LandyCampers' Ultimate Overland Gear List - 2023 Edition
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  • Writer's pictureMax
    • Jun 28, 2023
    • 13 min read

LandyCampers' Ultimate Overland Gear List - 2023 Edition

Updated: Jul 24, 2023


We're halfway through a scorcher of a season here at LandyCampers HQ, and we thought it's high-time to give you our annual rundown of our top picks for camping gear, detailing the inventory in our Landys, and hopefully giving you some insight to level-up your own camper loadout!


The right equipment turn any camping trip into a stress-free and fun getaway / cc Max Isham Photography

Our LandyCampers have all the gear you need for an easy getaway. We're proud to have an inventory that stands out not only for it's completeness, but it's quality. We've sourced the best in camping and overlanding gear from around the world, and are excited to have introduced some kit to the UK for the very first time in (and on!) our Landys, with some remaining LandyCampers Exclusives here!


We've ensured our kit list includes everything required for an off-grid adventure as standard, and no unnecessary bits that simply take up space. Why? Because we've spent months living and working from tents on campsites, and know that good gear can make a huge difference to quality of life. A dodgy burner makes every meal time a chore, cheap chairs mean sore backs (and bums!), and a good tent is invaluable in the UK climate!




CONTENTS

- Rooftent

- Awning

- Roofbars

- Storage

- Sleeping Bags

- Battery & Solar

- Fridge

- Cooker

- BBQ

- Chairs

- Heated Seats

- Tables

- Kitchen Storage

- Lighting

- Drinkware

- Crockery

- Cookware

- Water Container

- Shower

- In-car Tech

- Clothing

 


When choosing equipment, our three most important criteria are:

  1. Re-usable: Absolutely no one-time use or disposable products (unless compostable)

  2. Longevity, sturdiness and usability: using gear that doesn’t hold up to the abuse you’ll give it or material that gives in on the second use would just not be fair - to the environment and to our clients.

  3. Light-weighting and space-saving: Yes, there is quite a bit of space in the Defender – but poorly designed bulky gear will easily fill up even the most cavernous vehicle. With our gear, we are trying to keep weight low to keep fuel efficiency when driving up.


Check out our current gear list below, we hope it might give you some inspiration on what to pack on your next adventure.


 


I think we can all agree, roof-tents are awesome! The high vantage point gives you a different perspective on camping than a ground tent (but no peeking into neighbouring pitches!). Being off the ground comes with a whole bunch of advantages. Even high-end ground tents can become mud-baths when it rains, as the ground around you becomes a swamp. No such problems with a roof-tent, it’d take a serious flood to reach you up there (and by that point you’d have bigger worries than a wet tent, and might consider building an ark!).

A home on the road: The CampWerk Adventure deployed on our Defender 90 'Waffle' / cc Max Isham Photography

Our new and improved tents for 2023 are CampWerk's Adventure Roof Top Tents. These German-designed soft-shell rooftents are a cut above the rest! With a a larger-than-double-bed comfortable foam mattress, they offer a considerably larger sleeping space than hard-shell tents, and the overhanging section means the ladder is always undercover (who wants to get out of their tent straight into the rain?) The extra thick mattress ensures you’ll sleep soundly - no blowing up of an airbed needed! Conveniently sleeping bags and pillows can remain inside the tent during the journey, freeing up vital storage space in the vehicle and allowing the tent to be quickly packed away, and making sure it’s ready for bed time in seconds.

It might look daunting at first, but setting up the well engineered Adventure tent is a breeze / cc Max Isham Photography

The 2023 models come with windows on all 4 sides, offering amazing near-panoramic views, and the roof panels unzip to reveal two huge rooflight windows, perfect for stargazing at night!

Views all around / cc Max Isham Photography

They offer incredible water-resistance (600 den, or a 9,000mm water column for number-crunchers) thanks to their military grade PU-coated Ripstop canvas bodies; and great strength thanks to new thickened aluminium poles, stainless-steel fixings, and an aluminium layered-board floor. These things are built to last!


Included as well in our kit is the optional annexe room, offering an entirely enclosed area that can be zipped onto the base for privacy or protection from the elements; and a cotton inner-tent, which creates a double-layered interior for insulation and reduced condensation. The smartly designed tent comes with insect screened windows and doors as well as elevated shoe pockets for footwear storage within reach. Bear in mind, with a Defender you'll want the additional Ladder Extension!


The annexe room is Illy-approved! / cc Max Isham Photography

While not yet available to order in the UK, CampWerk aim to bring these beauties, and their full range of tents, awnings and camping gear, to market by 2024!

