🤣 that's so true, and then you lose your night vision and a million bugs come swarming in and whine about how bad a place is to camp🤣 Simple is usually best, cheers Mark for the support 👍
With all the companies trying to sell you their products by saying your need this and need that, it's good to hear a realistic list of what you don't need. Great vid. 🙂
Thanks Paul, and it's amazing how we didn't even realise we didn't have that stuff. It wasn't until we got home and I've been watching a lot of other videos and seen what companies are trying to so as must haves
As a young solo traveller I simply took a Suzuki Sierra, a trangia, shovel and a torch. Slept in vehicle and travelled the country. A month in central Oz cost me $600.
Finally someone on youtube saying as it is without fear. All those things are nice to have but really in the end you don't need it.The best item we have bought in recent years is the gas frypan you get from bcf and the like. Our last half lap(2 months away we used this for 99.8% to do our cooking in.I think I pulled out the webber twice to do BBQ chops on. Best 90 bucks I have ever spend.Light weight, can throw most of your pots and pans out.Only issue I could see is the gas canister don't last long and strong winds affect cooking times. TV, waste of money used once Webber, getting relegated to sub, as the gas frypan is easier to use and clean.Webber is also heavy, very heavy.. aircon, whats that never had it, even in Darwin we didn't need air-con. Good episode, such a fresh attitude compared to the channels with all the sponsors plasted down the site of their van/trucks, because you know you cant go traveling without a 300k american truck and a 250K 4.5 tonne caravan behind it..hehehhehe
Thanks Michael for the support and good to hear I'm not off track with my thinking 👍 That gas cooking pan sounds awesome and I can see the value in something like that, multi use, easy to pack, and great price 👌
This is such good info especially for people just starting out or thinking they need to delay until they can afford all the luxuries. Great to see your vlogs again.
Thanks so much for the support 👍 It is good to have all the fancy stuff and a massive caravan to carry it all, but having less doesn't mean less fun, adventure or time away from work, if anything it's the other way around 😀
There is, they just don't show up on social media, we are just regular people who have a mortgage and work full-time, but I really enjoy documenting our travels and showing people what we do. Cheers for the positive support and watching 👍
No problems, I know what you mean, seems like everyone on social media is trying to make money rather than sharing a experience. Thanks for the support 👍
If you're concerned about carrying extra weight the spun steel camp ovens are a better alternative to the traditional cast iron ones. They're also easier to clean and no seasoning nonsense either. Those single burner $30 butane gas stoves can let people down in cold weather. I have a single burner stove I bought off Amazon U.S a few years ago that appears to be the same thing in a plastic case but is actually a dual gas type. Ie, it can run off those butane cartridges as well as the disposable green Coleman propane tanks. With adapters it can run off any propane cylinders. It's one of my favorite bit's of kit for it's versatility and portability and being able to make a quick cuppa on the road with a collapsible silicone kettle. It's always in my ute along with a picnic bag containing coffee, sugar, cups etc.
If everyone watched this video a lot of companies would go broke! A 2 week test run and dump everything you did not use would be a good start Just got back from one and rewriting my list Once again a very informative video
What a welcome change - from "you must have this" to "you don't need this" - my kind of travelling. The challenge is being minimal and that is also the reward - stuff that doesn't break, doesn't need maintenance, doesn't have to be loaded and unloaded, doesn't have to be washed, cleaned or packed and stuff you don't need to shell out for in the first place. Now the big question - do you need a bull bar? Seriously the chances of hitting a roo (if you drive at sensible speeds for the conditions, time of day etc.) is extremely small, yet you carry 50kg - 100kg overhanging the front of the vehicle, costs a bucket, additional wear and tear and possibly reduces your and any other peoples' chance of surviving a serious accident. The scarred for life or dead kind of accident. That's my take on that, I'd love to hear other perspectives.
Thanks Benny for the support, and it's true, the more you take the more you have to set-up, clean, maintain and store. For us the bullbar is mostly for mounting the winch, which for our kind of solo travel is a must, mostly because we do push the limits. But for most people out there a bullbar isn't really a must have, nor a rear bar and twin spare tires
@@GoingOverland Like you said, if you already have it...I don't have a bull bar, I just have a nudge bar, and to take that off, spend around 2K to fit one all when the advantages seem dubious - more market hype than facts and numbers. As I'm rattling over an inland track, I will remember that I don't have a bull bar making everything worse for the vehicle.
I've got a Tarago, and it looks quite low in the front. I'm worried about driving over a dead kangaroo on the road that I can't avoid. I'm thinking of getting a simple bull bar with a face plate.
@@franzplagens3277 Hi Franz, I reckon running over a dead kangaroo will do more damage to critical components under the vehicle - usually the front is cosmetic/aerodynamic trim. I also tend to think that running over a dead animal big enough to cause damage means its big enough to see and avoid - its not going anywhere. There is a much bigger chance of hitting a live animal though - they tend to jump around very unpredictably and pop out at the most inconvenient moment. Google for "Kangaroo Car Accident Statistics" - you will see that accidents involving animals are pretty rare. Its also true that a good proportion of 'roo hits are in the flanks of a vehicle where a bull bar will not make much of a difference. I reduce my risk by not driving at speed at dusk or dawn when the chances of a collision with a 'roo are highest. Speed is the biggest factor. Given the same amount of braking time, at 70km/h you will be almost at a stop while at 100km/h you will still be travelling at 80km/h. It's very different when you hit a 'roo at say 10km/h (after braking from 70km/h) than hitting it at 80km/h after braking from 100km/h).
So true. We did our first half lap in a short wheel base Jeep Wrangler and a tent. We’re on our second half lap right now with a stock Pajero and a camper trailer. All you need is a reliable 4x4, a tent, swag or trailer, and some cash for those inevitable emergencies.
So true. Years ago when we went to steep point, I was really nervous thinking we weren’t prepared enough needing bigger wheels and whatnot. In reality it’s a basic day trip and a set of traction boards, a compressor and a shovel is all you need.
You guys are doing it right. The important thing to take is the one that both of you have in abundance - good attitude to life. The more gear the more no idea. Great vid. Thanks
Nice one. For the most part I keep it simple. I do have a travel buddy & petrol chainsaw but they both get used a lot so while the TB is a bit luxury the saw is a must have for me. Spend the money on a tank of diesel & use what you've got today rather than buying a coffee machine & dreaming about what you might do tommorow.
Definitely spot on there, you have to have a set-up that suits your needs and where you are travelling, and not saying you can't have these things. We take different gear on different trips, and rarely take the exact gear every time
We have a Hyundai iMax campervan so four wheel driving is out for us. But. Yes. Less is best, more is a chore. Take less stuff and more money. Low tech and high expectations. Much fun.
Ha ha my wife & I are soon to leave home towing with our old defender & they all have reliability issues but what the he'll it's all about the adventure. Great video without the ads.
Nice video. All I have done on my FJ Cruiser is AT tires and good suspension, basic recovery gear, a roof rack with light bar, a water tank, basic minimal cooking gear, an aux battery and a fridge. I sleep inside on a DIY platform. This is lightweight and will get me through 95% of trails across the country totally self sufficient. Less is more!
Definitely sounds like a amazing set-up. Those fjs are pretty cool rigs too. They are more then capable of tackling most of Australia and what it can't do, would you really want to in such a remote location? You definitely don't need everything when you're on a adventure and the more time you can have on a adventure the better. Cheers for the support and hopefully see you on the roads 🤠
🤣 wouldn't say band items, maybe luxury camp items 🤔. But in the end it comes down to how much fun your having, not what you do or don't have. Thanks mate for the support, love your work and what you do👍
Well said. I think so many people don't get away because they see others saying you need this and that like a $10K 12v system just for your 4wd and they don't believe they can afford to do anything. Ive spent around $2K on the 12v system in my Pajero which includes my drawer fridge, solar, battery etc etc. In fact I am planning to film a video shortly for my channel to discuss the full cost and set up. Thinks like Air Con in a van, Microwaves etc are just over kill in my opinion. A Gas cooker, Grill and camp oven for the fire and you are just fine. As for the heat, learn to use shade, drink Cold water over beer or soft drink etc and you will stay cooler. Insulated bottles for keeping water cold longer are great for this. You really don't need to spend a mint to get out there.
Spot on Mick, I see it all over youtube how much gear people have and it's expensive stuff! I get buying a new 4wd isn't cheap and you need it to be reliable, but when I see some youtubers showing gear they get for free and saying you can't travel without it, I do get a little ticked off
@@GoingOverland that's exactly it. It's all well and good when you have sponsors throwing things at you to promote but I feel that is when integrity goes out the door and their reviews can not really be trusted.
Great video guys, I agree 100% with you. I have a pretty flash setup these days but started out 20+ years ago with an old Rodeo and a tent! Still had a ton of fun. Safe travels.
