Let\u2019s set something straight right from the get-go; there is no right or wrong way to camp and subsequently, there\u2019s no right or wrong way to set up a camping 4WD. Whether you choose to sleep bent backwards over a large rock, with little more than a knife and flint, or choose all the luxuries of a camper trailer, hot water shower and king size bed, you\u2019re getting out there and that\u2019s all that matters.<\/p>\n
That said, no matter how you choose to tailor your camping experience, there are always little things you can do to improve your processes, vehicle setup or camping gear. It might be as simple as laying some moss over your sleeping rock, or installing a 12V point in your roof top tent, but one thing\u2019s for certain; it isn\u2019t until you spend time in the camping company of others that you really open your eyes to the sometimes incredibly simple, yet super effective little modifications and tricks that can make all the difference when you\u2019re out in the scrub.<\/p>\n
To prove the point, we teamed up with a group of passionate 4WDers that just so happened to own some of the best built camping 4WDs in Australia. We camped for a week straight from bush campsites, right through to a couple of days on Moreton Island to really get a feel for why, and how they\u2019ve built their rigs and to sink our teeth into the tiny little tricks they use to camp anywhere in Australia. The aim was to bring you guys at home the gems that\u2019ll make your next camping experience that much more enjoyable and efficient.<\/p>\n
If by the end of this article you still prefer your sleeping rock, knife and flint then we salute you \u2013 you\u2019re tougher than us. But, for everyone else, we reckon just one of these tips is enough to get you out in the shed, or down to your local hardware store for some weekend DIY.<\/p>\n
Cold weather, tightly packed roof racks and small tags are all the natural enemy of the bloke trying to pull a zipper up tight \u2013 on camping gear that is. Use a loop of para cord through the zipper tag to give yourself something easier to grip and pull up tight.<\/p>\n
Use a small, two way caravan level somewhere on your roof rack \u2013 this\u2019ll let you know instantly if your Adventure Kings Rooftop Tent is level before you open it up.<\/p>\n
Install a dual outlet 12V point in your Adventure Kings Rooftop Tent. This\u2019ll be super handy for charging a phone or head torch, or running a small camp light.<\/p>\n
Something as simple as a sheet of ply and two legs makes a perfect quick-attach table for the side of any tray back ute. Simply use some hooks to attach one side to the edge of the tray, while two fold down legs take the weight on the other side.<\/p>\n
How much do you value your 4WD? More than about $100? If so, then fork out for two fire extinguishers and a fire blanket. Keep one extinguisher nearby in the cabin and one up the back along with the fire blanket. It can save your 4WD, and your life.<\/p>\n
In some areas of Australia, open fires are banned however a self-contained, raised fireplace is allowed. Get yourself an Adventure Kings Camp Oven\/Stove and you\u2019ll be enjoying all the comforts of an open fire without breaking the rules.<\/p>\n
There\u2019s not much worse than planning a sleep in at camp, only to be woken up at 5am by the first light. Before you set up your camp, use a compass or app to check your direction and camp on the western side of your 4WD, or at least face your windows to the west.<\/p>\n
When you\u2019re camping on hard ground and can\u2019t secure your Adventure Kings Rooftop Tent ropes with pegs, loop the ropes around the bottom of the tent\u2019s ladder and haul \u2018em up tight.<\/p>\n
Call us soft, but if you spend enough days in the scrub, you\u2019re going to run out of (semi) clean clothes. Cut a hole in the lid of a 25L bucket, big enough to pass the handle of a toilet plunger through from the inside. Then chuck some fresh creek water, your clothes and some detergent in, seal the lid and plunge away for a couple of minutes.<\/p>\n
Wet ladders are no fun \u2013 especially in thongs. Grab some non-slip matting and cut strips the same size as the ladder rungs. Use some contact adhesive to glue them to the rungs and you\u2019ll have safe wet weather access to the Adventure Kings Rooftop Tent and less chance of taking a spill.<\/p>\n
If you\u2019ve fitted your Adventure Kings Rooftop Tent with 12V outlets, grab yourself a 12V fan to keep air circulating through the tent and keep you cool in those hot tropical climates.<\/p>\n
\u201cJUST ONE OF THESE TIPS IS ENOUGH TO GET YOU OUT IN THE SHED\u201d<\/p><\/blockquote>\n
CAM STRAP TENT ROPES<\/h3>\n
Using fluro coloured cam straps as tent ropes, gives you a super quick to adjust, high-visibility solution for tying down your Adventure Kings Awning.<\/p>\n
