Tents vs swags vs caravans vs camper trailers….Explorer Sarah has in contrast all variations of household tenting setups so you could find one of the best one for you for a profitable household journey to the outside.
It’s the primary query on all journey mother or father’s minds – what’s one of the best tenting setup for the fam? Is there one tenting setup that can be utilized for all eventualities or are you destined to have a storage filled with swags, tents, and camper trailers so you’ll be able to deal with any journey? I requested round households who use totally different setups to seek out out the professionals and cons of every. Let’s dive in.
Finest Tenting Setups for Households
1. The Large ‘Ole Household Tent
The OG of tenting, the tent has been round in some type or one other for 1000’s of years.
Tents are available in many sizes and styles — from pop-up, to inflatable, to good previous click-together poles. Lately the know-how is such that it’s best to keep dry and cushty inside your tent even within the wildest of climate. And, relying on the scale of your loved ones, you will get tents with separate rooms and sleeping areas, too.
Learn extra: 5 Simple Set Up & Spacious Household Sized Tents
We Are Explorers’ Josh Fletcher from Southeast QLD instructed me about his expertise with establishing for household tenting journeys. ‘Going from an ultralight 2P mountaineering tent to one thing that accommodates three (or 2.5) has taken a little bit of time to get used to — primarily due to its measurement and weight’, he instructed me.
‘For tenting we now use an Oztent RS4 which has heaps of room and you may even rise up in it, which helps with getting modified’.
Professionals: Some individuals think about tents to be the one actual tenting expertise. Low-cost to purchase in comparison with different choices, you don’t need to tow it or have a automotive that may tow. No rego or upkeep prices both.
Cons: You need to purchase every little thing individually to go inside it – cooking gear, beds, and bedding. Arrange and pack up could take longer. If it’s extremely popular, chilly or moist it won’t be as comfy as a van or trailer. Tents can go mouldy for those who don’t dry them out earlier than you pack them away.
2. The Squeeze-Your-Household-Inside Mountaineering Tent
Light-weight and packable in your backpack or bikepack, these tents preserve it actual easy.
You would possibly assume your days of utilizing the one that you love ultralight tent are over when you will have children, however We Are Explorers Founder, and Papa Bear to 2 children, Henry Brydon, has taken his tiny Explorers on in a single day hikes utilizing the Blackwolf Mantis 2P mountaineering tent and had a blast.
‘What I really like most about tenting is simplicity and discovering quiet locations to name house for the evening. Mountaineering into the bush with my children has at all times been my most well-liked escape route! While peace, solitude, and delightful experiences could be discovered this fashion, the principle downside to this type of tenting is the added weight I’ve to lug round on my again! As they become old they begin to carry extra themselves’, he stated.
‘However when your children are small it’s important to be effectively ready – it’s all about embracing your interior pack-horse’.
Professionals: Excellent for walk-in tenting (for those who and the youngsters can pack gentle!) for one to 2 nights. Simple to hold and small to retailer.
Cons: Mountaineering/ultralight tents could be costlier than an everyday tent. As a result of compact measurement, it’s unlikely you’re going to wish to use one for a number of weeks, so that you may need to have separate tents for journeys of various durations.
3. Household Swag
What’s a swag? The Australian swag developed over time from the travelling farmworkers and miners within the 1800s who used to hold their possessions or swag, together with a easy mattress, on their backs. Lately, it refers to a single or double tent with a mattress rolled inside.
Some come on a stretcher so that you sleep raised off the bottom. On preliminary inspection, you would possibly assume they’d be no good for household tenting, however numerous households use them.
Learn extra: Learn how to Select a Swag – The Final Information
Whether or not you will have youngsters that desire a little bit of independence from the household caravan, or you will have younger children and may bundle right into a double swag with them — swags could be a superb resolution to the household tenting setup conundrum.
Professionals: Fast and easy to arrange, normally effectively constructed, and can final for a few years.
Cons: Will be costlier and extra cumbersome/heavy than a tent, however has the mattress already included.
