If you are a seasoned camper, what would you recommend to a complete novice?

[AmbivalentCamper]

I'm very new to the 'great outdoors' thing. But my DH is very pro the idea of camping and wants the experience for the kids, and I'm happy to accommodate his desire, so I have agreed to a weekend where we go camping (providing it's not throwing it down.)

We have a tent, a stove and a kettle (given rather than bought, which is what's kicked off this whole episode.) . Cooking/eating apparatus, folding garden chairs and an air bed.

But as a camper, what would you recommend? (Either buying or adapting etc)

I feel like camping is probably one of those things where you upgrade and find your groove over time and experience, but I also would like to be prepared.

Any help gratefully appreciated 😁

My minimum requirements are a caravan these days.

i tried camping last summer and was utterly miserable. I think being unable to get wet stuff dry was my main gripe. Or I'd get it dry, only for it to get wet again. I felt I was constantly working to keep my stuff dry! Not relaxing!

My top tip camping with young children is to make them as comfy as possible in their beds. We used cot mattresses for a few years with a rollout mat underneath for insulation, and normal sheets and duvet rather than sleeping bags. Their sleep makes a better holiday! Loads and loads of plastic bags / bags for life, if you get warm weather you will be doing a rubbish bag each day.

If you're doing a longer trip take washing powder/ for a few washes in case you need to use a launderette (and can find one 😀).

Always, always have a spare camping gas in stock.

I love camping!

Deffo crocs. NO shoes in the tent!

Self inflating mattress on top of camp bed = best sleep ever.

Make a spag bol/chilli whatever then freeze. Acts as an ice block in your cool box. Take it out when you get there then all you need to cook that night is rice or pasta.

Loads of torches.

Comfy seats

Electric hookup

Tent carpet

I’m very no frills camping. Tent and sleeping bag but-

Always take a toilet roll.

A yoga mat under your camping mat.

Extra tent pegs.

Take a torch (head torch is better).

Put a box of wine in the freezer a few days before you go. Put the box in your cool bag and it will help keep things cold for longer and then once it's defrosted a bit you can have wine slushies.

Decent sleeping bags.

but to start beg, borrow and steal as much as you can to make sure you enjoy it before investing.

personally we’ve got decent sleeping bags, good quality sims. etc

also we’d avoid sites with electric hookup - too many c seem to want it watch telly at full blast. If you want to live like at home go to a hotel.

enjoy your camping.

Decent sleeping bags.

but to start beg, borrow and steal as much as you can to make sure you enjoy it before investing.

personally we’ve got decent sleeping bags, good quality sims. etc

also we’d avoid sites with electric hookup - too many c seem to want it watch telly at full blast. If you want to live like at home go to a hotel.

enjoy your camping.

I've not read all the replies but I value my sleep so enough covers, good air mattress, with camping mats underneath. Enough pillows. Eye mask or black out tent. ear plugs. Prepare for all weathers, door mat , wellies or waterproof shoes. Bucket with nappy in for night time wees. And you learn more about how to do it better each time you go. Wind breaks if you want a bit of privacy

If you are using campsites where you can park next to your tent, fold out canvas camp beds with a SIM on top are warmer and more comfortable than an air bed. We use teddy fleece fitted sheets over the SIM to make it warmer and stretch them over the edges of the beds to stop the SIM sliding around
Real pillows, inflatable ones are not comfortable
You can buy a vacuum storage bag inflator that plugs into a usb or car cigarette lighter socket, bedding and pillows can be packed into storage bags at home and then again to travel back and take up less room in the boot
Hanging storage organisers can be tied to loops inside the tent (the ones for rolling up window covers etc.) and used for toiletries, torches, toilet roll etc.
A camping washing line is very useful
If you decide to camp on a regular basis, a toilet tent and camping toilet is a good investment. If your tent has a side door, you can pitch the toilet tent with the door facing your side door so it can only be accessed through the tent. Great for night time wees
Some cheap solar stake lights and or fairy lights can help you find your tent in a bigger campsite at night. The individual stake ones are useful for marking where the guy ropes end so you don't trip over them in the dark
A tent extension is also a good investment, extra space for eating etc. and a good place to remove muddy/wet shoes and clothing

Test pitch in the garden first to make sure everything is there then run the hosepipe over it or leave it out in the rain to check it is waterproof. (Make sure it's properly dry before you pack it away). Camp beds are better than air beds, but not if you are just trying camping to see if you like it first due them being more expensive. Tent carpets make the tent feel nicer. Please dont take appliances from home toasters, kettles, airfryers etc. If everyone overloads the EHU then it will just keep tripping. Get the ones for camping or travel ones.

Buy a touring caravan. You'll never look back.

Ok ok. Don't forget to pack a corkscrew/tin opener/bottle opener.....a swiss army knife in other words.

Putting everything up and taking it down again is a faff and time consuming. If you go for a weekend in the UK you'll spend more time doing that than enjoying yourself and chances are you'll have to dry the tent out when you get home anyway.

Give it 110% and go to France for a week/10 days. Go to the Vendee. The weather is better and the campsites are better.

Get a hookup. If you can, hire a fridge, because frankly you don't need a cool box taking up space in the car. Get a warmer sleeping bag than you think you'll need. Sets of cooking equipment from decathlon are good because they all stack nicely together with the plates and take up minimal space. It is worth getting a camping kitchen to store stuff in and some folding boxes that you can use to organise the tent.

Some tent matting for the bedroom area - its horrible accidentally touching the cold floor with your arm in the night.