Thanks mate for the support. Nothing stopping you from being comfortable and having a amazing set-up, but for those on a budget, just starting out or trying to keep weight down it's good to see what you can get away with leaving at home. Thanks for the positive comments 😀
Great vid. We can’t do without our little buddy ovens One in the teardrop, one in the back of the Ute No snacks at servos, can do a roast in them as well Both of us in our seventy’s Up to Lake Argyle nxt month. 50th anniversary Keep up the vids 👍👍
That's awesome, lake Argyle is fantastic, make sure you do a sunset cruise, it's spectacular 😀. I'll have to try out a travel oven one day, just don't know where I could fit one with the 2 kids and now 2 dogs🤔
Thanks mate for the positive support 👍. It really makes going to remote areas easy without all the extra weight, and we didn't ever feel we went without. If anything the reward of camping on remote beaches or being able to take the trailer to places like the Bungle Bungles was far better
Yes well I agree with you. I have travelled so many iconic dirt tracks in my JKU Wrangler over the last 15 yrs with little more than a 2" lift, cheap ($200 per corner) MT tyres and 2 sets of cheap mud tracks that I have only used twice in 15 yrs (once in mud (NP in Victoria) and once deep sand (on the Anne Beadel)). No winch or bull bar or rear bar that together can weigh 120Kgs. I have a bed in the vehicle though I used to use a trailer that broke a spring centre bolt that I fixed at Ilkurlka on the Anne Beadell. I ditched the awning (never used & weights about 8kg), set up my own 12V electrical system (300W solar panel + 110Ah AGM battery) and plenty of accessory plugs. I have storage inside for food & water and extra bedding for cold desert nights. Have a 60L Waeco fridge that has never let me down. Fitted an LRA aux tank for extra 60L petrol & take extra petrol in jerrycans according to where I am travelling. Also take extra water & food for 10 days breakdown, above what I would use daily. And a sat phone. Everything is middle of the range, not top notch (it will still break down). Often buy my gear from Kmart or Aldi. I don't use a tent and don't take any one with me... arse gets too painful!! I use gas for cooking (twin burner with 4.5Kg gas bottle or gas can jobbies). Best thing is 12V travel oven. I pre-prepare as much food as I will need and freeze it. Bung it in the oven about 2 hours before I will consume it and Bob's your uncle. Perfect. Lots of 12V lighting in and outside vehicle. Take a GPS navigation system (Hema) as well as paper maps. An axe & bow saw (no chain saw). I find fires messy and stinky and should not be burning dead/fallen wood. It is a microhabitat. Shit in publicly available toilets where available and bucket wash/shower every few days behind a tree somewhere...no-one around to see me or smell me... or shower in service stations. No a/c except when driving. Not needed at night cos gets cool quickly. If really hot, I let a window down about 2cms and put a window sock over it to keep bugs out. This works perfectly for ventilation and stops condensation from breath during night. I take far too many tools (that weigh a lot) and I am learning to cull them. Oh, I take a spare front & rear spring as well. I am always stunned at the amount of crap people take with them ("mine is bigger than yours" syndrome) and the amount of money people spend on even the smallest thing. One guy told me he spent $800 a corner on tyres alone. Really???? Hardly ever use 4WD. I JUST LOVE IT!!!
That's fantastic mate, my kind of travel. Looking forward to when the kids are grown up and we can ditch the trailer too! Sounds like you have it down pat and are well travelled, best of all sounds like you know what real life is. Thanks for the support and hopefully see you on the roads one day 🤠
Very informative, I’ll be heading back to AU for another six months and will be buying a UTE or SUV and gearing up for my camping adventure all around Queensland possibly further but definitely QLD! I like your channel, it’s giving me real practical information and not trying to sell unneeded stuff! 🤠
Totally agree, except for aircon & genny. We had a 22’ off-road Sunland caravan and 2004 4.2td Patrol. there were a handful of days over 40C where we ran the genny to run the aircon & fridge, simply because the fridge couldn’t cope in the heat and a few extra days of overcast where solar panels didn’t charge the batteries enough. Also had 2 Engels on 12v, one in the car, one in the van. We only used our winch to pull backpackers out of the shit! Have never owned maxtrax, although we really didn’t get into the mud. Used the outside shower (collected shower water in a big plastic tub), and either the van toilet, provided toilets or a shovel, depending on location. Chainsaws not permitted in national parks, so we used a 14v reciprocal saw. No oven, no microwave, no baby Weber (used a Gasmate bbq), no Hema maps (WikiCamps), solar energy for both van and car, no Landcruiser ;-), used the tv once, no diff locks, only a 2” lift in heavy duty springs in the back due to towing.
Hey if you already have it you might as well use it 😉. I bet if we had ac it'd probably be on all the time, but was just making a point you don't need to go out and buy this stuff solely for a lap of Australia. 😀
I'm a bit late... but fantastic vid. We have an FJ and Tvan for the two of us. Agree with everything you said. Coming from Canberra and doing a lot of camping in the Snowies, we still don't have a diesel heater (hot water bottles and a warm doona do the job). We've also done a few laps and half laps. We travel without all those things, with the exception of a Travel Buddy. Great to pull up after a long day's drive (say 8+ hours) and have a roast ready to eat... or pies for lunch, croissants for breakfast etc. We never use it while stationary, so doesn't drain the batteries. For once... great to see a vid that isn't plugging all the bells and whistles. Cheers 🍻👍
Thanks mate for your positive comment, really good to hear. I love the tvan and if it wasn't for having to set up kids beds every night we probably would have gone down that road. I keep hearing a lot of good things about the 12v ovens, and maybe one day we'll try it out, but limited space is a problem especially now with 2 kids and 2 dogs to fit in the car. Cheers for the support and happy to answer any questions 😀
Travel buddy is great... 2 to 3 hour drive meals done or close to. Driving is no power usage it's just drawing from the car alternator. Parked a 200w panel will cover it mostly and recharge batteries to full easy.
I've crossed the nullarbor with a $40 tent, some cheap equipment from kmart like a camping stove and cookware. I did spend good money on the camping mattress because when you are in the road for many hours you'll need a good sleep ( that's a no negotiable). What you really need to travel is a good spirit of adventure, without that, it doesn't matter how much gear you have, it will never be enough. Nice video and safe travels!!
Thanks John, we are just like most people. Working full-time, mortgage and camping is about ease, budget and time away from work and stress. Also we reject most sponsorship so we don't have to plug gear that we think isn't essential. Thanks for the support and watching 👍
Great info My Wife and I did the big lap starting in 1979 for 2 and half years we were 21 with a 10-year-old F100 ( could not afford 4x4) Xl 185 motorbike 6x4 box trailer which we sleep in, No air, not even a fan but we had a 30litra 3-way fridge.80% was free to camp 80% of the rds where dirt. We did the Gibb River Rd 2-wheel drive all the way and spent 2 weeks at El Questro Station all to our self only the caretaker. No phone no internet no cards left with $2000 life was simple then.
While it's not exactly the same thing, I can remember watching a video of a young woman who had built herself a tiny, movable home. It was so small, she almost had to go outside to turn around! Her solution to avoiding having her tiny space becoming cluttered with things she could do without was to not have anything in the house that didn't have three uses. I thought this would be impossible, but she did it - somehow! I'm planning on soon becoming not homeless, but certainly houseless and just traveling 'till I can't do it anymore and your video was very helpful. Thanks folks.
Thanks mate, sorry for the delayed reply. I definitely prefer exploring and travelling in a smaller set-up. Plan is when the kids grow up we won't even tow a trailer, so smaller again and I can't wait. And if we ever get sick of the small set-up while travelling, we'll just go to a nice hotel for a couple of nights for a treat 🤠👍🍻
Technically you could do it with an esky and a grill to cook on the fire. To say you don't need because of your own choices is not a reasonable statement. Sharing your experience alone is enough.
Great video. Pleased with everything you said. Matches my style of travelling and economy. Please show the tools and jack arrangements you use for tyre changes and general maintenance. I was very interested to see you use a stand and high lift jack. Thanks guys. Appreciate your work. 👍😊
Thanks Ray, I'll probably do a tools video after our snow trip. Main reason for the hi lift jack is we can use it to winch the trailer sideways/backwards and to pop the tyres off the rims. And I don't like doubling up so no bottle jack, just means we take a light jack stand which is probably safer anyway then a bottle jack when working on the car/trailer. Thanks for watching 👍
Great advice for those of us that are on a budget or just enjoy the simple camping methods, liked what i seen in this video so will subscribe and check out what you get up to
Thanks Kerry for the support, we are just a regularly working family who love getting out and seeing new parts of Australia. Happy to answer any questions 😀
if you are doing the work your self to save money ,remember to fit fuses as i learned the hard way when walked around the van to see the car in the shed on fire from the front to the back i eventually put it out with water to find that the fuel would have been burned through in another minute and the battery with a big hole burnt in it.
