What essential accessories have you since ditched overboard?

[BeagleMum]

Amarillo’s School was closed a lot of the time due to all the condensation the pupils were creating and the curtains did nothing to stop it !
Unlike WG who should stop it now he’s made his point again and again and again and again, and he’s still raging !
You need to open a window or something

where has everyones tolerance gone ?

Well said, it’s stopped being entertaining now and is just predictable and tiresome.

 

[Algor]

I have two…

Thule tent. Bought second hand from AndyInLuton and never used.

ridge monkey. Potentially a bit controversial this one, initially loved it but now stuck in the under seat drawer and never used.

Interesting, I am finding the same thing. I love/loved the ridge monkey but much prefer the Cadac and cooking outside now. Maybe I will prefer the ridge monkey again in the winter.

 

[WelshGas]

Amarillo’s School was closed a lot of the time due to all the condensation the pupils were creating and the curtains did nothing to stop it !
Unlike WG who should stop it now he’s made his point again and again and again and again, and he’s still raging !
You need to open a window or something

where has everyones tolerance gone ?

I never rage, the Beta Blockers see to that. Just don’t like inaccurate information being published as fact contrary to the Laws of Physics etc.

 

[Moakesy]

Interesting, I am finding the same thing. I love/loved the ridge monkey but much prefer the Cadac and cooking outside now. Maybe I will prefer the ridge monkey again in the winter.

Yup, the Cadac killed the Monkey off for me too..

 

[andyinluton]

Yup, the Cadac killed the Monkey off for me too..

I bought a monkey to save lugging the cadac out but have reverted to a large tefal frying-pan with a detachable handle & a Halfords £12 cartridge powered stove.

 

[jimmywease]

I bought a monkey to save lugging the cadac out but have reverted to a large tefal frying-pan with a detachable handle & a Halfords £12 cartridge powered stove.

i already had a Cadac but recently bought a monkey and cartridge stove, for traveling light on weekends of toasted-sandwich joy. No washing up - just spit & kitchen-roll.

All was perfect until the boy announced “I don’t actually like toast”

 

[jimmywease]

No, can’t be bothered. If you can’t see the problem then there is no point wasting my time explaining it.
Greater minds than yours or mine have studied this and obviously I had a better Physics teacher.

Okay - Here comes the science and it’s going to blow your mind:

Here, @WelshGas and @Amarillo are always in the same room together, which is a bit like never being in the same room together in real life...

It’s possibly the most amazing twist since Fight Club but I reckon I’ve nailed it.

The only remaining question is whether @WelshGas spent two years designing and then launching his own nemesis, complete with fake family and year-long trip around Europe, just so he could disagree with himself...

OR.... (and this is pretty frightening but my money is firmly on this one)... @Amarillo faked campervan ownership and a Welsh online persona for two years, but is now embroiled in a desperate internal battle that is as fruitless as that computer, playing itself at tic-tac-toe, in War Games.

 

[altvic]

You've got that round the wrong way - an ocean has nice sliding doors to give you access, the far inferior beach has permanently attached cheap plastic panels stopping access.

 

[Lambeth Cali]

Back on topic:
Bellows Bungee (Did it too tight, probably caused bellows to detach at top corner and made it awkward to fold bellows behind latches)
Kampa Snappy Bin: Never an essential
but I really thought this would enhance my refuse game. Sadly it just created a problem, whilst trying to solve one that didn’t even exist! Tying a bin bag to a table leg is better.
View attachment 80457View attachment 80457

We hang the bin bag on the passenger wing mirror!
Doesn’t work in New Forest though as donkeys eat your trash.

 

[jimmywease]

We hang the bin bag on the passenger wing mirror!
Doesn’t work in New Forest though as donkeys eat your trash.

Frankly I’m horrified. Dressing your Cali like some Poundland Pat Butcher and feeding her to the donkeys!

 

[Sunstoner]

So what accessories that you thought you couldn't do without, are now rarely if ever taken on trips away and why? We all have them gathering dust at the back of a cupboard or in the garage, so here's your opportunity to fess up.

Here's just a few of our personal collection to start the ball rolling:

1. Levelling ramps - They take up too much room and we've rarely needed them.
2. Thermal windscreen cover - We use the curtains that came with the van. They are quick and easy to use and don't need drying off after use.
3. Drive away awning - Rarely taken with us as it detracts from the spontaneous self contained Cali life style and TBH it's a pain in the @r$e.
4. Topper - Only used it once or twice and found it too much of a faff to fit. Now use a Cali Wrap when required.
5. That tin and wire gadget that you sit on top of the gas burner to toast bread. - It doesn't!

I could go on but I won't.

After not many more than a handful of stays in our newish (well, still feels new to us) T6 Ocean we've started to realise we can (finally) leave stuff behind after taking what felt like 2 kitchen sinks.

1. The rainbow thermal windscreen cover doesnt need packing for warmer weather trips if at all. The Cali is dark and warm enough with the front blinds.
2. A third (yes a third) table we took for storage for the awning has been ditched.
3. 2 Blow up chairs for the kids - We affectively have 6 chairs already and only 4 people. So they're gone.
4. The duvets are getting ditched and we're gonna tackle sleeping bags again.

