To think camping can be simple?

[LewisAndClark]

The kids want to go. I hate camping but can suck it up for one night.

It means borrowing stuff from my dad, who is a long time scout leader and regular camper.

We spoke to him last night. Oh my fucking God in a box. He went on and on at length about all the stuff we'll need. A table, a camping stove, kettle, saucepans, cool box, foldable chairs, disposable barbecue, inflatable roll mats, 'proper' sleeping bags, lanterns, bivvy bags, first aid kit, plastic plates and cutlery, extension lead, flask for coffee. And on and on.

We just want to roll up to a camp site, pitch a tent, go out for dinner, come back and sleep, get up, go for breakfast, let the kids run around the field playing ball games while we fight with take down the tent, go home.

Are we deluded? My dad made it sound ridiculously complicated.

If you don't like camping you will prefer it your Dads way, trust me!

Yes it absolutely can be simple, especially of you're only going for one night and planning on eating out. We have built up our stuff over the years, we never had chairs or a table or anything like that. We'd take one of those little one ring gas canister cookers and a disposable bbq. A blanket for sitting on. Never done electronic hook up. To be honest, the more complicated it gets and the more stuff you have the less like camping it gets and you may as well book a hotel!

The hardest but is putting up and taking down the tent: it's a massive chalk on for one night

I love camping but it's not simple if you want a good experience.

I suppose for one night you could rock up with a tent and sleeping bag and have a good time if you are eating out - but no longer than that. Don't underestimate how cold it feels at night so take loads of warm clothes and bedding at the very least.

It's a lot of effort for one night. You really need comfy beds/warm bedding. What will you do for breakfast? Not much fun if you've got no way of heating water, lukewarm milk for cereal, sitting on the damp ground. You need some sort of lighting, at least a torch.

Can't your dad take the kids camping?

Your dad is being OTT for one night. Just the tent, something comfy to sleep on, decent warm bedding.

Do it your way first and after a night of lying on the hard ground being frozen and having nowhere to sit when you prise your aching body from the cold ground at 6am with no means to make a hot drink, see what you think.

For one night I'd take a stove, a kettle, roll mats (at the very least!), chairs and a table, and a lantern. You won't need cooking or dining stuff if you're eating out. Take a teaspoon for your morning cuppa though.

Even for one night, comfort and warmth are really important... If your not preparing food you will still want a kettle for the morning coffee/tea or late night hot chocolate! Obviously a good tent is important as are - inflatable bed, good well sized sleeping bags or duvet and pillows as well as blankets. You'll be surprised how cold it gets over night. Chairs are also a good idea. Beyond that for one night you wouldn't need much else!

It's simpler to sleep on the cold, lumpy ground certainly- but it's unlikely to be pleasant or an experience you'll want to repeat.

You might hate camping less if you took the necessaries for comfort, warmth and decent catering

Agree with the rest. If you don't want to be lying awake on hard, lumpy ground, freezing your tits off at 2am regretting every life decision that took you to that moment, do it your dad's way.

Dad's taken them loads. They're desperate to go as a family. We planned on doing one night as a sort of taster and if I can deal with it we'll go for a few days later on.

We've got an air bed and double bag for us and the kids have got roll mats and sleeping bags. Dad's got several tents we can borrow. I do have a cool box for milk and stuff but wasn't planning on getting an electric pitch and faffing about. There are loads of sites with proper facilities within an hour or so drive.

I was trying to keep it simple! Might fuck it off and book Butlins instead.

It can be as complicated as you want it to.
I'm a member of the tent talk group on facebook and wow the setups and stuff people take is incredible. Some even take trailers to fit everything in!
If you like your morning coffee/tea a stove and kettle is good.It's my favorite part of the day sipping a cup of coffee before everyone gets up(and the cafe opens if there is one!) :) thats the only real essential apart from the tent for me!
You dont need sleeping bags, duvets are fine if you have plenty to keep you warm, underneath and on top of you.
Chairs, tables ect are good but not essential. especially if its for one night, just perch in the boot :)
Most campers I know gradually build up their equipment according to what works for them.

Sounds like you're sorted then! You honestly don't need chairs, tables, electrical stuff and bivvy bags. What are bivvy bags anyway?! I don't drink hot stuff so wouldn't need anything for a cup of tea/coffee but if you do then take a small stove. Tents don't have to be complicated to put up either. Take the smallest one you can fit in, we have a 5 person one for 5 of us, it's perfect for a quick over night trip as it only takes 20 minutes to put up.

For one night you might like one of these. Agree with your dad about something decent to sleep on and in though.

YY to a small tent.

We did used to take a big fuck-off one with several rooms, but it's wasted space if you're only using the tent to crash in at the end of the night. Would much rather take a small pop-up, and have chairs/table/gazebo to sit in/at/under instead- especially if you're going with other people. Big tents are only useful if it's raining.

I'm a fairly seasoned camper, both backpacking/wild camping and family car camping.
I would take a table as a basic if car camping, simply because you find yourself wishing you had one when you don't.

I think we might do glamping instead. It's not much more expensive. And you get a proper bed.

I'm camping with dd next week, we're pretty minimalist about it (because we are both petite and we need to be able to carry our stuff) but we will have comfy mats to sleep on and decent sleeping bags, plus the means of making a hot drink, warm clothes to sleep in, torches, and a couple of lightweight chairs.

You don't need much in the way of cooking stuff if you're planning to eat out.

We've stayed in a hut before - not glamping - just camping without the tent. Better for a few nights and best of all there is a light and you can sit up inside drinking whilst the kids go and play!

I have done a lot of wild camping in my youth and can never understand the attraction of campsites. Me and my friends used to do it with: tent (not even that necessary if you do not expect rain), roll mats, sleeping bags, a set of warm clothes, transportable food, pot, plate, cup, spoon, sharp knife, matches, flashlight (if you want to be really posh, otherwise just learn to rout to your favourite pee spot so you can make it in the dark). That's about it.

You can do it without loads of kit for one night esp if you're eating out but I would be wanting a kettle and stove for a cuppa in the morning. Also "proper" sleeping bags are vital, ones that are designed for indoor sleepovers will not be warm enough. Also lamps/torches as if you arrive back from restaurant in the dark it's going to be very hard to get to bed and use the loo etc otherwise. Also what's the point of camping if you don't spend time at the camp? Part of the fun for kids is playing and eating outside.

I have done a lot of wild camping in my youth and can never understand the attraction of campsites.

Well when you've got kids in tow and you're doing a week, the following make your holiday much more pleasant:

Hot water
Showers
Toilets
Washing machine and tumble drier
Sinks to wash dishes in
WiFi
Play park
Milk, bread etc
Other kids