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Got to have accessories and why??

C

Cathryn

Messages
8
Location
Bala
Vehicle
T6 Cali On Order
i pick up my beach on Saturday. What would you say are essential accessories?? Hubby and I debating the got to have and the can wait list. Tia.
 
You‘ve got everything with a Beach!

However it all depends on personal need and your camping background: Are you camping experts (tent, car, motorhome)? Then I guess you got a lot of ideas what you want.
New to everything: Use what you‘ve got at home and add piece by piece after every trip out.

On my personal (Beach) list would be:
- Get VIP member to download the handouts and check-lists for next Saturday
- Knive and spoon and a bowl to eat
- Something to sleep (sleeping bag/duvet)
- Something to cook&bbq
- Something to cool the food
- Something to store my clothes (windowbags from vanessa for example)
- gas, maps and a lot of ideas where to go.

I like cycling so:
- towbar bike rack

Nice to have:
- Charging cable for the Beach, phone (of course not the same)

Happy caming and look forward to some pictures!
 
Hi , you don't "need to " have lots of accessoires but some do make camping more comfortable and can make a differene sometimes ....
The forum shop sells almost everything ....
 
Best accessory by far we have added slide out draw easier packing and saves on the back not having to bend in to get things out of the back of the van. Items for eating and cooking in my view are essentials rather than accessories however these items that are folding or space saving are a big plus. It is very easy to overbuy and end up with items you do not use. Sleeping bags or duvet we had sleeping bags but find duvet worked better for us. Converter for 2 pin euro plug to UK plug for the inverter for of mains camping useful.
 
Last edited:
Thanks for your reply’s I think all we are going to get is the Vanessa bags, so I don’t have to keep popping to the boot for clothes. For my hubby and kids a fridge so we have cold drinks. Been a tent camper for years but my lifelong dream has been a Cali. Thought it wouldn’t happen till retirement but taken the plunge early.
Been on blackrock sands today the last trip out with the kombi. Do so love my vw’s. Roll on Saturday and fun times ahead.
 
Baby wipes and kitchen roll. Clean cali interior with them, hands with them, cultery with them, tables with them, face with them, kids with them, walking shoes with them, seats with them and the list goes on and on.
 
Cathryn said:
i pick up my beach on Saturday. What would you say are essential accessories?? Hubby and I debating the got to have and the can wait list. Tia.
Click to expand...
Defo something to heat water with for a cuppa :)
 
Something to sleep on regardless of which Beach you have. The 3 seater will require more padding than the 2 seater.

Enjoy

Sent from my Moto G (5) Plus using Tapatalk
 
Hello Cathryn,
We've had a seven seater Beach for the past three years and it's the best vehicle we've ever owned by a country mile and that includes our previous SE 180 dsg 4motion. I am sure you will be thrilled with yours.

To answer your question, I wouldn't worry about accessories just yet. Just get your Beach and start using it with stuff from your home. You will soon work out what you actually need. I don't know which version you are getting but you can make yourself very comfortable in any of them with just a few basic bits and pieces.

We have equipped ours with a range of accessories to suit our needs but your needs may be different. However for what its worth we have found our best accessories to be a Waeco Dometic CFX 35 fridge/freezer, a pull out boot tray with storage boxes and a pair of Van Essa window bags. Each of these items compliment the versatility that a Beach provides extremely well. Unfortunately they are all pricey but well worth the money. Don't think that you have to get these as you will manage just fine without them.

Good luck.
 
Meoncoast said:
Best accessory by far we have added slide out draw easier packing and saves on the back not having to bend in to get things out of the back of the van. Items for eating and cooking in my view are essentials rather than accessories however these items that are folding or space saving are a big plus. It is very easy to overbuy and end up with items you do not use. Sleeping bags or duvet we had sleeping bags but find duvet worked better for us. Converter for 2 pin euro plug to UK plug for the inverter for of mains camping useful.
Click to expand...
That is on my future wish list told my hubby. Can you tell me where you had it from?? Thanks c.
 
Borris said:
Hello Cathryn,
We've had a seven seater Beach for the past three years and it's the best vehicle we've ever owned by a country mile and that includes our previous SE 180 dsg 4motion. I am sure you will be thrilled with yours.

To answer your question, I wouldn't worry about accessories just yet. Just get your Beach and start using it with stuff from your home. You will soon work out what you actually need. I don't know which version you are getting but you can make yourself very comfortable in any of them with just a few basic bits and pieces.

We have equipped ours with a range of accessories to suit our needs but your needs may be different. However for what its worth we have found our best accessories to be a Waeco Dometic CFX 35 fridge/freezer, a pull out boot tray with storage boxes and a pair of Van Essa window bags. Each of these items compliment the versatility that a Beach provides extremely well. Unfortunately they are all pricey but well worth the money. Don't think that you have to get these as you will manage just fine without them.

Good luck.
Click to expand...
How strange that is exactly my wish list for my beach. (Apart from calitopper/rainbow screen. ) I think that the fridge and Vanessa bags are a go ahead now and I’ll save up for my calidrawer. Where did you get your drawer from? Thanks C.
 
