Goto Chockstone Home

  Guide
  Gallery
  Tech Tips
  Articles
  Reviews
  Dictionary
  Links
  Forum
  Search
  About

      Sponsored By
      ROCK
   HARDWARE

  Shop
Chockstone Photography
Australian Landscape Photography by Michael Boniwell
Australian Landscape Prints





Chockstone Forum - Gear Lust / Lost & Found

Rave About Your Rack Please do not post retail SPAM.

 Page 2 of 3. Messages 1 to 20 | 21 to 40 | 41 to 48
Author
Vans

shortman
18-Apr-2013
3:20:36 PM
ademmert
18-Apr-2013
3:23:56 PM
On 18/04/2013 shortman wrote:
>

my god I thought the last on was excessive!!
Don't know if it quite fits the budget I'm going for though

ps i wonder how you get the car out?

BlankSlab
18-Apr-2013
3:41:59 PM
On 18/04/2013 ademmert wrote:
>especially ones on the cheap!!

Think the above two might be a little out the budget but doesnt stop everyone from dreaming.

ajfclark
18-Apr-2013
3:48:03 PM

dalai
18-Apr-2013
3:58:14 PM
On 18/04/2013 technogeekery wrote:
>I'm with batey, prefer to have seperate tent - 15 mins of setup and much
>more versatile.

Having had a van, I disagree. Especially if travelling regularly.

5 second set up – pop the roof. Mine had the cooker inside so out of the elements cooking and eating. Everything already in the van (cooking implements, bedding etc) so no need to pack crates with all the necessary camping gear every time you wanted to get away.

Modern vans drive like a car these days, so no downsides to it over a car.

18/04/2013 Batey wrote:
>Adam i think the main thing is having something reliable. Nothing worse
>then being stuck waiting for parts or a tow.

Agreed. Was a running joke in the end – album filled with photos of all the breakdowns from around the country.
One Day Hero
18-Apr-2013
4:06:08 PM
On 18/04/2013 dalai wrote:
>Agreed. Was a running joke in the end – album filled with photos of all
>the breakdowns from around the country.

Yeah, but I bet there's another album filled with dreadlocked 90's climber hippy chicks who thought your van was pretty sweet :)
dalai
18-Apr-2013
4:20:58 PM
Bought the van after I'd met my now wife.So no dreadlocked women but some fond memories none the less.

Decided on a van after returning from 6 ½ month OS road trip with tent - promised myself to never sleep in a tent again!

I do miss the Kombi wave from other Kombi owners when on the road...
kieranl
18-Apr-2013
4:32:51 PM
On 18/04/2013 dalai wrote:
>I do miss the Kombi wave from other Kombi owners when on the road...
>
Is that where you wave each other down to see if the other is carrying the part you need to keep yours going?
dalai
18-Apr-2013
5:08:43 PM
Actually it was on the less common occurrence where both vans were actually on road and running. Usually a casual arm raised from the huge steering wheel. Though one occasion on the way to Nowra via the coast - got a simultaneous vigourous wave, flashing lights and horn!

Back on topic - convenience of having a van far outweighs the tent option, especially for ademmert who looks like he is planning a lengthy trip.
BA
19-Apr-2013
10:33:56 AM
Here's a photo of Dalai working with an early prototype of camper trailer ...





IdratherbeclimbingM9
19-Apr-2013
10:38:03 AM
Laughed aloud at that ↑ ↑

On 18/04/2013 dalai wrote:
>On 18/04/2013 technogeekery wrote:
>>I'm with batey, prefer to have seperate tent - 15 mins of setup and much
>>more versatile.
>
>Having had a van, I disagree. Especially if travelling regularly.
>
>5 second set up – pop the roof. Mine had the cooker inside so out of the
>elements cooking and eating. Everything already in the van (cooking implements,
>bedding etc) so no need to pack crates with all the necessary camping gear
>every time you wanted to get away.
>
>Modern vans drive like a car these days, so no downsides to it over a
>car.
>
The tent/s thing worked for us as the kids grew up, but having been there done that, and now being empty nesters, I agree with dalai.
For an interim period we used to camp in a station wagon that had a pod on the roof to create a bit of extra space (minimised bed set up time), which is another compromise that can work well.

I love tents/bivvies etc and get my fix of those when using the motorbike these days, but for sheer convenience the van is a palace by comparison.
The van has a purpose designed ¾ annex/tent that fits over the raised rear door, but so far I haven't bothered using it due not needing the extra space and my being over the bother of packing it away after use, especially if it gets wet!

The van remains prepacked with enough clothes, food, water, bedding and fuel (the stove also runs on diesel!) to simply jump into and depart at short notice; though last minute items taken in the fridge are more efficient if the fridge is pre-cooled (runs on 240V as well as 12V), overnight beforehand. It even carries its own grey water and official dump points are easily found in many places, so the modern Kombis really are self contained units these days.

Although it drives like a car, I have found the van to be a lot noisier, plus its heavy duty suspension makes it a more jarring ride on corrugations than a car.


>I do miss the Kombi wave from other Kombi owners when on the road...