4. Household Rooftop Tent
The rooftop tent has advanced lately and could be something from a easy fold-out canvas construction to a hella fancy electrical computerized quantity.
NSW Explorer Carly, and Mum of two groms, instructed WAE about her expertise with a household rooftop tent.
‘Our rooftop tent is the perfect getaway accommodation because of how quick the set up and pack down is. I know as a family of four we’ll outgrow it shortly, however while the youngsters are little we are going to take pleasure in our compact setup.’
Professionals: Cheaper than a caravan or camper trailer. Don’t need to have a automotive that may tow or pay to register a trailer. Spacious and has good airflow since you’re up a bit increased. The mattress is already included so that you don’t have to purchase a mattress.
Cons: You need to pack up each time you wish to drive anyplace, however you’ll be able to overcome this by attaching it to a trailer (which you’d then have to keep up and pay to register). There’s additionally nowhere undercover that’s standing peak, however you will get a zip-on awning that creates an extension of your indoor space beneath the tent and in addition means you’ll be able to entry your automotive with out going exterior.
Learn extra: Roof High Tent vs Swag – What’s The Finest Automobile Tenting Set Up?
5. Household Camper Trailer
Camper trailers could be something from a small trailer with a mattress and a comfortable flooring, to a big trailer with the footprint of a caravan that has a kitchen, seating, storage, and unwinds with pull-out canvas beds on every finish.
We travelled round Australia with our Jayco Swan camper trailer and six-month-old bub and had a blast. The arrange and pack up was fast as soon as you bought the routine down, however I did want a number of occasions that we had our personal gray water tank and bathroom as a result of we’d have been capable of make the most of much more campsites in Tassie and the NT that require them.
Professionals: Will be 4WD. Can get one with a heater for those who’re going someplace chilly. Camper trailers are simpler to tow and to retailer than a full caravan as a result of they pack down decrease to go in garages.
Cons: Want a towing automobile. You’ll be able to’t tow different issues like a ship (though individuals do put tinnies on the roof!). The canvas wants upkeep and may’t be packed away moist. Normally there’s no bathroom or bathe.
6. Household Caravan
A caravan is a house away from house, with all the trendy conveniences you’ll be able to consider. You’ll be able to have something from a reasonably easy inside to a contemporary affair with a full peak household fridge, oven, and even a washer!
Measurement and value differ massively relying on the kind of van you select. Nationwide stats present that caravan and campervan registrations throughout Australia have grown 21% within the final 5 years. In 2023 there have been virtually 859,000 caravans and campervans registered throughout the nation.
We Are Explorer’s Josh Fletcher has a Jawa Infinity 13 Hybrid Caravan.
‘It’s totally off-grid and off-road, which is nice for escaping to someplace quiet, whereas nonetheless having the comforts wanted to work remotely. Plus it has a delegated single mattress for the grom’, he instructed me.
Professionals: Virtually no arrange time. You may get 4WD choices, they normally have a bathroom, bathe, and gray water assortment so that you could be self-sufficient and use most free camps. With the addition of photo voltaic panels on the roof you’ll be able to simply journey off the grid.
Cons: That is in all probability the costliest household tenting setup. You need to be assured reversing a trailer and have a automotive with a big towing capability. Upkeep and servicing, rego, and security certificates are all additional yearly prices. Not all campsites settle for caravans.
7. Household Motorhome
A motorhome or van is a caravan and automotive multi functional.
Like a caravan, you do need to do some tidying earlier than you set off to verify every little thing is safe and isn’t going to fly round whenever you flip your first nook, however you’ve acquired every little thing you want shut at hand.
Professionals: Whenever you flip as much as a campsite all it’s important to do is park. You don’t even must get out of the motorhome to go from the motive force’s seat to the residing and sleeping space in most situations. Relying on the scale, motorhomes usually have a bathroom and bathe.
Cons: You need to pack up each time you wish to drive anyplace as a result of your transport and lodging are one and the identical. If the automotive half stops working it may be an costly repair or contain writing off the van.
