I guess we're a camping family now (tips)

[Changebagsandgladrags]

I've just shelled out £250 for the Vango Isis 600 and some cheap airbeds.

So it looks like we'll be going camping sometime this year

Any recommendations for sleeping bags? The DC are 3 and 7.

Also, for our first trip we wouldn't bother with cooking. But maybe a gas thingy might be good to knock up some tea in the morning. Just going to get a campingaz one for now.

For a short trip near home do really need anything more than clothes and sleeping bags torch and wine?

[Changebagsandgladrags]

Found the camping home page

...and a bucket

[potbellyroast]

We have sleeping bags but we all prefer to take a fleecy fitted sheet for the airbag, then a proper cotton sheet comfy camping with our proper winter duvet with a blanket chucked on top. With some fleecy pj's I have never ever been cold. Blankets can double up as a 'carpet' for living area (strict no shoes rule) or if we go somewhere that allows fires the blankets come in handy for sitting around the fire.

We use those vacuum bags for the duvets which works really well. You can get ones that you don't need to use the vac iykwim.

[BakerandBell]

Bottle opener and plastic wine glasses for the wine!
Marshmallows to keep kids happy while you drink the wine.
Remember you tend to be up very early with kids so I would go for the small stove/kettle and mugs as you will need tea

[Changebagsandgladrags]

Ok I already have the plastic wine glasses. Planning on a box of wine

[hillbilly]

Waterproof dungarees for the kids so that when they emerge in the mornings and start running around in a dewy field, their clothes will not be sodden by 9am! We generally just put them over pyjamas and off they go

[potbellyroast]

oodles of socks. I always buy everyone a £2 pack for 5 pairs from primark before we go, in addition to all the ones I can find in the house.

[chicaguapa]

I was a very organised camper.

We each had a plastic box with a lid, where we had our own clothes, books etc. It helped to keep the tent tidy and meant the DC could find their own clothes & belongings. They'd just stack in the corner.

We had a luggable loo for night time wees, with a bin liner and some pine cat litter. During the day, we hid the seat and used the bucket part as a bin.

We'd take 2 cool boxes and freeze everything. Box 2 would be for the second half of the stay and would be unopened until we'd emptied box 1. The milk and meat were always still chilled by the time we'd opened it.

Meal plan and I'd also prep the food if necessary just to make it quicker to put it all together when cooking. You don't have the same amount of surfaces than you do at home.

We always packed the duvets on the bottom of the boot. They take up less room as they're squashed down by everything else and it's also the last thing you need to take out.

If I think of anything else, I'll come back.

[ThatBloodyWoman]

Oh can I jump on this thread too, please?

First proper family camping trip this summer (only been festival and wild camping before kids, so this is quite different).

Very excited and we have all the basics -tent, sleeping bags (very pleased with our Vango ones, op),headtorches, lanterns, table, chairs, airbeds, plates etc, windbreaker.

Now I am on to the nitty gritty, so any tips for the best (and good value) bits to get.

We're talking stove(feeding 5),
stuff that may be useful for the dog,
washing up bowl, water carrier, washing line etc,
anything else recommended that we need....

We are going non electric hook up, and we're quite a happy to rough it family.

Also, do we need to try to secure the tent, and what with?

Any advice gratefully received!

[potbellyroast]

tbw depends what your dog is like with other dogs/ passersby. Our dog Barks at them as he wants to say hello to everyone - so we have a windshield purely to shield his view. Stops the dog barking and stops us going insane with said barking. Especially helpful if you are in a high traffic area on the campsite.

Aldi special buys on Thursday 27th march include hard ground pegs £7.99 for 20. We use these whatever the ground is like. If the wind whips up during the night we know the tent won't budge.

[Changebagsandgladrags]

Not sure I'll be able to get boxes and a loo into the boot. Feckin tent is massive, not at all like my festival tent...

[ThatBloodyWoman]

Oh potbelly that's a very good point.

He's pretty safe with dogs and people, yet not completely trustworthy, but he will bark at every passer by!

That's also my concern Changebags as it seems you have to take so bloody much! And we have a trailer!

[TryingToJuggle]

Can I jump on board too please?

We don't have anything yet but it would be so handy to know what you do and don't need! I love the idea of duvets rather than sleeping bags and the individual boxes with everything in. What is the best thing for cooking on and what cooking utensils do you take? Also what are the dos and don't for what to cook?

[Inertia]

Cooking anything elaborate is a bit of a pain. If you can batch cook and freeze in advance, then you can take things like chilli, curry, spag bol (they'll defrost in the coolbox). Take fresh pasta not dried.

If you don't have an EHU and kettle, take a decent flask. You can fill it with boiling water when you leave home and then have a cup of tea at the campsite so you don't need to set up the kitchen immediately, and you can also fill it with hot water to last you through the evenings.

Take gaffer tape for emergency repairs.

3/4 trousers are useful , the grass is always damp in the morning.

It's worth investing in trek towels, they dry very quickly and take up much less space . We have 2 each - one for the tent, one for the beach . The ones that look like normal towels are nicest.

[Inertia]

It's worth getting sleeping bag liners so that you don't have to keep washing the sleeping bags.

We bought sets of cheap cutlery and utensils to keep with the camping kit .

Wine bottle bags are useful for storing cytlery, utensils, plastic beakers etc as they have compartments.

It's worth getting a bag-for-life type carrier to go by the tent door for everyone's shoes.

Make sure everyone has a cosy fleece jacket or similar for evenings.

[Inertia]

We also keep a separate washing up biwl for camping and fill it with the household stuff - travel loo roll , kitchen roll, foil, bin liners, spare carrier bagss, washing up liquid, dish sponge, cloths, pegs and string. Bin bags squash inside the cardboard tube of the kitchen roll. Carrier bags make usefulbin vags because you can hang them from your cooker table.

[Changebagsandgladrags]

These are great tips thanks! Weirdly, we already have trekking towels. Must pick up another wine bag.

[TheFantasticMrsFox]

We always take duvets and I am dreading Scout camp where I will be expected to use a sleeping bag and have those sucky bags. DH however has cleverly attached a small piece of white waste pipe to the sucky out bit of the bed blower upper. Tis truly a revelation :)
We always take wellies and leave them by the door for morning. Dustpan and brush for the inevitable glass clippings. Clothes airer for wet stuff and bin bags for dirty washing.
As for the dog, we always take a cage with us despite older dog no longer using one. Then you know they are safe and not pinching the neighbours bacon and I find that our youngster in particular gets completely exhausted but will not settle in the tent. Popped in his familiar cage and he goes out like a light :)

[dannyboyle]

Marking place for later. We are on first night camping this weekend in friends garden. If kids too cold we will be decamping to the house!

[NorbertDentressangle]

Just found this thread as I did a search on MN to see if anything had been said about the Vango Isis tent as I'm just looking at them online at the mo.

Guess it's not been used for a camping trip yet Changebagsandgladrags ?

Just out of interest why did you opt for that tent?