It all depends on where you go thought but for us and probably 97% of people travelling Australia, no TV, tick; no generator, tick; no induction stove, tick; no microwave, tick; no hair dryer, tick; no coffee machine, tick; no hema maps or separate GPS, tick; no petrol chainsaw, tick; no webber bbq, tick. But you do need to good electric system and a reasonable recover gear.
Hi I agree with most of your list except the Weber - mostly due to its versatility and very low gas consumption. With the accessories you can bake bread, roast, bbq & do pizza so I think it’s well worth it
I'm also a 4WD tourer but don't tow anything. So I can't relate to the camper specific items on your list. But for the rest, I totally agree with you - EXCEPT for one. And that is you suggesting not needing a dedicated GPS device. Maybe you don't tour really remote places for days at a time. 'Coz if you do, you'd realise how invaluable GPS devices are when there is no mobile phone signal to be had. I agree, when in areas with great mobile phone coverage, apps like Waze, Google Maps, WikiCamps etc. are excellent in finding POIs, and getting you from A to B. But most apps on mobile phones require at least 3G signal to work these days. Sure with Google Maps you can download offline maps, but you need to be extremely organised to make sure you download the area(s) you plan to visit while you have strong phone signal. But if you're like me who will do ad hoc side trips 'coz there was a great sign or track, it might not always work. So for remote touring I use two dedicated GPS systems to ensure I have back-ups (just like you having two gas bottles to have as back-up). One is the HEMA HX-1, and the other is an iPad with GPS, which has Memory-Maps & HEMA Explore Maps installed. Plus I have old school paper maps too. All of my mapping tools (digital or paper) have all come in handy when touring in remote places. I wouldn't tour without them.
We bought a hema for our lap of Australia and it wouldn't stay on half way through our trip, so we managed with our paper maps, downloaded wikicamps so it would work off line and that was enough to get by. Definitely would have been easier with the hema working especially when we did the very remote areas, but we managed. I think that money could have been better spent after we couldn't use it. Cheers for the support and positive comments 👍
You dont travel and leave the TV on its wall mount anyway. Diesel heaters are great for cold climates and allows you to travel in winter, especially with snow. Air con and microwave only work on 24v, a common inclusion in an off-road caravan. A chainsaw is going to be a lifesaver If you have a tree blocking your destination route. A small Husqvana is handy.
I know, especially when you watch other people who have all this gear and they make it sound like you need 3000 watt inverters, and 300amps of lithium and remote res shocks. Every one's set-ups should be tailored for their needs and it's important for people to spend wisely on what they actually need. Cheers for the support 👍
Very different and great advice away from the normal "have to have" BS promoted by marketers making money --- I'm so over it ! People should think back how it was done 10-15-20- 30- 50-100 years ago A big weight saver is a Bedourie mild steel camp oven instead of cast iron --- cast iron may be better but a Bedourie is far lighter , more versatile , and unbreakable --- the lid makes a good fry pan so there's one less thing to pack An old one -- most things carried should have at least 2 uses . The less you buy to carry leaves more $$ for fuel and less weight wasting fuel . There is a couple with a three year old dong the Ozzie 4wd thing in a 2wd 1980s (???) combie van !! We don't need much to travel most of Aust Safe travels
Thanks Ian and your spot on, alot of product gets thrown at youtubers and people see that and think it's a must have. You'd be shocked how much we've turned away. Cheers for the support 👍
Spot on mate. Amazing what you can do with out, and then you really appreciate that stuff when you get home. Cheers for the support, really appreciate it 👍
We still rock the tub with a canopy on our dualcab ranger, and have done for many years also with a few laps of aus, we don't even own a camper trailer/caravan of any sort. We have dual batterys with a solar panel mounted permanently that easily keeps up with 2x 40l engels etc etc. That's the extent of our permanent mods for camping. We are upgrading to a underbody watertank currently tho. I'm a dad with a wife and 2 teenage girls and not one of the ladies complain. As long as the beds are dry and clean and the foods there. Everyone's "needs" are different but we are about if it fits in the car it can come. Biggest issue is the amount of companies saying "you need this" But can understand the fella that doesnt really know, walks into a shop and salesman says happy wife happy life swipe here sir.
You guys must be having the best adventures and I bet you guys are so close. It's amazing how little you need to travel and then the extra money for time off work is far more important than the luxury.
Ah, a brave video to make :) If you are prepared to rough it you don't even need a van or a camper. We met a family going round in a big tent and it was a BIG family. Later we even met a guy going round just using his car. Certainly two ways I would never even think of trying but I guess it all depends on how much discomfort you are prepared to put up with. For us, a air con is essential because we want the comfort and that meant also taking a generator. Those two things made life so much more bearable up north in the heat.
Yeah each to there own, this is just my opinion and I'm definitely not saying if you bring these things your doing it wrong. I bet we brought things you might consider unnecessary, and I bet if you asked me at the time when we where sitting in 38 degree northern heat if we want air con, we would probably give you a different answer 🤣
Agree with your approach. When you see what some people take away one wonders why they just don’t stay at home or go to a hotel. Half the fun of camping / touring is making do and improvising. Bacon and eggs cooked over a fire tastes and smells much better than using an induction cooker. Put your money into a first rate first aid kit and an Epurb.
Another great vid guys, sensible practice advise. Making the decision to travel is the hard bit, once you have done that you can always make it work with what you have.
Great video, love watching your adventures. Also, we have everything you mentioned!!! Quiet funny, as you guys have done the lap and we are getting ready to do it next year!!!
Hey it's just my opinion on how we travel , not saying you can't do it with this stuff and I bet you'll have a fantastic time. We've always said you have to do your trip your way, so if you have a 200 ser, then that's your way and I bet it'll be unstoppable. Before our lap I almost put money down on a new 200, but then I was thinking that was our budget for the trip and we would wait a couple more years, then we wondered if we should then wait until the kids finished high school and then what if..... I guess I'm saying if you've got this gear no problems, but don't think you need this gear to do it, you learn to live without it and pretty soon we forget what we didn't have and enjoyed our time together
@@GoingOverland thanks for that. We set our goal a few years back, plus were a few years older than you so when we do go I doubt we will ever settle and go back working full time, not in the mines again anyway. I'd love to do the lap in a tent but the wife needs her luxuries, and when you mentioned hair dryer I spat my drink out and got a dirty look!!! We are all different and that what makes this world a beautiful place, we love watching your adventures and Hayley and Joe will have the best childhood ever!!! Keep up the great work and videos but most of all, keep going overland!!!
Good advice guys. We have a 2009 120 series Prado. Have Hema Explorer but don’t use often. Google maps work even off line if you download the area you are going to. We have had a Weber Baby Q from years ago, gets a bit of use. No AC in the camper. No 240v in the camper. 12V tv is in the garage since kids no longer come. We are heading away down to Broken Hill next week and the Mundi Mundi Bash and then a couple of weeks out in the desert. Have to catch up on your channel when we get back. Cheers guys.
Thanks Kevin for your support 👍, have a great trip too, Broken Hill is a great place and we travelled north along the border track to Cameron corner years ago, was a beautiful part of the country ❤
in 2000 my girlfriend and I travelled from Perth and did the whole top end of Western Australia in a Lada Niva with a 2 person tent a plastic esky and a 2 burner gas stove ! it was the trip of a lifetime and we had virtually nothing , looking back if we had it all the trip wouldn't have been half as good !
That's fantastic, so simple and a really adventure. When people travel around with massive caravans and everything including coffee machines and a microwave they miss out on a real experience. Great to hear you're about your adventure 🤠
Yeah we've been north Queensland a couple of times and that cloud cover up there can last week's, so if you aren't driving I can definitely see the need. Definitely not saying people shouldn't have a camping set-up for their needs, more was thinking about when travelling full-time and constantly on the move. We took less gear on our lap then we do for a long weekends
Great video guys and thanks for sharing. Too many people get tied up with keeping up with the Jones and they dont really enjoy getting back to basics and just getting out there while they are young and healthy and experiencing all life has to offer. Technology is good, but it but it takes alot away from us as well..
We must be roughing it then. 2017 Toyota Hiace pop top campervan (with solar) and a two burner Dometic metho stove. We are taking our little Weber Baby Q on our next trip. We do have a fridge though.
🤣 yeah our setup has come a long way from what we started with, but even then I still call it basic. How do you like the metho stove, I'm really interested in trying a alternative fuel stove
@@GoingOverland ,, our campervan (Frontline conversion) came with a Dometic Origo 3000 metho stove. Frontline did this because a metho stove doesn't need compliance like a permanent LPG system does. We were going to convert to LPG but after some research, decided to stay with the Dometic. The Dometic is also removable, so we don't cook in the van but under the awning. No bottles and hoses. Sadly they are no longer made. They occasionally come up on the 2nd hand market but are expensive and are snapped up pretty quickly. Boaties love them because metho is safer than LPG. Metho doesn't burn as hot as LPG and you'll get a soot deposit on your pans. Apparently, 10% water stops this. Large quantities of water (like cooking pasta) can be a pain in the arse but for general cooking, they are brilliant. Metho is cheap and can be bought anywhere. They are also economical.
