We sort of feel that for a family camping trip, IF you can't pack it all into an estate you're taking too much gear!
What do you think?
Friends we camped with last week had a huge tent, a roof box, a trailer and a Volvo Estate. Admittedly they travelled home in comfort, not balanced on pillows.
ARE we being precious? Should we go the roof box??!
We've recently bought a Picasso and take that + roofbox. Though TBH we struggled to fit it all in and have been talking about getting a trailer instead - just where to keep it? No garage and not that big a garden...
Used to have a Primera + roofbox and managed with that, but always ended up forfeiting a few things (usually the food we'd bought!).
We went to Pickering in May in my Corsa with no roofbox - now *that* was a tight squeeze!
I think you fill the space you have! We've bought more stuff since having a bigger car (kitchen stand, extra table, wardrobe...) so we still end up stuffing things in footwells / between the kids. No doubt if we do get a trailer we'll end up buying the utility tent we covet!
Also depends how big your tent is, I suppose... the bag for ours is (was...) massive so took up the bulk of the boot space, leaving not much room for anything else!
***Edit***
I never actually answered your question, did I? Go for the roofbox if it means you get to travel in a bit more comfort, why not?
Oh dear! We have a Maverick (Mazda tribute knock off), a roof box and a trailer when we all go and the kids still share the back seat with the Khazi! Maybe I need therapy?
------------- If you have a problem stressing you, sort it. If you can't, there's no point worrying about it coz it won't make a blind bit of difference!!!! Jules
Weused to have a Mondeo with roofbox - only worked because the coolbox fitted between the kids on the back seat - but once they were out of boosters it didn't work as it wasn't wedged.
We can now get all that and more into the Zafira with pillows and sleeping bags between the kids which seems a lot safer and more comfortable than the coolbox and they didn't need anything under their feet so they were nowhere near as claustraphobic.
When we took our 2 daughters with us we filled a Passat estate and a roof box. We are not Glampers, we don't have EHU, I feel we have a fairly minimilist set up, and still the car was straining at the seams and the roof box packed full. Only now that we camp without children can we leave the roof box behind. We have to fold down the rear seats and still manage to fill the car. You just need lots of stuff to go camping, you could fill a removal van and still wish for more space.
We can struggle with the four of us in a vw camper and awning!!! We take a trailer most of the time even with that set up. The camper no longer can sleep the four of us and the awning is not always suitable so we bought a large family tent (Coleman Matrix X6) We plan to use it when the camper is being renovated. So, with our renault scenic, trailer...with extention...roof box ...and the four of us plus at least 3 bikes....we plan to go 'proper' camping! We are looking forward to it and plan little breaks first before our big holiday in the Fench Alps next August.
Must add...we do take a guitar with us as well as the rest of the camping gear...but I don't bother with hairstraighteners!
We have a Mondeo estate too and for any trip under about ten days, if it doesn't fit into the boot of the car it doesn't go, period. I can't be bothered with vast amounts of packing and unpacking for short trips and work really hard on keeping the kit streamlined. For longer trips though we take our venerable trailer tent so have a little more elbow room, but even here I try to keep the kit under control.
However we've recently been considering a trailer so that we can do longer trips (4-6 weeks) with a modest family tent which would pitch faster than the TT. There's no doubt that a little extra packing room is a huge boon...IF you manage to resist the temptation to fill it up instantly. I want extra space so I can pack faster and more easily, not to take more unnecessary stuff.
Quote: Originally posted by Peggybabcot on 01/8/2009
Oh dear! We have a Maverick (Mazda tribute knock off), a roof box and a trailer when we all go and the kids still share the back seat with the Khazi! Maybe I need therapy?
I don't think the Maverick is a Mazda knock off....a lot of Fords and Mazdas come out of the same factory.
Quote: Originally posted by the-laughtons on 01/8/2009
You just need lots of stuff to go camping, you could fill a removal van and still wish for more space. <IMG border=0 align=absMiddle src="https://www.ukcampsite.co.uk/chatter/forum_images/smiley4.gif" alt=17>
Sarah
How do I mange it on a bike ;-)
We have a Mondeo Est and a roofbox, yup the car is pretty much packed, though I try to keep stuff out of the rear passenger bit - except the coolbox which goes nicely between the seats, and is accessible for drinks etc. and I don't like stuffing the boot to the roof if I can help it.
The tent is generally a big Khyam, which really is the reason for the roofbox purchase - it would fill about half the boot I reckon .
I do wonder about how much stuff we take and how loaded up we are. But whilst we are minimalist when camping en famille, there are plenty of things we don't take - tent storage, other than couple of crates, toilets, the kids don't take loads of stuff (a small backpack each, and a few outdoor play items) Clothes, towels, waterproofs and wellies etc seem to take up an inordinate amount of space (2 adults + 2 kids)
It doesn't feel excessive (well it does if I look at what I would take on the bike...) I'm not sure what to trim that would make it a significanty smaller load. Interested in your streamlined kit is Valk.
Space does help in packing - I get very fristrated trying squeeze stuff into the last little place in the car - I'd go for a roofbox for that reason alone - I pack the tent + chairs, roolup table and some other bits and bobs into ours and it makes loading/unloading the tent easy.
In my ideal world I'd pack stuff into regular sized boxes or crates and then just load them all into the car
Am pondering railer though. Moslty because we are now taking 4 bikes and I'm sure it must be overloading the car, and also like Valk, I'd like the sapce to speed up loading.
TBH given you've now felt the need to mention their set up on two threads I'd just leave them to it. It doesn't matter what others do does it? Unless it impacts on you I'd not judge other folks.
They probably think that you're nuts for wanting to squeeze everything in the back of your car...
Each to their own and don't worry about what others do!
we have a big estate , a huge roofbox and a trailer, if we are going without the dog we can fit everything in the car and roofbox and still be able to sit in the car in comfort . however if we take the dog too she needs the estate boot so we have a trailer aswell - no biggie don't think we take too much but so what if we are its or holiday and we want it to be the right holiday for us
we take an erde 143 trailer (modified capacity 1000 litres) with a mont blanc 320 roof box fitted to it, stuff the boot full on a rav 4 and could still do with a little bit more space
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Topic: Roof box + trailer: Taking too much?
We take a trailer most of the time even with that set up. The camper no longer can sleep the four of us and the awning is not always suitable so we bought a large family tent (Coleman Matrix X6) We plan to use it when the camper is being renovated. So, with our renault scenic, trailer...with extention...roof box ...and the four of us plus at least 3 bikes....we plan to go 'proper' camping! We are looking forward to it and plan little breaks first before our big holiday in the Fench Alps next August.
