California Dreaming...

[TallManwithGlasses]

We have finally taken the plunge and our T5 California will be with us in a few days. I've been scouring through the forums for bits and pieces to make the whole experience even better, but what are the absolute no-brainer things we should be getting for our van?

I'm currently thinking of:

• Thetford 335
• Ridgemonkey
• Cable, organiser and home plug adapter
• Really Useful Boxes for boot
• Stoplok Pro Elite (to stop thieving)
• Spare wheel lock
• Quecha Air Seconds Base Connect OR Kampa Dometic Trip Air Drive (Love to hear people's thoughts on drive-away awnings)

Thank you in advance for any and all comments/contributions. We can hardly wait to take our first trip

 

[Wildcamper]

We hate drive away awnings, 100% pain! But then there only two if us. We had one for a short time. Putting it up in anything other than warm dry conditions was dreadful. Taking it down in the wet and then having to store it wet in the van made life a misery, and then you needed to put it up again to dry out. The space it took up in the van became completely unacceptable, and when erected it blocked any view. We were so desperate to get rid of it we just about gave it away. Since then we have enjoyed the tranquility of not having to erect it, put it away, dry it out, store it, clean it and we enjoy the views from the van. We will never have another. If one has a family of 4 + dog in a small van then the need may overcome what we believe are the downsides. Only you will know what makes sense for you.

 

[GrannyJen]

Botle of wine

 

[OGII]

Thetford 335 is a no brainer for most. Good size, durable etc. Can be a bit small/low for some.

Quecha Air Seconds Base Connect. Cheap and flexible. Good that it can be used standalone/ doors/aspects in different directions/connections depending on your needs. From the myriad of opinions/needs from an awning I've seen on here it's very much a "does this work for us" thing. We use a base seconds if we are staying still for a few days, otherwise it's the previous Quecha pop up up alternative or sides on the wind out awning.

Enjoy the deliberations.

 

[GrahamB]

We hate drive away awnings, 100% pain! But then there only two if us. We had one for a short time. Putting it up in anything other than warm dry conditions was dreadful. Taking it down in the wet and then having to store it wet in the van made life a misery, and then you needed to put it up again to dry out. The space it took up in the van became completely unacceptable, and when erected it blocked any view. We were so desperate to get rid of it we just about gave it away. Since then we have enjoyed the tranquility of not having to erect it, put it away, dry it out, store it, clean it and we enjoy the views from the van. We will never have another. If one has a family of 4 + dog in a small van then the need may overcome what we believe are the downsides. Only you will know what makes sense for you.

This is very good advice. With my family of 4 + dog a big drive away awning is luxurious if we are staying in one place for a while, and ours is not too difficult to pack now we are used to it. But it does take a load of room in the boot and is heavy. So we wouldn’t generally take it on a short weekend trip.

 

[GrahamB]

I have just posted about this in a different thread, but as you have a spare wheel, I strongly recommend a long breaker bar and ideally a torque wrench that goes up to 200Nm. You might never use them but if you do have to change a wheel at the roadside you will be pleased to have them on board.

 

[EddieEagle]

Come on in, the water’s fine!!
When you get the 34 l? really useful boxes for the back also consider a 9 l one for between the front seats. Perfect fit for daily bits and pieces.

 

[B J G]

We have finally taken the plunge and our T5 California will be with us in a few days. I've been scouring through the forums for bits and pieces to make the whole experience even better, but what are the absolute no-brainer things we should be getting for our van?

I'm currently thinking of:

• Thetford 335
• Ridgemonkey
• Cable, organiser and home plug adapter
• Really Useful Boxes for boot
• Stoplok Pro Elite (to stop thieving)
• Spare wheel lock
• Quecha Air Seconds Base Connect OR Kampa Dometic Trip Air Drive (Love to hear people's thoughts on drive-away awnings)

Thank you in advance for any and all comments/contributions. We can hardly wait to take our first trip

Not the Stoplock Elite just the normal Pro version.

Elite has a big crank on the arm to suit steering wheels with a bulging type air bag. says for vans but not T5 or T6

 

[NessL]

We have finally taken the plunge and our T5 California will be with us in a few days. I've been scouring through the forums for bits and pieces to make the whole experience even better, but what are the absolute no-brainer things we should be getting for our van?

I'm currently thinking of:

• Thetford 335
• Ridgemonkey
• Cable, organiser and home plug adapter
• Really Useful Boxes for boot
• Stoplok Pro Elite (to stop thieving)
• Spare wheel lock
• Quecha Air Seconds Base Connect OR Kampa Dometic Trip Air Drive (Love to hear people's thoughts on drive-away awnings)

Thank you in advance for any and all comments/contributions. We can hardly wait to take our first trip

We bought a toilet tent for our portapotti. It’s great not having to cross the camping field first thing in the morning. Also, that and a windbreak, reserves your pitch if you go out for the day.
I’d recommend trying out packing options before you buy really useful boxes, as you won’t really know what size suits you best. We were planning to buy some. Still haven’t and probably won’t now.