Proper pillows.

I use a sleeping bag liner that has a pouch to put the pillow in, but then put a SIM inside the body part and sleep on top with a sleeping bag opened out over me. You can stick your feet out if you get too hot and it is easier to get in and out of. I have been known to take my duvet instead of a sleeping bag if there isn't going to be a big trek from the car. I also sleep on at least two foam camping mats with the SIM on top.

Some people swear by dryrobes to go to and from the shower block, and I can see their point!

• Real pillows- massively important
• clothes - layers, layers, layers even in hot weather it can get very cold at night
• blankets
• we have 2 small camp tables - one for the stove and one so you can eat at chairs - so useful
• washing up Bowl, washing up liquid and gloves
• Torches
• Always make beds in the light
• If you are new to camping try to eat out for the big meals and just do breakfast and maybe lunch at the tent until you get your head round all the organizing. No single activity will make you hungrier than camping ⛺️
• Snacks - hugely important

- Big water bottle so it's easy to make tea/coffee. I bring decent tea and coffee and easy wins like croissants and grapes.

• Real cooking is very hard work unless you have a keen and able crew.
• We are more festival campers and a flag is very useful to help find your tent
• internal fairy lights look nice but we don't have those

-?For young ones lots of nice art projects and nature projects. Eg finger knitting - great for occupation and then decoration.

• We love our camping trolley to take our stuff to site if cars can't get close.
• Proper camp chairs for everyone if you can.

Waterproof picnic blankets. Wellies Flip flops Bin liners Hangers

Wash bag with a hook or strap and yes a dry robe!

For me, the first time since I’d camped was in my 30s (I had been in my 20s to a festival where I’d camped too) and it was freezing in August. We couldn’t find anywhere nearby to stay (like hotel) so we went to Sainsbury’s bought dressing gowns, bed socks, warmer PJs and anything else warm. I also realised I’d been wise to remember ear plugs and eye mask.

Also, wet wipes because the showers were bloody awful.

I recall the first night there we went to a local gastro pub/hotel (no rooms free!) and sat nursing warm drinks, baked Camembert and hot food and dreading having to leave and go out into the cold! The alcohol did help us drop off to sleep though.

A decent sleeping bag. Getting cold will ruin camping!
A good warm coat for the evenings.
If you have space in your car, I like a camp bed with a self inflating mat on top I like my comfort now I'm a bit older😬.
A camping carpet or picnic blanket (waterproof) as the ground sheet in the porch area can get cold and wet, so it's useful to put bags somewhere if your tent has a full groundsheet in both sleeping and porch/ living areas, a picnic blanket over the tarp. Can help with warmth!
A good torch.
Chose the campsite carefully, do you want totally rustic with no amenities other than a basic toilet, or even just a composting toilet, or do you want something a bit less minimalist maybe it has a good toilet and shower block, and a small shop or cafe? Or do you want something with entertainment, and full on facilities (shop, bar, cafe, swimming pool etc)

Literally loving these tips. Take some easy food - hotdogs, instant mash and any other quick stuff you can think of!

It might be too late depending on the tent you have already got, but being able to stand up inside the living area makes life so much easier and more comfortable. I imagine even more so when with children. So just bear in mind if that if you can’t stand up in yours and find the experience awkward or tiring, it’s worth giving it a go in a tent with more headroom.

Also tents with doors on multiple sides mean you have a choice of entrance and exit depending on the location of neighbours and proximity to hedges etc. I love being able to sit out on the quiet/ private side.

Jute shopping bags are very handy - they easily fold away when empty and seem to hold just enough before they get too heavy.

Because the OP and her family haven't done it yet, and battling through just because you feel you have to, when everyone just wants to go home/get clean/eat non melted food/have clean crockery/wash their hair etc etc etc

By the time you've spent all the money on all the things to do camping, if you don't like it, you may as well have just gone to the hotel in the first place.

Esp if you've never done it before and just think it is a good idea. It very often isn't.

Putting everything up and taking it down again is a faff and time consuming. If you go for a weekend in the UK you'll spend more time doing that than enjoying yourself and chances are you'll have to dry the tent out when you get home anyway.

It takes no time at all! We're all set up within a hour max.

Read the reviews of the campsite. Uk campsite website is good, and you can easily use the filters to narrow down your search, eg for me it needs to allow dogs for example but you might prefer one that does not. Also check if campfires are allowed or not.
Personally I like a happy medium...do not want a "clubhouse" but a little shop or even a visiting coffee cart can be great! When dcs were little, there was nothing better than sending them with a few quid to the campsite shop. They could agonise over buying a bouncy ball, ice lolly or tin of beans, while you win 20 mins in the sun with a coffee or glass of wine!

Yes I agree. If I am only going for a weekend I take a little tent that takes under 10 mins and mostly I would do minimal trips like that if the weather is going to be ok. If I am going for longer it’s a bigger tent and more kit because you have to be prepared for anything but it’s still under an hour.

Wellies for everyone so the morning trip to the loo and shower block doesn't mean wet feet for rest of day. Mallet to knock in tent pegs preferably one with a hook on other end for pulling them out again. Antihistamine cream. No dog!

I hate sleeping bags. I like to have a duvet to lie on, and a duvet + blankets on top. Blankets also good as a tent carpet which helps the tent to feel very cosy. Real pillows also. You can vacuum pack the duvets to make them fit in the car. A warm hat is useful if it gets very cold in the night but I usually end up sweating.

solar powered fairy lights attached to your tent are very helpful. From Amazon, not expensive.