why go camping? your why may determine the how and your gear!

see also:

• bushwalking in Australia
• overnight hiking camping checklist
• gear to take car camping
• car camping / glamping MY WAY
• camp ground etiquette
• camping laws and where you are permitted to camp
• shelters for camping - tents, swags, vans, hammocks
• my favourite non-commercial camp grounds for tents in Victoria

• people have many reasons why they might want to go camping:
  • they need to camp to be at a desired destination such as a beach or river to cool off for summer or a photography / fishing destination without having to continually negotiate holiday traffic on daily commutes or the commutes would be too far
  • they want to challenge themselves in nature without having access to all the comforts of home
  • they want to take challenging themselves to a larger extent by hiking in remote areas on multi-day hikes
  • they want to challenge themselves in their 4WD driving and recovery skills
  • they want to enjoy the comraderie of fellow campers or 4WDers and perhaps have a yarn around a camp fire
  • they just want to escape from their usual world, get in touch with nature and chill out for a bit
  • some want to go for the survivalist experience with minimal gear - perhaps just a tarp, some paracord and basic fire making gear
    • in nice weather this might be fine and fun if there are no bugs or bears around, but when weather turns, whilst it may give a sense of achievement and an adrenaline rush, its not going to be fun, comfortable nor will you get a good night's sleep and in fact you probably will be cold, wet, miserable and hungry most of the time
  • some just want to gaze at the glory of the Milky Way in a remote area without light pollution and count the meteors as they fall and realise how small we all are in the scheme of things

• the most popular reason to go camping is to escape from the stresses of the normal working world and indulge in time out to connect with nature:
  • exploring new trails and sights on short walks or drives
  • observing wild animal, bird and insect behaviours not to mention the fascinating array of insects that you may find such as stick insects
  • listening to a myriad of different bird songs and trying to identify the species
  • taking in the ambience and smells of nature such as Australia's lemon scented gums and other eucalypts
  • searching for wild flowers such as native orchids
  • read a book
  • “forest bathe” - just enjoy the ambience of laying down in a forest - perhaps inside a 2P mozzie tent if there are insects around
  • watching the sun rise and go down across a lake or over mountainous vistas
  • enjoy the the smell and sound of rain on your tent
    • a tent with clear PVC or TPU doors takes this to the next level as you can watch the rain in comfort while being protected from wind chill and the rain
    • a hot tent with a wood stove adds a further dimension to this experience - and allows you to dry out any wet gear
  • at night, you can:
    • allow yourself to become mesmerized by the dancing of the flames in your camp fire as you chat away with fellow campers
    • taking in the magic of a rural night sky ablaze with a myriad of stars punctuated by fast moving meteors (“falling stars”) and man made satellites drifting across the sky
      • the Milky Way is particularly dramatic in Australia from April to October
      • if you are lucky, you may also be able to photograph aurorae or comets (you may need binoculars to find comets if they are around)
    • observe nocturnal wildlife using night vision cameras
    • catch up on your sleep

• many go camping to re-connect with family and friends, or meet new acquaintances
• learn new skills from fellow campers and share experiences and knowledge
• there are many group games popular at camp grounds such as:
  • card games like Sequence or 500
  • bocce or similar style games
  • camp fire games such as Murder mystery games, shirades, guess the song
• some just love to crank the music up and have a drink and perhaps dance (be aware that this can be risky around a camp fire)
  • be aware that this may impact others especially if after 10pm - if this is what you like doing, go to a remote camp site with your friends or find like-minded campers

• many go camping with a prime goal of enjoying action activities such as:
  • explore the area - old gold mining relics, remnants of rural life long gone, or just take in the beauty of nature and wildlife
  • hiking
  • rock climbing
  • cycling
  • boating / kayaking / jet skis
  • dirt bike riding or challenging 4WD drives through forest plantation trails
  • fishing
  • surfing
  • swimming

