How many try it and give up?

[Rumpig]

People tend to think of camping as roughing it. If you have cheap, rubbish gear then it is roughing it. Get some decent gear, and you can have most of the luxuries you have at home.

I've found since upgrading my gear it is a lot more enjoyable!

Aaron

having quality gear helps, but some of our best memories are of camping with a dome tent, an esky and a gas lantern, and all cooking done on an open fire (even under a beach umbrella as it rains which we had to do often). we used to sleep on the ground in the tent with just a sleeping bag and pillow, and about the only other item we took along was a chair to sit in and a communal tarp to sit under.... as it rained every time we went away.
personally i think camping is what you make of it, even when it rained we used to love sitting under the tarp playing cards and having a laugh with mates and family whilst enjoying a few drinks, don't really play cards these days but still manage to have a laugh with mates when it's raining.
maybe all our early camping experiences were good ones hence why we love it so much, i can see how a bad first trip out might change someones view of the experience though.

[Brumbypt]

i have had bad camping trips too, but still go, cos I enjoy 4wding and camping is part of the experience and to get anywhere decent you have to camp.

I dont go anywhere on long weekends, its way too crowded for me.


Peter,
iPad with IOS 7.0.3 using Tapatalk HD

[Steffo1]

We carry a dome tent in the vehicle at all times, even with the camper behind, as the wife & my modus operandi when travelling is:
1-3 nights...Tent
4 or more nights....Camper
The tent's handy when you come across a nice spot but only want to stay the night.
Also, 90% of our camping gear stays in the vehicle drawers with the Engel sitting on top so doing a "Drop of the Hat" o/nighter is no biggy!
Good for those long, into the morning parties too   

[cewilson]

I think you have to make it easy.  Easy to get away, easy to set up, easy to pack up, and easy to clean when you get home.  The harder it is the more there will be excuses not to go.  Different set-ups work for everyone and whilst having the camper trailer works perfectly for us as a family, my humble bivvy bag works perfect when I'm by myself.

Secondly it is a lot harder to get kids used to camping and the outdoors if they haven't experienced it until later in the years.  All of my kids have been camping/travelling since they were babies, and as a result they travel well with minimal complaining.  If anything I have the kids pestering me when the next trip is.

Third camping/travelling with kids can be hard work.  Sickness, sleepless nights, bad weather etc etc.  Thankfully it all gets easier as they get older, but those early years can be quite hard work.  IMHO it is well worth every bit of effort.

Lastly there will be bad times.  Vehicle issues, weather (again), usual marital arguments, being bogged, track closures etc.  Its how you deal with those issues that can make a huge difference.  It can either be the trip from hell that stops all future trips, or it can be the one (of many) that you laugh about in years to come.


Cheers
Chris

[gutters]

I think you have to make it easy.  Easy to get away, easy to set up, easy to pack up, and easy to clean when you get home.  The harder it is the more there will be excuses not to go.  Different set-ups work for everyone and whilst having the camper trailer works perfectly for us as a family, my humble bivvy bag works perfect when I'm by myself.

Secondly it is a lot harder to get kids used to camping and the outdoors if they haven't experienced it until later in the years.  All of my kids have been camping/travelling since they were babies, and as a result they travel well with minimal complaining.  If anything I have the kids pestering me when the next trip is.

Third camping/travelling with kids can be hard work.  Sickness, sleepless nights, bad weather etc etc.  Thankfully it all gets easier as they get older, but those early years can be quite hard work.  IMHO it is well worth every bit of effort.

Lastly there will be bad times.  Vehicle issues, weather (again), usual marital arguments, being bogged, track closures etc.  Its how you deal with those issues that can make a huge difference.  It can either be the trip from hell that stops all future trips, or it can be the one (of many) that you laugh about in years to come.


Cheers
Chris

x2 well said.

[Bird]

I dont go anywhere on long weekends, its way too crowded for me.

x2 well said.

[Diesel Power]

And how many try to give it up?

[Beatle]

Some would say a CT isn't really camping....  So be careful of 'camping' snobbery   
I lived in a van off and on as a kid and even back then my grandfather would take me camping in a canvas tent with no floor.  So it's all relative.

I've had (and still have ) tents of various types. Moved across to a tiny Jayco when it was just me, missus and two dogs.  Eventually ended up in a bogie axle van.   Then back in tents, up to a big tent, now an old Jayco Swan.

What goes around......... 

I'd get out more but I have two pre-teen girls who are into dancing and that takes up most Saturdays, so free weekends are a rarity.  I'd guess many are in a similar position and can't see value in having $12k+ sitting in the driveway taking up space and gets used once a year.

[02-SR5]

That is why we only spent 6k and it only gets used once a year, at the moment.

With the kids school, Army wanting to do Army stuff core most school holidays, Christmas is the only time it gets used.

However, our new year res this year, to see Inaminka and Birdsville and spend at least a couple of weeks away next Christmas.

We had the money to drop on a Trackabout, Customline or even an Outback Dove by Jayco.

We just don't use it enough to justify the cost of a garden ornament.

[03GV]

Our set up isn't a true campertrailer, but a tent ontop of a trailer.
All of my closest friends don't camp, to be honest they never try! But they're alway's jealous of our trips away and commenting "did you go away again?" after quick trip and are in awe of our surrounding's. They think it's all too hard and expensive, our set up is certainly not expensive. Basic camping can be reasonably cheap these day's with the gear available.
Often people use kids/infants as an excuse to not being able to do it, if only they had seen the the amount of people travelling with young tackers when we did out N.T trip!

[Kit_e_kat9]

Loved it then.
Love it now.

It's always going to be 5,000,000 stars for me.

5 stars is nice ... but ...

Kit_e