Camping novice- what do I NEED and what stuff would you recommend?

[4pmwinetimebebeh]

DH and I were not campers growing up but lots of our friends go camping, are starting to go as a group and we have massive FOMO and want to join in. We have booked a 'test' camping trip mid July with some friends, some other friends are loaning us their stuff as it seems a big outlay initially.

What stuff do we need? A tent, mattress/rollmat? 4 x sleeping bags? (me, DH, kids 9 and 5). Do we need a gas stove? Do we need to take 4 chairs, do we need a table?

I've only ever camped at festivals and barely spent any time there and used the cheapest crappest stuff borrowed off people as we were students!

Thanks

We have started camping in the last few years. We’ve got everything you have listed, plus: some old picnic blankets to lay under the air mattresses, a lamp, a little dustpan and brush to clear out the grass/dirt that gets inside, plastic plates/bowls/cutlery and a camping kettle. We got everything from Go Outdoors.

Defo lanterns, and I recommend your own loo roll!

don’t forget stuff for washing up. And clothes pegs. They always come in handy!

Ok sounds good!

@Caferouge I know its so expensive to get everything at once though isnt it!!

We regularly camp, 4/year. Don’t buy air mattresses but self inflating mats are amazing. If you can afford it (and have space to dry) canvas tents are far superior to other tents. We have a 6m emperor bell tent and love it.

We recently bought two single camp beds we put next to each other and put the mat on top, it was wonderful as being off the ground is warmer.

We have a camping battery today which is really useful.

I would definitely recommend you take a chair for each of you. Otherwise the kids will likely want to steal your seats while eating etc and you'll be annoyed you didn't pack one each. You could possibly do without a gas stove if your friends have enough between them but if you have a single burner it's helpful. Torches are also essential.

It really depends how luxury you want to be. Might be worth asking your friends what they take typically. I assume you're going by car and staying on a campsite? If not, the advice below changes.

Sleeping -

• tent
• sleeping bags
• roll mat (not very comfy), or air mattress (comfier), thermarest (comfy and light), camp bed or similar
• pillows or blow-up pillows for comfort, or can just roll up some clothes.

Cooking (if you'll need to, some groups tend to eat in the pub),

• camping stove,
• gas.
• Pans (can just use the ones from your kitchen, could buy specific ones if you want to. Use lids to save gas).
• Something to eat out of, like plastic bowels or plates (crockery risks getting broken).
• Something to eat with, like plastic cutlery or sporks, or you can just bring your normal cutlery.
• A cool box can be helpful for storing food. Some campsites have a fridge you can use.

Other, optional but useful

• normal stuff for holiday
• games
• picnic rug / camping chairs/ table (depends whether you're happy sitting on the floor)
• torch (or can use your phone)
• tissues
• mosquito repellent

Prioritise something comfortable to sleep on and take proper bedding if you have the space. Cheap air mattresses are dreadful ( camp bed of sim are much better) Plus a chair each. A proper cup to drink tea out of. Some footwear that's easy to slip on when u go to the toilet across wet grass at 4am. Those are my priorities!

DH and I have camped all our lives.
My top tip is not to buy sleeping bags. Take your home duvet and pillows - much comfier, no new expense and easier to cuddle up if you're cold.

Also, if it's cold then hot water bottles will be a boon. We make them and put them in the bed an hour or two before bedtime. They drive out any damp and make bed toasty when you get there.

Absolutely agree about self inflating mattresses. A gas stove, even if you just use it to make tea and coffee is worth it.

Definitely take chairs. The comfier you are the more you enjoy it and I can't stress how much it is possible to miss just being able to sit down in a comfy chair.

One last thing and I know it sounds mad...but a cheapo doormat to wipe your feet. A simple thing that really keeps mud, wet and grass clippings out of the tent.

You can probably manage without a table but it is miserable having nowhere to sit. We can't fit proper folding camping chairs in the car so we have some round inflatable ones.

We don't have a proper stove just 2x single ring things that take gas canisters, that's absolutely fine.

We camp in France where there is a tap on every pitch. In the UK I assume you'd need something to go and collect water in.

Folding boxes, either plastic or canvas - don't have to be particularly expensive or sturdy but the tent looks like a bomb has hit very quickly if you don't have anything at all to organise your stuff!

I'm a massive fan of just sitting on a picnic blanket on the ground rather than faffing around with camping chairs. They're colder too, because the cold air gets under your bum!

Is it a site with firepits? If so, you could probably get by without a stove- making dinner on the campfire is an adventure the DC will love. Bake potatoes in foil. (Although you may be wanting to borrow your friends' stoves for morning coffee!

I wouldn't bother with sleeping bags either- just take your normal duvets. Far more comfortable.

