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First journey in new camper‍♀️What are our essentials needed

milli117

milli117

Lifetime VIP Member
Messages
25
Location
scotland
Vehicle
T6.1 Ocean 150
Hi just to ask what would you all recommend must haves for first short outing in new van as don’t want to rush and buy stuff we don’t need……. I’m thinking we will want to take two bikes but don’t know whether to get tow bar fitted for bikes or bike rack?? Any advice welcome Also if getting towbar fitted do I get it done from a vw dealer?? Another question on air awning would want a small one if there are recommendations for or against plz?? There will be just us so 2 people Do I buy sleeping bag to fold up rather than bedding?? So many questions I know but first time vw owners
 
Duvet off the bed from home, sense of humour, debit card for for purchase of pub dinner. Anything more than that is not essential. Try a short trip with the absolute minimum & then work out what you need. If there were just 2 of us we wouldn't bother with an awning.
 
Agree with the absolute minimum philosophy. We tend to travel light wherever we go (we're the ones with the tiny bags on Ryanair for a week away) We (3 of us) did our first trip away in our new to us Cali last weekend. Walking gear in the boot. Grabbed sleeping bags, toiletries and a change of clothes and off we went. Forgot to pack UNO and Rummikub but we survived. The weather was not ideal but we were warm and dry for the night.
 
Hi just to ask what would you all recommend must haves for first short outing in new van as don’t want to rush and buy stuff we don’t need……. I’m thinking we will want to take two bikes but don’t know whether to get tow bar fitted for bikes or bike rack?? Any advice welcome Also if getting towbar fitted do I get it done from a vw dealer?? Another question on air awning would want a small one if there are recommendations for or against plz?? There will be just us so 2 people Do I buy sleeping bag to fold up rather than bedding?? So many questions I know but first time vw owners
Hi milli117, I guess it just depends upon the individual. We've only done 2 short camping trips so far, but have already spent quite a bit! Here's what I think were best/essential buys: mattress topper, front windows thermal screen (helps keep van warm/cool depending upon season and you don't have to faff with those magnetic curtain things), mini oil-filled radiator (£20 on Amazon) which is great if you're paying for hook up elec, 12 volt TV and magnetic aerial (works great so far), torch, lantern, ridge monkey (it's a double-sided pan), chemical toilet, levelling ramps, 2-way spirit level, tyre skid mats, 25 metre hook up lead and mains adaptor (for home) and wind deflectors (just because they look good). You'll have your wind out canopy on the Ocean of course, but we also bought an awning (even though there's only 2 of us), as it does give you space for table and chairs, getting changed etc. PS, there is a simple fit around awning on the market that connects to your canopy (I think that might be better than our Vango Palm Air (simpler to fit and easier to pack away), but not so much space. Hope this helps you make a few decisions :)
 
Hi milli117, I guess it just depends upon the individual. We've only done 2 short camping trips so far, but have already spent quite a bit! Here's what I think were best/essential buys: mattress topper, front windows thermal screen (helps keep van warm/cool depending upon season and you don't have to faff with those magnetic curtain things), mini oil-filled radiator (£20 on Amazon) which is great if you're paying for hook up elec, 12 volt TV and magnetic aerial (works great so far), torch, lantern, ridge monkey (it's a double-sided pan), chemical toilet, levelling ramps, 2-way spirit level, tyre skid mats, 25 metre hook up lead and mains adaptor (for home) and wind deflectors (just because they look good). You'll have your wind out canopy on the Ocean of course, but we also bought an awning (even though there's only 2 of us), as it does give you space for table and chairs, getting changed etc. PS, there is a simple fit around awning on the market that connects to your canopy (I think that might be better than our Vango Palm Air (simpler to fit and easier to pack away), but not so much space. Hope this helps you make a few decisions :)
Crumbs! That's a lot of stuff! I would not take:
Awning
Radiator
Lantern
Skid mats
Spirit level
Ridge monkey
Toilet
 
Instead of an awning consider a Cinch Hub - less faff, doesn’t ruin the view, can double as a tent. And if you pre order now you can get a free inner tent with the code CAMPER10.
I’d go towball bike rack, despite the added cost. Better view out of the back window, can access tailgate with bikes on it, easier to take off when not using. Consider Atera Genio Pro which is about to be new and improved back in stock.
 
Hi just to ask what would you all recommend must haves for first short outing in new van as don’t want to rush and buy stuff we don’t need……. I’m thinking we will want to take two bikes but don’t know whether to get tow bar fitted for bikes or bike rack?? Any advice welcome Also if getting towbar fitted do I get it done from a vw dealer?? Another question on air awning would want a small one if there are recommendations for or against plz?? There will be just us so 2 people Do I buy sleeping bag to fold up rather than bedding?? So many questions I know but first time vw owners
the following are always in my kitchen cupboard, so we are ready to go.

