There isn’t much that gets me as excited as the night before a long weekend trip away with some mates. It’s me, my Ute, the shed and maybe a “froffy” … or a few.

If you’re still a novice camper, you may have found it difficult to see out of the rear-view mirror on your last couple of outings thanks to all the stuff you’ve loaded the car with. Trust me, that’s an easy trap to fall into, thinking “oh crap I have to pack this because of xyz”. But from experience, I can guarantee that you won’t even use half of it!

So, before you pile a shed’s worth of junk into your car, ute or trailer, let’s take it back to basics.

Now depending on who you’re camping with may dictate the living arrangements. If your partner is coming, the roof top tent makes an appearance but if it’s a boy’s weekend, a swag is the go (most nights you’ll probably end up calling a camp chair home anyway). So, first things first, get your tent, swag or roof top tent sorted and packed along with bedding, pillows and blankets.

Second, grab your outdoor table, some pans, cutlery, plates and cups along with your cooking utensil of choice; mine personally being a gas lit stove because they fit in the back of the ute nice and tight. Believe me, there isn’t much worse than getting to camp and having to use your bare hands to cut up a steak or flip an egg. From experience, it’s painful.

Next, a word of warning. Heading up to the bush for a weekend doesn’t make you invincible. Accidents can happen, that’s why they’re called accidents. It’s essential you buy yourself a handy first aid kit, which you can find at most 4WD, camping, fishing and hardware stores and depending on where you’re camping, a snake bite kit may even be a lifesaver.

Recovery gear for your vehicle is the final essential. Heading into the colder months the tracks and campsites do change a fair bit in both terrain and landscape, so it’s vital you have a winch for yourself (if travelling solo) and a snatch strap between your group. It’s simply peace of mind knowing no matter how bad things may get, everybody will reach campsite or the end of the track safely.

To conclude, when packing your vehicle for your next trip away, pack your essentials first and then add any items you think you need later. Remember, a well packed camper is a happy camper.

If you’re looking at purchasing a new vehicle that you can take the friends and family away with, make sure you give our Novated Lease Consultants a call and get a quote on a vehicle fit for your next mobile adventure.

AUTHOR

James Gozzo | Car Club Content Writer
T 03 8768 5777
E james@eziway.net.au