Camping - What do I need?

missylaney

We camped last year for the first time, but ended up going for four long weekends because we loved it. We used a "vintage" 6-berth tent that we were given and got along fine with it because we were really lucky with the weather - not glorious sunshine but no really horrible days. This year we went away for the jubilee weekend and the weather was dire - rain, wind and freezing cold. We realised at that point that we needed a bigger and more weatherproof tent. There just wasn't room to eat inside, with all our stuff in the living area and four of us - usually we are 5 but my son wasn't even with us that weekend.

I'm rambling a bit but what i want to say is, ideally borrow a tent the first few time so that you get a feel for what you actually need. The general recommendation is that you buy two more berths than you need, so we would have bought an 8-berth max, but this experience taught us that we actually needed space for storing our stuff too so we've bought a 10-berth (Kalahari 10) with a porch to put the kitchen stuff in and leave wet shoes etc.

Also (you've got me on my pet subject here, sorry I'll shut up in a minute) give a thought to how you will transport all your equipment. We have a big-ish car but had to get a trailer as you do end up taking loads of stuff.

Plushchris

We used to get a lot of stuff in poundland or 99p store, much cheaper than any of the camping supply shops, and you can pretty much replace it every trip if you have to without it getting too expensive.

The one thing I wouldnt get though is tent pegs, they are just useless, slight tap with a mallet and they bend rather than going into the ground.

Not been camping for about 4 or 5 years now as last time I went it absolutely tipped it down most of the time and I got woke up at 4am completey soaked where the tent had leaked, everything was soaked and I lost my rag and screwed the tent up and chucked it in the bin.. lol

Plushchris

I should also add, when camping dont drink too much, hangovers are much worse when camping for some reason..

dazzer68

Lamps. The first time we went, early spring, was dark about 6 pm, sat in a dark tent, surrounded by organised people with lamps, was a very embarresing situation!! And plenty of bedding, good sleeping bags and duvets, cause it does get really cold at night!

RuthnJasper

Matches and/or a cigarette lighter - if you are planning on campfire cooking, that is. Plus, if in this scenario, a wealth of quality "ghost" stories. ;-)

Failing that, waterproofs. ALWAYS waterproofs - and don't disrespect (the landowner who owns the land OR) the land on which you are camping.

Have fun! x

barbiedoll

Don't make the mistake of pitching up too near the "clubhouse" or you'll be plagued with the loud singing and shouting of some of the more jolly residents, just as you're trying to get off to sleep.

Always take loo rolls and kitchen rolls, and a load of plastic carrier bags, they're useful for rubbish, for keeping stuff dry or for keeping wet clothes apart from your dry stuff in the tent. Ditto the torches, make sure that everyone has one each!

Get a good electric hook-up socket with 4 plugs, you may think that you like living back to nature but you will need a cup of tea by the time that the tent is up. You can get cheapy "travel" sets with an iron, kettle and hairdryer, although if you're just going for a weekend, try to make do without the iron, it is supposed to be a holiday after all!

Try going fairly local at first, if you're only 40 mins drive away from home, you can always go back if you forget anything really important (like we did with our sleeping bags one time...doh!)
Make a list when you come home, of the stuff which you didn't use and the stuff which you missed the most. It all helps for next time.

Hope the weather improves for you, have a good time!

SaLoGo

Thanks for all your advice and suggestions! We spent 2 hours at a tent show today and have finally picked a tent, just watching a new one on ebay. If that goes for too much Yeomans have a 10% sale at the mo

marywooyeah

a plastic cup for doing a wee wee in - the loos seem so far away in the middle of the night!

missylaney

A tin-opener! We'd planned on hot dogs and beans for dinner the first time we went, took us till about 7pm to get pitched and organised then realised we didn't have one so it was crisp sandwiches all round!

torbrex

I am surprised that no-one has suggested a thermos for the first day, it always takes longer than you think to get the tent set up and then you need to get the stove out just when you fancy having a sit down with a cuppa.

Do a practice 'build' in your garden before you go so that you will get used to things, it is also worth it for loading the car as you will get to know what needs to go in last so that you can get to it first when you arrive.

Batteries, spare batteries and spare, spare batteries, you will use a lot of them and as suggested earlier in the thread, kitchen towel is something that it is difficult to do without.