[GeckoXL7]

If ya want a good esky/icebox nothing gets much better than http://www.techniice.com/2011/home.html and there cheap too if take meat just make sure its frozen and take out what you need a few hours before you cook it and stick it in a cooler bag or something to let it defrost.

If cant be stuffed cooking get some chunky soup cans and heat them in a pot, takes 3min have with bread or olive bread lol cheap and easy.

When i was young and first started camping by my self, 2L port or bourbon few of them and sleep by the camp fire in the sleeping bag as long as dont get to close, or can get tents for $49 that are pretty good and easy to set up. Self inflating matrices are actually pretty comfortable for how thin they are.

Get a arlec LED light from miter10 cost $19 charges of the cig lighter and will last all night and provide enough light.

as Above gas stove for $14.95 from Kmart and a few cans for $4.95, would use around a can per day for breaky and dinner.

I use a peculator for coffee if drink it. IKEA has good stainless steal ones cheap and also stove top kettles.

Once you been a few times, you will know what you want to take, a plastic box with lid keeps things tiedy in the back of the car, supercheap has good ones with lockable lid think Stanly for $25

[weaves]

GeckoXL7 wrote:

If ya want a good esky/icebox nothing gets much better than http://www.techniice.com/2011/home.html and there cheap too if take meat just make sure its frozen and take out what you need a few hours before you cook it and stick it in a cooler bag or something to let it defrost.

I have no doubt there are better ice box's out there, but better value? i think not, i've got two of these, absolutely love them. i load my 70 litre up with drinks, and the 40 with the food. That will keep 4 of us intoxicated and fed for 3-4 days easy.

In saying that, a ice box isn't a cheap investment, if its not in your budget, a cheap esky and a bit of dry ice would see you through a good few days.

[ChrisRinai]

get one of those picnic back packs ( a decent sized one ) with all the forks, knives, plates, cups etc in them then add in the extra bits like salt/pepper, dish liquid, napkins, cooking equipment etc etc so it's all kept together in the one bag.
small axe/hatchet and hammer ( or a multi tool that is an axe/hammer etc all in one )
torches and tent lights etc ( LED ones are cheap as now )
tent pegs and or extra tent pegs ( in case some get bent which happens all the time!! )
sleeping stuff
food
drink
power extension cord ( caravan parks etc... i know what it's like to forget an extension cord!!! )
fishing stuff ( if that's your thing )
chairs
picnic blanket

that's our usual list or that's what it should be, usually half of it's forgotten/left behind!!! haha!

[rob45x]

Geez alot of great help guys. And so many diff avenues/combinations i can try.
i Might buy myself a cheap aldi sleeping bag this weekend, mums got the small gas stove thingy and a camping chair.
Then i gotta hunt around for a cheap tent. Pots, pans and cutlery ill just steal from home.
Mate will let me borrow his techni ice box for now(just incase i dont like camping - He thinks us wogs take a 3 star hotel as camping) lol
As for food/ drinks ill just figure that out on the way!

Cheers heaps guys! And if theres any other little camping tricks/ nick nacks please feel free to share!

[nato78]

rob45x wrote:

Geez alot of great help guys. And so many diff avenues/combinations i can try.
i Might buy myself a cheap aldi sleeping bag this weekend, mums got the small gas stove thingy and a camping chair.
Then i gotta hunt around for a cheap tent. Pots, pans and cutlery ill just steal from home.
Mate will let me borrow his techni ice box for now(just incase i dont like camping - He thinks us wogs take a 3 star hotel as camping) lol
As for food/ drinks ill just figure that out on the way!

Cheers heaps guys! And if theres any other little camping tricks/ nick nacks please feel free to share!

Noooo, this is one thing you really shouldn't skimp on, especially if you plan on doing any winter camping. A good sleeping bag will be the difference between a comfortable nights sleep, and going home early coz you froze ya freckle off last night

[GeckoXL7]

I managed to convert a portugeasr think you will be allright..

[missmyljdaze]

dm90 wrote:

tim tams, tinned salmon and pineapple. along with good mates and a bottle of port to keep you warm and you will be right

almost right, instead of your mates- take your girlfriend or wife to keep you warm (but dont bring both on the same trip)

I found it works well to take someone elses 4wd,(they offered! and saves wrecking my own
but I pack dunny paper, shovel, matches, water, chocolate (or timtams), jaffle iron, bread, tins of whatever you want in the jaffle iron with the bread, stuff to drink, rifle and ammo for when the timtams and jaffles run out, dets, safety fuse and "stuff" for when the offspring get bored.

you dont need the taj mahal multi-room tents that lots seem to buy- keep it simple, but put the tent up and pack it away a few times to get used to it first!
pick up some better tent pegs, the OEM ones are little more than bent wire.
simple air beds or foam mats(depends on ground type) mats for sandy or soft ground- airbeds for stony lumpy ground,
sleeping bags to suit your climate.
keep cooking equipment to what fits in a milk crate (crate is good for a table or chair too)

dont go overboard- learn as you go,
very importantly- take a sense of humour with you for when you make mistakes and learn new stuff the hard way.

stephen

[missmyljdaze]

one point- where are you planning on going camping?
If you are looking for places, ring your local scout troop for advice- the scout association have campsite areas all over the country- and most are available for anyone- and usually have emergency shelter, communications, dunnies and water available in case you need a little civilisation.
might be an easier introduction to the great outdoors if you are going solo.