The culture is changing, as I have noticed that most times I have waved at identical vehicles it hasn't got a reaction. Then again perhaps we are travelling faster (than Kombis of old), and there is less time to react?
This same operative doesn't apply when I motorcycle though, so maybe the riders are more perceptive of what is happening around them?
;-)

shortman
19-Apr-2013
10:43:06 AM
On 19/04/2013 IdratherbeclimbingM9 wrote:

>Although it drives like a car, I have found the van to be a lot noisier,

This is just the reality of manufacturers using alloy these days.

IdratherbeclimbingM9
19-Apr-2013
10:48:31 AM
On 19/04/2013 shortman wrote:
>On 19/04/2013 IdratherbeclimbingM9 wrote:
>
>>Although it drives like a car, I have found the van to be a lot noisier,
>
>This is just the reality of manufacturers using alloy these days.

Probably, but I think the greater internal space is 'drummier' too.

ajfclark
19-Apr-2013
11:40:42 AM
On 19/04/2013 IdratherbeclimbingM9 wrote:
>This same operative doesn't apply when I motorcycle though, so maybe the riders are more perceptive of what is happening around them?

Nope, you're all just a little bit nuts and want to make riding more exciting by taking a hand off vital controls... ;-)

IdratherbeclimbingM9
19-Apr-2013
11:51:01 AM
On 19/04/2013 ajfclark wrote:
>On 19/04/2013 IdratherbeclimbingM9 wrote:
>>This same operative doesn't apply when I motorcycle though, so maybe
>the riders are more perceptive of what is happening around them?
>
>Nope, you're all just a little bit nuts and want to make riding more exciting
>by taking a hand off vital controls... ;-)

No need to. Most times it is simply a nod of the head, and at other times I raise the fingers (note plural!), of my left hand while still keeping thumb and forefinger holding the clutch side handlebar.

The only riders who never respond are those that ride Harley's.

(As an aside, did you know that a motorcycle once underway, will happily continue in a straight line without any rider input till it slows and then falls over, unless it hits a bump, etc, ie some other external input).


On 07/05/2009 on another thread DaCrux wrote;
>Whilst staying at the pines I’ve been woken up/kept up by people (snip) getting jiggy in a light blue kombi van which really needed some WD40, people playing guitars and singing, (snip)
>It’s just not kosher. (snip)

This one?



;-)
BA
19-Apr-2013
11:54:45 AM
And here is one for you M9 ...



Should cover most of your interests.

IdratherbeclimbingM9
19-Apr-2013
12:02:32 PM
Good one BA. ;-)
~> You should see the matchbox Ferrari, that slides out from underneath!

Yep, I reckon the Harleys would be justified in ignoring a wave from that rig!
Heh, heh, heh.
dalai
19-Apr-2013
12:51:04 PM
On 19/04/2013 BA wrote:
>Here's a photo of Dalai working with an early prototype of camper trailer
>...

Version 2.0 was a little roomier...

technogeekery
19-Apr-2013
1:48:33 PM
Yes, if I was just touring, I'd agree that a campervan is the best - I'd go the converted Delica route for some offroad ability. Given I've got a family of four and don't have budget for a dedicated tourmobile, I like the 4wd + tent approach. I have a good friend in the same boat who swears by the campertrailer approach. There are many ways to skin that cat...

But for 1-2 people doing a road trip, campervan sounds ideal.

IdratherbeclimbingM9
19-Apr-2013
8:21:17 PM
On 19/04/2013 technogeekery wrote:
>I'd go the converted Delica route for some offroad ability.

The modern VW's come in many variations including AWD with a lockable rear differential, and also in a 4WD with a low ratio gearbox.
~> After driving 'real 4WD's' for most of my life, I am well impressed with the offroad ability of the AWD vsn, and have not had a need to lock it's diff yet, though thought I might have had to a couple of times while on some serious tracks I have taken it on.

 Page 2 of 3. Messages 1 to 20 | 21 to 40 | 41 to 48
There are 48 messages in this topic.

 

Home | Guide | Gallery | Tech Tips | Articles | Reviews | Dictionary | Forum | Links | About | Search
Chockstone Photography | Landscape Photography Australia | Australian Landscape Photography | Landscape Photos Australia

Please read the full disclaimer before using any information contained on these pages.



Australian Panoramic | Australian Coast | Australian Mountains | Australian Countryside | Australian Waterfalls | Australian Lakes | Australian Cities | Australian Macro | Australian Wildlife
Landscape Photo | Landscape Photography | Landscape Photography Australia | Fine Art Photography | Wilderness Photography | Nature Photo | Australian Landscape Photo | Stock Photography Australia | Landscape Photos | Panoramic Photos | Panoramic Photography Australia | Australian Landscape Photography | High Country Mountain Huts | Mothers Day Gifts | Gifts for Mothers Day | Mothers Day Gift Ideas | Ideas for Mothers Day | Wedding Gift Ideas | Christmas Gift Ideas | Fathers Day Gifts | Gifts for Fathers Day | Fathers Day Gift Ideas | Ideas for Fathers Day | Landscape Prints | Landscape Poster | Limited Edition Prints | Panoramic Photo | Buy Posters | Poster Prints