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General => General Discussion => Topic started by: Xfigio on December 20, 2011, 02:05:07 PM

Title: Do you ever leave the camper at home and pack a tent?
Post by: Xfigio on December 20, 2011, 02:05:07 PM
For those with a camper, do you ever use your tent instead of the camper?  I'm not talking about using it for the kids etc, but rather when you elect to leave the camper at home, and just take the tent.

Our tent has tented it's last stand, and am wondering, with the impending CT purchase next year, do I buy another tent for this summer? ???
Title: Re: Do you ever leave the camper at home and pack a tent?
Post by: time on December 20, 2011, 02:15:27 PM
We travel to some pretty hard to get to places for weekends, no chance of getting the camper in to these spots.

The longer trips (annual hols) the camper is always attached.
Title: Re: Do you ever leave the camper at home and pack a tent?
Post by: Bird on December 20, 2011, 02:20:48 PM
Yep, tents will go many places trailers wont.
Title: Re: Do you ever leave the camper at home and pack a tent?
Post by: kiva on December 20, 2011, 03:01:35 PM
If it is just me and no wife or kids, then yes - either the tent or swag.
Title: Re: Do you ever leave the camper at home and pack a tent?
Post by: Mace on December 20, 2011, 03:05:46 PM
Yes, have swags, and  a 4 person dome tent that the swag will fit in if need be for overnight trips, used in conjunction with CT trips if need be, or on CT less trips.
Title: Re: Do you ever leave the camper at home and pack a tent?
Post by: Manjimike on December 20, 2011, 03:07:12 PM
Sometimes I go where there is no track - bushwalking with the Venturer Scouts

 :cheers:
Mike
Title: Re: Do you ever leave the camper at home and pack a tent?
Post by: cancan on December 20, 2011, 03:17:00 PM
If its just me going on a fishing trip I just take a light weight hiking tent. We do have a large family tent which we used prior to the CT, this is now a loaner if friends want to come with us and they have no gear, its currently out at a camp site somewhere whilst the CT is at home with us.
Title: Do you ever leave the camper at home and pack a tent?
Post by: hookedon4wding on December 20, 2011, 03:32:30 PM
We plan to head to the Wanangatta Valley some time soon and will probably just throw the Black Wolf Turbo tent in the car so we're not restricted at all where we can camp. I think tent/swag camping still has a place for quick overnighters between 4wding days. Trying to convince SWMBO to go back to the tent will be the hardest part.
Title: Re: Do you ever leave the camper at home and pack a tent?
Post by: yogi on December 20, 2011, 04:25:41 PM
We have swags, quick erect tent and the camper trailer ......... depends on where, whom and how long we are going for to what we take ;D

yogi
Title: Re: Do you ever leave the camper at home and pack a tent?
Post by: heath74 on December 20, 2011, 04:27:17 PM
Yep, lots.  If the tracks are to rough, and its just me and my boys.
Title: Re: Do you ever leave the camper at home and pack a tent?
Post by: SUPA105 on December 20, 2011, 04:47:47 PM
Taking a swag away more and more......to the stage the camper may soon appear in the trader section here  :'(

Camper hasn't left the shed for 18 months.....

Cheers
Title: Re: Do you ever leave the camper at home and pack a tent?
Post by: yogie on December 20, 2011, 04:56:33 PM
I swag it most times and set up a little 3 man tent for keeping stuff dry, but if wifey comes its the van...
Title: Re: Do you ever leave the camper at home and pack a tent?
Post by: D4D on December 20, 2011, 04:57:06 PM
Camper hasn't left the shed for 18 months.....

I don't feel so bad now, 16 months and counting here
Title: Re: Do you ever leave the camper at home and pack a tent?
Post by: Fivid on December 20, 2011, 05:05:32 PM
Depends where we are going and what sort of trip we are ding.  Trips with lots of one night stops we either tent or swag it.  Some places we head there is no way a sane person would take a CT in there and again the swag or maybe the tent gets used.  We probably use CT 8 to 10 times a year and swag / tent another few times.

 :cheers:
Dave
Title: Re: Do you ever leave the camper at home and pack a tent?
Post by: Xfigio on December 20, 2011, 05:47:39 PM
Well there you go.  That was a real surprise.  I would have thought the preference on a short overnight stop would be the CT, as it would be faster to set up, and bed is already made.  Considering the tent I was considering was the Black Wolf Turbo, it sounds like it won't be a waste to have it in the quiver.
Title: Re: Do you ever leave the camper at home and pack a tent?
Post by: Cam and Deb on December 20, 2011, 06:03:05 PM
Yes we do when we take the bass boat out and go bass and barra fishing which is every 2nd camping trip. 