Cups, plates, cutlery, small wooden spoon, small spatula, bottle opener/corkscrew, small opinel knife, two small handleless pans and a frying pan, all share one clip on handle (Trangia pans would work). Small scissors for those annoying packets that won’t tear open.
Tea towel, cellulose sponge, tiny bottle of washing up liquid (60ml or so!). Teabags (and milk/sugar if you need them). My DH takes ground coffee and a wee stovetop espresso maker. Small plastic chopping board fits on top of drawer and means it can be used as a makeshift shelf. A couple of Kabuto ramen noodle cups for a quick meal! Sachets of ketchup (extras from a certain burger place my kids like). Collapsible silicone kettle, fits under the glass top between the two gas rings when not in use. I happen to like toast, and the cheap aluminium metal toaster you put on the gas ring lives in a ziplock bag so it doesn’t make a mess. I find its fine as long as you keep a close eye on it and turn the toast when needed.

my kids do water sports, a tailgate tent means they can change wetsuits and get dried without dripping all over the van interior. I don’t always keep it in the van though, just when we are headed to the harbour!
I have also got into the habit of keeping a towel for each of us in the back wardrobe under the tailgate. Again, something we don’t need to pack if we leave on a whim.

we have hookup cable and side window blinds in the drawer under the bed, and I keep a pair of slip-on shoes in there (for easy on/off in case of nighttime loo trips). Also a dog lead and tie-out cable (not recommended for spouses or errant teenagers, just for the dog). UNO and travel scrabble are in the overhead locker, along with inflatable/compact travel pillows. Sleeping bags x4 in the main wardrobe. We each take a packing cube with our clothes, they live on top of the bed when it is folded away.

extra usb charging things for 12v sockets are invaluable. There are three of those that run off the leisure battery. One is in a cup holder that is almost totally inaccessible under the bench, so I got one that has a sort of extension lead for that socket.

collapsible car bin and a roll of bags, used all the time for containing mess. Wet wipes and tissues in the glovebox. Hand sanitizer in the drivers door pocket, disposable masks under the drivers seat.

I use the VW/Thule bike rack that came with my van, it has a learning curve but is much easier to set up than the tow bar mounted one on our last car.

Things I bought but never use:
hose for filling the water tank. I bought a five litre water carrier with a jerrycan type spout instead, I can fill the tank five litres at a time and know how much I have onboard. The hose just made a mess, spraying everywhere at the tap end and it still took forever. Also you never know if it’s clean, really. It’s easy to sterilise a jerrycan with Milton.

Shower with usb rechargeable pump that you use by immersing in a container of warm water. Never used. Can’t imagine I will need to now things are opening up again, but never say never. Might still come in useful for showering off lake water while our sailing club showers are out of use. Or cleaning a mucky dog, when she has rolled in something unmentionable.

Toilet tent. I do use the portapotti 365 occasionally for night time wees, men needn’t bother I guess. It fits between the fully extended bed and the drivers seat. Never used for no 2’s as I’m the one who has to empty it.

I have hardly used the fiamma awning. It’s too windy in Scotland most of the time, and when the sun comes out I don’t want shade! Have also not used the Thule Residence it came with, I should probably sell it.

levelling ramps: I actually didn’t even buy any. Never needed them either. I don’t even have a levelling bubble, rebel that I am. Just try to park as level as I can and live with it.
 
Sounds pretty much like the stuff we take. I find the most important things to remember are all those everyday things like soap, toothpaste, any tablets you have to take, phone chargers etc. We put together a checklist (sad I know) for things to take which is now 2 sides of A4! Also put together an Arriving & Leaving Checklist, which includes things like 'turning on the fridge' before setting off and turning off the gas bottle before you leave.
 
Just go.

When you run out of "essentials" make a note and don't forget next time,

Amazing what you can do without if you don't have it in the first place. Even clean knickers. Mine are from Rohan, washed last thing at night and ready to wear the next morning. Life's simple when you don't worry about it.
 
Essentials:

1) diesel
2) wine for the Boss
3) beer for the slave
4) beer & wine reserve stash
5) food for first meal and a means to cook and eat it

6) money for when you run out of items 1-5

work out everything else as you go, if you don’t have it and need it, take it next time.

There is no such thing a a perfect set up, evolve as you go and for a particular trip and it’s likely events.
one persons ideal is another’s muddle
 
Keep it very simple as many people have said. Only buy new 'essentials' if you decide you need them based on experience. We are on our second Cali having had a break of a couple of years, and we are now much more minimalist. Turkish Hammam style towels dry quicker than regular towels and are better for the environment than microfibre ones. We have a small pup tent from Decathlon and use that in place of an awning. Super simple to put up and folds down small. Useful if you're driving out for the day and want to dump stuff in there rather than pack up, or just to get a bit more space in the van when you're parked. We started out with Duvalays for sleeping. Super comfortable but bulky and annoying to roll up and store especially if you're trying to do that upstairs! So now we have a Dunhelm topper and two Alpkit cloud 9 sleeping bags - much less space and much less faff. Enjoy your travels!
 
