Camping and 4WDing go together like bangers and mash or beer and sunshine. Camping can be a fun way to take a holiday away from civilisation, or an essential part of a long 4x4 trek. Whatever type of camping you’re doing, it’s essential to have the right gear and supplies.

There’s plenty of flashy camping gear out there, but make sure you’ve got the basics covered first. You need good tents or swags, a first aid kit, enough food and water, lots of sunscreen and insect repellant, and clothes that will protect you from UV rays or the cold, depending on the season.

 We’ve put together a comprehensive camping checklist at the end of this article, but here are some highlights you can grab from Australia Wide Camping.

Crashpad Gear Swags

The double and single swags from Crashpad are ideal for Australia’s harsh conditions. These swags feature high-performing 410 gsm hard coat waterproofed canvas, full-length storm flaps to keep you dry in the rain, and ventilation windows with canvas flaps at each end.

Crashpad Gear Sleep System

This amazing sleeping bag from Crashpad offers seven unique functions:

• 1 single winter sleeping bag rated to -10ºc
• 1 double winter doona
• 1 double summer sleeping bag rated to +5ºc
• 2 double summer doona's
• 2 single summer sleeping bags rated to +5ºc

Dometic Fridge and Freezer

This portable fridge/freezer is really amazing. As well as keeping your drinks and food cool, it also covers deep freeze capabilities, getting down to -22 degrees. This cooler has a huge capacity – 113 cans of beer anyone? – and you can control the temperature over WiFi.

Coleman Australia Fyreknight Cooker

Coleman Australia’s Fyreknight camping stoves are really a step above the competition. They have a great wind-block design around the burners so you can cook even on blustery days. There’s also a lot more room on the cooktop for using larger pots and pans. The stove is lightweight but very robust, so you’ll get many years of use out of it.

Shelter

• Tent
• Hammer
• Pegs
• Tarp or gazebo
• Rope & poles
• Flooring
• Dustpan & brush

Bedding

• Mattress/bed
• Pillow
• Sheets
• Sleeping bag

Furniture

• Camp chairs
• Table
• Cupboard
• Clothing line

Lighting

• Battery or rechargeable operated lantern
• Battery or rechargeable operated torch

Shower

• Solar shower/ RV shower/ hot water unit
• Shower tent
• Shower pole
• Shower mats
• Bucket/tub

Kitchen

• Plates, cups & utensils
• Pots & pans
• Dishwashing bucket, detergent & sponge
• Bin & bin bags
• Paper towel & tea towels
• Cooler/ esky
• Portable fridge
• Bbq/stove
• Gas cylinder
• Matches/lighter
• Cobb cooker

Toiletries

• Microfibre towel
• Insect repellent
• Sunscreen
• Lip balm
• First aid kit

Apparel

• Thermals
• Jacket & fleece
• Beanie
• Sublimated polo
• Hat
• Sunglasses
• Sandals/thongs

Leisure

• Cricket set
• Football/soccer
• Playing cards
• Board games

4WD

• Maxtrax
• Air compressor
• Hi-lift jack
• Recovery gear
• Shovel
• Puncture repair
• Ulp/diesel jerry
• Water jerry

Power

• Generator & oil
• Powerboards
• Extension leads
• Battery charger
• Device chargers
• Jump starter pack
• Inverter (pure or modified)

Fishing

• Rods
• Reels
• Tacklebox
• Bait
• Filleting knife
• Brag mat
• Bucket
• Rod holder