With you on all except the webber, especially if you don't have a travel buddy as well. If you could have campfires 365 days a year then I would agreed but here in WA we have firebans for a large part of the year, this is where the webber is great, not that expensive, cheap to run and can use it as an oven. I don't take it when we can have a fire but pack it for every trip during firebans.
Yeah your not wrong, just a difference of opinion. In our setup if we did bring a Webber on our lap of Australia it would meant leaving something else at home or having to move it every time we wanted to use the toilet inside the camper. But have a mate who brings one everywhere and the smell of the food is 😋
Good video. I agree you do not need to take everything or the best money can buy. One thing I picked up on was not having a webber or some other sort of gas oven/bbq. I recently learned large areas of WA and maybe SA (not certain) do not allow fires for a fair part of the year. Being restricted to a gas stove for a long period would be a hassle for us. No roasts or pizza or quiche or bread etc because you cant use a camp oven would be an issue. If I am wrong please let me know and I will leave the webber home. Nothing better than a camp oven meal.
Hey John it's just my opinion, it's not a don't travel with this items. I think if you like cooking on a Webber and you plan on using it regularly, go for it. The food that comes out of them smells and is fantastic 😋 It's more of a point you don't need to buy one just for a lap of Australia. Buy one and use it all the time and get your money worth. And I bet we took things you might think is not necessary, so this video is just a bit of guidance, not a set rule for everyone 😉
@@GoingOverland I get all that. My point was more about no camp fires in WA and SA for large parts of the year. No fire = no camp oven. So what do you use then. Just the gas stove or something else?
I've done a lot of the tracks in the Vic high country on HT tyres. I'm not saying AT or MT are bad, but I hate seeing people spending big on 5 new BFG tyres and spending 99% on the bitumen. Just see how you go first with your road tyres, if they are in good condition and with correct pressures you'll be surprised how far they go.
We usually run mud tires, the Patrol doesn't have to do work duties any more so the wear isn't a problem, but switched to the bfg ats for our lap and they are great. Done over 40k on them and still over half tread, but you're right, tire pressures are crucial both on and off road
Wise words Guys. We both travel much the same and you know, i reckon my camping and travelling experience is enhanced the more basic i can be. Gees its been great watching you guys all grow as a quality channel. My wife reckons you should adopt me as a ready made camp old time story teller and rockologist. ( ok, i added the rockologist part. LOL)
I am planning an overlanding trip, Good 4wd with good tires, good gas stove & fuel, good water containers, good ice chest, and good maps. Then lots of adventurous spirit tempered by good judgement. I am an old fart who has been doing this for 50 years in the US before all of the fancy gear.
No they are chrome, old school to suit the patrol, but they need upkeep and polishing and oiling so they don't rust plus it was a 18 week wait before all the covid delays of today!
Cheers Jim, really happy to help fellow travellers, happy to answer any questions and there is a heap of other helpful videos on our channel if you need 😀
A great video guys, & yes travel in your own budget. I travel Cairns-Adelaide every yr visiting family. Sometimes via Blue mountains or sometimes via the Stuart Hwy. I use to travel in an old Kia Pregio van with a mattress in the back, & a fridge. It’s all about having fun, & enjoying yourself.
That's fantastic Stephen, and I bet you had one of the fastest setting up times, it's amazing how long I've seen people setting up and uploading all the gear, and missing out on what's happening around them
Totally agree There’s just so much you don’t need. Air fryer, coffee machine my 2nd and third straight after 200 series 😂😂closely followed by the chainsaw and bulky swags
So true, the more you take the more cleaning you have to do, and we usually like to take more drinking water so we can stay some place epic for longer rather than carrying that weight in gadgets and extras
Hit the nail on the head with Air-con, TV/camp fires (which are a form of TV as you keep looking into it and you miss the stars), chainsaw (hand saw keeps you buffed). Lapped Australia twice and took two years to do it in a shitty Hi-Ace Van (heater didn´t even work) which kept on keeping on. Always outside and only in when we sleep or watched GOT (Game of Thrones) & Walking Dead burnt onto CD) Would do it again with even less - as always, less is best, or as GO say "Don't need it" Get off your arse and get into It! %^)
🤣 I like that saying 👍. Sounds like you got to have a real adventure in the hiace. A lot of people would think you're crazy, but I think that's fantastic 👌. Great work and thanks for the support 👍
We are pretty simple and need gear that's fast and tough and dust proof, so we mostly use a gopro 9 and media mod, and that works great even when really windy. Does surprisingly good even on the beach or with camera out the window while driving
Did the diffs and gearbox before we left so didn't have to do them on the road. Engine oil was done every 5000 km and I'd buy oil, filters, tarp, 2 buckets, funnel when service was due. Did the service in car park/gravel pit on the tarp so no drops of oil and spills. Then just took old oil to dump and small fee for the oil.
As a bloke that runs a National Park campground I got say you don't need lighting capable of lighting ANZ stadium on grand final night.
🤣 that's so true, and then you lose your night vision and a million bugs come swarming in and whine about how bad a place is to camp🤣
Simple is usually best, cheers Mark for the support 👍
With all the companies trying to sell you their products by saying your need this and need that, it's good to hear a realistic list of what you don't need. Great vid. 🙂
Thanks Paul, and it's amazing how we didn't even realise we didn't have that stuff. It wasn't until we got home and I've been watching a lot of other videos and seen what companies are trying to so as must haves
As a young solo traveller I simply took a Suzuki Sierra, a trangia, shovel and a torch. Slept in vehicle and travelled the country. A month in central Oz cost me $600.
Awesome work, that's the way it should be done 👍
Finally someone on youtube saying as it is without fear. All those things are nice to have but really in the end you don't need it.The best item we have bought in recent years is the gas frypan you get from bcf and the like. Our last half lap(2 months away we used this for 99.8% to do our cooking in.I think I pulled out the webber twice to do BBQ chops on. Best 90 bucks I have ever spend.Light weight, can throw most of your pots and pans out.Only issue I could see is the gas canister don't last long and strong winds affect cooking times.
TV, waste of money used once
Webber, getting relegated to sub, as the gas frypan is easier to use and clean.Webber is also heavy, very heavy..
aircon, whats that never had it, even in Darwin we didn't need air-con.
Good episode, such a fresh attitude compared to the channels with all the sponsors plasted down the site of their van/trucks, because you know you cant go traveling without a 300k american truck and a 250K 4.5 tonne caravan behind it..hehehhehe
Thanks Michael for the support and good to hear I'm not off track with my thinking 👍
That gas cooking pan sounds awesome and I can see the value in something like that, multi use, easy to pack, and great price 👌
This is such good info especially for people just starting out or thinking they need to delay until they can afford all the luxuries. Great to see your vlogs again.
Thanks so much for the support 👍 It is good to have all the fancy stuff and a massive caravan to carry it all, but having less doesn't mean less fun, adventure or time away from work, if anything it's the other way around 😀
Spot on guys. Well done. Wish there were travellers more like you on the road.
There is, they just don't show up on social media, we are just regular people who have a mortgage and work full-time, but I really enjoy documenting our travels and showing people what we do. Cheers for the positive support and watching 👍
Finally, an overland journey with honest reviews and genuine feedback, thanks
No problems, I know what you mean, seems like everyone on social media is trying to make money rather than sharing a experience. Thanks for the support 👍
Love you guys.
Practicality before money.
Priceless in this day & age :)
Cheers Paul, camping should be about getting away, not working to buy gear
If you're concerned about carrying extra weight the spun steel camp ovens are a better alternative to the traditional cast iron ones. They're also easier to clean and no seasoning nonsense either.
Those single burner $30 butane gas stoves can let people down in cold weather. I have a single burner stove I bought off Amazon U.S a few years ago that appears to be the same thing in a plastic case but is actually a dual gas type. Ie, it can run off those butane cartridges as well as the disposable green Coleman propane tanks. With adapters it can run off any propane cylinders. It's one of my favorite bit's of kit for it's versatility and portability and being able to make a quick cuppa on the road with a collapsible silicone kettle. It's always in my ute along with a picnic bag containing coffee, sugar, cups etc.
Thank God I've been saved....I've been planing a loop now for two weeks in 88weeks time. And finally some clarity! Bracket creep was comming.
If everyone watched this video a lot of companies would go broke!
A 2 week test run and dump everything you did not use would be a good start
Just got back from one and rewriting my list
Once again a very informative video
Cheers Michael, that's pretty much what we did before our lap of Australia, anything we didn't need for a week on the road didn't make the list
What a welcome change - from "you must have this" to "you don't need this" - my kind of travelling.