Keep it very simple as many people have said. Only buy new 'essentials' if you decide you need them based on experience. We are on our second Cali having had a break of a couple of years, and we are now much more minimalist. Turkish Hammam style towels dry quicker than regular towels and are better for the environment than microfibre ones. We have a small pup tent from Decathlon and use that in place of an awning. Super simple to put up and folds down small. Useful if you're driving out for the day and want to dump stuff in there rather than pack up, or just to get a bit more space in the van when you're parked. We started out with Duvalays for sleeping. Super comfortable but bulky and annoying to roll up and store especially if you're trying to do that upstairs! So now we have a Dunhelm topper and two Alpkit cloud 9 sleeping bags - much less space and much less faff. Enjoy your travels!
Love our Duvalays we don’t find them a problem
 
Hi just to ask what would you all recommend must haves for first short outing in new van as don’t want to rush and buy stuff we don’t need……. I’m thinking we will want to take two bikes but don’t know whether to get tow bar fitted for bikes or bike rack?? Any advice welcome Also if getting towbar fitted do I get it done from a vw dealer?? Another question on air awning would want a small one if there are recommendations for or against plz?? There will be just us so 2 people Do I buy sleeping bag to fold up rather than bedding?? So many questions I know but first time vw owners
From my experience solo camping. Comfortable sleep, I have VW mattress and Dunelm Rebound Topper. Notebook for the things you forgot, and the things not really needed. Stay near home first few times on an organised site maybe until your personal system is perfected.
 
I'd say the only thing you need to buy is a kettle to go on the gas, and a water container to fill up the water tank. Everything else (bedding, frying pan, mugs etc) you can bring from home.
Just try it out a few times & you'll discover what you could do with & what you don't need.
 
Learning from our first few trips, I would say to watch out for the tenancy to pack loads of extra things "just in case". Having an overloaded van is really hard work, you end up moving things around constantly. Much more relaxing to pack lean. Also to have everything already packed into its home in the van before you go. Then you also have a better idea of whether you're over packed.

For our essentials, we always cook at the van (usually on our portable bbq). So have everything needed to cook prep and eat which just lives in the van. Along with the kettle and tea bags etc. We have a ridgemonkey that we use all the time. Beer along with g&t is a must. I have a couple of those acrylic glasses that are treats. We use a duvet and sheet, that lives in a holdall with the kids sleeping bags so it's grab and go. Microfibre towels are great because they dry in a few mins and can be put away. Cereal for breakfast and milk as an easy start. We have a couple of hooks that go on the back of the drivers seat for hanging coats, which were a couple of quid but super handy. Also we have a little duster thing we use to sweep the floor which is also handy, certainly with the kids in and out.
 
Hi just to ask what would you all recommend must haves for first short outing in new van as don’t want to rush and buy stuff we don’t need……. I’m thinking we will want to take two bikes but don’t know whether to get tow bar fitted for bikes or bike rack?? Any advice welcome Also if getting towbar fitted do I get it done from a vw dealer?? Another question on air awning would want a small one if there are recommendations for or against plz?? There will be just us so 2 people Do I buy sleeping bag to fold up rather than bedding?? So many questions I know but first time vw owners
I had tow mount on my last van and now have the factory fitted tail mount. Consider the weight of your bikes, your hight and the requirements for rear window visibility. If you have a camera on the back then the tow mount will obscure it and parking sensors may need turning off. You also need to think about where to store the tow rack when you take it off. I found the tow mount better for loading, visibility and height restrictions. Otherwise the tailgate mount is less fuss.
Scanned other posts, the Cinch Hub and ridge monkey are simply and useful things to have. We also found a lightweight Duvet which packs down like a sleeping bag.
 
Re bedding, we've experimented with a few things. This is re sleeping upstairs - with duvets you can get cold coming from underneath and the sides. We had Duvalays for a while - topper and duvet in one. Excellent for comfort and warmth but bulky to roll up and store especially if you want to go pack up and leave quickly. We are currently using a topper from Dunhelm plus two cloud 9 sleeping bags from Alpkit. Super warm and all very comfortable, easier to pack and store than the Duvalays. We use a pup tent rather than an awning for speed of putting up and just as a dump for stuff we don't want in the van while we're in it or using it to go out and about during the day,
 
Hi just to ask what would you all recommend must haves for first short outing in new van as don’t want to rush and buy stuff we don’t need……. I’m thinking we will want to take two bikes but don’t know whether to get tow bar fitted for bikes or bike rack?? Any advice welcome Also if getting towbar fitted do I get it done from a vw dealer?? Another question on air awning would want a small one if there are recommendations for or against plz?? There will be just us so 2 people Do I buy sleeping bag to fold up rather than bedding?? So many questions I know but first time vw owners
We have an awning (Vango Palm) but only necessary as we have a dog and wet dog and wet clothes ( Scottish ‘changeable weather’) Easy to put up 30 mins and as we travel light the space it takes up in boot is inconsequential.

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