GEAR FOR A WEEKEND AWAY WITH YOUR MATES

September 02, 2015

I love a weekend away camping with my mates. It is a great way to catch up, share some new experiences, tell a few tall tales and generally recharge the batteries. Over the 20 or so years I have been heading into the outdoors with my mates I have found myself taking less and less gear and my camping setup for these trips has become really quite basic. I do this for a number of reasons. One, usually these trips are only 2 or 3 days so I don’t want to spend time setting up and packing up elaborate camping setups when I could be flicking lures around a few snags. Two I love the simplicity of it, a feeling of really getting back to basics and more in tune with mother nature.

So what does my camping set up consist of for a weekend away with the boys:

• My swag and groudsheet. It is bloody comfortable. In it I have a pillow and my Crashpad sleep system. This covers me for any weather conditions that I may encounter.
• My kitchen. I have a small space case that is packed with all my kitchen gear. This is always set up and fully stocked so that I can just grab it and go in a moments notice. If something runs out while out bush I replace it on the first trip to the supermarket once back in civilisation.
• Tucker box. This is also another small space case which is stocked with food for the trip. It usually has a selection of non perishables that live in there permanently.
• Drinking and washing up water for the trip.
• A chair. Sometimes this is simply a small fold up stool that takes up no space and can be tucked in anywhere. 
• Chainsaw and relevant bar oil and fuel.
• A fridge. I use a 40 litre Engel for these trips.
• A bag with a few clothes in it. This always includes a beanie. I also have a rainproof jacket that lives in the truck somewhere.
• Recovery box. This is also a space case that contains some spare parts for my truck, tools, spare fluids, recovery gear, drag chain, air compressor, a ground sheet / multi-purpose tarp and a few other bits and pieces. It lives in my truck and is never taken out. I don’t even need to consider this box when I get the call for a weekend away as I know it is always ready to go.

With this setup it only takes me a few minutes once arriving at camp to be organised.

So next time you get the call to head bush have a think about what you don’t need to take that will make your adventure that little bit easier. Also spend an hour or so setting up a kitchen and a recovery box that you can just grab and go at a moments notice. Remember less time spent throwing gear into the back of your truck at home and running around looking for plates and cutlery is more time that you will be able to spend out bush with your mates and we all know how valuable that time is.

Seek adventure.

Tower

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