Camping OS

SmarterNotHarder

Hello! I hope this is in the right place. I'm going camping with my boyfriend next month for a few nights. We won't have an electric hook up but there is an onsite shop which sells emergency brews. We have the basics, a tent/sleeping bag/roll mats, but neither of us has camped properly before and I was wondering what we should definitely buy and what would be a waste of time and money. I was hoping some of you OS experts would have some tips?

We're ok for clothing, I mean more in terms of equipment and food (he thinks we could survive on pot noodles, I'd rather not!!)

jjgold

make sure you take plenty of toilet roll
if you find yourself away from the bogs and need a !!!!, you will be in real trouble without any

GreyQueen

SmarterNotHarder wrote: »

Hello! I hope this is in the right place. I'm going camping with my boyfriend next month for a few nights. We won't have an electric hook up but there is an onsite shop which sells emergency brews. We have the basics, a tent/sleeping bag/roll mats, but neither of us has camped properly before and I was wondering what we should definitely buy and what would be a waste of time and money. I was hoping some of you OS experts would have some tips?

We're ok for clothing, I mean more in terms of equipment and food (he thinks we could survive on pot noodles, I'd rather not!!)

You'll need to decide ahead of time if you are going to feed yourself for all three meals plus snacks whilst you are away, or if you're going to do some eating out, say pub meal or takeaway. With that clear, you want to plan backwards to achieve those goals.

If you're going to cook, or even have a cuppa, you'll need something to cook on, something to cook in and something to eat with and from; a stove, pot and/ or kettle, bowl or plate and eating utensils.

You can get very handy little gas stoves in their own plastic carry case for circa £10, and a packet of 4 gas cylinders for £4.99. Goo Oootdoors, B & M and other places sell these. They're generic and come with different 'brand names' on but are pretty much the same product. Never ever ever use any kind of stove or portable BBQ in your tent. People have died of carbon monoxide poisoning from doing this.

You'll want a pan or two, possibly one small pan and a frypan, if you intend to fry, and a teakettle if you like hot drinks. If you don't want to bring a small kettle, a second small pan with a lid will serve - you don't want to end up with just one pan which is serving for boiling water for drinks and cooking.

Add to that a wooden spoon, two cotton teatowels (or one and a pot holder) a knife, fork spoon each and a can opener. Veg prep knife and a peeler. Plus a small amount of washing up liquid and some kind of pan scourer. Plus some kind of container (cardboard box will do) to keep the camp kitchen together. A washing up bowl is handy, you may be carrying your crocks to and fro a washing-up station.

You'll also need some kind of container to act as a larder and this should be somewhat insulated and insect proof. A rigid cooler is ideal. If you use milk, you can freeze some and carry it in the cooler with fresh foods to keep them cool. You're probably best to buy any meat or fish you intend to eat fresh immediately before cooking it.

Eggs don't require refridgeration, nor does cheese. You can even pre-boil eggs and transport them still shelled for fast breakfasts or snacking. Those little B@bybel cheeses are very camper-friendly, as are cheeses-in-tubes. Teabags and coffee, decant what you think you'll need and add a bit extra, you don't want to take whole jars. Get things into plastic containers not glass. Take some twisty ties in case you have to reseal packets.

Other things - wetwipes and toilet paper, basic toiletry and grooming items, a folding chair each (sitting on the ground may look romantic but it quickly gets fatiguing), insect repellant, some seasonings in small containers, a small quantity of cooking oil, some tin foil, some matches. You don't want to end up running in and out of campsite shops or convenience stores, this can get expensive. Some carrier bags or a roll of small bin liners for rubbish. A small chopping board if you're going to be doing proper cooking rather than simply reheating tinned stuff.

A cheap tarp or two from £land to spread on the ground outside your tent and a blanket to put over that. It's rare in the UK that the ground doesn't hold some dampness.

Some kind of water carrier, or some 2 litre bottles you can take to the water source is useful. You don't want to be traipsing around the site each time you want a kettle filled.

A head torch each and perhaps a hand held torch or two as well. A pal of mine takes glowsticks and cracks one open each night to put on the tent - makes it easier to find in the dark.

If you're hardcore enough to want to go to the loo without leaving your tent, you really want a wide-necked fabric conditioner bottle and either a she-wee or a funnel.

Lots of this stuff can be bought in charity shops and you don't need to go into the camping stores and drop a tonne of cash. You should also have several packets of biscuits. There are few situations which cannot be improved by the application of a cuppa and biscuits.

Above all, know that something ALWAYS goes wrong on camping trips and prepare to make light of it when it happens to you.

nuttyrockeress

Tin opener and bottle opener. Plus a washing up bowl and tea towel.

