm stating the obvious but first a foremost a good tow vehicle

We love our dirty gear bag on the spare tyre on the 4B for dirty clothes or rubbish when bush camping. Keeps the stinky stuff out of the car or van.

Good quality ground mat for the area under the awning (not a tarp!).

Good quality 12volt fridge in the car, good for keeping food and drinks cool in the car when you go exploring away from camp.

Few other small handy items:
Small broom
Coffee plunger or percolator:rolleyes:
Earplugs for when you have noisy neighbors at night (or if the missus snores:eek
If you have young kids like i do, sticker books and coloring books are great!

There is heaps more, i just tried to think out side the square on a few of my answers. Good Luck

 

[cruza driver]

If you do have kids, give them an old digital camera its interesting to see what pictures they take.

 

[Bushman]

A set of level ramps,
A flat peace of waterproof construction plywood approx 12" square to,place under jockey wheel on soft ground
A good quality shade wall for the roll out awning,
As Moto said quailty ground mat (not a tarp) vans parks prefer the type that allow the grass to grow through, stops it killing the grass, they also help keep the crap out of your van.
We have also just added a wet/dry dust buster
Thongs to wear in the shower if you have to use amentie blocks
Rubber mating the size of a bath mat, again for amenties block give you something dry to stand on. avalible from Bunnings by the metre.
Tent pegs to holed your ground mate down
Guy ropes for awning with the longest pegs.
Desent hammer to wack the pegs in.


As for the hose it must be "DRINKING WATER/FOOD GRADE" not a garden hose, I recommend 2 and preferably with brass fittings

 

[chartrock]

Some good suggestions so far. One other thing I would recommend is a diary, especially for longer trips. It is great to look back on places and thoughts at the time as well as costs, fuel used and distances travelled. I also like Sudoku and crosswords for the quiet moments and have even borrowed talking books from the library to listen while driving long distances.
I like the coffee plunger. We have a stainless steel one (unbreakable) and have an old 'Mr Cuppacino' for frothing milk. It impresses other campers no end when we go to 'happy hour' with mugs of cappacino.

 

[Moto Moto]

Bushy, great list of suggestions (as always).

Chartrock, i agree with the diary we had one with our Hawk and love reading back over all our great trips.

And yes with two kids under 4, coffee is my best friend. We also have a cheap frother and all the other campers suddenly become your friend when they see you enjoying a bush cap. :rolleyes:

 

[Doogle]

Fantastic guys - some really great suggestions posted.
Please keep them coming...the newbies amongst us thank you! (including me)

 

[Turtle]

I've just added 6 XXL mirofibre towels to our kit. They dry increddibly fast and all 6 can fit in one small overhead cupboard.

 

[cruza driver]

I've just added 6 XXL mirofibre towels to our kit. They dry increddibly fast and all 6 can fit in one small overhead cupboard.

G'day Turtle,

I was wondering if you got the microfibre towels from a camping store like BCF for eg. I've been meaning to get a few of these also how do you find them ?

Thanks Cruza

We also have a travel diary from our big trips. We started the diary in 2002 its interesting to see what the fuel prices were :rolleyes: This was when we had a softfloor camper gee how things change

 

[Turtle]

G'day Cruza,
I got one towel from BCF for around $40 and the others off ebay for $15 each including postage.
The BCF one (Sea to Summit brand) is definately better quality although they all do the job really well. They take a bit of getting used to as it is more of a pat dry rather than a wipe dry because they just suck up the water on contact.
They dry incredibly fast too.
Regards,
Turtle

 

[cruza driver]

G'day Cruza,
I got one towel from BCF for around $40 and the others off ebay for $15 each including postage.
The BCF one (Sea to Summit brand) is definately better quality although they all do the job really well. They take a bit of getting used to as it is more of a pat dry rather than a wipe dry because they just suck up the water on contact.
They dry incredibly fast too.
Regards,
Turtle

Thanks mate will check them out.

 

[Are We There Yet?]

I'll add a few things to this;

A fold up clothes horse for drying towels or clothes.
A rubber backed vinyl table cloth for if you have young kids as it keep the van's table a lot cleaner and protected. Also take a few old towels to put on the seats to protect the upholstery if it isn't scotch guarded. But try to eat outside whenever possible
A small crate/plastic box with toys, colouring books, DVD's and books for younger kids to use on wet days and in the evenings.
I also have a travel sized hair dryer in the van.

 

[Eeram55]

I also take along a large,plastic dish. It can be used for washing dishes, clothes, little kids! Also great for storing things in, on the floor under the table. Several years ago, I purchased some rubber backed curtains in a similar colour toning to our seats. I then made them into seat covers for our van - it is great. Little kids always spill things, adults too for that matter. Sand doesn't get into the fabric, and they just slip off to wash. (just put elastic on the corners- like fitted sheets) It was one of the best things I have done - as we have 3 young nieces and nephew, as well as 5 grandchildren in and out of our van for the best part of 6 weeks over summer - as well as their parents making a mess too. .
We also purchased one of those flat pack crates - and all our shoes live in it at the annexe door.
I love the idea of the diary living in the van - I have never thought of that one!

 

[Four of us]

i love the idea of the rubber backed curtains for seat protection as i usually use sheets/beach towels. thanks for that as no amount of scotch guarding will protect seats from my sons wet togs, sandy shorts and the like!

 

[Moto Moto]

I have a good one for those with a foam matress - egg shell foam underlay AND woolen underlay. Talk about a comfy bed!

Best sleep ever with that combo:first:

 

[boots33]

I have a good one for those with a foam matress - egg shell foam underlay AND woolen underlay. Talk about a comfy bed!

Best sleep ever with that combo:first:

Hey Moto Moto where did you get the egg shell foam underlay from? would somewhere like clarke rubber sell that.

 

[Four of us]

the egg shell toppers can be bought at pillow talk, spotlight and probably even target.

 

[Moto Moto]

Hey Moto Moto where did you get the egg shell foam underlay from? would somewhere like clarke rubber sell that.

You can get them as cheap as $50 from many different outlets as mentioned above. I figure you get what you pay for and went for the deluxe model from clarke rubber, well over $100, but worth every cent!