Our Camp Setup & Shelter Kit

The "living room" of your camp. Shade in summer, shelter in rain, somewhere to sit and eat. Five items, a gazebo, sunwall, camp table, camp chairs and a storage bag, that turn a patch of grass into an actual base camp.

Most camping advice focuses on tents and sleeping bags because that's where you sleep. But the honest truth is you spend 80% of your waking camp time outside the tent, under whatever shade or shelter you've set up. Get this wrong and every meal becomes miserable; get it right and you're sitting in comfort while it rains sideways.

This is the setup we use every single trip. Nothing fancy. Everything gets used.

What's in our camp setup and shelter kit

• Coleman Ultra Compact Gazebo 2.4m (the shelter centrepiece)
• Coleman Gazebo Sunwall 2.4m (wind and sun protection)
• Kings Portable Alloy Camping Table (eating, cooking prep, activity station)
• OZtrail Getaway Camping Chair ×2 (one per adult)
• Big W Large Camping Storage Bag (holds all the small bits)

We paid around $530 AUD for the full setup.

Coleman Ultra Compact Gazebo 2.4m, ★★★★☆

What it is: A pop-up gazebo with a 2.4m × 2.4m footprint, aluminium frame, polyester canopy. Unlike traditional marquee-style gazebos with dozens of poles, this one concertinas out, one person can set it up in about 60 seconds. Optional sunwall sides.

Why it works: It's the thing we set up FIRST when arriving at camp, rain or shine, you want shelter sorted before anything else. Rain? Shelter. Hot sun? Shade. Lunch? Here. Kids drawing during a storm? Here. Morning coffee? Here.

Pros:

• 60-second setup by one person, genuinely, we've timed it
• 2.4m × 2.4m is the Goldilocks size, big enough for a table and 4 chairs, small enough to fit most camp sites
• Ultra compact when packed, fits in a carry bag under 1m long
• Solid aluminium frame, holds up in wind (pegged down properly)
• Sunwall attachment genuinely blocks wind, makes the shelter 3-sided when needed
• Quality canopy, waterproof, doesn't leak at the seams

Cons:

• Some of the metal push-button locks can falter
• The 2.4m size only comes with basic sunwalls, the more useful add-ons (doors, kitchen attachments etc.) are all for the 3.0m
• Must be pegged down properly, if you don't, strong wind will take it
• 2.4m can feel tight with 6 people seated, for larger groups consider the 3m version
• Not a replacement for a proper tarp shelter in extended rain, water pools on top if you don't tension it

Tip: Always use the guy lines, even when it looks calm.

Verdict: A solid, reliable gazebo that does the job without fuss. The most-used item outside the tent itself. We are going to replace this though. It was a gift and has done the job but we will be upgrading to the Kings 3x3m or 4.4m x 6m which a close friend has that we camp with regularly. They also have a kitchen annex that hangs off the Gazebo that we love and is amazing when bugs are about.

Coleman 2.4m View at Bunnings ↗ Kings 3m. View at 4wdSupaCentre↗ Kitchen annex. View at 4wdSupaCentre↗

Coleman Gazebo Sunwall 2.4m, ★★★★☆

What it is: A fabric sunwall that attaches to one side of the Coleman 2.4m gazebo via velcro strips. Turns the open gazebo into a three-sided shelter.

Why it's worth the add-on: An open gazebo gives shade but does nothing about wind. Clip on the sunwall and suddenly you've got a wind break on the weather side. Also blocks low sun in the morning or evening when it's hitting you sideways under the canopy. Turns the gazebo from "shade" into "shelter."

Pros:

• Quick to attach and remove, velcro strips along the top edge
• Blocks wind effectively, makes a real difference on breezy days
• Blocks low-angle sun that gets under the canopy
• No issues, no breaks, it does exactly what it needs to

Cons:

• Only one wall per purchase, you need to buy multiples if you want more coverage
• Adds bulk to the packed gazebo bag

Verdict: Worth the $30. Turns a shade structure into a real shelter.

