Martine van der Klauw
EditorMartine dreams of back-to-basics camping but travels by caravan with her husband and their two children. She writes about caravans and campsites for Campingtrend.
How to turn your car into a motorhome with camping gear from Lidl
Want to give camping a try, but don't have a motorhome or caravan at your disposal? With a few clever items from the supermarket, you can easily transform an ordinary passenger car into a compact camper van. Lidl has quite an extensive camping collection. With a package of ten basic items from their online shop, you can get everything you need to hit the road straight away for less than 1,500 euros.
How do you turn an ordinary car into a camper van?
To go camping in your own car, you don’t need to carry out a complicated conversion. The most important things are having a good place to sleep, keeping food cold, and generating your own power. By combining clever accessories, you can turn the car roof into the bedroom and the boot into the camp kitchen.
Which Lidl camping gear do you need for the road?
The foundation of this budget gear is a Juskys rooftop tent (available for 959 euros via the German Lidl webshop). You mount this tent on the roof racks of your car. This allows you to sleep dry and high off the ground, without losing any luggage space inside the car. For those travelling with a child or looking for an extra place to sleep, there is a car airbed (24.99 euros) for the back of the car.
For camping meals, you can cook on a camping stove (7.99 euros) that runs on simple gas canisters. Food and drinks stay cold in a 24-litre electric cool box (59.99 euros), which works on 12V in the car and 230V at the campsite. All plates, pans, and supplies can be neatly stored in a folding Greemotion camping cupboard (66.99 euros). For 19.99 euros, you can get a camping table, and you can sit, for example, on this chair for 34.99 euros.
To remain independent of a mains hook-up, a Tronic folding solar panel (149 euros) provides 100 watts of green power for phones and lights, and a 3-by-2-metre shade sail (19.99) provides protection from the sun.
How much does a complete Lidl camping setup cost?
Added all together, these basic items cost less than 1,500 euros. More than half of this amount goes towards the rooftop tent. Especially for people who occasionally go away for a weekend and novice campers, the supermarket can be a surprisingly convenient stopover.
Please note: Lidl states that products are available while supplies last. The range, prices, and availability are therefore subject to change. Furthermore, for a complete trip, you will still need your own gear, such as sleeping bags, pillows, plates, and cutlery.
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