Freedom Tip: Being cold and wet are the two biggest disincentives for a camping trip. It takes some people years to "get over" their last camping experience and try again.
We know because we hear it all the time! Our customers tell us they tried camping on the cheap to see if they liked it, only to find out that cutting corners resulted in complete disaster: a tent leaks, then falls over (usually during the night), and you are spending the next couple of days in a motel waiting for your gear to dry out. The cure is good preparation, and a few tips from Freedom Camping.
Freedom Tip One - A Good Tent
Choose a strong and easy to erect, waterproof tent. The tent is the first and most important camping decision you will make and you need to get it right the first time. You may be able cope with getting wet but the rest of the family won't stand for it, especially at 2am in the morning. Have you found yourself saying "We only go camping in fine weather - if it rains we will pack up and go home"? Ask an experienced camper and they will tell fine-weather camping is a rare pearl. We all know how quickly the weather can change.
A Freedom tent will remain dry and get you though the night with little fuss. Most cheap tents are like "sleeping in a garbage bag" once a little wind picks up (quote from a customer who now owns a Freedom Family Tourer tent).
All Freedom canvas tents are manufactured and designed to handle the extreme Australian climate. Most of our competitors' tents are water resistant or water repellent, but not waterproof.
Freedom tents are waterproof and have a 5 year warranty.
FREEDOM tents are priced from $599 to $1800, with the most popular tent being the Family Tourer (pictured).
Freedom Tip Two - A Good Matress
Self Inflating Insulated Mattress
The second reason most people dislike camping is being COLD at night when they go to bed. When the nights are cold a self inflating mattress is the essential. If you're not lying on a good insulated mattress you'll truly feel the cold, because all the surrounding cold is drawn from the ground under you towards your body heat. Self inflating matresses are an insulated thermal mat that keeps you warm by stopping the cold from reaching your body (unlike normal air or foam matresses, which still allow the cold to penetrate your body).
Price from $69 - $269 only, view the Freedom Camping range [ click here ].
Freedom Tip Three - Good Food
A simple matter of cooking a meal without a hitch. Six months of the year we have fire bans in most area's of Australia, and sometimes you just can't find wood or its just too wet.
A good gas stove will fix all these problems. When FC's Liam or Ken go camping, they never use fires to cook - Coleman stoves all the way.
The Coleman stove is quicker, cleaner, safer and easier to operate than its competitors, and unlike cheap stoves it wont be plagued by blocked jets. View the Freedom Camping cook range [ click here ].
Freedom Tip Four - Good Light
It is normal on your first trip to get lost or delayed on your way to the camp site, and you may end up arriving in darkness or even rain and darkness. The last thing you want to be doing in the dark is managing a gas light or turn on your battery lantern only to find its dim glow useless.
The Versa Light will save you from disaster by lighting up an entire campsite with a flick of a switch. Equivilant to a 75 watt household light globe, the Versa Light runs off the car battery at 12v (no danger of a flat battery).
The second key to staying warm is a good-quality sleeping bag. Most campers use our 3-4 season sleeping bag. The 4x4 camper has proved the most popular and is Australian made.
Price $69 to $288, [ click here ].
Freedom Tip Six - Tables and Chairs
Price will give you an idea of quality to some extent, but sometimes top dollar does'nt mean top product. Many big-name products fall apart, and yet we are forced to stock some because of demand. A 5-year warranty isn't worth much if the chair or table breaks mid-trip.
The best thing to do, as with our entire range, is ask for our advice before you purchase.
Freedom touring tents don't have awnings attached. The reason being if you're doing one-night stops you don't want an awning that you have to put up all the time. Freedom awnings just attach on the spike of the touring tents. Awnings are essential if its raining or if its extremely hot, and if correctly adjusted they can also act as a wind break.
Simple matter of stopping the cold and will also act as your PJ's for the trip. Quick drying easy to wash and are also easy to pack. A thermal will do more than a jumper in the cold weather. We carry two sets for most trips and extended trips 3 pairs.
Good thermals are made in NZ and will last many years.
Prices are $34.95 for tops and $34.95 for bottoms [ click here ].
Freedom Tip Nine - Essential Storage
Water can (needed) and petrol can (if needed)
Quality cans for water and fuel. Both you don't want to skip on because it could be life or death . Must be both Australian Made which means a good quality product. Look for Australian Standards on Fuel Cans.