• this obviously requires:
  • a degree of fitness
  • appropriate gear
  • hiking and some bushcraft knowledge
  • backup systems for help
  • transport to get to the start and end points
• pros:
  • more mobile as less gear to get ready
  • far less cost compared with 4WD adventures
  • no need to worry about vehicle recovery gear or techniques
  • can get to places not even 4WDers can get to and that means getting reliably to solitude and not finding there is already a pack of 4WDers there
• cons:
  • can't hike to every place a 4WDer can get to
  • very dependent upon weather conditions and integrity of gear
  • much less comfort and amenity than car camping
• most people will just do overnight hikes:
  • less food and water to carry
  • less risks as not so far to get back to the start if things go wrong
  • can carry heavier and less expensive hiking tents and gear
• some will want the challenge of multi-day hikes or even long through hikes
  • requires more food and water to carry
  • greater risks as more remote if things go wrong and weather forecasts change
  • need to carry much lighter and thus more expensive gear such as Dyneema cuben fibre tents or tarps
• others may want to go into survivalist mode:
  • this requires finding unlimited food, water, shelter, fire for the duration often with minimal supplies
  • requires significant fitness and bushcraft

• limited to destinations with good road access and in good weather conditions
• but still can get to many nice destinations such as Tidal River at Wilsons Prom, most of the Grampians camp grounds, etc
• will struggle and risk getting stuck or damaged on rutted gravel roads specially with their lower clearance and sandy or muddy conditions are definitely out
• snow might be possible with chains fitted but not really a great option

• can get to a lot more places with minimal risk and medium costs
• as you will only be sticking to bitumen or reasonable gravel roads you need only the basic recovery gear
• can take larger and heavier tents for much more amenity than hikers have and with better protection from storms
• cons:
  • AWD vehicles are not really suited to serious off-road conditions and will thus limit access and may cause frustration

• cheaper fun vehicles and less gear than 4WD makes a nice compromise if you you only doing weekenders and don't need all the gear and you are solo
• such a small, light vehicle with a 1.5L engine won't be towing a large 4WD out of trouble
• short wheel base allows better approach and departure angles which can get you to secret spots where large 4WDs can't get there
• eg. Suzuki Jimny
• cons:
  • limited space for gear
  • limited distance range on a tank - can get extended range fuel tank
  • not great at 110kph - manual needs a 6th gear
  • fuel economy not great when fully loaded and with better larger offroad tyres
  • probably no room for gas bottles so perhaps a butane gas cooker
  • only one passenger fits
  • tend to have a higher risk of rollover
  • shakes a lot in the wind
  • noisy - no insulation
  • minimal electronics
  • poor rear visibility
  • engine gets very dirty easily as lots of space in there
  • no space for take away foods or other items

• the ultimate for many adventurers who want to challenge their skills to get to remote places - usually with a convoy to assist in recovery
• height advantage allows awnings to be more functional height than with most 2WD or AWD cars
• pros:
  • much more amenity - shade awnings, fridges, more water available, showers, more extensive cooking facilities
  • can get down tracks or onto beaches which are inaccessible to other vehicles
  • can carry heavier, bulkier sleeping options such as swags, rooftop tents or vans
• cons:
  • VERY expensive hobby!
    • a reasonable set up will be $80,000-200,000
    • very high risk of vehicle damage which may not be coverable by insurance
    • components fail rapidly or at least wear out perhaps 4x faster than normal if you go through mud or water crossings
    • lots of gear needed, in particular, recovery gear, fridges, spare parts, batteries, gas bottles, 50-100L water, cooking gear, etc
    • corrugated roads add to the damage risk to gear and vehicle
    • fuel consumption costs are higher
    • most keen 4WDers will make substantial after-market vehicle modifications
    • many will add a trailer or van
  • more dangerous
    • recoveries are by their nature dangerous - you are playing with lines under very high levels of tension often with vehicles in precarious positions on rocky hillsides
  • you need to have 4WD skills and vehicle repair/recovery knowledge
  • you need to be fairly strong
    • everything is heavier including tyre changes, gear on the roof, etc.
  • you are going to get dirty!
  • you should not be going alone as recovery may not be possible
  • you are leaving very expensive gear exposed to theft if you decide to go on a walk
  • tend to do a lot of driving and sitting which is not good for your health or your back