 


The heavy-duty self-standing retractable awning is conveniently attached to the side of the vehicle for immediate use and shelter wherever you set up camp – braving hot summer days or rainy hours. As you can see below, it's a breeze to set up - unzip the bag, and pull! The 'wings' are secured in place when stored by some seriously strong magnets, so there's no worry about them rattling around on a bumpy trail. The Batwing is made from a heavy-duty, water and mould resistant material that has been tested and rated to UPF 50 +, offering maximum sun protection.



Not only does it provide a convenient instant shelter when you arrive at your destination to unpack under, it looks amazing, what’s not to like?


Come rain or shine, the RhinoRack Batwing awning is indispensable when out and about / cc Max Isham Photography

 


For roof bars we went for another bit of German engineering in the Nakatanenga Cargo Bear system. These are a novel (though now copied) low profile roof bar/roof rack system designed specifically for Defenders (new Jimnys and G-Wagons also have kits available).


These bars are beautifully machined, and have an outstandingly high load rating compared to almost anything else on the market (300kg off-road with evenly distributed load, which can easily be doubled on the road.) They are a fully modular system that can go from 2 cross bars to a full chequer plated roof rack.


Our main decision to go with these was their low profile design. Unladen, they barely increase the height of a Defender at all, as they are 'form-fitting'. This, paired with the Cargo Bear Quick Release Mount, enables us to keep the rooftent close to the roof, and thus the centre of gravity as low as possible, to reduce the impact on handling. They also have specially designed brackets for a multitude of awning systems, which made fitting the Batwing a breeze!




 

Storage Solution: LandyCampers Custom Storage Unit


Sure, you could throw everything in the back of the car in boxes. It works, but it's not ideal. That's why we spent many an hour (and week, and month) designing our Rear Storage Unit to accommodate our equipment while doubling up as an 'indoor' dining table, AND leaving room to still use the rear of the Defenders as a 'lounge' for when the weather gets grim!



With drawers for equipment that needs to be accessed often, a rear hinged tub for less commonly used items, and even a pull out ledge for brewing a quick cuppa without needing to set up the table, it's a unique aspect of every LandyCamper, and proven very popular!

 

Sleeping Bags: Vango


One of THE most important bits of kit, especially on colder nights, is a good sleeping bag. It can be the difference between a warm, homely feeling night, and one spent shivering in discomfort!


It's sensible, if at all possible, to have a range of bags for different conditions, but if not a multi-season bag will suffice. There's a range of options out there, but for the past few years we've been more than impressed with our Vango sleeping bags, which we've tested down to well below freezing (and slept well in!).


Our go-to for most trips is our Vango XXX Double, which can be used as a double sleeping-bag, or split into two individual bags. It's suitable for cooler nights, and fully unzips to be used simply as a blanket on warmer nights - and most importantly it's super comfy!


On really chilly nights, we use our Vango Radiate - as the name suggests this is a heated sleeping-bag, with built in graphene pads with variable temperatures. This 10tog bag is USB powered (more on that later!), and a real luxury when the outdoor temps plummet!




 

Battery pack & solar cells: EcoFlow battery & solar panel kit


A battery pack is always useful on any trip (phone batteries don’t last forever!), but when camping it’s even more important to have a reliable source of power with you. We chose the EcoFlow RIVER 2, “The World's Fastest Charging Power Station”, for exactly that reason. Its 288Wh capacity and 600W output (with up to 1200W surge capacity) in a compact body make it perfect for your camping trip. It will happily power your cool box, charge your phone and laptop, and even has enough oomph to jump-start your car when you leave the lights on over night (we’ve all done it!).



We paired the RIVER 2 with EcoFlow’s own 110W solar panel. As we strive to be as green as possible, this was a no-brainer. Solar cells have come a long way in the last few years, and this set up, in decent sun, is enough to significantly charge up the battery pack in a few hours. Left out all day, you’ll not need to pay for an electrical hook-up at a campsite again!


For longer journeys, the RIVER 2 Max or Delta 2 make perfect off-grid batteries, paired with larger 110W or 160W solar panel kits.



 

Fridge: Dometic CFX3


Dometic's "ultimate powered cool box" the CFX3 series is a super-efficient, rugged cooler really designed for adventure. Powered by either 12/24V or 240V it's versatile enough for most overlanders, and built tough enough to not need babying. Dometic's newest VMSO3 variable speed compressor means it is remarkably quiet in use, easily suitable to have by your table as you eat, or nearby with your cold beer as you enjoy a sundowner or two without disturbing your peace and quiet.


