If you have a roomy vehicle, are not worried about weight and are not constantly on the move, you might as well plan to make yourselves as comfortable as possible. Do not stint on things that seem frivolous before you leave but can make an enormous difference to morale. This is particularly true if camping.

Fragile items and paperwork, which must be kept away from dust and water, are best kept in cases with watertight silicone gasket seals. These come in many sizes, with foam inserts that you can customise to fit fragile equipment. These cases are so effective that even if you have descended a thousand feet down an escarpment, you have to release the purge button before you can open them.

Cases containing clothes can be sealed with strips of foam. Good strong cases are now available in polypropylene, but are usually styled in awkward rounded-off shapes. Fibre suitcases are available in squared-off shapes that pack more efficiently, but they loose their shape if they get wet. Using cleats to lash the baggage down will keep things in place and cut down on annoying rattles.

If you plan to sleep outdoors without a tent you will need a mosquito net in many areas. There are several types on the market, but they are not usually big enough to tuck in properly all the way round the mattress, thus ensuring that no gaps have been left. The best types are designed like a tent, with supporting poles and a sewn-in groundsheet. Ex-military mosquito nets have the extra advantage of needing only one point of suspension; a camera tripod or ice axe will do for this if there is not a vehicle or tent nearby.

Malaria is an increasingly serious problem, so it is worth getting a net that is already impregnated with insecticide. On a long journey, carry a can of the correct insecticide to re-impregnate the net every so often.

If you do sleep without a tent, make a note of where the sun should rise and position yourself to be in the shade at dawn, or the sun could wake you up earlier than you would like.

A full-length roof rack covered in plywood not only makes a good sleeping platform but acts as a double skin, keeping the vehicle cooler in sunny conditions.

Mattresses

You should not sleep directly on the ground in cold places, so use some form of insulation. Air-beds are very comfortable and are preferred by some to foam, but they do have disadvantages: they are generally too heavy to carry unless you have a vehicle and inflating them is hard work. Thorns and sunlight both work against them and you will certainly spend a lot of time patching holes.

If you decide to use one, be sure it is made of rubber and not plastic, and only pump it up until it is half-full. If you inflate it any harder you will roll around and probably fall off. Perspiration condenses against the surface of air mattresses, and on cold nights you will wake up in a puddle of cold water unless you have put a blanket or woollen jumper between yourself and the mattress.

Camp beds tend to be narrow, collapse frequently, tear holes in the groundsheet and soon break up altogether. Even worse, cold air circulates underneath the bed because your body weight compresses the bedding. Only several layers of blankets under you will give you the insulation you need.

Open-cell foam mattresses are comfortable but often too thin, so it is best to have two thicknesses, or else to put a closed-cell foam mattress, such as a Karrimat, on the ground and an open-cell foam mattress on top of it. Open-cell mattresses wear quickly, but if you make washable cotton covers that fully enclose them, they will last for several years. Foam mattresses, being bulky, are best wrapped in strong, waterproof covers during transport. One advantage of foam mattresses is that the perspiration that collects in them evaporates very quickly when they are aired, making them easy to keep fresh and dry. Remember to give the foam an airing every second day.

The most popular mattresses these days are self-inflating ones. As with air-beds, a blanket or sweater between your sleeping bag and the mattress will help to keep you warmer in really cold climates.

Closed-cell foam mats, such as the Karrimat, also come in a 3 mm thickness, which is suitable for putting under a groundsheet for protection against sharp stones or ice, where otherwise the tent groundsheet could stick to the ice and be torn when trying to get it free.

On a long overland trip, you can combat changing conditions with a combination of two sleeping bags. First get a medium-quality, nylon-covered, down sleeping bag and, if you are tall, make sure it is long enough for you. This bag will be the one you use most often for medium-cold nights. Secondly, get a cheap all-synthetic bag, i.e. one filled with artificial fibre. These cheap, easily washable bags are best for use alone on warmer nights and outside the down bag for very cold nights. Make sure the synthetic bag is big enough to go outside the down bag, without compressing the down bag when it is fully lofted up.

In polar and high mountain areas, the golden rule when travelling is never to be parted from your own sleeping bag, in case a blizzard or accident breaks up the party. This would hold true when travelling anywhere that is cold.