 :cheers:


Cam
Title: Re: Do you ever leave the camper at home and pack a tent?
Post by: TOPNDR on December 20, 2011, 06:07:59 PM
Pack?

Tent?

Rude words on a Camper Trailer forum I'd reckon.  Lurve the comfort of the Quantum and avoid those first two words as much as is possible.   8)
Title: Re: Do you ever leave the camper at home and pack a tent?
Post by: Snow on December 20, 2011, 07:25:49 PM
If it is just me on me ownsome I throw the swag in, unless it for a story in a camper mag, then I lug the camper abouts.  ;D ;D



Title: Re: Do you ever leave the camper at home and pack a tent?
Post by: Symon on December 20, 2011, 07:41:13 PM
If it is only an overnighter I'd usually just use the swag.
Title: Re: Do you ever leave the camper at home and pack a tent?
Post by: speewa158 on December 20, 2011, 07:56:15 PM
Get Real , a swag is to low to the bitties & crawlies . No CT then lm not there . Done my time in swags at stock camp . Now ln to old to just swag it  :cheers:
Title: Re: Do you ever leave the camper at home and pack a tent?
Post by: Wato on December 20, 2011, 08:39:31 PM
If its just me or with mates I use the swag under the awning off the Patrol.
Title: Re: Do you ever leave the camper at home and pack a tent?
Post by: outback jack on December 20, 2011, 08:46:03 PM
if the handbrake is with me i take the ct, but if its just me 90% of the time its the roof top tent
Title: Re: Do you ever leave the camper at home and pack a tent?
Post by: GU Rich on December 20, 2011, 08:50:17 PM
My swag gets used a lot  ;D, so does my camper  ;D
Title: Re: Do you ever leave the camper at home and pack a tent?
Post by: ralphedward on December 20, 2011, 09:01:22 PM
Since I bought young 'Cooper' I've only camped once without it - didn't mean to and thought I was getting bloody great fuel economy outta the Paj 'til I discovered  I'd left the bloody thing at home.  Decided then and there that I would wait to start drinking 'til I'd set up the campsite.   



 (just in case anyone believes that I would drink and drive this comment was brought to you by the letters T.I.C.) :cheers:
Title: Re: Do you ever leave the camper at home and pack a tent?
Post by: Black Diamond on December 20, 2011, 09:16:33 PM
Get Real , a swag is to low to the bitties & crawlies . No CT then lm not there . Done my time in swags at stock camp . Now ln to old to just swag it  :cheers:
Your getting too precious in your old age Jamie ;D

Love the swag, except when I snort canvas when sucking those zzz's. :cheers:
Title: Re: Do you ever leave the camper at home and pack a tent?
Post by: Tim - Stratford on December 20, 2011, 09:22:49 PM
Boy's Trip each winter - swags.

Mobile trips to places un-kamper friendly - swags x4

All trips even with Kamper the kids use their swags - easy setup.
Title: Re: Do you ever leave the camper at home and pack a tent?
Post by: TOPNDR on December 20, 2011, 09:40:07 PM
We lived in the NT until mid '07 and used to swag it. But when cane toads made it across the border Mrs T refused to sleep in a swag, as she wasn't prepared to risk waking in the middle of the night with a toad sitting on her.  So since then it's been a camper trailer and we've taken to it like ducks to water.
Title: Re: Do you ever leave the camper at home and pack a tent?
Post by: HEM19X on December 21, 2011, 05:44:35 AM
We have a 4 man dome tent & air mattress - even on long trips we usually take them - just in case we want to leave the CT behind.

Title: Re: Do you ever leave the camper at home and pack a tent?
Post by: bussoboy on December 21, 2011, 06:53:00 AM
gave our good tent away to friends when our CT arrived, haven't needed to replace it yet, but i see a time a long way down the track that we will need to take a tent with us, we still have a tent but it is roughly the same size as our CT and takes twice a long to set up so it will live in the back shed for the rest of its days unless someone wants to part with a bottle of Canadian Club for it  ;D
Title: Re: Do you ever leave the camper at home and pack a tent?
Post by: Blinky Bill on December 21, 2011, 07:45:16 AM
Well there you go.  That was a real surprise.  I would have thought the preference on a short overnight stop would be the CT, as it would be faster to set up, and bed is already made.  Considering the tent I was considering was the Black Wolf Turbo, it sounds like it won't be a waste to have it in the quiver.

