Hi Everyone.
I inherited my childhood home made camper from the old man and I am in the process of stripping it down for a refit. My family of 5 would camp a lot when I was young and I want to get back into it. The trailer was packed with camp stuff (cookers, kettle, plates, cutlery, solar shower bags, dolphin torches, etc) with 4 single 150mm thick foam mattresses for the parents wrapped in a huge tarp for weatherproofing and sandwiched down with 8 foot wooden trestle tables in a cage up top, and maybe a 10 person tent strapped on top of that, so it was a LONG time to set up and pack up when we got to camp. I want something that has enough space for all the gear to live in it permanently so we can just pack a bag of clothes, throw some food in the fridge, clean water in the tanks, and the dogs in the car and disappear for a night or two or ten! My Wife gets anxiety and in order to enjoy camping she needs to know nothing can go wrong, which means I can justify all kinds of fruit by saying it makes it waaaaaaaaaaaaaayyyyyyy more reliable for us!
I already have an Arkpack with a 130ah AGM battery in there that I will stick in the trailer (since it already has an Anderson plug so will be easy to connect up), a Weber Baby Q and butane stove for cooking duties, plus assorted chairs, tables, a rechargeable fan, 2.5x2.5m mesh awning room, and other general camping stuff.
I ordered the new Adventure Kings "Kwiky" pop up hard shell tent last night since it is 1/3 the price of the giant James Baroud, has most of the features we liked and is big enough to fit me in it. I am 194cm with long feet so I can't get comfortable in the shorter tents. We also ordered a 2.5mx2.5m, and 1.4mx2.0m awnings. We just had a camper and caravan show in Rocky and at this stage I am thinking a Partiot X2 copy with a hardshell tent on top, Drifta slide out kitchen, and a side and rear awnings to keep the sun and rain off (although I am under instructions that the second day of rain = drive home) since we were both so impressed by the Patriot (except for the price!).
I will probably start a build log once I get back from work on the 15th, and I will be reading as much as I can to glean everyone elses great ideas.
Thanks.
James