Cost of camping equipment Oman

Hi

I'm hoping someone can assist. We have travelled to Oman twice before and rented a 4 x 4 and all the camping gear from a local company and enjoyed travelling around the beautiful land at our own pace. The 4 x 4 has been great but the camping equipment has been a little run down. We are looking to return again this year and considering if it would be cheaper to buy what we need from Carrefour or similar as the company we have used want OMR 110. All we need is a 2 person tent, a container for storing water, 2 folding camp chairs, coolbox, a couple of pans for cooking and a gas burner. We'll take everything else with us. Can anyone advise on what this basic kit may cost? Is it likely to be chaeper than renting it?

Thanks

They want 110RO for renting those items?

If you would like, I can do some price shopping here (Salalah). Not sure how applicable it will be to Muscat though.

Agreed - thats an outrageous rental price. You could just about buy that lot for that price.
The coolbox will be the most expensive item - a big one would be 50 OR easily, but the tent / chairs/ gas burner can all be got for another 50 OR probably. I'll be in Carrefour later this week and will happily give you a total price for that lot.

I'll be back.

GC

greasey4 and GS thanks.

Any advice on this would be very welcomed. I'm not adverse to anyone making a profit but we only paid half that last year and some of the stuff we never used and other bits were of poor condition. And given these tight financial times every Rial counts!
However, before I cut my nose off or do the company a great diservice here is the full list of stuff they will supply: (the matresses are ace by the way) Can I do better bringing some bits myself and buy the rest? The bits highlighted are what we think are essential the other bits we could buy or bring.

Camping
x1 2-person tent for every 2 people
x1 mattress per person
x1 camplight
x1 medium-size coolbox (empty)
x1 jerrican (for storing water) Although could bring this from UK
x1 mat (Take it or leave it)
x2 ropes (these were actually two pices of thin nylon string last time!)
x1 toilet roll (buy locally)

Kitchen box
x1 two ring hob (or somthing similar even single burner)
x1 full gas bottle
x2 cooking pans (varying sizes)
x1 frying pan
x1 kettle

Cooking utensils (Bring or get locally)
x3 spoons (one with draining holes)
x2 knives
x1 tin opener

Dry goods (can buy this stuff locally)
Salt/pepper
Tea/coffee/sugar
Washing up liquid/scouring pad/washing up bowl/tea towel
Matches and lighters
Tin foil
Cooking oil
Bin bags

Cutlery/dining sets
x1 set per person of:
o Knife/fork/spoon/teaspoon (already have)
o Plate/bowl/cup/mug (already have)

Additional items at extra charge and by way of example they want 7 OR per day for 2 x chairs, shovel and sand tracks.

• sand tracks
• shovel
• roof rack tarp (not required)
• sleeping bag (not required)
• blanket (not required)
• first aid kit (already have)
• map of Oman (already have)
• handheld torch (already have)
• ac/dc converter (already have one)
• snorkel and mask
  x1 pillow,
  1 x sheet per person
  x1 folding chair per person

Thanks in advance

OK - just got back from Carrefour and a ten minute rootle round the camping section could have got me this:

4 man tent - OKish quality for 13 OR or really cheap for 7 OR. Didnt see any 2 man, but at that price, go for the space..
camping chairs - OKish for 7 each, or really cheap for 5 each
cool box - biggish, 46 litre - 15 OR
Water container - 22l - 10 OR
Pans - really cheap and nasty - 7 OR for 2
BBQ grill, floorstanding to put over the fire - 5 OR
Queen size air mattress with pump - 10 OR
Pillows - 1 OR each
Portable gas hob that uses an aerosol can to charge it - 15 OR
aerosol cans for the hob - 0.8 OR each
Camping Gaz cannisters (C206 size / 190g) 0.5 OR
Couldnt find any burners to fit these, but they normally have them.

On that basis, you could assemble your essentials list for a total of 90 OR approx.

Most (possibly all) of this is cheap brands I've never heard of, and none of it is long term durable, but it will all do fine for a couple of weeks.

The only thing I would say is that if you plan to drive in the sand in a serious off-road way, you need the sand tracks. If your only sand plans are to go into the Wahiba to one of the desert camps, and stay on hard surfaces the rest of the time, I think you're better off kitting yourself out.

GS

I am very grateful to you taking the time to do that. It is immensely helpful to make our decision on. (should have probably done it myself last time!)

No plans to do any mildly serious desert trips other than a stay at one of the camps there.

Best regards

Sand tracks and shovel are most unlikely to be needed unless you are careless or go in for "serious off-roading".

If you are in Salalah on or after 25th February, we can sell our Coleman 70-qt "Extreme" cool box plus six ice packs, if you want them, for R.O. 21.

italihurr

Thanks for the offer but not in Oman until May and not going as far as Salalah.

Regards

Hi

My partner and I went to Carrefour on 6 Jan in Muscat and bought the following for a 3-week camping trip:

3 man tent
single-burner gas cooker
about 10 cans of butane gas
33 ltr plastic box with lid for kitchen stuff
36 ltr Eski (ice box)
26cm Wok with lid
24cm frying pan
Small non-stick cooking pot
1800ml hot/cold vaccum flask with large plastic mug
2 stainless steel plate/shallow bowls
Stainless steel mug
Set of 2 utility (sharp) knives
Bathmat, plastic lines with holes in between (2 x 0.5m) MUST HAVE
2 folding camp chairs
Plastic wash basin
Tea towels, dish liquid, sponges & cloths
Chopping board
Set of 4 plastic containers with lids
Tongs, soup ladle, spatula, wooden spoon, etc
Dust pan & brush
Folding shovel
Camp lantern

Total cost about 100 rial.

We already had a self-inflating matress, sleeping bags, pillows, sporks and a canopener (Leatherman/swiss army knife).

Hope this helps... Happy travels and enjoy Oman :)

Nomadiq - I have to ask, because I'm insanely curious - what did you do with the bathmats?

Yes, I'm curious too, as it's a "must have' item ??