Interesting topic this one. Good on you for raising it.

Just like you I also thought the quick stops = CT wins gold every time. I say that because we've not long returned from our around Oz trip and there were lots & lots of one night stops. Not just that but sometimes it was arrive late & depart sparrow fart and the CT was perfect for quick set-ups and fast get aways.

Why then I asked myself have I been looking lately at those nifty looking swags at Coffs Harbour camping stores, and in particular a double swag? There's a certain appeal there for me but then the CT has it all with:
* super quick set-up (quick awning only or none) - 2 minutes
* very comfy off the ground bed (leave it made-up) -
* good kitchen & pantry
* water on tap - no need to bugger the old back lugging 20L water around
* reasonable space when the weather is crook - tent or a swag would be hell for me in the rain
* place for the dog on his cushion
* pretty quick pack-up & leave - around 5 minutes

Best things for the swag seemed to be
1. Better fuel economy (no CT in tow)
2. Comfy sleep (or so I'm told).
3. Reach more the more difficult destinations.
4. Small space only required for camp set-up.

Best things with tent:
1. Better fuel economy than a CT.
2. Good for hard to get to places.
After that the negatives seem to out weight the positives.

After 3 months away I now understand & appreciate the value of comfort. Yes a CT costs more in fuel but it's worth every cent.

Cheers - Wayne

Title: Re: Do you ever leave the camper at home and pack a tent?
Post by: jeeps on December 21, 2011, 01:43:43 PM
I take my camper trailer so i can sleep in a swag.

Sounds strange i know, but if i'm going to a bike comp which is an overnighter i sleep in a 'tent-cot' but i take the camper trailer because the bike can be carried on the drawbar but most importantly the camper trailer has the full kitchen and power setup for lights. The tent cot is quicker to setup and put away when you're on your own.

I could take the lighter bike trailer but the camper trailer is a bit heavier so the bike doesn't get thrown around as much and i don't need to spend any time packing the jeep with camping gear as the trailer is already setup. There's nothing worse than having to pull everything out of the camper trailer, sort it out and put it in the jeep and then put it all back in the camper's kitchen when i get home.

cheers
Title: Re: Do you ever leave the camper at home and pack a tent?
Post by: Blue Bravo on December 21, 2011, 03:45:50 PM
We had an on road camper first and we used to take a tent so we could go "off road". Mrs Bravo got over the tent and gave permission to buy the Off Roader. Still I took the tent to the Tight Lines Tour as I was by myself and I enjoyed it. It will stay in the garage with all the other stuff that will come in handt one day.
Title: Re: Do you ever leave the camper at home and pack a tent?
Post by: maca76 on December 21, 2011, 04:03:31 PM
We leave the camper behind sometimes only when we want to take the boat, over the last 2 months we have used our tent twice and camper once, as where we were going had great boat fishing.


Cheers Ryan  :cheers:
Title: Re: Do you ever leave the camper at home and pack a tent?
Post by: camdyson on December 21, 2011, 09:43:01 PM
If travelling solo for only a night or three, I'll generally swag it. Love the ol' B&W and just pull the awning out if weather's sus. Also, I can arrive late, drink with the gang, stagger to the 4by and still set my swag up in the dark - can't do that with the soft floor..... ;D

Next trip is 8 nights with the b&c in tow, so it's the trusty camper this time. Love 'em both though (swag and camper.... 8))

Cheers,

Cam
Title: Re: Do you ever leave the camper at home and pack a tent?
Post by: Maîneÿ . . . on December 21, 2011, 11:39:15 PM
Looks like there should be a few 'good tents' available for sale on this thread


Yep, I'm looking for a good tent  ;D

have never used a swag, but I understand they are a one person product, so a tent would suit better I think :cheers:

PM me if you have a (good) tent you can part with :worthles:
Title: Re: Do you ever leave the camper at home and pack a tent?
Post by: Pebble on December 22, 2011, 09:07:44 AM
When we had a camper we did think of the idea of carrying a tent....you know in case we wanted to try some harder tracks and overnight somewhere away from the camper.
But the problem is that when you have your camper fully set up generally it's because all your stuff doesn't fit in the car, so from my point of view it would probably be quite a hassle transferring necessities to the car (like water, stove, food, sleeping gear etc etc) just to go away from the camper for a night!
Although I'd have to say traveling in rainy weather down the East Coast we did drop into a motel or two :D And in some ways the price you pay at a caravan park for a family of 4 just for an unpowered site, at times may as well just go into a cabin for an odd night if necessary :) Although that was then, the kids are older now so not likely to do that sort of thing unless it's a really really long trip.