Thats it for now, but we're getting there.

 

[Trevor Brown]

Very early days for us but all we’ve off loaded is the Fuel Angel. Found it slowed up filling the tank too much (but that might have been user error).
As others have said levelling ramps might not get packed for all trips (although we did use them at Slimbridge recently.

I found Fuel Angel a pain in the (filler) neck!

 

[GrumpyGranddad]

I found Fuel Angel a pain in the (filler) neck!

Same here.

 

[66tim99]

Same here.

Damn I bought one (but don’t have a Cali yet!)
Classic try-before-you-buy error

 

[WelshGas]

Damn I bought one (but don’t have a Cali yet!)
Classic try-before-you-buy error

Been using mine for the last 6 yrs. No problems.

 

[GrumpyGranddad]

Damn I bought one (but don’t have a Cali yet!)
Classic try-before-you-buy error

You may get on with it just fine. Some people have had no issues. Mine just made refuelling a frustratingly long process. I didn’t persevere with it, maybe I could have improved it with a bit of tweaking?

 

[WelshGas]

You may get on with it just fine. Some people have had no issues. Mine just made refuelling a frustratingly long process. I didn’t persevere with it, maybe I could have improved it with a bit of tweaking?

Travelling aboard a lot I came across some helpful garage attendants, especially in Italy. Saved me at least once. Each to his own. Just be careful in the back of beyond.

 

[Meoncoast]

Been using mine for the last 6 yrs. No problems.

Same here using since 2012. Moved it from T5 to T6. You have just got to get the angle right before you put it in.

 

[Amarillo]

1. A third (yes a third) table we took for storage for the awning has been ditched.

We are considering a fourth (yes a fourth) table.

1. Sliding door picnic table for Clare and me.
2. Cheap folding table for the boys which I bought in a Minehead hardware shop ~20 years ago.
3. Table made from Muji drawers and a 1.5m x 44cm plywood top as kitchen worktop.
4. A new 1.5m x 1.0m plywood top to fit on the sliding door table.

#4 would go on #1 and we’d get rid of #2 so in effect we’d reduce to two tables.

 

[Sunstoner]

We are considering a fourth (yes a fourth) table.

1. Sliding door picnic table for Clare and me.
2. Cheap folding table for the boys which I bought in a Minehead hardware shop ~20 years ago.
3. Table made from Muji drawers and a 1.5m x 44cm plywood top as kitchen worktop.
4. A new 1.5m x 1.0m plywood top to fit on the sliding door table.

#4 would go on #1 and we’d get rid of #2 so in effect we’d reduce to two tables.

Oh dont do this...it was a toughie to give up the 3rd table. This kinda talk might have us sticking it back in the van

 

[ArunAlec]

I have two…

Thule tent. Bought second hand from AndyInLuton and never used.

ridge monkey. Potentially a bit controversial this one, initially loved it but now stuck in the under seat drawer and never used.

Try American pancakes in the Ridge Monkey!

 

[Karlos]

Not bought anything that we don't use but tried to leave Mrs K behind but she's not keen

 

[Borris]

Not bought anything that we don't use but tried to leave Mrs K behind but she's not keen

Whilst I wouldn't want to leave Mrs B behind, I'd gladly throw over board the many supermarket bags full of assorted unnecessary guano that she presents me with after I've just got the van ready for a trip. Then when we are away "we'll" end up collecting even more bags of stuff. As a quartermaster she's second to none but I have learned to hate the inclusion of the those last minute bags of joy.

It's not uncommon to be driving along with balls of wool rolling round my feet creating a sort of cats cradle effect........ which is delightful.

 

[Drpps]

Whilst I wouldn't want to leave Mrs B behind, I'd gladly throw over board the many supermarket bags full of assorted unnecessary guano that she presents me with after I've just got the van ready for a trip. Then when we are away "we'll" end up collecting even more bags of stuff. As a quartermaster she's second to none but I have learned to hate the inclusion of the those last minute bags of joy.

It's not uncommon to be driving along with balls of wool rolling round my feet creating a sort of cats cradle effect........ which is delightful.

This was always the worst part of tent camping.
Mrs drpps didn’t like things packed until everything checked off. An hour later, after getting the packing go ahead, and while admiring success with the boot Tetris, the extra bags would appear. Fortunately she didn’t mind a pile of stuff rolling around her feet so the reward was a full passenger footwell.
The Cali has reduced that stress as I can always slide the seat forward a few more inches to cram in the last minute bags (“but you know I always take my tumble dryer/lawnrake/penny farthing”) but still grrr

 

[Steve&Bev]

Very early days for us but all we’ve off loaded is the Fuel Angel. Found it slowed up filling the tank too much (but that might have been user error).
As others have said levelling ramps might not get packed for all trips (although we did use them at Slimbridge recently.

I also had to remove the fuel angel from my T6 as it impeded filling too much on some, but not all, pumps.