Camping and Hiking

Camping and Hiking buying guide

Veldkraft lists 177 camping and hiking, priced from R29 to R18 059, from brands including Kaufmann X Outdoor, Basecamp, Meerkat, Bugger Off. Orders are delivered to all nine provinces and to Namibia, Botswana, Zimbabwe, Mozambique, Lesotho and Eswatini.

Build your camping gear around the trip

Choose camping gear for how you travel and where you stay. Car and bakkie campers can carry heavier, more comfortable items such as a directors' chair, a stretcher mattress, a utility trolley and a flat-pack braai. Beach days and short stays call for light items such as a folding beach chair. Meerkat, Basecamp, Kaufmann X Outdoor, Nduna, Cadac and Bugger Off cover seating, cooking, sleeping, storage and insect protection.

Pick chairs by load rating and pack size

Check the rated load before comfort features. Camping chairs here carry ratings such as 150 kg for the Meerkat spider chair and 200 kg for the king-size directors' chair, which sits higher and is easier to get out of. Compact beach chairs fold flat for the boot, and some include a pillow. A camp chair sofa adds seating around the fire. Wipe and dry chairs before packing them away.

Braais, stoves and spits

Choose cooking gear by fuel and group size. Flat-pack stainless steel braais pack flat for transport and assemble at camp; the mini biker braai suits motorbike trips and small groups. A two-plate gas stove, such as the Cadac stainless steel model, cooks two pots at once; this one is sold without a regulator, so buy one to match your gas bottle. A vertical spit handles espetada, shawarma and roasts for larger groups. Check campsite fire rules first.

Use gas safely at camp

Use gas stoves outdoors or in a well-ventilated area, never inside a closed tent or vehicle. Fit the regulator to the bottle as the maker directs and test every new connection with soapy water; bubbles show a leak. Keep the bottle upright and away from the flame, close the valve at the bottle when you finish, and let the stove cool before packing it. Replace perished hoses and damaged seals before your next trip.

Sleep warm and pack smart

Pick a sleeping bag rated below the coldest night you expect. The Meerkat military export sleeping bag, for example, carries a -10°C rating; ratings are a guide, and what is under you matters as much as the bag over you. The Nduna stretcher mattress adds insulation from cold ground and comfort on a stretcher. Storage and utility bags keep gear sorted, and a covered or utility trolley moves heavy items from vehicle to campsite.

Keep insects away

Use citronella products against mosquitoes and flies around camp, and follow the label for every repellent. Bugger Off citronella candles scent the air in a seating area, and the citronella body spray goes on skin; read the directions and warnings, especially before using it on children. A leather fly swatter handles the rest. If you travel to a malaria area, ask a doctor or travel clinic about prevention well before you leave.

Camping and Hiking: common questions

What camping equipment do I need for a weekend?

For a weekend, cover four basics: sleep, cooking, seating and insect protection. That means a sleeping bag rated for the season, a mattress or stretcher, a stove or braai with fuel, a chair per person and citronella repellent. Add a trolley and storage bags if you carry a lot from the vehicle to the campsite.

Does the Cadac 2 plate stove come with a regulator?

The Cadac two-plate stainless steel stove listed here is sold without a regulator, which is what No Reg in the title means. Buy a regulator that matches your gas bottle's valve type, fit it as the maker directs and test the connection with soapy water before lighting the stove for the first time.

What sleeping bag rating do I need for winter in South Africa?

Choose a bag rated a few degrees below the coldest night you expect. Winter nights on the Highveld, in the Karoo and in the mountains regularly drop below freezing, so a bag rated to around -10°C, such as the Meerkat military export bag, gives a safe margin. Add a mattress to cut heat loss into the ground and sleep in dry layers.

How much does camping gear cost in South Africa?

Veldkraft lists 177 camping and hiking products priced from R29 to R18 059. Insect repellents, candles and small accessories sit at the low end of that range. Price rises with size, materials and load rating: stainless steel braais, heavy-duty chairs and trolleys cost more than compact chairs, and a vertical spit sits towards the top.

How much weight can a camping chair hold?

Check the rated load on each listing, as it varies by design. In this range, the Meerkat spider chair is rated to 150 kg and the Meerkat king-size directors' chair to 200 kg. Choose a rating comfortably above the heaviest user, and avoid rocking or sitting on the armrests, which loads the frame beyond its design.

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