Looking at buying swags at the moment (any recommendations for a good double for 2 people to sleep in?) for us probably to use in the single pole tent (Hybby's not a fan of inflatable mattresses. hiking ones not comfy enough and the 4wd ones are too bulky), and for the kids so we can kick them out of the tent (don't generally set up the two hiking tents we brought for that purpose as the single pole is just a lot quicker and easier), and if it's raining I guess we can all throw our swags in the one tent if the weather is that bad. (We don't have a camper trailer again as changed cars yet again...Troopy this time, looks like it's going to fit us all in with gear!).

But yes I reckon having an option to tent or swag it instead of a camper trailer is a good idea, but then you would probably start wondering if you really need the camper......I see them pretty much as just a bed on wheels, but of course when the kids move out and we retire my view will change as they will hopefully become a "home on wheels" :D
Title: Re: Do you ever leave the camper at home and pack a tent?
Post by: Mace on December 22, 2011, 10:09:28 AM

Looking at buying swags at the moment (any recommendations for a good double for 2 people to sleep in?)



We've used a Darche Double Superdome for over ten years now.  It has given us great service.  Probably cost a lot more than $240 now tho!

http://www.darche.com.au/swags/original_superdome.html (http://www.darche.com.au/swags/original_superdome.html)


You do need to get used to sleeping with your head just below the canvas tho, SHMBO puts up with it, but that said,  we mostly sleep with just the mesh above us unless its raining.

The superdome now also appears to have a lot more "footspace" than our original.

 :cheers:

Mace

Title: Re: Do you ever leave the camper at home and pack a tent?
Post by: Pebble on December 23, 2011, 10:44:15 PM
We've used a Darche Double Superdome for over ten years now.  It has given us great service.  Probably cost a lot more than $240 now tho!

http://www.darche.com.au/swags/original_superdome.html (http://www.darche.com.au/swags/original_superdome.html)


You do need to get used to sleeping with your head just below the canvas tho, SHMBO puts up with it, but that said,  we mostly sleep with just the mesh above us unless its raining.

The superdome now also appears to have a lot more "footspace" than our original.

 :cheers:

Mace


Thanks Mace, I've bookmarked your recommendation. From the bit of web research I've done since posting Darche seems to be a brand worth considering for sure. Also spotted the Burke & Wills ones which seem appealing.
Next step is to try and check some out in person hopefully.


Title: Re: Do you ever leave the camper at home and pack a tent?
Post by: tinkera on December 24, 2011, 06:31:43 AM
 Yeah still have all the tenting gear used it for a overnighter couple mth,s ago gee,s it,s hard to go back though you get spoilt with the camper anyway tents get used by my daughters and partners why because they asked for the use of the camper so they will be using the tents for a while to come or till I drop off my perch. Tinkera.
Title: Re: Do you ever leave the camper at home and pack a tent?
Post by: BigJules on December 24, 2011, 01:50:51 PM
I only take a tent because I'm currently camper-less. On the odd occasion it was just my wife and I in her small car we took a tent, but my camper was so easy to set up it was perhaps simpler than a swag or tent.
Title: Re: Do you ever leave the camper at home and pack a tent?
Post by: Teabag on December 24, 2011, 03:08:13 PM
Yep, many times. Depends on the type of trip. I don't see the point of dragging the camper just for myself.

Swag for boy's trips......

(http://i119.photobucket.com/albums/o145/Teabag_album/Simpson%20Trek%202010/Simpson%20Crossing/P8290061.jpg)

Southern Cross Touring tent for longer stays but still only a boy's trip. (Will be used next year for the Cape trip, kids will be in the Grandparents camper....hehehe)

(http://i119.photobucket.com/albums/o145/Teabag_album/Son%20of%20Trials%202008/P2230008.jpg)

Large Southern Cross Double Ender Touring tent for Family trips when I can't tow due to either towing a boat or too hard to get camper trailer in......

(http://i119.photobucket.com/albums/o145/Teabag_album/Tinaroo%20Aug%2009/P9260006.jpg)