everyday stuff to carry

[yvrr]

Originally Posted by dhally

The OP mentioned backpacking. Camping (in a car or van) really doesn't need any more equipment than than backpacking - it's all about comfort and convenience.

Quite true if you have only 2WD and never drive any distance from a paved road or cell coverage. If you are backpacking and a situation arises, you know that someone can get out for help since you hiked the same distance in that you need to go to get out.

But that might not be the case with a SMB when you can easily be 50 miles from the nearest paved road when you have a problem. So, I think, you need to take into consideration what equipment and tools might you need to fix something when you don't have cell coverage. That means a good tool kit with some items to temporarily fix a leaking radiator hose or replace a fuel filter or patch a tire (after the spare was already used).

Nine years ago when our van was brand new, I took it to a tire shop to have the tires rotated. But, while doing that, the tech broke off a stud from the rear axle. The nut couldn't be removed since the stud was turning. Ford fixed it under warranty but that got me thinking, what if that had happened while off-road and I had to remove a tire which got ripped up? How could you remove the nut if the stud was broken? Since then, I carry a good small sledge hammer and a sharp steel chisel, thinking I could us that t crack the nut and at least get the spare tire on.

Good maps and a good GPS are also handy if you aren't where you think you might be. Also, medications, a knapsack in case you need to hike out, some backpacker meals in case of you can't get out, etc.

If you want more suggestions, send me a PM with your e-mail address and I'll send you a list of everything we carry with us all of time. We are out of town until next week so, I won't be able to send it to you until we get home.

[Aldercrest]

I can share a substantial list also if you PM me. I built it off of another thread on this forum. That chisel is a good idea, yvrr. That is going to be added to my list.

[jage]

Google Nut Splitter

I'd rather that than swinging around a sledge and a chisel and possibly damaging other things.

[cornercarver]

all those who offered to send lists via email, I'm definitely interested. You can just PM me on the board or I'll get you my email address shortly (it's late and I'm about to go to bed).

I just finished my first weekend out in the van - to Death Valley - and had a blast, as did my dogs who absolutely love the van. I think they'd be happy if we never came home again (as would I, really).

The various tips and tricks I picked up on the forum really helped make the first trip successful. I never really appreciated how uncomfortable the cheap $10 walmart chairs I had used previously really were until I sat in the GCI lounger chairs and the rolltop table was great. I forgot to pack a pillow along but still managed to get better nights of sleep in the van than I ever get at home, mostly due to lack of stress.

Leveling blocks sound like a good idea. Are they practical when driving alone? Seems like it would be a lot of work to get blocks lined up correctly. I'm assuming these are wedge shaped or stepped or something so you can get varying heights under each wheel? Also, I don't have the under bed storage as my spare wheel is still under there for now. I've got roof rack, but also a manual penthouse. I'm not sure my bad back (L4/L5 discectomy last year) would be able to deal with even an empty cargo box up there if doing daily penthouse lifts for a few days on end.

I'd really like a list of the spare automotive parts you folks carry (I'm a 5.4 liter gas E250 from 1994). I'm not a gearhead but can follow instructions and turn a wrench well enough. I service my own motorcycles, anyway.

I'm feeling the call of a 4x4 conversion. I just wonder if it is worth the expense on a 16 year old van with 100K miles. But as soon as I got out there, I knew that I wanted to be able to tackle roads that raise more doubts than I'm willing to take on in 2wd, and the van really does appear to be in perfect shape. I've driven new cars that felt less solid. Not that I have $12K-$16K to drop on it, regardless. But a guy can dream.

My biggest gripe - I stop to do a lot of mountain biking with my dogs - and not always where I'm planning to make camp. As a result, I'm often digging around for gear without the penthouse up. I very quickly grew to resent the difficulty of accessing the closet space while stooped over in the center aisle and my body blocking all available light into the closet I was digging in. Since MTB stops mean I've got my bike off the rear rack, opening the rear doors is easy enough. I think I'd rather keep my clothes in a stack of labeled plastic boxes in the aisle at the back where they can be accessed from inside or outside. How do you all deal with accessing stuff in the van when you are out and about?

Overall, the SMB experience was everything I'd hoped it would be - and that was just on a relatively low key and easy trip to Death Valley. It's only going to get better from here. I'm very excited to hit the road and do about 3 months of near constant travel. I really want to figure out some kind of satellite internet solution, though. WIth that, I could work from absolutely anywhere and would never need to go home. Between Sundance, Mardi Gras, late Feb shuttle launch, New Orleans Jazz Fest, and all of the great camping locations between those spots, I think I'll be doing a lot of travel this season.



The pups doing what they do best... (click for video)

[Stumpalump]

I called the 50 fuel folks to see if they had straight gas in those tuff cans. They said possible March delivery.

