Is there not enough demand for decent camping kit in the UK ?

[Grimbo]

Because of my business I've been flat out working all through lockdown and have found watching 24/7 4x4 the ideal way to unwind at night .....although getting in from work at 22.30 and then watching Shauno and Graham until 1.00am can be a little tiring..... mate working in Austria in same industry is doing similar .
Question is ....why can't we get all the decent kit they have over here ?
Now investigating getting goodies to the UK in a container with some other stuff .....
Anyone found a source of good Aussie made kit in Europe ? Their exhausts have been dyno tested for results for example (Manta) ....camping kit is well thought out and made , seatcovers are durable and waterproof (Black Duck).... Livid Lights......all stuff we struggle with here and it's all built by enthusiastic Aussie's that test their own products and believe in buying Aussie .

 

[Towpack]

I guess the answer lies in demand and size of the market. In lightly populated (compared to UK) countries the size of Australia the demand for such stuff is huge as there's so much more you can do with it and places to go. There's just too many of us crowded onto this small island. I remember when I got my first car over 40 years ago I'd just go for a drive and/or camp in the Peak District on a Weekend and really enjoying the peace and quiet. Now it's just an over crowded nightmare to be avoided.

 

[Chris]

Typically it's the shipping and duty that kills it. That and each party wants their slice of the profit. If you look at Drifa.Eu for example, their kit is great but the prices are just insane. Same with stuff like Fulcrum suspension, Redarc, Terralume and so on. I tune in every Thursday and to Patriot campers too. Just so I can dream.

 

[Grimbo]

Agree with the Peaks and it's only going one way ....The NW 500 is now overcrowded ......
Surprised that with the bigger European market the bigger and better Aussie makers of camping kit and proper 4x4 kit are not looking at this side of the world .
I know we are not such a big Toyota market and now that in the UK is going to dwindle to zero with the UK importers not interested in the 4x4 market but the camping kit is universal .... Europe has Fiamma ....that famous maker of crap plastic camping products ;-)

 

[Grimbo]

Typically it's the shipping and duty that kills it. That and each party wants their slice of the profit. If you look at Drifa.Eu for example, their kit is great but the prices are just insane. Same with stuff like Fulcrum suspension, Redarc, Terralume and so on. I tune in every Thursday and to Patriot campers too. Just so I can dream.

I reckon the EU based makers look at the price of getting decent Aussie kit over here and base their retail price on that despite their kit not being as good ...
As you say it's the shipping and duty that kills it .

 

[guruvetim]

Have a look at https://tuff-trek.com they've got some good gear and they stock the Bundutec tent I've got one in Zimbabwe and it's great. The guy who runs it is very helpful and knows his stuff. He was happy to demo the Bundutec even after I told him I'd be buying it directly from the factory in Jo'burg. They also stock SnoMaster fridge freezers, I also have one of these in Zim and again I love it.

 

[Chris]

That would be Dara. Yes some good kit, but again typically expensive here in the UK. Lovely chap, good business, but like everyone else by the time it gets to the UK shores, everyone has had a nibble and it's just too expensive to be serious.

 

[Gr8Yota]

The best option is to buy in the country it is made in and ship it yourself. There is a company in Florida who will ship stuff consolodated, works out a good price, Barry (of Dakar Cars for those of you who remember Dakar) fills a container, charges you pro-rata and Ships when it’s full. South Africa to UK incurs no import duty. It’s always worth hunting other ebay sites too. I got a set of US floor mats from ebay Australia as they must have been sent to the agent in error (LHD) so they were sold off cheap. Make friends with foreign members, they’ll send you bits over too.

 

[David]

The last goods I had come from South Africa a couple of weeks ago I had to pay VAT and Import duty

 

[Grimbo]

The last goods I had come from South Africa a couple of weeks ago I had to pay VAT and Import duty

Same with Aus ....I recently got some King Springs sent over and despite the guys in Australia doing all they could still got clobbered for import duty etc ....but I couldn't buy a comparable spring set for my Ducato work van in the UK .....or the ones that are available are priced suspiciously close the the cost including taxes of the ones from Australia and are a European brand so the cost of the springs themselves is much higher for what many would regard as an inferior spring .

 

[Shayne]

And yet i've seen things like Suzuki winch bumpers on UK landrovers sites costing about the same as they are advertised for at the source in China ?

 

[cmcmill01]

The stuff the gets me because I really like it is the Snowpeak camping stuff, seems to be a whole lot cheaper in the states compared to the UK, but surely they have to import the stuff into both countries from Japan!!!
The one I really like from Aus is This, looks good for the new normal!! So sick of that phrase!!!

 

[Grimbo]

If you wan't a good quality self contained water heater /shower in the UK...... try looking at Showerking on tinterweb ......
We use one and have for years.....often advertised as horse showers .
Can vouch for the quality of this company's products and service ......