What essential accessories have you since ditched overboard?

[flying banana]

We don’t do toasties but use the R M for most things not just bacon. Regulars are chicken, salmon, new potatoes, meatballs and much more. It’s our ‘go to’ van utensil.

and chips

 

[Mehdime]

Had the van for two years now so can join the club.

We intentionally didn’t buy much anyway. Never bought levelling ramps for example - and never needed them in well over 100 nights camping. But we still ditched a few thing.

- Plastic champagne glasses bought to celebrate the new van. Never actually used them. Can’t be stored in any sensible manner. Take up a lot of space. In recycling bin.
- 1 liter Klean Canteen thermal flask: https://www.earthmother.ie/klean-kanteen-thermal-flask-with-cup-1ltr32oz.html. It does keep water hot for a long time (but nowhere near the claimed 38 hours). But it’s far too tall. There’s no easy way to store it in the kitchen cupboards. And we mostly never used it anyway.
- Decathlon 2.5l drinking water bottle. Got it based on a recommendation here. We did keep it for two years. But now that it finally smashed to bits, we won’t be buying it again. It’s 100% plastic. Too tall to store easily in the kitchen cupboard. Opening and closing the cap was always a faff.
- Decathlon stainless steel camping mug. Really unpleasant to drink out of. When used with hot liquid, it burns your hands for a few minutes and then becomes too cold to drink. Really not quite sure what these things are for but they’re awful for both cold and hot drinks.
- stainless steel camping salad bowl. Turns out we don’t generally do salads when camping… And it takes up a huge amount of space.

 

[66tim99]

- Decathlon stainless steel camping mug. Really unpleasant to drink out of.

What do you use instead?
I like the Yeti ones, but the trick is getting one that works for the most drinks - tea/coffee, water, beer and wine - and fit well in the dash cupholders.
I don't think they've nailed it with any of them, and I've tried most, but am still to try these. My better half would roll her eyes again though, if I bought any more...

 

[bvddobb]

The first to go was the drive-away awning.
Electric water kettle.
Electric heaters.
Leveling chocks.

 

[Mehdime]

What do you use instead?
I like the Yeti ones, but the trick is getting one that works for the most drinks - tea/coffee, water, beer and wine - and fit well in the dash cupholders.
I don't think they've nailed it with any of them, and I've tried most, but am still to try these. My better half would roll her eyes again though, if I bought any more...

We’ve not yet found a good solution. We had a beautiful insulated glass mug my wife bought in Mexico for a short amount of time until I dropped it and smashed it. It was great for the few days that it lasted.

 

[Kayleigh]

We’ve not yet found a good solution. We had a beautiful insulated glass mug my wife bought in Mexico for a short amount of time until I dropped it and smashed it. It was great for the few days that it lasted.

These Japanese ones are great. But better value to buy from Amazon Japan..

Snow Peak - Stainless Vacuum-Insulated Mug in 450ml – Snow Peak

The Stainless Vacuum-Insulated Mug in 450ml is designed in Japan. The lightweight mug can be used in the home, camp or backcountry and offers lasting insulation with vacuum-insulated double walls. The Stainless Vacuum Double Wall 450 Mug weighs just 135g and features collapsible handles for...

uk.snowpeak.com

 

[KevH]

These Japanese ones are great. But better value to buy from Amazon Japan..

Snow Peak - Stainless Vacuum-Insulated Mug in 450ml – Snow Peak

The Stainless Vacuum-Insulated Mug in 450ml is designed in Japan. The lightweight mug can be used in the home, camp or backcountry and offers lasting insulation with vacuum-insulated double walls. The Stainless Vacuum Double Wall 450 Mug weighs just 135g and features collapsible handles for...

uk.snowpeak.com

At £50 each…EACH…I expect expect waiter service thrown in

 

[Kayleigh]

At £50 each…EACH…I expect expect waiter service thrown in

As I said, cheaper to order from Amazon Japan

 

[66tim99]

These Japanese ones are great. But better value to buy from Amazon Japan..

Snow Peak - Stainless Vacuum-Insulated Mug in 450ml – Snow Peak

The Stainless Vacuum-Insulated Mug in 450ml is designed in Japan. The lightweight mug can be used in the home, camp or backcountry and offers lasting insulation with vacuum-insulated double walls. The Stainless Vacuum Double Wall 450 Mug weighs just 135g and features collapsible handles for...

uk.snowpeak.com

Lovely. But wont fit in the dash cupholders?
These might though?
https://www.amazon.co.jp/dp/B0CQ8GX37D/

 

[Lambeth Cali]

Yeti for morning coffee.
Duralex tumblers for wine.
Any cold beer I have gets drunk pretty quickly. Usually best kept in the cold bottle.

 

[BeagleMum]

Yeti for morning coffee.
Duralex tumblers for wine.
Any cold beer I have gets drunk pretty quickly. Usually best kept in the cold bottle.

Seconded for Yeti mugs, don’t drink wine or beer so can’t comment on them.

 

[vmaxkiddy]

I’m looking to ditch my ridge monkey….

I can cook bacon in a pan with a guard, and/or outside
so, having read through many a post, toasties seem to be the main other use of it and, so far, I’ve not longed for a toastie……..ok, I’ll take it for a last whirl and see if toasties change my van life…!

but I’ve cut down on bread consumption……….

