The days are getting longer, the temperatures are climbing and summer camping season is just around the corner.
There’s plenty to love about camping in the warmer months. Long evenings outside, swimming during the day, cooking dinner as the sun goes down and not having to crawl out of your swag into freezing morning air. But when the temperature really starts to climb, an unprepared campsite can go from paradise to painfully hot pretty quickly.
If you’ve got summer trips on the calendar, now’s the time to get your setup sorted. From proper off-grid air conditioning to cold drinks and a misting fan beside your camp chair, a few smart additions can make a massive difference when the heat hits.
Here are some of our favourite ways to keep your cool this summer.
Bring Out the Big Guns: Portable Air Conditioning
When a fan just isn’t going to cut it, the KickAss 240V Portable Air Conditioner gives you proper cooling in a compact unit designed for camping and touring.
With 3100 BTU/h of cooling power, it’s designed for small spaces up to 6m², making it a great option for rooftop tents, ground tents, camper trailers, caravans and small off-grid cabins. Better still, there’s no permanent installation required, so you can set it up when you need it and pack it away when summer is over.
Despite delivering genuine refrigerated cooling, its maximum power consumption is just 430W, making it much easier to incorporate into an off-grid power setup than a conventional household air conditioner.
For those summer nights when your tent or camper still feels like an oven long after the sun has disappeared, you’ll be very glad you packed it.
Want Something Permanent? Go 12V
If you spend plenty of time touring in a caravan, camper or RV, the KickAss 12V Integrated Air Conditioner offers a more permanent solution. Designed to tuck neatly beneath a bed, seat or cabinetry, the unit stays out of the way while delivering a serious 8000 BTU of cooling capacity. Most importantly for off-grid travellers, it operates directly from a 12V system, so you don’t need to rely on 240V mains power or a generator.
With a maximum rated power draw of 700W, it’s designed to deliver powerful cooling while still making sense as part of a properly equipped off-grid 12V system. If summer camping is a regular part of your calendar, having air conditioning permanently integrated into your setup means you can head away without worrying quite so much about what the forecast has in store.
Cool Yourself Down With a Misting Fan
Sometimes you don’t need to cool an entire tent or caravan. You just need a decent breeze while you’re sitting outside with a cold drink. That’s where the KickAss Portable 20,000mAh Misting Fan comes in. It combines powerful airflow with a cooling mist, with two-hole and four-hole misting modes depending on how much relief you need. The 6L water bucket means you don’t need to constantly refill it, and you can even add cold water or ice when the temperature really starts pushing upwards.
The built-in 20,000mAh battery provides more than 10 hours of runtime in fan-only mode, while 45° or 90° oscillation helps spread the airflow around your campsite. There’s also a built-in LED light, remote control, timer settings and a power bank function for charging your phone or other USB devices.
When you’re finished, the fan packs neatly inside its own bucket for storage. It’s a very handy bit of kit for hot afternoons under the awning.
Keep the Air Moving in Your Caravan
Good airflow can make a huge difference in a hot caravan, motorhome or camper. The KickAss 12V / 24V 360° Three-Speed Fan is designed for permanent installation, so once it’s mounted, cooling airflow is always ready when you need it.
Its swivelling design gives you complete 360° directional airflow, with three speed settings and four timer options. It’s also ultra-quiet and has a very low power draw of just 3.6W at 12V or 4.4W at 24V, making it well suited to overnight use when you’re running from your battery system. When you don’t need it, the fan folds down flat to keep it out of the way. Choose from black or white to suit your setup.
Keep the Drinks Cold and the Food Fresh
Nothing improves a stinking hot afternoon at camp quite like reaching into the fridge and pulling out an ice-cold drink. A reliable 12V fridge/freezer is a summer camping essential, and a dual-zone model gives you the flexibility to keep different compartments at different temperatures. Depending on how you configure your fridge, you can keep fresh food and drinks chilled while using the second zone for frozen food and ice.
It also means no soggy food floating around in melted esky ice and no emergency runs into town because your supplies haven't survived the heat.
The KickAss range includes dual-zone fridge/freezer options designed for 12V and 24V operation, making it easy to keep food fresh and drinks properly cold whether you’re camping for the weekend or heading off on a longer summer tour.
Protect Your Seats After a Swim
When it’s hot enough, there’s a good chance your camping trip will involve finding somewhere to swim. That’s great for you, but terrible for your car seats when everyone piles back into the 4WD wearing wet togs.
The KickAss Car Towel Seat Cover gives you a simple barrier between you and your upholstery. The soft terry towelling surface absorbs moisture, while a waterproof backing helps stop water, sweat, mud and spills soaking through to the seat underneath.
It’s just as useful when you haven’t been swimming. After packing up camp, hiking, cycling or spending a hot day outdoors, you can jump into the driver's seat without soaking sweat straight into the upholstery.
The universal design fits most standard front bucket seats, slips over the headrest and secures in place with adjustable straps and buckles. When it gets grubby, throw it in the washing machine and it’s ready for another trip. Choose from classic black or sandy taupe.
Get Your Summer Setup Sorted Early
Summer camping can be brilliant, but there’s a big difference between enjoying a warm day outdoors and spending three days desperately searching for shade.
Before the serious heat arrives, take a look at your setup and think about how you’ll stay comfortable when the temperature climbs. That might mean adding proper air conditioning to your caravan or camper, packing a portable misting fan, improving airflow around your sleeping area or making sure your fridge setup can handle everything you want to keep cold.
And don’t forget the smaller details. A cold drink, a decent breeze and a dry car seat after an afternoon swim can feel pretty bloody good when the temperature is pushing 35°C.
Get your summer camping gear sorted now, then get out there and enjoy the warm weather.