It's packed with smart tech as well, with built in battery protection (to avoid wearing your car battery down fully), a front-mounted display for controls, and - of course - Bluetooth and WiFi for it's own app, allowing remote control of temperature, detailed power use history and more. Clever, if a little over the top! It also offers a 10W USB-A charge port on the front for mobile devices.


We've opted for the 25 litre capacity, as it fits perfectly in the rear design of our Landys, but it comes in 25l, 35l, 45l, 55l, 75l, 95l and 100l (yes, it's massive) capacities to fit all needs, and a 53l with built in ice-maker!


 


The Tupike, and it's slightly bigger variant the Alika, are Primus' 'flagship' camping stoves - premium materials and build quality paired with top-tier performance. The Tupike houses two 3000W (10,200BTU) burners while the Alika ups this to a 3000W and 3900W, enough to bring a litre of water to the boil in just over 4 minutes - pretty miraculous for a camping stove!


Similar in design both are built from a die-cast aluminium frame with stainless steel sides and oak inlay, and feature fold-out 'wings' to protect the burners from wind - something we wish all camping stoves would incorporate!


 

BBQ: Primus Kamoto Fire Pit


Sticking with Primus, this year we've included the fold-flat Kamoto, which doubles as both a fire pit and BBQ grill. With it's raised design and built in floor, it's a perfect 'leave-no-trace' option for campfires, as all ash stays contained in the unit, and heat is high enough off the ground to avoid scorching the grass beneath.


As with all Primus equipment, build quality is superb, and it's more than tough enough to be jet washed down between uses!


Be aware, the smell of a good BBQ might bring envious visitors!


 


Back to CampWerk for our chairs! The clever folding mechanism means these fold really small, which is ideal for a vehicle which seats 6 - six 'normal' camping chairs would take up a LOT of room!


They're very comfy as well, with drinks pockets on both sides, and are designed to fit CampWerk's heated seat pads (sold separately from the chairs), which make sitting out on colder evenings extremely cosy!


 

Heated Seats: Vango Radiate DLX


Something brand new we've come across this year are Vango's new line of heated camping chairs - yes, you did read that right!


The Radiate range all feature graphene heating pads in the base and back of the chair, with 4 heat settings, making them perfect for colder nights! While they're certainly larger than the CampWerk seats above when folded, in larger campers with more storage space they'll fit with ease!



 

Tables: ARB Compact Folding Table


Folding up neatly into a bag is a neat trick for a table, but ARB 4x4 have managed it! Easily large enough for a family of four, and built from sturdy, heatproof (read hot-pan proof!) the ARB folding table is an obvious choice for dining al-fresco on the move!



 

Kitchen Storage: Navigator Kitchen Buddy


A clever bit of kit, all the way from Australia no less! This rugged folding kitchen storage bag holds a remarkable amount of cutlery, cooking equipment, condiments, and an all-important bottle-opener, and slots right into the rails of most rooftents.

A truly practical set of kit that makes camping cookery so much easier, when table space is at a premium, having all your equipment hanging just at arms reach is incredibly handy!


With an entire range of innovative camping-focused gear, we're big fans of these guys!


 

Torches: Nebo


The need for torches when out camping is pretty clear - and having ones that are reliable gets pretty important in a tricky situation!


This year we've expanded our lighting inventory to include a range of models from Nebo, including the Galileo pop-up lanterns, Mycro head torches and Slyde flashlights. All are USB-rechargeable, meaning no need to carry around spare batteries, and feature dimmable lighting and red modes for less intrusive lighting at night - say goodbye to being blinded every time you need to find something at night!


They're also weather-proof, which is definitely a key requirement when considering outdoor electronics in the UK, and built from sturdy materials meaning despite their high-tech and performance, they certainly don't need to be handled with kid gloves!


 

Drinkware: YETI Tumblers


You've got your fridge keeping your drinks cool at camp, but what about when you're out adventuring? YETI have you covered with their new Rambler series tumblers, available in a wide variety of shapes and sizes from 10oz cups to 30oz mugs all the way up to monster 64oz bottles.


All are double-walled for excellent insulation (keeping warm drinks warm and cold drinks cold), made from kitchen-grade 18/8 stainless steel for durability, and importantly dishwasher-safe! We've given them some 'heavy' testing, and they still look good as new, which is a win in our books!


Plus, they come in a cool variety of colours, of which Alpine Yellow is the correct choice! (Seriously, look at it!)