The challenge is being minimal and that is also the reward - stuff that doesn't break, doesn't need maintenance, doesn't have to be loaded and unloaded, doesn't have to be washed, cleaned or packed and stuff you don't need to shell out for in the first place.
Now the big question - do you need a bull bar? Seriously the chances of hitting a roo (if you drive at sensible speeds for the conditions, time of day etc.) is extremely small, yet you carry 50kg - 100kg overhanging the front of the vehicle, costs a bucket, additional wear and tear and possibly reduces your and any other peoples' chance of surviving a serious accident. The scarred for life or dead kind of accident. That's my take on that, I'd love to hear other perspectives.
Thanks Benny for the support, and it's true, the more you take the more you have to set-up, clean, maintain and store.
For us the bullbar is mostly for mounting the winch, which for our kind of solo travel is a must, mostly because we do push the limits. But for most people out there a bullbar isn't really a must have, nor a rear bar and twin spare tires
@@GoingOverland Like you said, if you already have it...I don't have a bull bar, I just have a nudge bar, and to take that off, spend around 2K to fit one all when the advantages seem dubious - more market hype than facts and numbers. As I'm rattling over an inland track, I will remember that I don't have a bull bar making everything worse for the vehicle.
I've got a Tarago, and it looks quite low in the front. I'm worried about driving over a dead kangaroo on the road that I can't avoid. I'm thinking of getting a simple bull bar with a face plate.
@@franzplagens3277 Hi Franz, I reckon running over a dead kangaroo will do more damage to critical components under the vehicle - usually the front is cosmetic/aerodynamic trim. I also tend to think that running over a dead animal big enough to cause damage means its big enough to see and avoid - its not going anywhere. There is a much bigger chance of hitting a live animal though - they tend to jump around very unpredictably and pop out at the most inconvenient moment.
Google for "Kangaroo Car Accident Statistics" - you will see that accidents involving animals are pretty rare.
Its also true that a good proportion of 'roo hits are in the flanks of a vehicle where a bull bar will not make much of a difference.
I reduce my risk by not driving at speed at dusk or dawn when the chances of a collision with a 'roo are highest.
Speed is the biggest factor. Given the same amount of braking time, at 70km/h you will be almost at a stop while at 100km/h you will still be travelling at 80km/h. It's very different when you hit a 'roo at say 10km/h (after braking from 70km/h) than hitting it at 80km/h after braking from 100km/h).
So true. We did our first half lap in a short wheel base Jeep Wrangler and a tent.
We’re on our second half lap right now with a stock Pajero and a camper trailer. All you need is a reliable 4x4, a tent, swag or trailer, and some cash for those inevitable emergencies.
So true. Years ago when we went to steep point, I was really nervous thinking we weren’t prepared enough needing bigger wheels and whatnot. In reality it’s a basic day trip and a set of traction boards, a compressor and a shovel is all you need.
Spot on there Ben. It amazing how far most 4wds will go, especially to places you actually want to see
Air con is a must on continuous hot humid days with temperatures over 45c.
You guys are doing it right. The important thing to take is the one that both of you have in abundance - good attitude to life. The more gear the more no idea. Great vid. Thanks
Nice one. For the most part I keep it simple. I do have a travel buddy & petrol chainsaw but they both get used a lot so while the TB is a bit luxury the saw is a must have for me.
Spend the money on a tank of diesel & use what you've got today rather than buying a coffee machine & dreaming about what you might do tommorow.
Definitely spot on there, you have to have a set-up that suits your needs and where you are travelling, and not saying you can't have these things. We take different gear on different trips, and rarely take the exact gear every time
We have a Hyundai iMax campervan so four wheel driving is out for us. But. Yes. Less is best, more is a chore. Take less stuff and more money. Low tech and high expectations. Much fun.
Ha ha my wife & I are soon to leave home towing with our old defender & they all have reliability issues but what the he'll it's all about the adventure. Great video without the ads.
Yeah mate doesn't matter what you drive, issues will always come up. Love the defender, best looking 4wd ever made, they still make me 🤤
Absolutely spot on. There is so much marketing around to buy stuff we don’t need. Great job:)
Thanks Simon, it's amazing how little you actually need to have a great adventure 👍
Good comments.
We did it twenty years ago with an old Jackaroo and $3000 Cabana caravan.
Loved it.
That's part of the adventure, doing it tough and doing it your way 💪
Awesome to hear and bet you'll never forget that
Points are valid but you've gotta live comfortable. Can't rough it forever!
Obviously you have never roughed it.
Nice video. All I have done on my FJ Cruiser is AT tires and good suspension, basic recovery gear, a roof rack with light bar, a water tank, basic minimal cooking gear, an aux battery and a fridge. I sleep inside on a DIY platform. This is lightweight and will get me through 95% of trails across the country totally self sufficient. Less is more!
Definitely sounds like a amazing set-up. Those fjs are pretty cool rigs too. They are more then capable of tackling most of Australia and what it can't do, would you really want to in such a remote location?
You definitely don't need everything when you're on a adventure and the more time you can have on a adventure the better. Cheers for the support and hopefully see you on the roads 🤠
I 100% agree with all of these (and I have half of the banned items 😂) just get out and spend your money on fuel and adventure!
🤣 wouldn't say band items, maybe luxury camp items 🤔. But in the end it comes down to how much fun your having, not what you do or don't have. Thanks mate for the support, love your work and what you do👍
Well said. I think so many people don't get away because they see others saying you need this and that like a $10K 12v system just for your 4wd and they don't believe they can afford to do anything. Ive spent around $2K on the 12v system in my Pajero which includes my drawer fridge, solar, battery etc etc. In fact I am planning to film a video shortly for my channel to discuss the full cost and set up. Thinks like Air Con in a van, Microwaves etc are just over kill in my opinion. A Gas cooker, Grill and camp oven for the fire and you are just fine. As for the heat, learn to use shade, drink Cold water over beer or soft drink etc and you will stay cooler. Insulated bottles for keeping water cold longer are great for this. You really don't need to spend a mint to get out there.
Spot on Mick, I see it all over youtube how much gear people have and it's expensive stuff! I get buying a new 4wd isn't cheap and you need it to be reliable, but when I see some youtubers showing gear they get for free and saying you can't travel without it, I do get a little ticked off
@@GoingOverland that's exactly it. It's all well and good when you have sponsors throwing things at you to promote but I feel that is when integrity goes out the door and their reviews can not really be trusted.
Great video guys, I agree 100% with you. I have a pretty
flash setup these days but started out 20+ years ago with an old Rodeo and a tent! Still had a ton of fun. Safe travels.
Thanks mate for the support. Nothing stopping you from being comfortable and having a amazing set-up, but for those on a budget, just starting out or trying to keep weight down it's good to see what you can get away with leaving at home. Thanks for the positive comments 😀
Great vid.
We can’t do without our little buddy ovens
One in the teardrop, one in the back of the Ute
No snacks at servos, can do a roast in them as well
Both of us in our seventy’s
Up to Lake Argyle nxt month. 50th anniversary
Keep up the vids 👍👍
That's awesome, lake Argyle is fantastic, make sure you do a sunset cruise, it's spectacular 😀.
I'll have to try out a travel oven one day, just don't know where I could fit one with the 2 kids and now 2 dogs🤔
You people are one in a million been touring the same as you two Do for a few years now. It's the best way. PURE AND SIMPLE👍👍✔️✔️✔️✔️
Thanks mate for the positive support 👍. It really makes going to remote areas easy without all the extra weight, and we didn't ever feel we went without. If anything the reward of camping on remote beaches or being able to take the trailer to places like the Bungle Bungles was far better
Yes well I agree with you. I have travelled so many iconic dirt tracks in my JKU Wrangler over the last 15 yrs with little more than a 2" lift, cheap ($200 per corner) MT tyres and 2 sets of cheap mud tracks that I have only used twice in 15 yrs (once in mud (NP in Victoria) and once deep sand (on the Anne Beadel)). No winch or bull bar or rear bar that together can weigh 120Kgs. I have a bed in the vehicle though I used to use a trailer that broke a spring centre bolt that I fixed at Ilkurlka on the Anne Beadell. I ditched the awning (never used & weights about 8kg), set up my own 12V electrical system (300W solar panel + 110Ah AGM battery) and plenty of accessory plugs. I have storage inside for food & water and extra bedding for cold desert nights. Have a 60L Waeco fridge that has never let me down. Fitted an LRA aux tank for extra 60L petrol & take extra petrol in jerrycans according to where I am travelling. Also take extra water & food for 10 days breakdown, above what I would use daily. And a sat phone. Everything is middle of the range, not top notch (it will still break down). Often buy my gear from Kmart or Aldi. I don't use a tent and don't take any one with me... arse gets too painful!! I use gas for cooking (twin burner with 4.5Kg gas bottle or gas can jobbies). Best thing is 12V travel oven. I pre-prepare as much food as I will need and freeze it. Bung it in the oven about 2 hours before I will consume it and Bob's your uncle. Perfect. Lots of 12V lighting in and outside vehicle. Take a GPS navigation system (Hema) as well as paper maps. An axe & bow saw (no chain saw). I find fires messy and stinky and should not be burning dead/fallen wood. It is a microhabitat. Shit in publicly available toilets where available and bucket wash/shower every few days behind a tree somewhere...no-one around to see me or smell me... or shower in service stations. No a/c except when driving. Not needed at night cos gets cool quickly. If really hot, I let a window down about 2cms and put a window sock over it to keep bugs out. This works perfectly for ventilation and stops condensation from breath during night. I take far too many tools (that weigh a lot) and I am learning to cull them. Oh, I take a spare front & rear spring as well. I am always stunned at the amount of crap people take with them ("mine is bigger than yours" syndrome) and the amount of money people spend on even the smallest thing. One guy told me he spent $800 a corner on tyres alone. Really???? Hardly ever use 4WD. I JUST LOVE IT!!!