Where are you going to?

We often buy a bag of ice and chuck it in our cooler rather than ice blocks which serves a dual purpose.

SmarterNotHarder

GreyQueen wrote: »

Above all, know that something ALWAYS goes wrong on camping trips and prepare to make light of it when it happens to you.

You're amazing, do you know that? Thank you!

GreyQueen

SmarterNotHarder wrote: »

You're amazing, do you know that? Thank you!

You flatter me.

The best thing about camping is coming home to my luvverly box spring mattress, hot shower and flushing loo. Nothing like a few nights under nylon to make you appreciate your creature comforts.

But don't forget multiple packets of biscuits (ideally not chocolate which is prone to melting, choc chip is OK). You can never have enough biscuits and may need to tea-up and biscuit feed some other campers.

Oh and don't forget a rubber mallet. £land do them. Extremely handy for driving in tent pegs and also for making pals as other campers will see yours and come over to borrow it - a real ice breaker.

[Deleted User]

Definitely head torches, wet wipes, loo roll and if possible a fast drying travel towel (DD1 just lugged hers around the jungle for a month and swears by it). A little gas stove, matches/lighter, pan to cook in and if you have space/carrying capacity a camping kettle. Also washing up liquid and some kind of scrubby sponge and a tea towel. Plates, cutlery, cups and a sharp knife for chopping.

With regard to food - you can't beat an instant porridge pot after a night camping, they aren't cheap but they are good. DD1 always encourages her D of E kids to use instant mash (add tomato puree, herbs, cheese, grated carrot if you like etc and seasonings - it looks horrible but tastes wonderful), sachets of instant soup, couscous with salad type veg, feta etc( no cooking and cheese will keep a few days out of the fridge if unopened). Fresh pasta and sachets of sauce also take no time.

DD1's D of E colleagues insist that there must always be tea (powdered milk is fine, just make sure that the drink is off the boil when you add it) and biscuits or cake. Cake can also double as a dessert, and for added luxury add instant custard. Hot chocolate is always a nice way to end the day, too.

If you want ambient lighting for your tent, fill a 2litre milk container with water and shine the head torch through it (use the elastic strap to attach it) - it'll give a wider warm glow, very useful when trying to locate all the things you can't find when you want them in the dark!

thriftwizard

The two things I'm asked to lend out, time after time, by novice campers are a) a tin-opener and b) a corkscrew/bottle-opener. For some reason I seem to look as if I know what I'm doing!

The only things I'd add to GQ's excellent list are 1) spare/extra guy lines; many tents don't come with "storm" guys to stabilise them in high winds & you only discover you needed them after the event. (But the smaller/lower the tent, the less likely you are to need them.) And 2) stronger tent pegs. Even quite expensive tents seem to come with those ridiculous thin wire pegs now, which buckle very easily and have nothing to hold them into the ground if the wind gets up a bit. I've just "acquired" a bag full of useful guy-lines & sturdy ridged pegs from an old, "dead" tent wombled (with permission) from a skip.

I swear by a string of solar fairy-lights, too - very atmospheric, but more practically they'll give you light to find stuff by when you need it, without the danger of an open flame. Can be kept on a car dashboard to recharge during the day. Before they were available, we just used little tea-light lanterns, which were equally magical but possibly a tad more risky.

Apart from that - just relax & enjoy yourselves!

GreyQueen

Lovely to 'see' you Lyn, hope you'll call me again, if you'd like to.

One other good thing is to quickly get into tent discipline - putting the same item down in the same place each time. Saves a lot of grief and rummaging around. Nomadic peoples are very particular about where things are kept in their tents and you quickly see the reason why once you've camped.

robin_banks

Loo roll
Swarfega
Batteries
Gas bottles and stove
Microfibre towel
Sporks (spoon/fork)
Multitool
Torch
Spare groundsheet
Duck tape

Solar battery chargers are well handy. (Anker brand, buy direct from anker)

All the above will made camping a tad more comfortable.

Foodwise, spicy noodles, cup a soup and cider.
Hence the loo roll.

I'm a regular camper and festival goer. Doing a few days in Northumberland at the end of the month, as well as the peak district next weekend.

Enjoy !!

nuttyrockeress

I second the instant porridge pots. I always take these to hotels too when we don't book brekkie!

Pillows we always used to forget too.

I make a list in excel, then tick off as its packed.

Bin liners
Anti bac spray
Extra bed ends
We use the travel mugs/beakers too. As they are insulated they work well for hot and cold drinks.

Will add more if I remember!