View at Bunnings ↗

Kings Portable Alloy Camping Table, ★★★★★

What it is: A lightweight aluminium folding table, roughly 120cm × 60cm deployed, folds flat to about 60cm × 10cm. Roll-up slatted top, height-adjustable legs (sort of, most have two height settings), soft carry bag.

Why you need a table at camp: Cooking on a blanket on the ground is miserable. Eating on your lap gets old after one meal. A table is where food prep happens, where meals get served, where kids colour in during rain, where the battery box sits, where everything ends up. You NEED a table; the only question is which.

Pros:

• 30-second setup, unfold, snap into place, done
• Sturdy enough for cooking and eating (not for standing on)
• Lightweight alloy, one hand to carry
• Packs into a bag that fits under the gazebo when packing down
• Water-resistant, rain wipes off, no warping
• Heat-tolerant, you can put hot pots and pans straight on it

Cons:

• Waist-height, fine for most uses, but if you're doing food prep on it for a while you'll need to bend, which can cause back pain
• No height adjustment.
• Legs can sink into soft ground, use flat pads or a towel under them

Tip: When assembling, don't push the sliding arms all the way together, let the straight bars guide the spacing, otherwise the tabletop won't seat properly.

Verdict: Solid, cheap, reliable. If you want bombproof and don't mind spending double, the Helinox Table One is the upgrade. For 90% of family camping, this is perfect.

View product at 4WD Supacentre ↗

OZtrail Getaway Camping Chair, ★★★★★

What it is: A traditional folding camp chair, tubular steel frame, fabric seat with a cup holder in the armrest, 120kg weight rating, folds flat into a carry bag. Not a Helinox-style compact hiking chair, this is a full-size adult-comfort chair you'd sit in for hours.

Why not go premium: I have sat in more camping chairs then I can count and the difference between this generic Camping chair and the ‘premium’ ones if $100+ with not much difference. At a $39 price point, these are fantastic assuming you have the room to bring them.

Pros:

• Comfortable for hours, proper adult-size seating, not a low-slung compact chair
• Plenty of storage with a Cup holder, zip up deep pocket and mesh netting on the back. storage is surprisingly important and you'd miss it if it wasn't there
• 130kg rating with a high-tensile steel frame handles adults comfortably
• Folds down, fits in standard chair bag
• Cheap enough to buy 4-6 without thinking about it
• OZtrail quality is consistent, ours are 3 years old and still fine

Cons:

• A little bulky, like all chairs in this price range. Not a compact hiking chair

Verdict: Simple and effective. As good as chairs at $120+. My top pick for anyone starting out if you've got the room. Buy 1 per adult and be done with it.

View at Anaconda ↗

Mesh Camping Chair and Table Set, ★★★★★

What it is: An ultra compact camping table with 2 chairs that rolls up into itself for a single carry item. Perfect for kids but also usable by adults as long as your do not have a large frame. I sit in ours comfortably and can stretch back fine but there is no head rest and for multi day camping would not be ideal. I really like this product for a lightweight compact option for beginners and love it for kids.

Why no link: I ordered this as a test product direct from a manufacturer wholesale to re-sell but due to the cost and size, I would need to sell in Australia for around $180 which I think is a little high. If you are interested, let me know and maybe I can try get a better price.

Pros:

• Packs up really small for what you get
• Easy to setup and pack down
• table has some small storage spots
• perfect height for the chairs with adults relaxing or kids doing activities.
• 2 chairs and a table smaller then 1 standard camping chair.

Cons:

• Zip quality is average and will break if not careful and forced.

Verdict: I love this product and it will come on every camping trip or picnic adventure, sorry I cannot provide a link for purchase.

Big W Large Camping Storage Bag, ★★★★☆

What it is: A large canvas-style storage bag designed to hold loose camping gear, lamps, tableware, tools, small bits that would otherwise end up loose in the boot. Zip closure, shoulder strap, sturdy base.

Why a storage bag matters: Everyone with a full camping setup has "the 20 small things" problem, a torch, a lamp, cutlery, tea towels, pegs, cable ties, a roll of duct tape, the egg carrier, the chemical sachets, the lighter, the nozzle for the mattress pump, and so on. None of them have a natural home. Either they all live in one bag, or they rattle around the boot and you lose half of them. This bag is the home.