That's fantastic mate, my kind of travel. Looking forward to when the kids are grown up and we can ditch the trailer too! Sounds like you have it down pat and are well travelled, best of all sounds like you know what real life is. Thanks for the support and hopefully see you on the roads one day 🤠
Very informative, I’ll be heading back to AU for another six months and will be buying a UTE or SUV and gearing up for my camping adventure all around Queensland possibly further but definitely QLD! I like your channel, it’s giving me real practical information and not trying to sell unneeded stuff! 🤠
Totally agree, except for aircon & genny. We had a 22’ off-road Sunland caravan and 2004 4.2td Patrol. there were a handful of days over 40C where we ran the genny to run the aircon & fridge, simply because the fridge couldn’t cope in the heat and a few extra days of overcast where solar panels didn’t charge the batteries enough. Also had 2 Engels on 12v, one in the car, one in the van.
We only used our winch to pull backpackers out of the shit! Have never owned maxtrax, although we really didn’t get into the mud. Used the outside shower (collected shower water in a big plastic tub), and either the van toilet, provided toilets or a shovel, depending on location. Chainsaws not permitted in national parks, so we used a 14v reciprocal saw.
No oven, no microwave, no baby Weber (used a Gasmate bbq), no Hema maps (WikiCamps), solar energy for both van and car, no Landcruiser ;-), used the tv once, no diff locks, only a 2” lift in heavy duty springs in the back due to towing.
Hey if you already have it you might as well use it 😉. I bet if we had ac it'd probably be on all the time, but was just making a point you don't need to go out and buy this stuff solely for a lap of Australia. 😀
I'm a bit late... but fantastic vid. We have an FJ and Tvan for the two of us. Agree with everything you said. Coming from Canberra and doing a lot of camping in the Snowies, we still don't have a diesel heater (hot water bottles and a warm doona do the job). We've also done a few laps and half laps. We travel without all those things, with the exception of a Travel Buddy. Great to pull up after a long day's drive (say 8+ hours) and have a roast ready to eat... or pies for lunch, croissants for breakfast etc. We never use it while stationary, so doesn't drain the batteries. For once... great to see a vid that isn't plugging all the bells and whistles. Cheers 🍻👍
Thanks mate for your positive comment, really good to hear. I love the tvan and if it wasn't for having to set up kids beds every night we probably would have gone down that road.
I keep hearing a lot of good things about the 12v ovens, and maybe one day we'll try it out, but limited space is a problem especially now with 2 kids and 2 dogs to fit in the car.
Cheers for the support and happy to answer any questions 😀
Travel buddy is great... 2 to 3 hour drive meals done or close to. Driving is no power usage it's just drawing from the car alternator.
Parked a 200w panel will cover it mostly and recharge batteries to full easy.
I've crossed the nullarbor with a $40 tent, some cheap equipment from kmart like a camping stove and cookware. I did spend good money on the camping mattress because when you are in the road for many hours you'll need a good sleep ( that's a no negotiable). What you really need to travel is a good spirit of adventure, without that, it doesn't matter how much gear you have, it will never be enough.
Nice video and safe travels!!
Good stuff! So true. Thanks for watching 🤠👍
Great vid guys, thankyou. I've been travelling for 2.5 yrs in my basic caravan, and I agree with everything you mentioned. Cheers
Thanks for the support and watching 👍
Love your videos very informative and relatable to the average person the setup/ camping you guys do is my ideal way to get away
Thanks John, we are just like most people. Working full-time, mortgage and camping is about ease, budget and time away from work and stress. Also we reject most sponsorship so we don't have to plug gear that we think isn't essential. Thanks for the support and watching 👍
Great info My Wife and I did the big lap starting in 1979 for 2 and half years we were 21 with a 10-year-old F100 ( could not afford 4x4) Xl 185 motorbike 6x4 box trailer which we sleep in, No air, not even a fan but we had a 30litra 3-way fridge.80% was free to camp 80% of the rds where dirt. We did the Gibb River Rd 2-wheel drive all the way and spent 2 weeks at El Questro Station all to our self only the caretaker. No phone no internet no cards left with $2000 life was simple then.
That sounds like a really adventure, people don't realise how easy we have it now. Great to hear about your adventure and makes me want to go again 🤠
While it's not exactly the same thing, I can remember watching a video of a young woman who had built herself a tiny, movable home. It was so small, she almost had to go outside to turn around! Her solution to avoiding having her tiny space becoming cluttered with things she could do without was to not have anything in the house that didn't have three uses. I thought this would be impossible, but she did it - somehow!
I'm planning on soon becoming not homeless, but certainly houseless and just traveling 'till I can't do it anymore and your video was very helpful. Thanks folks.
Thanks mate, sorry for the delayed reply. I definitely prefer exploring and travelling in a smaller set-up. Plan is when the kids grow up we won't even tow a trailer, so smaller again and I can't wait. And if we ever get sick of the small set-up while travelling, we'll just go to a nice hotel for a couple of nights for a treat 🤠👍🍻
Technically you could do it with an esky and a grill to cook on the fire. To say you don't need because of your own choices is not a reasonable statement. Sharing your experience alone is enough.
Great video. Pleased with everything you said. Matches my style of travelling and economy. Please show the tools and jack arrangements you use for tyre changes and general maintenance. I was very interested to see you use a stand and high lift jack. Thanks guys. Appreciate your work. 👍😊
Thanks Ray, I'll probably do a tools video after our snow trip. Main reason for the hi lift jack is we can use it to winch the trailer sideways/backwards and to pop the tyres off the rims. And I don't like doubling up so no bottle jack, just means we take a light jack stand which is probably safer anyway then a bottle jack when working on the car/trailer.
Thanks for watching 👍
Great advice for those of us that are on a budget or just enjoy the simple camping methods, liked what i seen in this video so will subscribe and check out what you get up to
Thanks Kerry for the support, we are just a regularly working family who love getting out and seeing new parts of Australia. Happy to answer any questions 😀
if you are doing the work your self to save money ,remember to fit fuses as i learned the hard way when walked around the van to see the car in the shed on fire from the front to the back i eventually put it out with water to find that the fuel would have been burned through in another minute and the battery with a big hole burnt in it.
It all depends on where you go thought but for us and probably 97% of people travelling Australia, no TV, tick; no generator, tick; no induction stove, tick; no microwave, tick; no hair dryer, tick; no coffee machine, tick; no hema maps or separate GPS, tick; no petrol chainsaw, tick; no webber bbq, tick. But you do need to good electric system and a reasonable recover gear.
Hi I agree with most of your list except the Weber - mostly due to its versatility and very low gas consumption. With the accessories you can bake bread, roast, bbq & do pizza so I think it’s well worth it
Yeah you make a good point, mouth is watering just thinking about it 🤤. Cheers for watching and the support 👍
I'm also a 4WD tourer but don't tow anything. So I can't relate to the camper specific items on your list. But for the rest, I totally agree with you - EXCEPT for one. And that is you suggesting not needing a dedicated GPS device. Maybe you don't tour really remote places for days at a time. 'Coz if you do, you'd realise how invaluable GPS devices are when there is no mobile phone signal to be had. I agree, when in areas with great mobile phone coverage, apps like Waze, Google Maps, WikiCamps etc. are excellent in finding POIs, and getting you from A to B. But most apps on mobile phones require at least 3G signal to work these days. Sure with Google Maps you can download offline maps, but you need to be extremely organised to make sure you download the area(s) you plan to visit while you have strong phone signal. But if you're like me who will do ad hoc side trips 'coz there was a great sign or track, it might not always work. So for remote touring I use two dedicated GPS systems to ensure I have back-ups (just like you having two gas bottles to have as back-up). One is the HEMA HX-1, and the other is an iPad with GPS, which has Memory-Maps & HEMA Explore Maps installed. Plus I have old school paper maps too. All of my mapping tools (digital or paper) have all come in handy when touring in remote places. I wouldn't tour without them.
