is buying all the stuff for camping worth it

[Sarah510]

soooo, am thinking about holidays, kids are 12 and 16, and I'm wondering would camping be a good 'bonding' experience for us. I just feel we are becoming a bit isolated - I know this happens as they get older, but it feels like it's gone by so fast, so quick! It's just me and the kids, and since lockdown we've spent a lot of time separate in our rooms with our different screens, it's hard to get them to come on days out. But the initial outlay for camping seems quite a lot - is it worth it. Also, I've turned 50 and need to pee a lot in the night... Also should I get 2 tents - a separate one for me as I snore..... Grateful for helpful hints on camping for beginners....

Placematking. Interested to find this. Thanks op!

Why not look for second hand camping stuff?

Get one big tent rather than 2 as even if your in a separate tent or not the noise will still travel

Just get tent
Basic cooker for camping
Comfy chairs for all to sit in
Warm sleeping bags
Flip flops to walk to loo in night & dressing gown - pitch near loo block

It’s great fun

Honestly, this year? Not worth it. Most campsites are fully booked and you’ll probably find more availability in city hotels than you will in nice sites.

Any other year? Love it!

Guess it depends on what your getting. If your planning the odd wkend ofcourse you don,t need as much as if you planing for a wk. We get stuff over tie. Second hand tents are ok but no guarentee. Big tents can be a nightmare to dry. It depends how much you will use stuff.

weve been camping as a family of 4 for years we have the best times together , yiu dont need much
@ivykatyy44 list is perfect . just add torch
we use same kitchen utensils as at home as well as mugs etc from our kitchen it can get ridiculously pricey dont get conned into overspending

It's worth getting decent kit for comfort. Sleeping comfortable is right at the top. Don't skimp.

I really like the blow up settees in a huge tent, shit like that can make me get on board with camping for longer than a couple of nights

It does depend on how much money you've got to spend, how much space you've got for storage and where you want to camp. Lots of the UK you really do need a robust tent which will withstand rain and gales.

Just the basics for 3 people are tent (even if you have smaller ones for sleeping you'll need something to stand up in with enough room should it rain), 3 x sleeping bags, 3 x sleeping mats, table, chairs, cooker with related accessories like enamel plates and mugs.

As pp says, most campsites are fully booked this year. Next year, I would try glamping (where the tent is already set up) and see how you all like it. All the pleasure of camping, but much less of the hassle. We've never done it, but are thinking about it in future as us and the children are getting older.

If you're only going once or twice there are places where you can hire a prepitched tent, obviously a bit more expensive, but generally bigger and you don't end up with a load of camping stuff you might not use again.

Otherwise if you have the space/money get a campbed they are much more comfortable.

What do your kids think? Ours like camping but they both have separate small cheap tents. (15yo and 16yo) . Camping set up is probably the cost of 2 self catering trips so it will pay back in a couple of years.

There’s masses for sale second hand, I saw a full kit, chairs tent the lot on Facebook today. I would just have a torch, crocs and hoody to hand and make sure you aren’t too far from loos if you think a night time trip will be needed.

See if someone has a tent you can borrow. It can be quite expensive to set up and you might hate it, so try before you buy.

I think if you love the outdoors, don't mind roughing it, don't feel the cold too badly, and don't need home comforts, then camping is awesome.

I'd recommend getting:
a fairly cheap tent (we got a cheap pyramid style one - it is so easy to put up!)

• basic sleeping bags
• airbeds all round (£6 each at Tesco in the sale) plus an electric pump for the airbeds
• a small single hob and a kettle
• disposable BBQ

Then try one night somewhere beautiful in the South of England this weekend coming (forecast hot)

If you don't like it, it's not a total disaster - you can either keep the camping stuff for another try, or sell it as "nearly new" on eBay.

Add bucket with lid to your list as your night time loo. You can buy small (if your aim is good) or large and just keep it around the side of your tent. I found it a lifesaver as I pee a couple of times each night. Have fun - camping is great!

