First Time Campers - What are the essentials needed?

Poly,put_the_kettle_on

For bare bones, back to basics camping, aside from your tent you'll need:

Something to keep you warm- DO put a layer twixt you and the airbed- they do store cold air.
A camping stove. A single burner is fine.
One saucepan- a frying pan if you think you'll need it.
Matches
A torch
A large plastic container.
A big water bottle
two plates/bowls or bivvi cans- poundland
kitchen utensils- including one sharp knife, and whatever you need for washing up.

Thats it. You don't need pillows (although you could take them from home)- a folded fleece does the job.
The large plastic container is used as a cool bucket/washing up bowl/storage container/multitude of other things.

Shelter, warmth, and food are the things you need to cater for- the rest isn't essential.

Have fun!

Gloomendoom

socks_uk wrote: »

This is the tent I have ordered for my husband...

http://www.decathlon.co.uk/EN/2-seconds-iii-117139358/

We keep costs down by sharing a tent.

socks_uk

Gloomendoom wrote: »

We keep costs down by sharing a tent.

lol!

I'm hoping he will be sharing his birthday present with me but you never know... I might be sleeping in the car!

kiwichick

socks_uk wrote: »

I'll keep checking the sales that are on!

I've just ordered some bits with Millets. They have a huge sale on at the mo, I went through Quidco for the 6% cashback and then found a 20% discount code on the forums - all VERY helpful.

socks_uk

kiwichick wrote: »

I've just ordered some bits with Millets. They have a huge sale on at the mo, I went through Quidco for the 6% cashback and then found a 20% discount code on the forums - all VERY helpful.

Thanks... I'll have a look!

socks_uk

I've been to 'The Works' today and bought 'The Camping Book' published by Dorling Kindersley for £3.99 (rrp 12.99). Maybe that should be the second pressy I give him after the can opener I bought yesterday.

http://www.dorlingkindersley-uk.co.uk/nf/Book/BookDisplay/0,,9781405341202,00.html


I also bought 3 stainless steel saucepans reduced in Tesco - milk pan £1, 18" saucepan £2.75 & 20" saucepan £3.75. They are lightweight but obviously not camping ones. Does it matter if they aren't proper camping ones?

Sorry for all these questions!

shadowcamper

* Tent
* Mallet
* Groundsheet if not built in
* Self-inflating mattresses/ airbed and pump/ rollmat
* Sleeping bags
* Pillows
* BBQ
* Charcoal
* Cooker/ stove
* Fuel/ gas
* Cool box/bag
* Matches / lighter
* Torch
* Crockery and cutlery
* Cooking pans
* Kettle
* First aid kit
* Medications
* Citronella candles /oil
* Insect repellent and bite ointment
* Waterproofs
* Tin opener (i've forgot this many a time and it's sent me crazy)
* Clothes/ shoes/ toiletries/ towel/ flip-flops plastic rubber shoes for showers etc
* Electric hook-up (if you use one, then kettle,microwave,george foreman grill, hairdryer,straighteners)
* washing up liquid,scourer, tea towel
* bin bags (always keep your pitch tidy!!)
* ear plugs (handy if you have noisy neighbours!!)
* eye mask (can get light a bit too early ;o) )
* pack of baby wipes
* suntan cream and aftersun
* dust pan and brush (if you can be bothered to clean the tent!!)
* large rucksack
* a trolley of some sort (very useful for festivals if you can't park near your pitch and have to carry everything!!)
great handy list i robbed off a facebook group called i love camping in my tent

shadowcamper

asda, sainsbury, tesco, poundland, poundworld, b&m, home bargains, all got handy stuff at very cheap prices at the moment it's worth shopping around as prices can vary dramatically,online shops i like are charliesdirect yeomans towsure ebay, discount codes and free delivery codes can often be found so even bigger savings too.
Camping's like marmite you either love it or hate it, and everyone does it differently, hope you have a great time!

BLT_2

i'll second Shadowcampers recommendation on the earplugs. If there is a camp bar then the chances of you being woken up by the football shirt wearing brigade at midnight is pretty strong. :rotfl:

I did camping once for a week, after a week of feeling cold all night, stumbling to the toilet in the middle of the night tripping over guy ropes and generally feeling put up on for the whole week (allied to the fact that the only time I put up a bbq it rained) I decided it wasnt for me and gave the tent and all the peripherals away.

When the rain is coming down I like to hear it beating on a window, not spend my time trying to avoid touching the tent walls

socks_uk

Thank you shadowcamper & BLT.

I can't believe that in all of my 46 years I've only ever been camping for 1 night... well not even 1 whole night! I must have been about 17 and my boyfriend at the time Paul, from Wales, and I pitched the tent in the afternoon. I remember him eating cold beans straight out of the tin for tea and the only thing I remember was waking up 'in the middle of the night' and being able to see the stars! Yes, the tent had blown away! But thank goodness it wasn't the middle of the night but only 10pm and found a payphone and my dad came and picked us up. Thankfully we were only a 10 minute drive away from home!

BLT - I decided it wasnt for me and gave the tent and all the peripherals away.

Seeing as it's my husband who really wants to go camping and already has friends that camp out at (small) festivals as he's in one of the bands, it'll be well used but maybe as a 1 man tent! I'm certainly going to give it a good go. Wish me luck folks!