What you will need: some kind of water container. Even if a couple of plastic bottles. Ear plugs. Something to sleep on (I'm not as against air mattresses as a lot of people). A tent. A couple of crates to put stuff in, ideally.

Why not borrow a tent for the first time?

You need a 6 berth tent you can stand up in.
Have a look on Facebook to see if anyone tried it last year, hated it and is now selling off the whole package🤣

Crocs, I forgot Crocs.

Ok thanks so much everyone!

We are borrowing a tent and have been told to buy in the Jan sales so thats the plan if we like it.

Sorry Im confused so no air mattress, get self inflating mattresses instead? And duvet/pillows not sleeping bag. Do we need to take sheets?

I will get camping chairs, friends have table and also stove so wont need that for test run!

Keep an eye on marketplace, local selling boards etc. Lots of people sell good stuff second hand and cheap.

We take a sheet to go on top of the self inflating mattress - just like making a bed at home. If it's really cold we use a fleece blanket instead.

In my experience air mattresses don't last very long. Self inflating ones last a bit longer and you can just unroll them rather than have to inflate them. That's a real luxury when you've just put a tent up - unroll the mattress, pour a beer.

My camping equipment is basic as we motorcycle camp, space very limited!

you need:
tent
sleeping bags each
bed each
pillow each (we have blow up ones but real are better)
camping chairs (ours fold down into tiny pouches but simple folding ones are fine)

useful if space:
gas stove, cooking equipment and serving dishes etc
container for water (eg 5l plastic water bottles from large supermarket)
cups
food that’s easy to cook
coolbox
small table

we take none of the second list but camp where we can buy food easily, usually as motorcycle rallies. This isn’t a cheap option obviously! I try to find out if there’s a large supermarket nearby and buy food there that’s ready to eat eg smoked mackerel and salad for ease

When you're away in July, if you think you're enjoying yourselves and will go camping again then indulge in some serious camping porn. Cruise the campsite nosying at other people's set ups and steal ideas. This, with a glass in hand is one of the great joys of camping in my book.

Other ideas to make things lovely - one of those £5 games of plastic boules, fairy lights, blankets, marshmallows and hot chocolate.

Tent
Bedding
Wine glasses
Wine

Sorted

Electric hook up! (and book a pitch with electric)
Makes life soooo much easier.. we take a value kettle, and toaster and sandwich maker :) also my hair dryer, and a fan heater which stays on low all night.

Also then you can take a plug in camping cool box for milk/meat etc.

Agree with self inflating mats, although they are a pain to get back in the bags.
Simple burner rings for cooking, pots, pans, cutlery.

We have a pasting table (for DIY) that is great for camping.. we can fit the cooing bits, food, wine, etc all on it.

I prefer sleeping bags, but wide foot ones not mummy, and I always always take a hot water bottle.

If you find you enjoy it.. nosy at everyone's set ups, you get great ideas.
We now have a camping toilet (thetford portapotty) and toilet tent... (wees only unless desperate!) and it makes life much easier... no more trudging acress a field in the night, as I always need to go when I'm in my sleeping bag!

Camping is fab once you have the stuff you need...!

Rather than sheets, I take 2x duvets pp, ideally one thick and one thin, all with covers on. If a warm night, sleep on the thick one- extra padding, with a built in sheet. If a cold night, reverse.

People don't like air mattresses, because they have a tendency to deflate. But I've had the same problem with self inflating mattresses. I had one that went from being called self inflating to self deflating, then self defeating 😆.

Baseball caps or any hat with a good brim will make such a difference to your weather tolerance and how long the dc will play outdoors. Keeps the sun and rain out of eyes.

And twice as many socks and pants for the dc as could possibly be reasonable.

I strongly recommend a camping toilet as the 3am trek to the campsite toilet block is not fun. There's plenty on sale if you google, we've got one that we line with those bags with an absorbent pad that are used in commodes.

Also, lighting. There are so many fantastic kinds of rechargeable camping light around nowadays (ime the solar powered ones don't have enough oomph).

Maybe the DC have a battery powered nightlight or two you can use for this time?

If you get a toilet ( best thing ever!!) look for a separator toilet, lasts longer, no smells and you can empty wees out independently……. Game changer.

If you have an electric hook up then an electric cool box and a kettle are game changers. I always take hot water bottles and put them in the sleeping bags and hour or so before we want to go to bed. Also if you have space in your car a fold up airer to put wet towels on is really helpful as there is nowhere to dry anything in a tent!

Another advantage of taking your duvet is that if someone in the tent gets up in for a wee in the night they don't disturb the rest of the tent with a loud zip noise and/or by thrashing around like a butterfly trying to escape their chrysalis.