Something like this one. Reasons

• easy to put up - usually one pole in the middle plus guy ropes round the edge.
• good for any unexpected bad weather

You can stand up in them.

I love camping, but it’s not for everybody.
Get warm sleeping bags and self inflating mattresses, and the you’ll at least have a comfy night’s sleep.
See if you can borrow stuff to try, or at least try glamping first.
There is often camping kit for sale on my local FB page.
Stick to one large tent. If nothing else, many sites charge per tent!

I would just get second hand or cheap basics and do one or two short overnighters at nearby beauty spots to test it out. Camping isn't for everyone but you'll soon know.

On the bladder issue: When we went camping a couple of years ago with a friend, she brought one of those little toddler's pop up dome tents and a bucket. We used it as a portaloo after dark! Worked a treat for us ladies who didn't want to trip over tent pegs in the middle of the night.

Really depends like people have said on how much you will go camping. We go a couple of times a year plus scout camps and DH goes a few other weekends.
We have 3 kids aged 9-13 so a couple of years ago upgraded our tent and now have a big 8 man one with seen in ground sheet, porch, camp kitchen, etc etc out camping gear has been bought over the years as we have been camping since before the kids were born.
I think you should go glancing first where the tent etc is all set up to see how you get on. Some people hate it, some people love it.

Watching with interest!

I’ve just looked on pitchup and there are campsites available to book, go mid week, Monday to Thursday and there are vacancies

Try here. www.ukcampsite.co.uk/chatter/display_forum_topics.asp?ForumID=3

Tent
Windbreak for privacy
Good beds- I use a camp bed with a self inflating mattress on top.
Two ring cooker (or two of those portable ones in cases)
Sturdy, lidded plastic box for food, plus good coolbox.
Solar light for outside your tent, so you can find it easily in the dark.
Comfy folding chairs, folding table and citronella candles for the evening (plus cuffed trousers so your ankles don’t get bitten by midges!)

There’s nothing nicer than camping if you’re comfortable!

I’ve always camped, I started out with a two man tent, gas cooker, foam ground mat, sleeping bag and blow up pillow. A torch gave light, that was it. We now have more camping equipment than go outdoors. We love camping, but I would say it’s only worth buying loads of stuff for a long term investment. At 12 and 16 it might not be a great time to start tbh. It’s a very marmite experience. Like Pp have said Trying to find a nice site this year will be hard.

Tbh I would see if you can borrow as much as you can, try camping in someone’s garden for a weekend or see if you can find a site. I certainly wouldn’t be buying camping stuff in your position.

Definitely self inflating camping mattress instead of air beds which tend to then deflate and are uncomfortable.
The Silentnight one is very good.
Extra covers and warm pjs for night time.
Loving the idea above of a pop up tent and a bucket for night time weeing!

We take our normal bedding, hate sleeping bags, and it's absolutely fine (have camped in snow and been as snug as a bug with duvet); decent air bed however indispensable. I'd get one bigger tent with some kind of living area; there's nothing worse than it raining for a week and having nowhere to go (also having space to hang waterproofs is v useful)I think the facilities of site (ie decency of showers /toilets) are very important, so will only stay on club sites (or their affiliated sites) where things have to be a certain standard (I do my own 'glamping' ... was horrified when I went to a proper set up glamping site and the 2 loos/ 3 showers were miles away and disgusting). If you can, get a pitch with electric hookup (but you need the correct cable for this, you can't just plug in extension lead). Flipflops for shower. Lights of some kind (if on electricity you then have lots of options eg electric fan heaters, laptop for films, hairdryer). The biggest problem with camping is having space/car for the gear.

Best plan would be to go with someone who knows the ropes and borrow equipment. Else I'd hire a caravan or cottage. My friend takes her teenagers and they've done it for years. But they're an outdoor family, we're in Cornwall and they sea swim, cycle, paddle board as well.

Buy everything on eBay and at Aldi, when they have camping special buys.