Rösti works very well as do omelettes

 

[wildslammer22]

What do you use instead?
I like the Yeti ones, but the trick is getting one that works for the most drinks - tea/coffee, water, beer and wine - and fit well in the dash cupholders.
I don't think they've nailed it with any of them, and I've tried most, but am still to try these. My better half would roll her eyes again though, if I bought any more...

Those work well in the T6 cup holders, not sure about the 6.1 though, I suspect the cup holders in the 6.1 dash are slightly bigger?

 

[wildslammer22]

The first to go was the drive-away awning.
Electric water kettle.
Electric heaters.
Leveling chocks.

My list similar (levellers and drive away awning). I’ve never had an electric kettle or heater.

The comfort mattress went pretty quickly in favour of the S2S inflatable one.

In the 'kitchen' I dispensed with the Bellman coffee maker, I’m a coffee nerd but although it’s great once you’ve mastered its foibles it’s too much faff and pretty awkward to store. Finally the Cadac Safari has also been retired.

 

[dspuk]

Chocks, chocks & chocks. Waste of time and space. I also did a Basil on them when they caused a puncture.

Basically we found that space is at such a premium anything that is not small and foldable is out.

The only two large items we now carry is the duvalay and the awning (for longer trips only). With a baby we also have to carry a pop up cot, airline cabin friendly pushchair and a small seat to feed her on.

Almost everything else is out. Chocks, wind breaks, large screen covers, bulky chairs etc. Our cupboards also pared to a minimum, one large packing cube only and one wash bag. The only thing that I refuse to compromise on is my milk frother

One day I'll sort it all out in the garage and offer it here for a charity donation.

 

[Defender90]

Chocks, chocks & chocks. Waste of time and space. I also did a Basil on them when the caused a puncture.

Basically we found that space is at such a premium anything that is not small and foldable is out.

The only two large items we now carry is the duvalay and the awning (for longer trips only). With a baby we also have to carry a pop up cot, airline cabin friendly pushchair and a small seat to feed her on.

Almost everything else is out. Chocks, wind breaks, large screen covers, bulky chairs etc. Our cupboards also pared to a minimum, one large packing cube only and one wash bag. The only thing that I refuse to compromise on is my milk frother

One day I'll sort it all out in the garage and offer it here for a charity donation.

Strange how many people don’t use the levelling chocks,I use them nearly every time .
things ditched awning room ,tailgate bike rack, pop top waterproof topper Cali chairs and standard suspension

 

[larrylamb]

Strange how many people don’t use the levelling chocks,I use them nearly every time .

me too, can't settle sleeping on a slope.

 

[Kayleigh]

Levelling ramps sold as I never used them. I also don’t carry the hookup cable any more. I used a safari chef a couple of times but don’t bother with that either.
Never had one of those double frying pan thingies that you can do sandwiches and other stuff in, so no need to ditch that

 

[Hawthorn37]

Ditched our Shark hand held hoover after our first trip. Since travelled with a dustpan brush, and often just the brush!

 

[66tim99]

Cali chairs

Which do you use now?

 

[Defender90]

Which do you use now?

helinox sunset chairs I like my head supported and great when you go for a walk ,light and pack down small

 

[66tim99]

helinox sunset chairs I like my head supported and great when you go for a walk ,light and pack down small

Thanks, and you keep them in the tailgate?

 

[Defender90]

Thanks, and you keep them in the tailgate?

You can but we keep them behind the front passenger seat and I use the tailgate bag for other kit

 

[chockswahay]

I’m thinking of removing the awning…….. carried it around for two years and only used it twice, once in the rain for 10 mins just to keep the rain out of the door and once with the grandkids who after 5 mins wanted to sit in side! All it does in the meantime is get in the way when washing the van and IMHO look pug ugly

 

[calibusje]

Levelling ramps sold as I never used them. I also don’t carry the hookup cable any more. I used a safari chef a couple of times but don’t bother with that either.
Never had one of those double frying pan thingies that you can do sandwiches and other stuff in, so no need to ditch that

Aha, someone else who leaves the cable at home. I have not used it 10 times while traveling in 12 years (10 of which with our T4 Westfalia and now 2 with the T6.1) and the cable has also flown out of our cali. The t6.1 has the function of maximum charging and use from time to time, keeps your batteries in top shape (no solar panels needed either, but everyone has their own idea and own choice about this). They last 4 days with the refrigerator on and normal use of lights and no additional consumers (but mobile phones are charged via the inverter).
We almost never stay in the same place for more than one night in a row, but two summers ago we stayed 4 nights in a row at a campsite on Île de Noirmoutier (highly exceptional for us ) and so I noticed that the batteries last that long without being recharged.
We will keep taking the levelling ramps with us because we use them regularly (but as always: everyone has their own idea about this).
We also ‘cook’ but keep it simple: a few cans of ravioli (our emergency food) + a block of cheese to grate over it and Tabasco. Always one meal of spaghetti (has become a tradition) or aperitifs with snacks and in the morning eggs, bacon, toast (with the extremely handy, well-functioning Coghlan’s camp toaster) toppings and jam and coffee from the percolator coffee maker. So we never brought anything like a cadac or safari chef or similar with us. We mostly go out to eat: always a hit
It's fun to read what others include or don't include in their cali.