 

[Tomato]

We bought a toilet tent for our portapotti. It’s great not having to cross the camping field first thing in the morning. Also, that and a windbreak, reserves your pitch if you go out for the day.
I’d recommend trying out packing options before you buy really useful boxes, as you won’t really know what size suits you best. We were planning to buy some. Still haven’t and probably won’t now.

We used to do a tent, it also doubled as changing and shower room. looked great. now just leave our push button electric thetford behind front seat in a bag with a cover so extra seat too and no setting up!

 

[Calimili]

We hate drive away awnings, 100% pain! But then there only two if us. We had one for a short time. Putting it up in anything other than warm dry conditions was dreadful. Taking it down in the wet and then having to store it wet in the van made life a misery, and then you needed to put it up again to dry out. The space it took up in the van became completely unacceptable, and when erected it blocked any view. We were so desperate to get rid of it we just about gave it away. Since then we have enjoyed the tranquility of not having to erect it, put it away, dry it out, store it, clean it and we enjoy the views from the van. We will never have another. If one has a family of 4 + dog in a small van then the need may overcome what we believe are the downsides. Only you will know what makes sense for you.

The advice depends on circumstances. What you need as a family of 4 is different if you are travelling just 2 of you. It also depends what type of holidays you do. Staying one-two weeks in one place or moving every one -two days require a different set up, different gear.

 

[Bellcrew]

We hate drive away awnings, 100% pain! But then there only two if us. We had one for a short time. Putting it up in anything other than warm dry conditions was dreadful. Taking it down in the wet and then having to store it wet in the van made life a misery, and then you needed to put it up again to dry out. The space it took up in the van became completely unacceptable, and when erected it blocked any view. We were so desperate to get rid of it we just about gave it away. Since then we have enjoyed the tranquility of not having to erect it, put it away, dry it out, store it, clean it and we enjoy the views from the van. We will never have another. If one has a family of 4 + dog in a small van then the need may overcome what we believe are the downsides. Only you will know what makes sense for you.

We occasionally need to use the driveaway awning when in a fit of madness the eldest son, wife and three young children want to come camping with us. The awning fits in the Cali boot alongside one of the 60 litre really useful boxes. They use the Zafira and we then have transport from the camp site for all of us.
The whole experience is memorable but fraught, there is no way we would routinely carry the big awning but for events like that it is invaluable.

 

[Neilos]

Welcome, it’s certainly a process figuring out what works and what doesn’t. I don’t believe after two years we have our system sorted yet. Still a bit too much moving kit about but we are family if 4 in a beach. We after much deliberation this ‘summer’ went for a vango hex hub gazebo rather than a proper drive away. We wanted camp kitchen out door covered space and didn’t fancy the faff of connecting it to the van. We like to have a gap for views etc. it’s very versatile and did make a wet week in Scotland much less horrible than it could have been, wind the awning out to meet the gap abs you’re almost covered from one to the other. I still hate packing it away wet though! Really useful boxes for sure. Liner for the roof I think makes quite a big difference to the comfort up there. It’s still a tent with the liner but a less draughty one!


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[GrumpyGranddad]

We used to do a tent, it also doubled as changing and shower room. looked great. now just leave our push button electric thetford behind front seat in a bag with a cover so extra seat too and no setting up!

View attachment 86032

That wouldn’t look out of place at the Royal Henley Regatta

 

[Jeanette]

We have finally taken the plunge and our T5 California will be with us in a few days. I've been scouring through the forums for bits and pieces to make the whole experience even better, but what are the absolute no-brainer things we should be getting for our van?

I'm currently thinking of:

• Thetford 335
• Ridgemonkey
• Cable, organiser and home plug adapter
• Really Useful Boxes for boot
• Stoplok Pro Elite (to stop thieving)
• Spare wheel lock
• Quecha Air Seconds Base Connect OR Kampa Dometic Trip Air Drive (Love to hear people's thoughts on drive-away awnings)

Thank you in advance for any and all comments/contributions. We can hardly wait to take our first trip

We love our Vango Galli11 air awning…two of us and a wee Scotty Dig. Only use if away fir more than two nights at one site…if traveling and stopping just one or two night we don’t bother however we do miss the extra space. It dose take up floor space however we don’t mind. The other feedback about putting down when wet us a valid point but it’s your choice.