Price Water $29.95 - Petrol $39.95
Most of are customers really start to love camping once they have the main items. So you eventually end up at number 10 a fridge . There are two types of refrigerators. There are 12 volt fridges (Waeco car fridge) and gas fidges ( 3way fridge).
Waeco is for car touring like a Central Australian Trip and the the gas fridge is for base camping in one spot. The most popular Fridge is the Waeco 50 litres by far. This is because most people are going touring now a days and not so much base camping.
A Waeco will need a 2nd battery in the car to run unless your planning not to run the fridge when the cars off .This can be fitted to all cars under the bonnet or in the back cargo area and costs around $600. You don't need a 4x4 to fit one .
Question: I need more space, what can I do?
Answer: Thule roof boxes
If you have a family or are planning that big trip, you will need a bit of extra space. The first product that comes to mind is a big steel roof rack or trailer. There is another way.
Thule boxes won't affect the way your car handles, will support fuel economy and don't make a noise. No tools required, quick and easy transition on and off your car roof, and fits to all pre-existing bars.
The ultimate box for extra storage without adding extra strain to your car. Roof racks and trailers add 15% fuel consumption - Thule adds nothing. Thule boxes make much less noise and are totally waterproof & 95% dustproof.
Campers Check List: 1 page of products you may need. This will make packing easy, [ click here ].
Camping Turn-offs
The wet
The cold
1 hr to put up your tent
Putting up a dome tent in the wind and rain (don't bother)
Camping Turn-ons
Good night sleep
Good food quickly
Dry
Warm
Quickly erected tent
Strong tent
Fresh food
Open fire
Fresh air
Respect the environment and the rights of others
Whenever possible, use existing campsites. Camp on durable surfaces and place tents on a non-vegetated area. Do not dig drainage trenches around tents.
Camp at least 50 metres from water.
For cooking, use a camp stove. They are always preferable to a campfire in terms of impact on the land.
Observe all fire restrictions. For fires, use only fallen timber. Gather firewood well away from your camp. Do not cut standing trees.
Let your fire burn down to a fine ash. Ensure your fire is completely extinguished.
Do not wash in streams and lakes. Detergents, toothpaste and soap harm fish and other aquatic life.
Wash 50 metres away from creeks and lakes. Discard the waste washing water so that it filters through the soil.
In areas without toilets take a toilet and bury your waste. Human waste should he disposed of in a shallow hole (12 to 18cm deep) at least 50 metres from water sources, camp sites or tracks. Cover and disguise the hole with natural materials.Be careful and burn your toilet paper.
To stop cold use thermals a thermal mat and a good sleeping bag
Pack items that have multiple uses. eg foldable sink that can also be used to collect water from the river.
Carry comfortable shoes for driving, hiking and flip flops for around camp. That short hike to the top of the hill can turn into an endless journey back to camp if you're fighting a blister.
Pack a pair of polypropylene thermals. Even in the summer. They don't absorb moisture, they dry fast and wick water and sweat away from your body. Pull them on if a sudden storm blows in or if you get cold sleeping. Liam wears them under normal cloths on winter high counrty trips, they really stop the cold
Dress in layers. You can peel them off or pile them on as the temperature rises or falls or your physical activity increases or decreases.
Pack dirty clothing in trash bags to keep away from clean cloths.
Plan a menu and bring menu-specific measured items to save time and space.Also pre cooked meals like indian are great for saving time .For example, measure all of the dry ingredients for pancakes and pack them in a covered container. When you're ready to cook add the wet ingredients, put the lid on and give it a shake to mix it up. But remember, and this is important, label the containers.
Pack insulated mugs with lids. They keep hot beverages hot, cold beverages cold, and insects out of everything.
Invest in a 12v camp shower. This mini shower is ideal for dish rinsing, hand washing and cleaning fish.
Firewood may be scarce where you are camping, so pick up a few bundles before you head to the campsite.
Clean up when you leave. Take away everything you brought. And anything else that shouldn't be there
The early bird gets the best campsite. Arrive as early as possible, walk or drive around to check out all the options, find your "perfect" campsite (the one with the least compromises) and get things set up. Ideally, you can have dinner, clean up and relax before dark. Places to Avoid:
Narrow gorges, which pose a risk of flash floods and gail force winds
Open fields, where a lone tent can attract lightning and have no cover
Clay soils, which drain poorly and get messy in rain
Cliffs and ledges, which can't be seen at night
Stagnant water, which is often home to biting insects