 



We looked at all sorts of options when looking for sustainable crockery. The options are seemingly endless, recycled plastics, ceramics, materials we’d never heard of and struggled to pronounce, and even edible tableware (great, if you only want one meal…). We settled on Vango’s Bamboo tableware sets. They’re sturdy, highly-sustainable, dishwasher safe, a decent size, and well priced. Not all the patterns on offer were quite to our taste, but there’s enough options, and the set has a really nice texture (squeaky knives on dishes can be like nails on a chalkboard).



 

Cookware: Primus Cookware


Good cookware can make or break a meal. Primus' range of cookware is built to last, from stainless steel they're designed to last years of service, and to be honest look very fancy as well!


Stackable (key for space saving) and removable handles they're simple, but sturdy - exactly what you want from your cookware!



 


Water containers can be a pain. Too big to store. Taste like a chemical factory. Leaky. Colapz solves these, and does exactly what it says on the tin (or, well, bucket!). It folds completely flat when not in use, and expands up to an 8 litre container with tap. It’s BPA free and made from food grade recyclable plastic, so there’s no disgusting taste, and no unhealthy chemicals leaching into your water. The container can also be converted into a shower with optional extras, and even into a watering can… for some reason!



 

Shower: Colapz Shower


Perfectly suited for the Colapz water carrier, their 12v Portable Rechargeable Travel Shower is ideal for showering on the go, or rinsing down a particularly mud-loving doggo! It's battery will last about and hour from a 4-5 hour charge, and uses the now-ubiquitous USB to power up, meaning no hassle of remembering yet another cable!

Simple!





 

In Car Display: Sony XAV-AX8050D


Ok, so it's not technically camping equipment, but we've kitted our vehicles out with them, and find them a great addition to any journey. The awkwardly named (in classic Sony style) XAV-AX8050D is a single-din 8.95in touchscreen display, with Android Auto and Apple Carplay when a compatible phone is plugged in by USB. This display becomes your sat-nav, your radio, your virtual assistant (it's included microphone allows Google Assistant/Siri to hear you even over the loudest engines). Voice control adds a level of safety, not requiring the driver to physically interact with the display at all, and the massive screen means your directions are just a quick glance away - no more squinting at your phone sitting in a wobbly dashboard mount. The single-din design means its easy to install in most older vehicles, which don't have double height radios out of the factory, in fact our Landys were upgraded easily from cassette decks (if you can remember those). The display has a bunch of different mounting positions, thanks to a bit of smart engineering from Sony, making it suitable for a wide range of vehicles. You can even watch a movie on it, as long as you're parked!



 

Clothing: LandyCampers Merch, of course!


Ok, you've got the camping gear. You've gone on the adventure. But you want people to know. And you want to look awesome.


"How", you ask?


Quality clothing with our logo on, naturally!



We have a range of men's and women's t-shirts, and woolly beanie hats with high quality machine stitched LandyCampers logos. Comfy, and built to last. Just like all our gear.


 

Embarking on a LandyCampers adventure means stepping into the great outdoors equipped with the right camping gear. In a market saturated with options, it can be a challenge to separate the essential from the superfluous, or the high-quality from the poorly replicated. However, the evolution of camping gear has been swift, transforming the once complex tasks of pitching a tent or unfolding a camping chair into simple, hassle-free experiences. Our Land Rover Defenders are outfitted with top-of-the-range camping equipment, ensuring your camping adventure is as comfortable as it is thrilling. Keep an eye out for updates, as we add to our 2023 camping gear recommendations - we work hard even during the season to source and add new gear to constantly improve our offering, spotlighting the finest and most innovative camping and overlanding gear from across the globe.

If it's not already obvious, we're kind of passionate (read: obsessive) about camping and the gear that comes with it - we're always happy to chat and try to answer your questions as best we can to help you kit out your own vehicle or set up in the best way, so don't be a stranger and reach out via our Insta DM's or comment below and we'll hopefully be able to offer some experience-based advice! :)


 

If this blog has helped you kit out your own camper, or make purchasing decisions, we'd be extremely grateful if you'd consider a small token of thanks via our Buy Me A Coffee page. Hours, days, weeks and months of research, trade shows, discussions with manufacturers etc go into making our decisions and ultimately recommendations (and indeed agreeing discounts for our readers!) - we've opted not to paywall the content, but if you're in the position we'd be incredibly appreciative of the support! Thank you - Max & Bela






N.B. This blog post contains affiliate links. Clicking on them costs you nothing, but helps us keeping up the blog and our vision!




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