Diesel ducted heating v gas ducted heating … the gloves are off This is a topic which is always good for predictable and polar opposite viewpoints in any social media discussion.  Unfortunately, many ‘online experts’ opinions are often based on “my XYZ heater is the best for sure” which is usually supported simply on the basis that they themselves have XYZ heater, and not much else. Social media is choked with people seeking validation on their personal choices, and the typical “reviews” are based on limited or absent research and nothing deeper than the desire to agreed with.   As with all vested views, few people will publically admit they got…

Our tow vehicle is a 2019 Toyota Troop Carrier, or as Toyota describes it an LC (Landcruiser) Military. To us he’s “Neville the Troopy” We laboured painstakingly over all the offerings in the current market of potential tow vehicles across the various manufacturers and as one by one because of their various limitations each were erased from the shortlist, leaving the Troopy as the sole survivor of the cull. The Troopy is certainly not the vehicle for everyone, its incredibly expensive, very old school, utilitarian in every aspect, loud and rough …. but it’s also an undisputed offroad champion without comparison, and it ticks off all our requirement boxes and…

All applicable government authorities support and encourage the reuse of grey water in suburban environments and interestingly the same government and health authorities also caution against the storage of grey water even for short periods Most folk will run grey water directly onto the ground when possible us included. I see no harm in that, and while grey water falls short of its own fan club the broader view of grey water is its not necessarily .  It would be an interesting statistic to see what percentage of campers with grey water tanks that are left with the choice would choose to collect grey water when it’s completely acceptable not…

Modern caravans come with a roll out vinyl awning, which within its limitations is a fantastic simple and easy to use piece of equipment. Long gone are the heavy old canvas awnings with their impossible collection of poles, ropes, pegs and ample helping of frustration. The most common awning brands around the caravan parks will be Dometic and Carefree. A typically roll out caravan awning is manually operated much like a huge holland blind. The obvious differences are its size and where a holland blind has an automatic positional lock and simple pull down to allow it to retract, the roll out awning has a locking lever on the end…

Diesel ducted heating v gas ducted heating. A topic which produces polar opposite viewpoints in any healthy campground discussion. Unfortunately opinions are often based on “my XYZ heater is the best for sure” which is usually supported simply on the basis that they themselves have XYZ heater, and not much else.   As with all vested views no-one wants to admit they got the shit one. I have a diesel heater, its been great to us and I love it but Ill try my best to stick to the facts.  Ill also be sticking to only the brand named units Truma for gas and Eberspacher for diesel.   You are of course…

Coffee compromise???   Not on my watch Coffee for Ross is almost a religious experience and he can never spend too much time on coffee preparation. If you’d prefer not to spend any time or thought on coffee then this article is not for you, so grab yourself a Nescafe or International Roast and move off to another more interesting article and leave the wonder of coffee to the connoisseurs. Now that those neanderthals are gone, let get down to business … coffee business.    Should it be difficult to have good coffee when camping?, do we really have to compromise or sacrifice coffee quality for location?  The answer is no,…

Not such a simple question.   We carry a generator and always have possibly.   Ive had generators all my life for both work and play so my tilt on generators is probably easy to predict.   We dont carry a generator with any plan to ever actually use it.   For us it falls into the same ‘what if’ category as our 20ltr jerry of spare diesel and our cars winch. A generator in the camping environment has two very clear, unarguable and distinctive features It remains the only proven system of producing continuous and reliable power in all conditions, and is currently the only realistic method to provide sustained 240v output. It…

Awning rafter are the extendable accessory bars that attach between the van and the awning roller through the middle area of the awning to support the awning material.   They shouldn’t be confused with the Anti Flap Kit bars that clamp on the outer front and rear edges of the awning material to provide an attachment point for front and rear annex walls. Rafters are generally used to eliminate or limit awning flap in the wind, and to a lessor extend assist in shedding rain water. Wind is the arch nemesis of the caravan roll out awning, and its important to be prepared for strong winds particularly when you least…

Rubbish and waste accumulated whilst free camping is a huge issue both in regards to storage and hygiene.   We all see the effects of those vile lazy self absorbed campers who have gone before use, leaving their trash strewn about whilst still expecting their mums to clean up after them. Its not about donning a Caftan and joining Greenpeace when I say everyone should be environmentally responsible.   Its about being considerate of other campers and respectful of the facilities that are provided for all of us to enjoy.   We are all personally responsible for all our own waste and rubbish, not councils, Parks services and local communities The provision of…