AHB first got to know Homecamp in the summer of 2015. That summer, we did ‘getting out of town with some new friends’ a little differently.
Homecamp tents and supplies are built to last, and actually, we reckon that just like us, they look and feel better once you get them out in the elements.It’s a simple philosophy. Quality goods will last the journey, and inspire more.Homecamp’s Stephanie Pajic and Doron Francis are based in Melbourne, Australia.
“We are surrounded by breathtaking beauty and an abundance of opportunities to get out amongst it.”
Do you remember the first time you went camping?
Yes, it was with my parents and some friends at The Grampians. I remember the kangaroos!
Can you tell us how Homecamp got started?
Homecamp came about because we felt that most of the outdoor brands in Australia were either too daggy, too technical, too blokey or worse, supplied poorly made gear. It’s frustrating to buy kit that breaks in the first season so we wanted Homecamp to be a reaction to rampant consumer culture – encourage people to think about the products they buy and hopefully invest in products that will stand the test of time.
It’s frustrating to buy kit that breaks in the first season so we wanted Homecamp to be a reaction to rampant consumer culture – encourage people to think about the products they buy and hopefully invest in products that will stand the test of time.
We had owned a canvas bell tent for a few years that we took to music festivals and camping trips and every time we brought it out we would get heaps of comments on it. We started thinking it would be fun to design and manufacture our own version of the bell tent under a brand and ethos that we believed in.
You guys are, naturally, pretty avid campers and adventurers. What inspires you?
Travel and exploring new places is obviously a massive inspiration and we have been lucky enough to visit some of the worlds most remote wildernesses. However we currently live in the city so really any contact with nature without distraction is a welcome one. Even a micro adventure midweek can be life enhancing – nature is a channel to health and wellbeing.
What’s are the essential elements of every Homecamp tent?
Simplicity, strong build, ease of set up and elegant design.
How has Homecamp grown since you began?
We only launched in December 2014 so we are still in our infancy but we have a lot on the horizon including developing more of our products and also representing some really interesting heritage brands that are little heard of outside of their own country.
On that tack – is design another part of your background?
We wish we were designers! Whilst we are not designers ourselves, we both have a good eye and can appreciate what good design means. We look out for the best designers to work with and we’re currently a new range of Homecamp products which is exciting.
Here in Australia we are surrounded by breathtaking beauty and an abundance of opportunities to get out amongst it – often people don’t really know whats on their own doorstep.
What’s your number one camping spot – if you’re willing to reveal it?
Close to home, we love the campground at a place called ‘King Parrot Cottages’ in Pennyroyal about 25 minutes in land from Lorne, Victoria. It’s a secluded little spot on the base of an amazing property, surrounded by tall trees and backs on to the Ottways National Park. It feels remote but has nice toilets and hot showers which make the whole experience more pleasant.
Mount Buffalo is also a favorite – especially if you take the time to hike out to some of the more remote campsites such as the Mount Mcleod.
Doron just came back from camping next to the Wonnangatta river about an hour from Eaglevale in the Victorian High country which looked absolutely incredible. Here in Australia we are surrounded by breathtaking beauty and an abundance of opportunities to get out amongst it – often people don’t really know whats on their own doorstep.
When you’re out on an adventure, what are you looking for? Seclusion? Scenery? Trails? All of the above?
Probably a mixture of the above. I love a good up hill walking trail where you can enjoy a beautiful view as your reward. Beautiful scenery is a must, but this could be a mountain range, a beach or a desert – we’re not too fussy! Being secluded and removed from other people is also pretty important and luckily in Australia that’s relatively easy to find.
Storytelling’s rife around the campfire, but you’ve got them all over your website too. It’s awesome to see people share their stories. Do you get inspired by your customers?
We’ve been so thrilled with the response to Homecamp and all of the people out there who want to enjoy our products. We’ve been able to work with some really talented creative people who use nature as inspiration, and that in turn inspires us. What we are really loving is seeing more and more young people embrace the outdoors.
I can’t remember when the word ‘glamping’ came about, but it’s definitely become super popular more recently. What’s your take on a little bit of luxury in the wild?
Whilst we don’t love that word, we find that we have to use it from time to time given it’s become so well known. The events side of our business is definitely about ‘glamping’ – we set up our tents up beautifully and take care of everything for our guests. I think this is a great way for people who wouldn’t normally camp to enjoy the experience. For our online store, we are more about quality and comfort rather than anything overly glamorous but we definitely think that camping needn’t be about roughing it. There should always be time to create a cosy tent, put effort into a proper set up and enjoy delicious food and adult beverages.
Drumroll please… How fast can you set up a tent?
I think we have it down to about 12 minutes for one of our 5m bell tents!
Check out the products pictured and more at Homecamp‘s online store
Interview with Stepanie Pajik at Homecamp, Images by The Adventure Handbook
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