Furniture and utensils

If folding chairs or stools are covered with cotton, the fabric rots quickly in intense sunlight; take nylon- or Terylene-covered chairs instead. Full-size ammunition boxes are good for protecting kitchenware and make good seats, too.

When buying utensils, go for dull-grey aluminium billies. The shiny type tend to crack and split with repeated knocks and vibration. Billies, pots and pans, plates, mugs, cutlery, etc., should be firmly packed inside boxes, with cloth or thin foam separating metal utensils and cutlery or they will rub against each other and become covered in a mass of metal filings. A pressure cooker will guarantee sterile food and can double as a large billy so, if you have room, it is a good investment.

Kettles with lids are preferable to whistling kettles, which are difficult to fill from cans or streams. For melting snow and ice, it is best to use billies. Aluminium billies are best bought at Army and Navy auctions or surplus stores. If you are flying to the Third World, good alternatives will be readily available in local markets.

A wide range of non-breakable cups and plates are available, but you will find that soft plastic mugs leave a bad after-taste, so it is better to pay a little more and get melamine. Stick to large mugs with firm, wide bases that will not tip over easily. Insulated mugs soon become smelly and unhygienic because dirt and water get between the two layers and cannot be cleaned out.

Many people like metal mugs, but if you like your drinks hot you may find the handle too hot to touch or burn your lips on the metal. Melamine mugs soon get stained with tea or coffee, but there are cleaners available. Alternatively, Steradent tablets are a perfectly adequate and cheaper substitute. Heavyweight stainless steel cutlery is much more durable than aluminium, something to remember when planning a long expedition.

Ex-military plastic jerrycans are best for carrying water as they are light-proof. This means algae will not grow inside - as it does with normal plastic containers.

Stoves and gas

The 2.7 kg cartridge or the 4.5 kg gas cylinder are the best sizes to carry. Gas is the easiest and cleanest fuel to use for cooking.

Liquid petroleum gas is usually called Calor Gas or butane in the UK and by various oil company names worldwide, such as Shellgas or Essogas. Though available worldwide, there are different fittings on the cylinders in different countries and these are not interchangeable. Where you use a pressure-reduction valve on a low-pressure appliance, there will always be a rubber tube connection. Make sure that you carry some spare lengths of the correct size of rubber tubing.

Gas cylinders are heavy and refilling can be difficult. Refillable Camping Gaz cylinders, as supplied in Europe, are intended to be factory refilled, but in some countries, Algeria, Morocco and Yemen, for example, they are available with an overfill release valve, so that you can fill them yourself from a larger domestic butane gas supply.

In Asia, enterprising campsite managers and gas suppliers have discovered ways of filling gas cylinders from their supply. You should stand well clear while they do this as the process involves pushing down the ball valve with a nail or stone, then over- filling from a supply of gas kept under higher pressure. This operation can cause flare-up problems when the cylinder is first used with standard cooking equipment, so if you use such a source of supply it is advisable to release some of the pressure by opening the valve for a couple of minutes (well away from any flame) before connecting up.

Lighting any stove is always a problem in cold climates or at altitude. Local matches never work, unless you strike three together, so take a good supply of the household size. The best solution seems to be a butane cigarette lighter, kept in your trouser pocket where it will be warm. Remember to carry plenty of refills.

There are many good camping gas stoves available, but when cooking for large groups outside, I prefer to use the large cast-iron gas rings used by builders to melt bitumen. These are wide and heavy, remain stable when very large billies are used and do not blow out in the wind. In cold areas, try to get propane gas instead of butane.

If gas supplies are a problem, there are good twin-burner stoves that use unleaded petrol or kerosene. There are single-burner, multi-fuel stoves, that will also operate on diesel fuel.

Space blankets

Space blankets are, on the evidence, not much better than a polythene sheet or bag. Body perspiration tends to condense inside them, making the sleeping bag wet so that the person inside gets cold. In hot or desert areas, however, used in reverse to reflect the sun, they are very good at keeping a tent or vehicle cool during the heat of the day. If necessary, a plastic sheet or space blanket can be spread over a ring of boulders to make an effective bath; they are also ideal for making desert stills.