What to Take into account When Selecting a Household Tenting Setup
Bathrooms
Whether or not you go for a setup with its personal bathroom will rely on the place you propose to camp and the forms of journey you do.
My husband at all times laughs at individuals ‘taking their poo for a walk’ as they wheel their caravan’s bathroom cassette throughout the campsite to the dump level, and vows he won’t ever get a caravan with a bathroom for that very motive. However, I’m certain he would possibly change his thoughts as soon as our children are out of nappies and he’s carried out a number of midnight runs to the bathroom block within the rain.
Showers
The climate has a big impact on the bathe sitch. In the event you’re up north swimming all day, a photo voltaic bathe to rinse everybody off will in all probability be okay. However for those who’re someplace with cooler climate, a sizzling bathe inside your caravan would possibly make all of the distinction.
Cooking
Camp cooking seems to be totally different to each journey household. There’ll be foodies that prepare dinner elaborate fare and different households that shortly throw collectively a sausage sizzle to feed everybody between actions.
From caravans with ovens, grills, cooktops, and full fridges, to a BBQ and an esky with ice at the back of your automotive – there’s no proper or mistaken! You do have to contemplate what sort of camp prepare dinner you’re planning to be and select your setup accordingly.
Sleeping
Since having children sleep has develop into extra vital than ever. Mattress selection each for fogeys and youngsters may imply the distinction between cranky household tenting and fun-filled recollections.
Among the best issues we did after we acquired a brand new setup was doing a tester evening near house. When you’ve got house you may even do it in your yard. You don’t wish to be shocked by one thing out within the bush, so at all times strive it out first.
Issues to contemplate with sleeping preparations are: sort of mattress, separate sleeping areas, easy methods to preserve cool/heat, what number of beds you want, and mattress measurement. As with every little thing, cash will come into it. You don’t need to spend so much if you understand it gained’t final lengthy and the youngsters will develop out of it, however equally, you need everybody to like tenting as a lot as you do, so good gear is a should.
Enjoyable
One other factor to contemplate is why you’re going tenting and what you’ll do for enjoyable when you’re there. In the event you love fishing or water snowboarding and wish to camp on the dam for the weekend, towing a ship means you both want a non-towable tenting setup, or it’s important to take two vehicles.
If enjoyable for you means 4WDing on distant sandy seashores you want a setup that may deal with the terrain.
In case your concept of an amazing weekend away tenting is pulling as much as a family-friendly caravan park, you won’t want a lot in the best way of apparatus as a result of they normally have fairly nice camp kitchens and facilities blocks.
Household Tenting Setup Patrons Guidelines
Earlier than selecting the last word household tenting setup, seek the advice of this checklist to be sure to’ve thought-about each facet to make the best selection for you and your loved ones.
- Value
- Arrange and pack up time
- Packing and unpacking at house
- Consolation
- Ease of cooking and cleansing whereas tenting
- Sustaining gear
- Storage
- Bathrooms
- Showers
- Cooking
- Sleeping
- Enjoyable
FAQs Household Tenting Setups
What’s one of the best tenting setup for households?
One of the best tenting setup for your loved ones is determined by your loved ones’s wants, however choices like tents, camper trailers, and caravans provide totally different ranges of consolation and comfort.
Are tents good for household tenting journeys?
Tents are nice for households searching for an inexpensive basic tenting expertise. Relying on the scale of tent you select, you’ll be able to have separate rooms or one thing good and light-weight.
What’s the advantage of a camper trailer for household tenting?
Camper trailers are straightforward to tow and arrange, and so they usually include a built-in kitchen and sleeping areas which are able to go from the second you park the automotive.
Can households use swags for tenting?
Sure! Double or household swags could be a superb, compact possibility for households who desire a fast and easy setup.
Are rooftop tents sensible for households?
Rooftop tents are perfect for households with youthful children, providing straightforward setup and nice airflow. They might really feel cramped as youngsters develop.
