First ever camper rental - tips?!

[CampervanTime]

Hi Everyone

In preparation for our potential future Cali purchase, we're hiring a T6 Ocean from LTH on Friday 13th October for the weekend.

We're heading to Whitby and have a campsite booked in a village near by with hookup.

It seems as though LTH stock the van pretty well for the hire, but are there any specific tips, things to get or take with us that you'd recommend?

It's just me, the wife and the dog (smallish border collie).

We're trying to decide between duvet vs sleeping bags (we zip ours together into a double). We're keen to try everything in the van (steady....), including sleeping upstairs and downstairs, cooking, relaxing etc.

One thing I wondered about was some kind of TV adaptor for my iPad or MacBook, so we can watch the news in the morning like we usually do at home.

I should say that we're ok at tent camping and have just been for a weekend away that was lovely, without a hitch (and therefore have a lot of general camping stuff at home).

Cheers

Will

 

[Meoncoast]

trying to decide between duvet vs sleeping bags (we zip ours together into a double).

We had sleeping bags when we started our camper van journey but found a duvet worked better for us.
Whitby now has a good park and ride car park on the North side of the town or a good car park at the Abbey to the South which you can walk down into the town from.
I would say enjoy and do not over complicate your trip.

 

[WelshGas]

Hi Everyone

In preparation for our potential future Cali purchase, we're hiring a T6 Ocean from LTH on Friday 13th October for the weekend.

We're heading to Whitby and have a campsite booked in a village near by with hookup.

It seems as though LTH stock the van pretty well for the hire, but are there any specific tips, things to get or take with us that you'd recommend?

It's just me, the wife and the dog (smallish border collie).

We're trying to decide between duvet vs sleeping bags (we zip ours together into a double). We're keen to try everything in the van (steady....), including sleeping upstairs and downstairs, cooking, relaxing etc.

One thing I wondered about was some kind of TV adaptor for my iPad or MacBook, so we can watch the news in the morning like we usually do at home.

I should say that we're ok at tent camping and have just been for a weekend away that was lovely, without a hitch (and therefore have a lot of general camping stuff at home).

Cheers

Will

If you have internet then just watch TV on the iPlayer .

 

[Loz]

If you have internet then just watch TV on the iPlayer .

if not get one of these, rechargeable receiver that acts as a wifi hotspot and transmits the tv to its own app no internet required. http://amzn.eu/hb2jJBy

and the tip! Don't bend the roof!

 

[Mr & Mrs B]

When we had our 'try before you buy' hire we took an extra blanket (as well as the bedding - we use a duvet) - there wasn't a mattress topper so we found the bed very hard - the blanket helped to soften it a bit. We also found the van was rather grubby so put all their pots, crockery and cutlery in our garage and took our own camping bits'n'bobs. Other than that we only took food for the weekend, clothes and books. We had a great weekend and ordered Cali when we got back. Enjoy your weekend!

 

[bigmac77]

If not planning to sleep upstairs find out whether there is a topper for downstairs bed, as mentioned above it can be firm without one.

You may not need hookup if it's for a weekend and you are using lights, fridge and charging phones & iPad.

We find a stand is handy for the iPad.

Don't take too much stuff, we did when we hired a van a few years ago and we spent most of our time just moving things around to free up space where we needed it.

Have fun.

 

[GrannyJen]

Prefer a duvet. Sleeping bags tend to tie me up in knots.

I have an Eye-TV usb device that works well but I hardly ever use it. Generally if I want to watch something then internet based catch-up such as I Player works fine.

 

[GrannyJen]

The comment above about less being best is also very valid. A Cluttered van is a pain. Stand back and ask yourself "Am I really going to need this"?

My first trips and the food, stuff to prepare it and stuff to cook it in would have done a Salvation Army soup kitchen proud. Now a frying pan, a collapsible casserole dish, a couple of nice plates in the cutlery drawer and the cutlery wrapped in a tool roll, plus my invaluable quest mini oven, and I'm quite happy. If I am not going to be near washing up facilities then I also carry a few disposable plates and cutlery so straight in the recycle bin afterwards.

Clothes are all travel type, roll them up to carry, shake them out to wear, with my evening dress in the wardrobe along with my tiara in case I get an impromptu invitation to appear on Strictly come Camping

 

[Teejay]

Hi Everyone

In preparation for our potential future Cali purchase, we're hiring a T6 Ocean from LTH on Friday 13th October for the weekend.

We're heading to Whitby and have a campsite booked in a village near by with hookup.

It seems as though LTH stock the van pretty well for the hire, but are there any specific tips, things to get or take with us that you'd recommend?

It's just me, the wife and the dog (smallish border collie).

We're trying to decide between duvet vs sleeping bags (we zip ours together into a double). We're keen to try everything in the van (steady....), including sleeping upstairs and downstairs, cooking, relaxing etc.

One thing I wondered about was some kind of TV adaptor for my iPad or MacBook, so we can watch the news in the morning like we usually do at home.

I should say that we're ok at tent camping and have just been for a weekend away that was lovely, without a hitch (and therefore have a lot of general camping stuff at home).

Cheers

Will

When we hired from Lookers we more or less removed all of their plates and cutlery and used our own. We use sleeping bags mostly but have silk liners and wool blankets. Between these options you can cope with the extra warm or the extra cold. You'd be surprised how warm a single silk liner is.

In terms of tips hmm, we make sure that we put the top down together one on the button and one watching. For a fab tea, breakfast, or cake visit Jane's Kitchen.

 

[shudycamps]

Hi Everyone

In preparation for our potential future Cali purchase, we're hiring a T6 Ocean from LTH on Friday 13th October for the weekend.

We're heading to Whitby and have a campsite booked in a village near by with hookup.

It seems as though LTH stock the van pretty well for the hire, but are there any specific tips, things to get or take with us that you'd recommend?

It's just me, the wife and the dog (smallish border collie).

We're trying to decide between duvet vs sleeping bags (we zip ours together into a double). We're keen to try everything in the van (steady....), including sleeping upstairs and downstairs, cooking, relaxing etc.

One thing I wondered about was some kind of TV adaptor for my iPad or MacBook, so we can watch the news in the morning like we usually do at home.

I should say that we're ok at tent camping and have just been for a weekend away that was lovely, without a hitch (and therefore have a lot of general camping stuff at home).

Cheers

Will

I hooked up a Sling Box to my Sky top box, down loaded the App on my tablet and enjoy watching Sky. I use the campsite's WiFi abroad and in the UK I can port my smartphone to my tablet if the WiFi signal is weak.

 

[Paul S]

They let you have pets?!?! When we hired (not from LTH) pets were a very firm "no way". Which kind of messed up my plan. The other tip is check the van for damage VERY carefully before taking it out (standard practice for any hire really).

 

[CampervanTime]

Yep, pets fine, just a small extra charge for the valet they'll do when we take it back. Full check of van - absolutely.