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A 2-man tent is great for sleeping in, but not much else!  You need a Packa Shack to give you somewhere to sit, get changed, wash, cook and whatever else you want to get up to in the great outdoors!

But where does this great activity come from, in terms of recreational camping, well let me pass on some info from Wikipedia...

The history of recreational camping is often traced back to Thomas Hiram Holding, a British travelling tailor, but it was actually first popularised in the UK on the river Thames. By the 1880s large numbers of visitors took part in the pastime, which was connected to the late Victorian craze for pleasure boating. The early camping equipment was very heavy, so it was convenient to transport it by boat or to use craft that converted into tents.^[1] Although Thomas Hiram Holding is often seen as the father of modern camping in the UK, he was responsible for popularising a different type of camping in the early twentieth century. He experienced the activity in the wild from his youth, when he had spent much time with his parents traveling across the American prairies. Later he embarked on a cycling and camping tour with some friends across Ireland.^[2] His book on his Ireland experience, Cycle and Camp in Connemara led to the formation of the first camping group in 1901, the Association of Cycle Campers, later to become the Camping and Caravanning Club.^[3] He wrote The Campers Handbook in 1908, so that he could share his enthusiasm for the great outdoors with the world.^[4]

Possibly the first commercial camping ground in the world was Cunningham’s camp, near Douglas, Isle of Man, which opened in 1894. In 1906 the Association of Cycle Campers opened its first own camping site, in Weybridge.^[5] By that time the organization had several hundred members. In 1910 the Association was merged into the National Camping Club. Although WW1 was responsible for a certain hiatus in camping activity, the association received a new lease of life after the war when Sir Robert Baden-Powell (founder of the Boy Scouts movement) became its president.

New stock of Camper and Originals Shacks just in, offering freedom, shelter & privacy wherever you and your vehicle can get to.

The Camper Shack is designed around the VW Transporter with tailgates, and will work on all standard height work vans, at 210cm high and 175cm deep, £199.99 inc standard delivery.

The Original Shack is designed around the Fiat Multipla, and work on small work vans and people carriers with tailgates, at 200cm and 150cm deep, £199.99 inc standard delivery.

Canicross is the sport of cross country running with dogs. Originating in Europe as off-season training for the mushing (sledding) community, it has become popular as a stand-alone sport all over Europe. especially in the UK. Canicross is closely related to Bikejoring, where participants cycle with their dog and skijoring, where participants ski rather than run.

Canicross can be run with one or two dogs, always attached to the runner. The runner typically wears a waist belt, the dog a harness, and the two are joined by a bungee cord or elastic line that reduces shock to both human and dog when the dog pulls.

Originally canicross dogs were of sledding or spitz types such as the husky or malamute but now all breeds have begun taking part including cross breeds, small terrier breeds to large breeds such as rottweilers and standard poodles. Not only can all breeds run but people of all ages and abilities can take part. Including children and the disabled such as the visually impaired. Some breeds are very well suited to not only running and pulling but running at steady pace over a long distance. It encourages people and their dogs to take part in outdoor activity and meet other like-minded individuals.

Want to extend the space your van offers?  You need a Camper Shack!

Thanks for a great review Richard.

"Awesome bit of kit! I bought the packashack for my LWB VW T5 with a tailgate so that I could take the children camping as I have a bed platform in the back and wanted an affordable way of extending the space in the van.

The Camper Shack worked perfectly and was a breeze to put up.

Extra standing and changing space at the back of the van made the space inside even more useable. I also intend to use it for my MTB trips as a space to get changed in after a wet or muddy ride.

Top product at a great price!!"