Sandown Leisurfest. Anyone going?

[fuji]

dunno, Saturday with top of 21 dont sound bad...
but the crowds on Saturday/Sunday would be unbarable

We are there first thing and gone by lunch time

[GanG]

was going.............now going camping instead so I dont spend more money on stuff I may not actually need

[D4D]

Just back, don't bother. It is way smaller this year, the whole 2nd floor of the grandstand is not open, no Rays, no BCF. Not a lot to see and no real 'show specials'. The only thing I bought was a Baby Q bag for the Weber.

[fuji]

Naw you wont put me off. SWMBO wants to look at Off Road trailers will walls and a roof

[lindamc]

I went this arvo for a quick look. bought some miracle tape ...have to see how miraculous it actually is!   had a chat to a guy about batteries and solar stuff. and come home.

[scarps]

I'm currently in Brisbane and the weather's fantastic here.
I understand it's a bit cool at home in Vic atm so I hope all the show traders from the north took some warm clothes:-)

[Bird]

and no real 'show specials'

Serious dude, you been round long enough to realise not to expect specials and the *show specials* signs are just to sucker in the lemmings 

[outbackogre]

Yeah, for $15 entry I thought I needed to buy something to make it worthwhile, so I got a 13 copy subscription to CT Aus.  They threw in a stubby holder, 2 DVD's, a copy of Carlisle's 2011 The Kimberley photo book, the Oct issue of CT Aus, and the Nov issue of 4x4 Aus.  Not bad for 50 bucks, even if you add the entry fee.

[D4D]

Bugger I missed that stand, sounds like a good deal.

[berlitza]

Must admit spent half the day cruising around and everything that was marked as '50% off show specials' I still could have purchased it much cheaper online, Although I did fall head over heels for customline and in the next 2years I will have one parked in the driveway for sure.

If your into caravans its well worth the trip but if it's soft & hard floor porn your after don't bother

[outbackogre]

Bugger I missed that stand, sounds like a good deal.

You don't really expect us to believe that you went anywhere but the Customline stand!!

[outbackogre]

If your into caravans its well worth the trip but if it's soft & hard floor porn your after don't bother

Fair point, but I stumbled across a new van from this crowd:

http://www.northcoastcampers.com.au/

They normally do high end off road vans but they also had a prototype 12ft x 6ft 4in pop top van with east-west double bed (inner spring) and double bunk, lots of internal storage, dc battery, water pump, LED lights, external kitchen (at this stage a portable stove), heavy duty leaf springs, and slide track awning at $28,000.  It's not on the website yet but I reckon it will be popular.  It has aluminium clad sandwich wall panels and is very light.  Tare weight under 1 tonne.

[berlitza]

Fair point, but I stumbled across a new van from this crowd:

http://www.northcoastcampers.com.au/

They normally do high end off road vans but they also had a prototype 12ft x 6ft 4in pop top van with east-west double bed (inner spring) and double bunk, lots of internal storage, dc battery, water pump, LED lights, external kitchen (at this stage a portable stove), heavy duty leaf springs, and slide track awning at $28,000.  It's not on the website yet but I reckon it will be popular.  It has aluminium clad sandwich wall panels and is very light.  Tare weight under 1 tonne.

Think I did see that, off memory (after seeing so many vans) the interior fitout was similar spec to the exodus, lots of people looking around it too and great price

[BigJules]

If your into caravans its well worth the trip but if it's soft & hard floor porn your after don't bother

The three top soft floor brands are all there...


Julian

[berlitza]

The three top soft floor brands are all there...


Julian

They were indeedy, but it would have been great to see a lot more of the imports make an appearance, would have been a bit of fun to compare ( probably why they didn't bother showing up)

[D4D]

You don't really expect us to believe that you went anywhere but the Customline stand!!

I may have spent some time there

[Barry G]

Certainly more vans than CTs.  It is always interesting when you see something up close for the first time and it changes your opinion about it.
Case in point, the Eco Tourer 'clam shell' vans that hinge up at the rear when set up.  When I have seen them on the road my reaction had been "why?" However they were impressive in the 'flesh', and reasonably priced.
When we are past pitching the soft floor and 'shower' tents I recon one of these might be the go.
A genuine off-road rig, with the feel of a camper, but a built in wc & shower. Has a clever fold up draw bar as well.  Off-road model has a DO35 hitch.

[fuji]

Nearly time to go.

[Big Nath]

Well due to a paperwork mix up at head office, don't bother looking for me. I'm not there

[BigJules]

Well due to a paperwork mix up at head office, don't bother looking for me. I'm not there

No one ordered a "gibberer"?


Julian

[scarps]

Well due to a paperwork mix up at head office, don't bother looking for me. I'm not there

Nath, you got to go to the Melb 4x4 show, not sure if you recall the weather at the time, but it's the same now, and doubt the XXXX girls will be at Sandown................

[Big Nath]

No one ordered a "gibberer"?


Julian

Haha! I instead I'm heading out with the family n the boat for a bit :-)

[Big Nath]

Nath, you got to go to the Melb 4x4 show, not sure if you recall the weather at the time, but it's the same now, and doubt the XXXX girls will be at Sandown................

Yeah I saw the weather forecast and I'm quite glad I'm not there! 4x4earth girls were better!

[Trackabout Off Road Campers]

I'm currently in Brisbane and the weather's fantastic here.
I understand it's a bit cool at home in Vic atm so I hope all the show traders from the north took some warm clothes:-)

Jealous 

[scarps]

Jealous 

Hi Dave, actually flew home late last night, weather here crap:-)
fly back up to Bris Tues night next week and then have the following 3 weeks Gold Coast and Nth Coast NSW.
Looking forward to 2weeks chilln out on the Nth Coast of NSW in the new Trackabout.
Weather should be just perfect:-)