Camping prep

Have most of the usual camping equipment already as have been camping for a number of years but mainly with a tent and the camper but is there anything Dandy specific that people can advice on needing

One thing I did think of, do you use chocks for leveling side to side on the Dandy?

Not Dandy Specific but not used on tents or not necessarily used with your other camper.

Bungees: To hold the roof down.

Plates: Wooden or plastic for underneath the bed legs.

Chocks: To help level as mentioned.

Spirit Level: To help level. Do check most spirit levels are out.

Storm strap: Dandy awnings are rugged and with the addition of a storm strap you can leave your awning up when all else on the campsite is down or shredded. Twist the strap to prevent "drumming" of the strap on the PVC.

Thanks tow itch, can you expand on the bungee to hold the roof down?

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Always willing to help but a leisurely read through the dross we have tryped within "Dandy Chat" or the info sections will answer questions you hadn't thought about.

Not Dandy specific but if you have come from the world of tenting rather than a trailer tent or caravan.

You have kitchen storage. Now anything not in glass or tins is bad as it encourages or sustains mice.

The storage isn't just for condiments coffee and powdered milk stick in a few emergency staples.

I'm the last person you would see heating up stewed steak out of a can with peas, carrots and tinned potatoes. I cook from fresh.

But when you have arrived in the middle of nowhere your running late and it's a pub meal (my middle of nowhere's still have a pub) or a twenty plus mile run to a late night supermarket the tinned horse and vegetables suddenly looks appetising.

The above tinned chilli and half a dozen cans of soup. If you end up throwing three cans a year it's small beer compared to saving a late night shopping trip or buying a meal out just to eat.


Maybe I'm thick and everyone does this but I had to learn I had food storage space and not just space for equipment.

We always have coffee and powdered milk in our cupboard, we also have the usual condiments and a couple of tins of sausage & beans, it's just occurred to me I don't know why because I don't eat beans I leave a small first aid kit and wash bag in there with a few necessity's like shower gel, toothpaste and brush and deodorant plus some insect repellent and painkillers.

We always have a small tool kit, with rivets and a rivet gun, plus a good set of pliers for chances the plastic knobs on the bed legs crack and we can't unscrew them when packing away. We have a couple of wind up lights even if on EHU, electric can trip!

Don't need to worry about the wind ups so much as I'm going to be fitting a 12v leisure battery to run the water etc so hopefully a few nice led light should suffice.Never thought of leaving emergency food though, nice tip.

dantro wrote:Don't need to worry about the wind ups so much as I'm going to be fitting a 12v leisure battery to run the water etc so hopefully a few nice led light should suffice.Never thought of leaving emergency food though, nice tip.

High tech option. Especially in keeping with early Dandys the low tech option jerry can (Has your sink got a tap?) or foot pump with a gas or pressure lamp provides most of the results of the battery but no TV. It also supplies a good source of heat. A Tilley lamp or the higher quality Bialaddin provide about 800 watts of heat.

I do have a tilley as brings back good memories of scout camping No sink doesn't have any tap as it's still completely standard but I'm afraid I'm probably going to upset the purist and turn her into a modern retro camper

We also have a 12v battery ...... the lanterns still come in handy, if we want to sit out at night, we also have gas lanterns as I like the noise and light they give off plus they give off heat when we take them inside. We don't often go on EHU and like to have backup for our long trips

Yep with you on the gas lantern, only downside to those is the initial purchase as not so cheap.