You can take a lot of gear camping.

That doesn't mean you should.

After enough trips, you work out pretty quickly what gets used every time and what spends the whole weekend buried in the back of the vehicle.

Richard has spent years 4WD touring, camping and going bush. The Weston Works range has grown out of that experience, with products earning their place because they solve problems he actually runs into outdoors.

These are the bits of gear that make the cut.

Camping Essentials (Quick Answer)

The gear we keep coming back to:

• Rollercam Straps for securing the load

• Roperoller for keeping rope under control

• Firebox G2 for compact, versatile cooking

• Cooka Stove for the camp kitchen

• First Aid Bottle for keeping first aid close

• Cooka Cool'a for keeping the important drink cold

Nothing particularly complicated.

Just useful gear that earns the space it takes up.

1. Rollercam Straps

Before anything gets used at camp, it has to get there.

That's why Rollercam Straps are one of the first things packed.

Swags, storage tubs, firewood, kayaks, roof rack loads and whatever else comes along for the trip all need to stay where they're put.

Rollercam uses a patented cam buckle with a brass roller that reduces friction as the webbing passes through. That gives you more tension with less effort than a standard cam buckle, without having to reach for a ratchet strap every time something needs securing.

Richard originally brought Rollercam to Weston Works after looking for a better way to secure his own gear.

They've stayed in the setup ever since.

2. Roperoller

Rope is useful.

A tangled pile of rope isn't.

Roperoller is one of those simple bits of gear that fixes an annoying problem once and then quietly keeps doing its job.

Wind your cord onto it, pull out what you need and wind it back up when you're finished.

Around camp, that might mean tarp lines, clotheslines, general cord or any of the other jobs that somehow appear once you've set up.

It keeps the rope organised and stops the inevitable knot from taking over the storage tub.

3. Firebox G2

The Firebox G2 5-Inch Folding Camp Stove earns its place because it gives you plenty of cooking options without taking up much room.

It folds flat for transport and can run on wood, twigs, charcoal, solid fuel or alcohol. With the optional burner attachment, it can also be set up for gas.

That versatility matters when you're travelling because the way you want to cook can change depending on where you are, what fuel is available and the conditions you're dealing with.

Set it up for a quick brew or get dinner going over a proper flame.

Then fold it back down and pack it away.

4. Cooka Stove

Sometimes you don't need to build a whole campfire.

You just want to get something cooking.

The Cooka Stove is a compact part of Richard's camp kitchen setup and works for everything from getting the kettle going to cooking a proper meal.

It's available in standard fuel and gas burner compatible versions, so you can build the setup around the way you prefer to cook.

For us, camp cooking gear needs to be straightforward.

Set it up. Cook. Pack it away.

The Cooka Stove does exactly that.

5. First Aid Bottle

This is the piece of gear you hope stays packed.

The Weston Works First Aid Bottle is a compact waterproof first aid kit designed for camping, 4WD touring and outdoor trips where help might not be around the corner.

It can live in the glovebox, day pack or camp setup without taking up much room, which means there's little reason to leave it behind.

When you're heading away from towns, reception and easy access to supplies, having basic first aid equipment close by is simply part of being prepared.

We'd rather carry it every trip and barely touch it.

6. Cooka Cool'a

Not every essential needs to be serious.

The Cooka Cool'a has a much simpler job.

Keep the drink cold.

It's compact, weighs next to nothing and gets used around camp, which is enough to earn its spot.

Sometimes that's the entire product review.

Why these six keep coming with us

Camping gear has to justify the space it takes up.

Especially once the vehicle starts filling with food, water, bedding, recovery gear, cooking equipment and everything else needed for a few days away.

The gear that stays in Richard's setup tends to do at least one thing particularly well.

Rollercam keeps the load secure.

Roperoller sorts out the rope.

Firebox and Cooka handle the cooking.

The First Aid Bottle is there when something goes wrong.

And the Cool'a keeps a cold one cold while you're dealing with the rest of it.

That's really the test.

Does it solve a problem often enough to deserve a permanent spot in the kit?

If the answer is yes, it stays.

What Richard looks for in camping gear

Weston Works didn't start by trying to build the biggest camping catalogue possible.

Richard went looking for better gear after years of using products that slipped, tangled, broke or simply didn't work as well as they should.

That still shapes what makes it onto the site.

Camping gear should be practical.

It should hold up to being used properly.

And it shouldn't make a simple job harder than it needs to be.

That's why you'll find a fairly specific mix of load restraint, cord management and camp cooking gear at Weston Works rather than hundreds of products for the sake of having them.

FAQs

What camping gear should you always take?

It depends on where you're going and how you're travelling, but your setup should cover safe load restraint, first aid, food and water, shelter, navigation, communications and any equipment required for the conditions you're heading into.

What does Richard Weston take camping?

Some of the gear that regularly earns a place in Richard's setup includes Rollercam Straps, Roperoller, the Firebox G2, Cooka Stove, First Aid Bottle and Cooka Cool'a.

Why are Rollercam Straps useful for camping?

Camping often means transporting bulky gear on roof racks, trailers and in ute trays. Rollercam's roller buckle reduces friction through the buckle, helping you apply controlled tension when securing loads.

What is Roperoller used for when camping?

Roperoller is designed to keep cord organised and ready to use. Around camp, it can be useful for tarp lines, clotheslines and general cord jobs without having loose rope tangled through your gear.

Is the Firebox G2 suitable for 4WD camping?

Yes. The Firebox G2 folds flat and supports multiple fuel types, making it particularly useful when storage space and versatility matter.

What makes good camping gear worth buying?

If you use it regularly, it works reliably and it solves a genuine problem, it has probably earned its place. Expensive or complicated doesn't automatically mean better.

Final Word

After enough trips, your camping setup gets simpler.

You stop taking gear because you might use it and start packing the things you know you will.

For Richard, Rollercam, Roperoller, Firebox, Cooka Stove, the First Aid Bottle and Cooka Cool'a have all earned that spot.

They're not there to make the setup look impressive.

They're there because when the vehicle gets packed for the next trip, they're the gear we don't leave home without.