Buying

When buying equipment, be especially wary of any shop that calls itself an expedition supplier but does not stock the better brands of equipment. All the top-class equipment suppliers will give trade discounts to genuine expeditions or group buyers, such as clubs or educational establishments, and some, such as Field and Trek and Cotswold Camping, have special contract departments for this service.

Check-list

For a party of four with no worries about travelling light:

1. Good compass, maps and guidebooks, plus a Global Positioning System (GPS) receiver if travelling off-road.

2. Selection of plastic bags for packing, waste disposal, etc.

3. Clingfilm and aluminium foil for food and cooking.

4. Large bowl for washing up and washing.

5. Four 20 litre water cans - strong ex-military type (polypropylene).

6. Fire extinguisher.

7. Large supply of paper towels, toilet paper, scouring pads, dishcloths and tea towels.

8. Large supply of good matches in waterproof box and/or disposable lighters.

9. Washing-up liquid for dishes (also good for cleaning mechanics' greasy hands).

10. Frying pan.

11. Pressure cooker.

12. Selection of strong saucepans or billies.

13. Kettle with lid (not whistling type, which is difficult to fill from cans or streams).

14. Tin opener - good heavyweight or wall type.

15. Stainless steel cutlery.

16. Plastic screw-top jars for sugar, salt, washing powder, etc (Nalgene are the best).

17. Large, sharp bread knife.

18. Two small, sharp vegetable knives.

19. Kitchen scissors.

20. Large serving spoon and soup ladle.

21. Plates and/or bowls for eating.

22. Wide-base mugs that do not tip over easily.

23. Good twin burner for your gas supply, otherwise petrol or kerosene twin-burner cooker - multi fuel single-burner stoves are available that will work with diesel fuel.

24. Good sleeping bags or sleeping bag combinations for the climate expected, plus mattresses of your choice.

25. Mosquito nets.

26. Combined mosquito and insect repellent spray.

27. Battery-powered fluorescent light.

28. Four lightweight folding chairs.

29. Short-handled hand axe, for wood fires.

30. Thin nylon line to use as clothes line, plus clothes pegs.

31. Washing powder for clothes.

32. Two separate six-metre lengths of plastic tubing, one to fill water tank or water cans. the other for fuel cans.

33. Two tubes of universal glue/sealant.

34. Chamois leather.

35. Sponges.

36. Six heavy rubber 'tie downs'.

37. Water purification filters plus tablets or iodine as back-up.

38. Phrasebooks/dictionaries.

39. Two torches plus spare batteries.

40. Ordinary scissors.

41. Small plastic dustpan and brush.

42. Soap, shampoo, toothpaste, towels.

43. Medical first aid kit, plus multivitamins and rehydration salts.

44. Elastic bands, sewing kit and safety pins.

45. Cassette player and selection of cassettes (it is not advisable to use CD players in rough conditions).

46. Selection of reading material, including books on local flora and fauna plus AA multilingual vehicle parts guide.

47. Hidden strongbox and money belt.

48. Passports, visas, travellers' cheques, cash, vaccination certificates, car papers, insurance papers, UK and international driving licences, permission to drive letter (if you do not own the vehicle), photocopies of travel and medical insurance policies and six (per person) spare passport photographs.

Many other things can be taken along, but most of these are personal belongings. They include: dental floss; waterproof watch; tissues (good for many other reasons besides blowing your nose); clothing, including a tie (for men) for formal occasions (store it rolled up in a jar with a lid) or a dress (for women on that same occasion), jackets, waterproofs, gloves, swimming costume, sweaters, parkas with hoods; moisturising cream; toothbrush; comb; Swiss Army knife; Leatherman-type tool or SpydeRench; camera; film; photographic accessories; anti-malaria tablets and salt tablets, where required; sun barrier cream; sunglasses; medicines; spare prescription spectacles if worn; insurance papers; airmail writing paper; envelopes and pens.

If you carry a portable computer, make sure that it is protected by a padded, waterproof case, can be charged from the vehicle battery and is regularly backed up to removable media to cover failure of the hard disc or computer theft. If you can afford, it there are also portable satellite telephones that will work anywhere in the world you can get to in a wheeled vehicle.