We bought a hema for our lap of Australia and it wouldn't stay on half way through our trip, so we managed with our paper maps, downloaded wikicamps so it would work off line and that was enough to get by.
Definitely would have been easier with the hema working especially when we did the very remote areas, but we managed. I think that money could have been better spent after we couldn't use it. Cheers for the support and positive comments 👍
You dont travel and leave the TV on its wall mount anyway. Diesel heaters are great for cold climates and allows you to travel in winter, especially with snow. Air con and microwave only work on 24v, a common inclusion in an off-road caravan. A chainsaw is going to be a lifesaver If you have a tree blocking your destination route. A small Husqvana is handy.
Thanks for keeping it real, it is easy to get carried away with stuff 👌
I know, especially when you watch other people who have all this gear and they make it sound like you need 3000 watt inverters, and 300amps of lithium and remote res shocks.
Every one's set-ups should be tailored for their needs and it's important for people to spend wisely on what they actually need. Cheers for the support 👍
Very different and great advice away from the normal "have to have" BS promoted by marketers making money --- I'm so over it !
People should think back how it was done 10-15-20- 30- 50-100 years ago
A big weight saver is a Bedourie mild steel camp oven instead of cast iron --- cast iron may be better but a Bedourie is far lighter , more versatile , and unbreakable --- the lid makes a good fry pan so there's one less thing to pack
An old one -- most things carried should have at least 2 uses .
The less you buy to carry leaves more $$ for fuel and less weight wasting fuel .
There is a couple with a three year old dong the Ozzie 4wd thing in a 2wd 1980s (???) combie van !! We don't need much to travel most of Aust
Safe travels
Thanks Ian and your spot on, alot of product gets thrown at youtubers and people see that and think it's a must have. You'd be shocked how much we've turned away. Cheers for the support 👍
G’day at last a real and true full review well done all you will save people money , that they can put towards there trip
Well done on your considered explanations. A beacon of light in a sea of "experts". Thank you.
Cheers mate, just wanted to show people what we learnt from our travels. Thanks for the support 👍
Down with Glamping bring back camping. Yeah outdoors is the main reason for the travel enjoy it. Stay safe out there.
My thoughts exactly, really makes you appreciate all that stuff when you get home. Thanks for the support 👍
Great video basic camping is great no need for all the appliances that's why we camp . Keep it simple.
Spot on mate. Amazing what you can do with out, and then you really appreciate that stuff when you get home. Cheers for the support, really appreciate it 👍
A reliable vehicle and a fold-up toilet seat and shovel, pure luxury!
Yep, don't need much to have a great time 👍
We still rock the tub with a canopy on our dualcab ranger, and have done for many years also with a few laps of aus, we don't even own a camper trailer/caravan of any sort.
We have dual batterys with a solar panel mounted permanently that easily keeps up with 2x 40l engels etc etc.
That's the extent of our permanent mods for camping.
We are upgrading to a underbody watertank currently tho.
I'm a dad with a wife and 2 teenage girls and not one of the ladies complain.
As long as the beds are dry and clean and the foods there.
Everyone's "needs" are different but we are about if it fits in the car it can come.
Biggest issue is the amount of companies saying "you need this"
But can understand the fella that doesnt really know, walks into a shop and salesman says happy wife happy life swipe here sir.
You guys must be having the best adventures and I bet you guys are so close. It's amazing how little you need to travel and then the extra money for time off work is far more important than the luxury.
Ah, a brave video to make :) If you are prepared to rough it you don't even need a van or a camper. We met a family going round in a big tent and it was a BIG family. Later we even met a guy going round just using his car. Certainly two ways I would never even think of trying but I guess it all depends on how much discomfort you are prepared to put up with. For us, a air con is essential because we want the comfort and that meant also taking a generator. Those two things made life so much more bearable up north in the heat.
I have ridden around a lot of Australia on a motorcycle with a swag living out of tin cans. Had a ball.
Yeah each to there own, this is just my opinion and I'm definitely not saying if you bring these things your doing it wrong. I bet we brought things you might consider unnecessary, and I bet if you asked me at the time when we where sitting in 38 degree northern heat if we want air con, we would probably give you a different answer 🤣
Agree with your approach. When you see what some people take away one wonders why they just don’t stay at home or go to a hotel. Half the fun of camping / touring is making do and improvising. Bacon and eggs cooked over a fire tastes and smells much better than using an induction cooker. Put your money into a first rate first aid kit and an Epurb.
Spot on Bob, I think camping has become a trend and people want to show off more than actually see, do and experience
Hey guy's,top vid with lots of good advice.A lot like how we travel in our
camper.Thanks look forward to the snow section.👴🏾👍🏾
Thanks mate 👍, sometimes simplicity is the best. Snow trip continues next week, I just needed a little more time for editing, can't wait to share it 😁
Another great vid guys, sensible practice advise. Making the decision to travel is the hard bit, once you have done that you can always make it work with what you have.
Spot on there, it's not about travelling Australia the way everyone else seems to be doing it, it's about doing your trip your way 😉
Just found your site and you sound interesting so will be following you, I live full time in my camper, very basic and love it. Cheers Judy
Thanks Judy for joining us 😀 i think living simple is a great idea and I love the lifestyle that comes with it
Sounds like you’d really like a 200 series and an air conditioned van with induction and a microwave!
Yeah I'd love a 200, just a matter of paying for it 😬
Great video, love watching your adventures.
Also, we have everything you mentioned!!! Quiet funny, as you guys have done the lap and we are getting ready to do it next year!!!
Hey it's just my opinion on how we travel , not saying you can't do it with this stuff and I bet you'll have a fantastic time. We've always said you have to do your trip your way, so if you have a 200 ser, then that's your way and I bet it'll be unstoppable.
Before our lap I almost put money down on a new 200, but then I was thinking that was our budget for the trip and we would wait a couple more years, then we wondered if we should then wait until the kids finished high school and then what if.....
I guess I'm saying if you've got this gear no problems, but don't think you need this gear to do it, you learn to live without it and pretty soon we forget what we didn't have and enjoyed our time together
@@GoingOverland thanks for that.
We set our goal a few years back, plus were a few years older than you so when we do go I doubt we will ever settle and go back working full time, not in the mines again anyway. I'd love to do the lap in a tent but the wife needs her luxuries, and when you mentioned hair dryer I spat my drink out and got a dirty look!!!
We are all different and that what makes this world a beautiful place, we love watching your adventures and Hayley and Joe will have the best childhood ever!!!
Keep up the great work and videos but most of all, keep going overland!!!
Such a great video, priceless info. Thanks for making it.
One Life, One Search,
Shane
Thanks Shane for the support and watching 👍
Good advice guys. We have a 2009 120 series Prado. Have Hema Explorer but don’t use often. Google maps work even off line if you download the area you are going to. We have had a Weber Baby Q from years ago, gets a bit of use. No AC in the camper. No 240v in the camper. 12V tv is in the garage since kids no longer come.
We are heading away down to Broken Hill next week and the Mundi Mundi Bash and then a couple of weeks out in the desert. Have to catch up on your channel when we get back. Cheers guys.
Thanks Kevin for your support 👍, have a great trip too, Broken Hill is a great place and we travelled north along the border track to Cameron corner years ago, was a beautiful part of the country ❤
in 2000 my girlfriend and I travelled from Perth and did the whole top end of Western Australia in a Lada Niva with a 2 person tent a plastic esky and a 2 burner gas stove ! it was the trip of a lifetime and we had virtually nothing , looking back if we had it all the trip wouldn't have been half as good !
That's fantastic, so simple and a really adventure. When people travel around with massive caravans and everything including coffee machines and a microwave they miss out on a real experience. Great to hear you're about your adventure 🤠
What's an Eski 😊
I bet u still talk about that trip today.
You nailed it ! sometimes it rains for two weeks.
Cheers mate, thanks for the support 👍 🤠🍻
If I am camping for a week or more I use my honda. The new models are so quiet. Only us it when batteries are low
Yeah we've been north Queensland a couple of times and that cloud cover up there can last week's, so if you aren't driving I can definitely see the need. Definitely not saying people shouldn't have a camping set-up for their needs, more was thinking about when travelling full-time and constantly on the move. We took less gear on our lap then we do for a long weekends
Great video guys and thanks for sharing. Too many people get tied up with keeping up with the Jones and they dont really enjoy getting back to basics and just getting out there while they are young and healthy and experiencing all life has to offer. Technology is good, but it but it takes alot away from us as well..
Thanks mate 👍 I actually enjoy taking just the minimum because it feels like there is more to to sit back and soak it in
We must be roughing it then. 2017 Toyota Hiace pop top campervan (with solar) and a two burner Dometic metho stove. We are taking our little Weber Baby Q on our next trip. We do have a fridge though.