[rob45x]

I might go wattagans in dec? try 4wding and camping for d first time!

[nato78]

rob45x wrote:

I might go wattagans in dec? try 4wding and camping for d first time!

based on the last trip, it's gunna be awesome, not quite as cool at night too

[alexxx]

shep wrote:

There is nothing wrong with eskys just so long as ya but a good one. I have 3 with the smallet being 100ltr and all of them will keep ice for a week in 40 deg heat.

What brand shep??

[brindog]

atari4x4 wrote:

pretty sure he means the plastic 2lt milk bottles, i do the same & can get 6 days out of a bag of ice.

another pro tip is to chill your esky before going with another frozen milk bottle for a couple days & make sure the food/drink is cold before putting it in the esky.

freezing milk bottles is good for keeping stuff cold, but using a soda bottle is better because you can then drink the water when it starts to defrost because it hasn't been contaminated by the milk.

[christover1]

If freezing bottled water, allow room for expansion. Ice gets bigger than water.
And they burst.
I just squeeze bottle a bit, then relid it.

[rob45x]

so i bought my first tent today!
Cheapie from BCF. Brand is Oztrail and was only $59. Its a 4 person and measures 2.4 x 2.2 x 1.8H
Not bad i guess.

[christover1]

Practise assembling it, before going bush.
Always seems harder the first time putting up a new tent.
Best not to have onlookers
Good to make sure its all there, too

[nato78]

If you want it to last a bit longer, buy a cheapie tarp to use as a ground sheet to put your tent on. Cut the tarp to fit under the tent but inside the edges, ie not hanging outside the tent otherwise it will collect water when it rains and pool under the tent.

Also set it up in the back yard and give it a hose, you might find you need to get some seam sealer if it leaks

[atari4x4]

brindog wrote:

atari4x4 wrote:

pretty sure he means the plastic 2lt milk bottles, i do the same & can get 6 days out of a bag of ice.

another pro tip is to chill your esky before going with another frozen milk bottle for a couple days & make sure the food/drink is cold before putting it in the esky.

freezing milk bottles is good for keeping stuff cold, but using a soda bottle is better because you can then drink the water when it starts to defrost because it hasn't been contaminated by the milk.

i usually give them a good wash before hand, but who drinks water while camping... maybe a few chunks of frozen water in my scotch.

[rob45x]

YEAH scotch! Now were talkin Atari. Dont worry about these beer drinkers hahahah

[rob45x]

christover1 wrote:

Practise assembling it, before going bush.
Always seems harder the first time putting up a new tent.
Best not to have onlookers
Good to make sure its all there, too

ill give it a go this weekend and i already checked all the contents!

[rob45x]

nato78 wrote:

If you want it to last a bit longer, buy a cheapie tarp to use as a ground sheet to put your tent on. Cut the tarp to fit under the tent but inside the edges, ie not hanging outside the tent otherwise it will collect water when it rains and pool under the tent.

Also set it up in the back yard and give it a hose, you might find you need to get some seam sealer if it leaks

It says to condition the tent before the first use. I have to wet it and let it dry then wet it again? hahaha
seems weird to me

[atari4x4]

it allows the threads to swell & plug the holes made from the sewing needle... yeah it sounds retarded, but definitely do it. if you've got the time give it a few good soakings, like proper wet.

[rob45x]

just the outside layer of the tent? Or the inner liner aswell?

[atari4x4]

personally i'd soak the lot

[Joshyboy26]

fill your bath and give the whole lot a plunge and set it up to dry it out.

[atari4x4]

i'd put it up & soak it, let it dry & repeat twice... that's how i've always done it with tents/swags & my roof top tent.

[rob45x]

Yeah the soaking idea sounds easier but it would be a prick trying to set up wet than dry, especially the first time lol

[missmyljdaze]

put the tent up, turn the retic on, sit back with ice/scotch etc and when well and truly pissed try and pack it up again without it ending up looking like roadkill.

set up camera and post results.

[rob45x]

hahahah

ok another silly question of mine. When camping and 4wding for a couple of days do you set up your tent and just leave it there and go 4wding?

or do you pack up everything incl. tent in the morning and re-set it up after 4wding?

[christover1]

Depends on trip.
Both things can happen.

A touring trip you pack up on travelling days,
but not on rest days staying in one place for a while.

On a "base" camp you leve it all set up

[nato78]

Unless I'm travelling to another campsite, once the tent is up it stays up, including all my gear set up inside. It seems to be that the camping community is pretty vigilant in keeping an eye on other people's stuff if they're not there. Having said that, all valuables get locked in the car when I'm not around