so have tent ...what else do we need

[gothicmama]

Ok so we have finally got a tent
what else do we need to make for a fun and fab camping experience (other than good weather) for 2 adults and 3 children (age 2,4 and 9)

Thanks

I've said pretty much the same thing on another thread, but you need:

• Good self inflating: Alpkit's Dozer gets great reviews for the price. More expensive option could be one of the thicker Thermarests, which are apparently fab.

• Good 3 or 4 season sleeping bag, or good duvet. We've taken down duvet up to now as it's brilliantly comfortable, but it's a lot of hassle to carry around, so I'm looking for a good square one. I hate feeling so restricted in the mummy ones, but they are apparently slightly better for heat retention.

• Hot water bottles (seriously!)

• Marshmallows

• Small games to play inside when if it rains. I take small racing cars, Iphone with toddler app etc for ds, who is just over two.

• Waterproof clothes and easily kick-off-able shoes (the dreaded crocs) to ensure you don't have mud-covered tent inside.

We went camping for the first time recently, we took:
Small tent,
Gazebo for sitting/cooking in.
Folding chairs,
Camping table
Stove,
Air beds, ( bloody rubbish things, it's camp beds for me from now on)
BBQ
Electric cool box
Rechargable lantern
Duvets
A selection of small candle lanterns to burn citronella candles
Ground screw for the dogs,
Cage for the dogs,
Wind breaks
And a trailer to put it all in!

If you get camp beds invest a few £££ as we had them and DH used to cut himself regualrly putting tehm up (caught in catches) and now refuses. We have self inflating mats ATM but we're looking at a decent inflatable bed agin as the boys rolled off theirs every single night and ours got marked so quickly by teh toddler that we gave up on them.

The thermorests / fat airic ones are good though apaprently, just a bit beyond our financial reach.

We ntake a cool box, something to cook on, kettle, pans, plates etc, chair each, two tables (one for our Cobb cooker, one for everything else), sleeping equipment- old Argos envelope double sleeping abg that we love, plus we're getting those Gelert bags you can wriggle in for boys after trialing one on ds3- lanterns (as many as you can carry really) and that seems to be it really, not sure lots of kit is needed and we wouldn't have space to carry it if it were! I'd rather invest in decent waterproofs than fancy kit tbh, except for the tent which has to be good- I say that after e year with a leaky nightmare that had to be returned.

Oh, and a car battery with a cigarette lighter adapter for any added power requirements.
For next time, I require a much much larger tent, and electric hookup cable and a heater!

All the above plus:

Pillows
Headtorches. We all find those really useful.
Blankets for laying on beds and wrapping myself up in when outside in the evening.
Wellies
Kitchen towel
Thermal cups- we love these, no more cold coffee.

A good tip I picked up form here which works for us is a plastic backed picnic blanket in the doorway. It stops all the mud being trampled in and they dry really quick.

thermal cups are wonderful. Boil water once on trangia, tea still hot an hour later, get 2 cups made at once.
I love my tea.

ca cut and paste my list - it's somewhere on my computer and I used it last week....

Right found it...

KIT LIST

Tent

Sleeping bags

Cushion/pillow each

Bed mats etc

Fleece blankets

Gas burners / stoves
calor gas light

Kettle, frying pan, pans, wooden spoon and tongs

plates, bowls, thermos mugs, knives, forks, spoons.

Water carrier
washing up bowl, cloth, towels

Lamp and torches.

Small First aid kit, scissors.

FREEZE ICE PACKS!

PACKING LIST

Towels

Shower gel, toothbrushes + toiletries + toilet roll

Pyjamas

Undies + socks

T-shirts

Fleeces

Trousers and shorts

Jog suit for over pyjamas

waterproofs

Wellies

Trainers.

Camera, mobile phone, book, money, glasses!
Bag of colouring stuff / games for children

ouch that list looks long. It all fits in a Yaris, tho along with 3 kids