We went from an SE to a beach and after a few trips found the following worked:
Vanessa bags, expensive but very useful
Mattress topper, very uncomfortable without it
A fridge for longer trips away
Seat covers if you have young kids
Next I want a sliding floor in the back.
 
tuono001 said:
We went from an SE to a beach and after a few trips found the following worked:
Vanessa bags, expensive but very useful
Mattress topper, very uncomfortable without it
A fridge for longer trips away
Seat covers if you have young kids
Next I want a sliding floor in the back.
Click to expand...
I agree entirely. The mattress topper is a must and we also fitted waterproof seat and mattress covers to our van before it left the dealers. What a good thing that has turned out to be!
 
We also got for our 3 seat bench a 5cm king size mattress memory foam topper (Silent night Impress) from argos for £95 (reduced from £138) as the zonesleep was super expensive. Rolls up easy and very very comfortable!
 
I would use it a couple of times and decide what you need. It's easy to get a massive shopping list and buy things you won't use.

Things that made biggest difference to me:

Vanessa bags, single most beneficial upgrade for me turned our beach into a more pleasant experience by getting rid of bags in the van.

Cadac safari chef we used this a lot before we got our slidepod, we still do in fact. Great piece of kit
Slidepod not for everyone but we love it although we lose some storage in the back (but not as much as you'd think). Few reviews on here about them.
Carpets really help the cab feel more homely and easier to clean than the textured floor of the beach.
Inka seat covers to protect from our dogs and the elements.
40l Waeco compressor fridge (probably would recommend going smaller personally)


Coffee: Oomph or aeropress

Pans for our slidepod: Bruner 9 pan set (would probably say a smaller set is probably fine). If you just have a cadac you probably don't need many pans.

Other things:
NASA BM-1 battery monitor via bluetooth with hindsight its great but a victron with a basic read out would have been better but I didn't think it would fit in the plastic panel.
Victron solar charger regulator
120w solar panel
About to fit an ISOTOP internal liner, great for winter and summer insulation.
 
Last edited:
MattBW said:
I would use it a couple of times and decide what you need. It's easy to get a massive shopping list and buy things you won't use.

Things that made biggest difference to me:

Vanessa bags, single most beneficial upgrade for me turned our beach into a more pleasant experience by getting rid of bags in the van.

Cadac safari chef we used this a lot before we got our slidepod, we still do in fact. Great piece of kit
Slidepod not for everyone but we love it although we lose some storage in the back (but not as much as you'd think). Few reviews on here about them.
Carpets really help the cab feel more homely and easier to clean than the textured floor of the beach.
Inka seat covers to protect from our dogs and the elements.
40l Waeco compressor fridge (probably would recommend going smaller personally)


Coffee: Oomph or aeropress

Pans for our slidepod: Bruner 9 pan set (would probably say a smaller set is probably fine). If you just have a cadac you probably don't need many pans.

Other things:
NASA BM-1 battery monitor via bluetooth with hindsight its great but a victron with a basic read out would have been better but I didn't think it would fit in the plastic panel.
Victron solar charger regulator
120w solar panel
About to fit an ISOTOP internal liner, great for winter and summer insulation.
Click to expand...
I agree completely with the Isotop. I forgot to mention it but it's easy to do as it's a fit and forget item. But it totally transforms the roof making it warmer and draught free in winter and cooler in the summer. The other thing it does is make the upper deck dark. A standard T6 roof bellows is semi transparent and the light from outside will wake you at dawn. Once again the Isotop is expensive but well worth the expense.
 
Thanks for all your help. Gone and purchased the Vanessa bags. Liking all the tips. I am going to take the great advice of holding back and figuring what will benefit us. Want to try to keep it to essentials and not over complicate jumping in and heading off.
 
MattBW said:
I would use it a couple of times and decide what you need. It's easy to get a massive shopping list and buy things you won't use.

Things that made biggest difference to me:

Vanessa bags, single most beneficial upgrade for me turned our beach into a more pleasant experience by getting rid of bags in the van.

Cadac safari chef we used this a lot before we got our slidepod, we still do in fact. Great piece of kit
Slidepod not for everyone but we love it although we lose some storage in the back (but not as much as you'd think). Few reviews on here about them.
Carpets really help the cab feel more homely and easier to clean than the textured floor of the beach.
Inka seat covers to protect from our dogs and the elements.
40l Waeco compressor fridge (probably would recommend going smaller personally)


Coffee: Oomph or aeropress

Pans for our slidepod: Bruner 9 pan set (would probably say a smaller set is probably fine). If you just have a cadac you probably don't need many pans.

Other things:
NASA BM-1 battery monitor via bluetooth with hindsight its great but a victron with a basic read out would have been better but I didn't think it would fit in the plastic panel.
Victron solar charger regulator
120w solar panel
About to fit an ISOTOP internal liner, great for winter and summer insulation.
Click to expand...
Hadn’t heard of the VanEssa bags before and they look fantastic. Two questions if I may, (one stupid) I assume you don’t drive with them in the rear windows? And looking on the website, do I need ‘full vehicle lining’ or not - I have the T6 Beach with 3 seater rear bench? Bit confusing so thanks in advance
 
Hula Hoops. Never been camping without them
 
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