🤣 yeah our setup has come a long way from what we started with, but even then I still call it basic. How do you like the metho stove, I'm really interested in trying a alternative fuel stove
@@GoingOverland ,, our campervan (Frontline conversion) came with a Dometic Origo 3000 metho stove. Frontline did this because a metho stove doesn't need compliance like a permanent LPG system does. We were going to convert to LPG but after some research, decided to stay with the Dometic. The Dometic is also removable, so we don't cook in the van but under the awning. No bottles and hoses. Sadly they are no longer made. They occasionally come up on the 2nd hand market but are expensive and are snapped up pretty quickly. Boaties love them because metho is safer than LPG.
Metho doesn't burn as hot as LPG and you'll get a soot deposit on your pans. Apparently, 10% water stops this. Large quantities of water (like cooking pasta) can be a pain in the arse but for general cooking, they are brilliant. Metho is cheap and can be bought anywhere. They are also economical.
With you on all except the webber, especially if you don't have a travel buddy as well. If you could have campfires 365 days a year then I would agreed but here in WA we have firebans for a large part of the year, this is where the webber is great, not that expensive, cheap to run and can use it as an oven. I don't take it when we can have a fire but pack it for every trip during firebans.
Yeah your not wrong, just a difference of opinion. In our setup if we did bring a Webber on our lap of Australia it would meant leaving something else at home or having to move it every time we wanted to use the toilet inside the camper. But have a mate who brings one everywhere and the smell of the food is 😋
What do you use as ground sheet for when your having a shower to keep feet reasonably clean and where do you store it?
We love you guys true people 😊
did it in a vz commodore and a tent
Yes that's the way, don't need a top of the line 4wd that cost nearly as much as a house. Cheers mate, keep adventuring 👍
Good video. I agree you do not need to take everything or the best money can buy.
One thing I picked up on was not having a webber or some other sort of gas oven/bbq.
I recently learned large areas of WA and maybe SA (not certain) do not allow fires for a fair part of the year. Being restricted to a gas stove for a long period would be a hassle for us. No roasts or pizza or quiche or bread etc because you cant use a camp oven would be an issue. If I am wrong please let me know and I will leave the webber home. Nothing better than a camp oven meal.
Hey John it's just my opinion, it's not a don't travel with this items. I think if you like cooking on a Webber and you plan on using it regularly, go for it. The food that comes out of them smells and is fantastic 😋
It's more of a point you don't need to buy one just for a lap of Australia. Buy one and use it all the time and get your money worth. And I bet we took things you might think is not necessary, so this video is just a bit of guidance, not a set rule for everyone 😉
@@GoingOverland I get all that. My point was more about no camp fires in WA and SA for large parts of the year. No fire = no camp oven. So what do you use then. Just the gas stove or something else?
I've done a lot of the tracks in the Vic high country on HT tyres. I'm not saying AT or MT are bad, but I hate seeing people spending big on 5 new BFG tyres and spending 99% on the bitumen. Just see how you go first with your road tyres, if they are in good condition and with correct pressures you'll be surprised how far they go.
We usually run mud tires, the Patrol doesn't have to do work duties any more so the wear isn't a problem, but switched to the bfg ats for our lap and they are great. Done over 40k on them and still over half tread, but you're right, tire pressures are crucial both on and off road
We have just found your channel, so we are going to hang around and tag along
Awesome guys, happy to answer any questions you have, thanks for the support 👍
Wise words Guys. We both travel much the same and you know, i reckon my camping and travelling experience is enhanced the more basic i can be. Gees its been great watching you guys all grow as a quality channel. My wife reckons you should adopt me as a ready made camp old time story teller and rockologist. ( ok, i added the rockologist part. LOL)
🤣 yeah mate you get the the job 👍.
Very true though, the less we bring the more time we have for fun and relaxation 😌
I am planning an overlanding trip, Good 4wd with good tires, good gas stove & fuel, good water containers, good ice chest, and good maps. Then lots of adventurous spirit tempered by good judgement. I am an old fart who has been doing this for 50 years in the US before all of the fancy gear.
Spot on there mate, sounds like my kind of travel, simple, budget and a adventure, what more do you need. 😀 cheers for the support 👍
Brilliant video mate and thankyou for the honesty it truly goes a long way. on a side note, are those alloy rims on your patrol? if so what brand?
No they are chrome, old school to suit the patrol, but they need upkeep and polishing and oiling so they don't rust plus it was a 18 week wait before all the covid delays of today!
It’s a matter of perspective. Your GQ patrol and set up is some people’s dream…
Hey guys, thanks. I am a budget camper looking to take off for an extended trip around Aus. This is priceless info for me. Thanks heaps for sharing
Cheers Jim, really happy to help fellow travellers, happy to answer any questions and there is a heap of other helpful videos on our channel if you need 😀
Great informative vid guys. Maybe buy a tripod for the camera tho 👍
Thanks mate, we do have one but I always get caught up in the moment and forget things like setting up a tripod. Cheers for the support 👍
A great video guys, & yes travel in your own budget.
I travel Cairns-Adelaide every yr visiting family.
Sometimes via Blue mountains or sometimes via the Stuart Hwy.
I use to travel in an old Kia Pregio van with a mattress in the back, & a fridge.
It’s all about having fun, & enjoying yourself.
That's fantastic Stephen, and I bet you had one of the fastest setting up times, it's amazing how long I've seen people setting up and uploading all the gear, and missing out on what's happening around them
Liked it, if you can afford the new and best fine. If not you can still get out there with the basic gear.
Exactly, travel your way and don't worry if it's not everyone on social media is showing it. 👌
I am using a reciprocating saw.
🤣 careful with that, I think you should have a ticket to use one 😉
@@GoingOverland I have plenty of tickets. Speeding, crossing double lines. Failing to stop at a stop sign 😂😂😂
Dewalt Recip saw all the way. Ours is brilliant.
I absolutely love your first comment 👍😏.
Yeah we seen so many 200 series last year, I think it was every 4th 4wd was a 200ser
Great show guys thanks.
Cheers Scoot
Thanks again Scoot 🍻
No backpack with built-in beer keg then?
Bugger...
🤣 that's a must have for the boys weekend trip
I travelled around Australia in the 80's for 3.5 years, in a HD Holden ute. You have no idea.
Amazing video, such useful information!
Thanks Catherine for watching and the support 👍
This was super helpful.
..What is a 'camp oven' tho?
You neglected to mention wide tyres.
Totally agree There’s just so much you don’t need. Air fryer, coffee machine my 2nd and third straight after 200 series 😂😂closely followed by the chainsaw and bulky swags
So true, the more you take the more cleaning you have to do, and we usually like to take more drinking water so we can stay some place epic for longer rather than carrying that weight in gadgets and extras
The theme song inspired by primal outdoors channel? :-) Lovely episode
🤔 not sure, but I'll have to jump onto one of his videos and find out. Thanks for the support 👍
@@GoingOverland "like a bird in a tree" he is using in almost every camping video. Love it in the context of your video too.
Webber takes up a lot of room and are hard to store. Can buy little battery chainsaws now don’t take up the space and not heavy.
Yeah those battery chainsaws look fantastic, and no petrol smell makes them so easy to pack
Hit the nail on the head with Air-con, TV/camp fires (which are a form of TV as you keep looking into it and you miss the stars), chainsaw (hand saw keeps you buffed). Lapped Australia twice and took two years to do it in a shitty Hi-Ace Van (heater didn´t even work) which kept on keeping on. Always outside and only in when we sleep or watched GOT (Game of Thrones) & Walking Dead burnt onto CD) Would do it again with even less - as always, less is best, or as GO say "Don't need it" Get off your arse and get into It! %^)
🤣 I like that saying 👍. Sounds like you got to have a real adventure in the hiace. A lot of people would think you're crazy, but I think that's fantastic 👌. Great work and thanks for the support 👍
Noice Vid. Enjoy the Snow...
Cheers 🍻
Your videos are great. And so is your videoing gear. What do you use for your sound recording while recording?
We are pretty simple and need gear that's fast and tough and dust proof, so we mostly use a gopro 9 and media mod, and that works great even when really windy. Does surprisingly good even on the beach or with camera out the window while driving
When going around Australia how do you change fluids on your car such as engine oil and diffs etc...?
Did the diffs and gearbox before we left so didn't have to do them on the road. Engine oil was done every 5000 km and I'd buy oil, filters, tarp, 2 buckets, funnel when service was due. Did the service in car park/gravel pit on the tarp so no drops of oil and spills. Then just took old oil to dump and small fee for the oil.
THANK YOU FOR VIDEO SPECIAL WHEN FAMILY TRIP
No problems, happy to help any questions. Thanks for the support 👍
What is a 200 Series??? From Bonny Scotland 😊
It's a $120k landcruiser with a big v8 diesel that everyone in Australia thinks they need to tow the biggest caravan they can afford