[jage]

Do you have a link for the rolltop table and those chairs? My rolltop base is cobbled together with wire, and I haven't found a decent replacement, and I'm always looking for good camp chairs.

As far as accessing things, underfloor storage is for emergency only and post camp setup items (eg spare stove, not needed until table and chairs are out) under the bed from back is camp setup stuff, chairs, table, and extra drinks, plates and food items. The rear door compartment is basic tools and things like rope that need to be handy, but I don't mind opening the back for. The back closets are clothes storage, the front one is dop stuff. Food in the drawer and fridge, and then we use a storage bin between the pantry and bench. Pantry has all cooking items and spices. Side door has screens and front window curtain.

Basically, for me, that translates to everything I need on the road is in the living room, I set up camp out of the under-bed, and the less used things get harder to access. I can get everything I need for daily travel or spending a night without getting out.

Hmm, oh yeah, and front and rear bumpers have things like shore power, leveling blocks, a water hose... I'm in the process of reorganizing everything and documenting it- that's the tough part, when you need that sewing kit and can't think which hole or container it's in.

[daveb]

Access to the back is kind of tough. I keep everything I commonally use (on my EB-50)
located just behind the bench seat. I keep spare emergency clothing in the closet space
but carry a duffle bag as my main clothing bag. Dirty cloths go in a separate bag close by
as well. I do this because 99% of the time I sleep up top. I also carry a tool type bag as
A kitchen bag that is stored on the floorboard. It has most everything I need for outdoor
cooking. Again I cook outside 99% of the time. The bag includes a small single burner stove,
single mantle lantern, Espresso maker, coffee, insulate cup, utinsels, titainium cook pot,
one of those heat gloves, a plate and some common spices. It's about all I need most of
the time. The larger kitchen stuff is stowed in the door box. BBQ and fuel tank is stowed in
the Bumper box. I still tend to eat like when I backpacked; usually simple stuff except when
I use the BBQ. And for the BBQ, I have an aluminum table that withstands the heat. I have
one of those little wal-mart folding beer holder tables but my big aluminum is something I
don't want to be without. The tables and my chair is kept in back under the lower bed.

I'm pretty lame on spare parts. A little Oil, oil filters, power steering fluid, brake fluid, fuses.
Some electrical wire and tape and a small variety of nuts, washers, and bolts. Zip ties are
nice to carry. That high temp silicon tape is good to carry and everybody has duct tape
usually. I also carry needle valves for the tires and a tire plug kit. I'm scared of radiator
sealant but carry clamps and have a can of tire sealant on board. I also have some hose
nipples to splice water hose. I should have some fuel line also somewhere in that mess.

I do carry more tools than I started with. Along with all the standard stuff, a breaker bar is
improtant as well as 1/2" drive metric and standard heavy duty sockets...never relized
how much was metric. Odd ball things are a butane torch for cigars, but doubles as a solder
gun. Dremmel tool to cut stuff off. For recovery equipment search "high Lift". If you don't
have a compressor get one. That nut splitter Jage showed is going into my kit.


I'm sure there's more I missed.




Dave

[daveb]

Originally Posted by jage

Do you have a link for the rolltop table and those chairs? My rolltop base is cobbled together with wire, and I haven't found a decent replacement, and I'm always looking for good camp chairs.

I've found the Alps chair to be great for a big guy like me.



It doesn't sink in
sand as bad as others, and you don't have that sinking feeling sitting in it
like your typical folding chair. They also fold flat and you can get them with
a removable mesh back for summer or standard solid insulated back for cold
weather. I wish it had a table. Rated to 400lbs. Wally world has the roll up
tables but I notice Coleman has a nice folding table out...just don't know if
you can set a BBQ on it. My aluminum one came from bass pro and was not
listed on-line.

[Viejo]

cornercarver wrote (very early this morning):

I forgot to pack a pillow along but still managed to get better nights of sleep in the van than I ever get at home, mostly due to lack of stress.

Leveling blocks sound like a good idea. Are they practical when driving alone? Seems like it would be a lot of work to get blocks lined up correctly. I'm assuming these are wedge shaped or stepped or something so you can get varying heights under each wheel?

I use a thick down jacket stuffed inside my t-shirt for a pillow. Wake up, pull on the t-shirt, warm jacket & I'm ready to attack the day.

Leveling blocks are a good idea. You can get a set of plastic ones for about $45. They stack up just like giant lego blocks. I just use scrap board ends - 1 to 2 foot chunks of 2x8 or 2x10. I carry 4 or 5 in the back storage box. Solo use is easy. I carry a little bubble level in the cab. I set it on a predetermined level spot on the dash and drive back and forth until I find the most level spot and then the level helps estimate which wheel(s) need to come up and how much. Get out and jam the appropriate number of blocks in front of the wheel(s), get back in and creep up onto them.

[Angel]

Jage/Dave,

Which and what size nut splitter did you get?

Angel