QUICK CONNECT ROPES<\/h3>\n
Using carabiners on the ends of your Adventure Kings Awning or Rooftop Tent ropes (or cam straps) means you\u2019ll have a two-second job attaching ropes, instead of trying to tie crappy knots in the dark or while it\u2019s blowing a gale.<\/p>\n
FIRST AID KIT FIRELIGHTERS<\/h3>\n
Like so many of us, if you find you\u2019ve forgotten the fire lighters at home, dip a cotton bud into petroleum jelly and use it as a water resistant fire lighter.<\/p>\n
WET WEATHER AWNING<\/h3>\n
Get yourself and Adventure Kings Awning Wall for your camp setup. Attaching it to the end of your Awning massively increases your out-of-the-elements area when you\u2019re at camp. Set the swag up under the Awning Wall and use the area under the Awning as a living\/cooking\/eating area.<\/p>\n
AUTO RESET CIRCUIT BREAKERS<\/h3>\n
No one wants to wake up in the morning to find their fridge has popped a fuse and turned off overnight. Fitting an auto reset circuit breaker to your fridge circuit will automatically turn the fridge back on if it was just a minor power surge. If there\u2019s a dead short it won\u2019t reconnect, keeping your fridge safe.<\/p>\n
DUAL AWNINGS FOR A BETTER CAMPSITE<\/h3>\n
Two Adventure Kings Awnings makes for a wicked setup. Use one to sleep under, the other to cook under \u2013 add an Adventure Kings mozzie net to the one you cook under and you\u2019ll have somewhere comfortable away from the mozzies to hang out. The mozzie nets for awnings pack away tiny too, to save space.<\/p>\n
ONE PERSON AWNING SETUP<\/h3>\n
There\u2019s a trick to setting up your Adventure Kings Awning on your own, regardless of the terrain you\u2019re on. Unzip the cover, and roll the awning out just enough so you can sit it up on top of the roofrack. Now, swing the horizontal poles just past 90\u00b0 and extend them all the way out. Now unroll your Awning to the end, drop the vertical poles and the horizontal poles will be within reach. One-person pack-up is just a reversal of the same process.<\/p>\n
\n An Adventure Kings Mesh Floor is an excellent ground-sheet \u2013 particularly when you\u2019re camping on sand. Throw it down under your Awning and roll out your swag on top \u2013 your swag stays cleaner, and you\u2019ve got somewhere clean and dry to step out of your boots before you go to bed.<\/p>\n
MOZZIE REPELLENT<\/h3>\n
Sage is a natural mosquito repellent \u2013 chuck some into the campfire and it\u2019ll help with the biting buggers.<\/p>\n
MAKE YOUR FRIDGE RUN BETTER<\/h3>\n
The more heat you can keep away from your Adventure Kings fridge, the less it will cycle, saving you power in the bush. To this effect, get yourself an Adventure Kings fridge bag To insulate the fridge making it run more efficiently. Gone are the days where a dedicated fridge bag can be over $200.<\/p>\n
WINTER INSULATION<\/h3>\n
When you\u2019re camped in cold climates, use some foil insulation sheeting under your swag\u2019s mattress with the shiny side up. The foil reflects your body heat and helps keep you warm throughout the night. This can work under any sleeping medium, be it a camper mattress or tent.<\/p>\n
BREAD OVEN<\/h3>\n
Using an old coffee tin (A large Bushells style works well), you can turn out some cracking loafs of bread using your normal camp oven. Just put your bread, or damper mix into a greased coffee tin and stand it in your camp oven on a trivet. Why not make a loaf then cut it into sandwich slices for lunch the next day?<\/p>\n
BUDGET BUSH DUNNY!<\/h3>\n
A bucket, a pool noodle and a garbage bag will make the most comfortable bush loo you\u2019ve ever used. Cut a slice along the length of the pool noodle, insert a bag into the bucket and push the pool noodle over the top lip of the bucket to form a comfortable, padded seat. Then simply hang your toilet paper roll from the bucket\u2019s handle.<\/p>\n
COLLAPSABLE KITCHEN WEAR<\/h3>\n
There\u2019s always another bit of cooking kit you need, but with space at a premium it usually stays home. Just a few bowls and a washing up tup can take up heaps of space. Invest in some silicone, collapsing bowls and buckets. They take up no space at all, are easy to clean and will seriously change the way you pack your 4WD.<\/p>\n
ROOFTOP TENT PACKUP<\/h3>\n
When you\u2019re packing your Adventure Kings Rooftop Tent away, leave the entrance door open and rolled up, and stuff the fly over the top of the ladder into the tent. This way it all stays neat and tidy within the tent when it\u2019s folded over, and zipping up the cover\u2019s a piece of cake. By leaving the door open, the tent doesn\u2019t blow up like a balloon while you\u2019re trying to fold it up either.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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