Pros:

• Large capacity, genuinely fits "all the small bits"
• Zip closure means nothing falls out during transport
• Shoulder strap makes it one-trip from car to camp site
• Solid base so it doesn't collapse when partially empty
• good internal and external storage.

Cons:

• Not waterproof, keep it under the gazebo or in the car if it rains
• A bit overpriced for what it is.

Verdict: Not exciting, but solves the "where does all the loose stuff go" problem better than buying 5 separate containers. I am looking at better, more cost effective alternatives to source and sell once they past my quality testing requirements. For smaller storage that is easier to Tetris, I will likely be procuring some of the Kings canvas storage bags. View at 4wdsupacentre ↗

View our current storage bags at Big W ↗

How the setup goes together (in order)

1. Pick the spot: Flat-ish ground, away from overhanging dead branches (widow-makers), away from the creek (flood risk), near enough to facilities but not on top of the thoroughfare.

2. Gazebo first: Always. Before the tent, before anything. Because if it starts raining mid-setup, you need shelter to keep setting everything else up. 60 seconds to deploy, peg it down properly with all 4 corners. Usually 1 person can work on this while the other starts on the tent once you know what your doing.

3. Table under the gazebo: Becomes your workspace for the rest of setup.

4. Chairs around the table: Everyone has a place to sit immediately. Kids stop asking "what can I do" because they can sit and watch.

5. Tent next: (See the sleep system blog for tent setup.) By now the camp feels established, you have shade, seating, and a workspace.

6. Everything else: Storage bag comes out, battery box and fridge set up nearby, fire pit established. (See the power setup and cooking kit for the rest.)

Total setup time with two adults working together: about 35-45 minutes from parking to ready-to-eat.

What we'd upgrade (eventually)

• Compact chairs, more compact, lighter chairs that offer the same support with half the space. Currently testing some now to find the balance of quality and price.
• A proper tarp to pair with the gazebo for heavy rain. tarp flooring just has everything sit on top, we will upgrade to the Kings mesh flooring when we upgrade our gazebo. View at 4wdSupaCentre↗
• Kings 3m × 3m gazebo for bigger groups, but we'd lose the compact packing benefit, and 2.4m is enough for 4 chairs and a table. View at 4wdSupaCentre↗
• Kings Gazebo Hub for storing kitchen and other items out of the weather and away from the bugs. View at 4wdSupaCentre↗

What we don't buy (and you shouldn't either)

• Cheap Kmart/Aldi gazebos. They fail in wind, they leak in rain, the frames bend, and you end up buying a real one 3 months later. Buy the Coleman and save money long-term.
• Hammocks as your main seating. Great for 20 minutes. Terrible for meals, card games, working at a laptop, watching kids, or doing anything else. Use a chair.
• Cheap camping chairs from Kmart and bigW. I love both store but their camping chair quality is poor and not much cheaper then the one I have recommended. They all come out of a factory in China but even within the same factory they can be a lot of quality changes made per product.

What we paid

• Coleman Ultra Compact Gazebo 2.4m: $130
• Coleman Gazebo Sunwall 2.4m: $30
• Kings Portable Alloy Camping Table: $59.95 (comes with free wash basin)
• OZtrail Getaway Chair: $39.99 each x2
• Big W Large Camping Storage Bag: $99 x3
• Total: $600 AUD

You can spend a lot more on each of these, particularly chairs and the gazebo but for 90% of family camping, the budget versions here are the right choice. Prices change daily, check the links above for current deals.

The bottom line

A good camp setup isn't about having the most expensive gear. It's about having the right pieces that work together. A gazebo to shelter you. A table to work from. Chairs to sit in. A bag to hold the small bits. That's it, you don't need anything else to run a comfortable base camp.

This setup has worked for our family across every type of trip we've done. It's not premium, but it's honest, reliable. Start with this, and upgrade pieces individually as you figure out what matters most to you.

See the complete family kit at Our Setup. For the sleeping side of camp, check out our tent and sleep setup. For cooking, see the camp cooking kit.