What are the true essentials that you take camping?

[countdowntoxmas]

Going camping for the first time and want to know what I should really bring with us. What have been your lifesavers and your time wasters?

Quality sleeping bag, small gas stove, kettle, tea bags, mug .

SIMs (self-inflating mats) and tea

Warm bedding. I can do discomfort if I really have to and I can do without stuff but being cold is crap.

And crocs or flip flops for tramping through wet grass to get to the loo and for wearing in the shower.

Good waterproof trousers and jacket, warm hat, plenty of warm layers to put on in the evening and at night if needed. Being able to stay warm and dry makes the biggest difference to whether you have a fun or miserable time in my experience! That and being able to make a nice hot cup of tea.

Do NOT forget your torch (and spare batteries)! Always bring your own loo roll, and plenty of it.

I wouldn't bother with airbeds, waste of space and time, and cold to sleep on. Get a SIM if you want to spend the money, basic foam mat otherwise.

Essentials IMO are to be warm and dry so

Good tent
Good sleeping bags
stove, pot and tea bags
waterproofs
layers of clothing

What everyone else has said, especially re loo trips at night (a small bucket with a tight-fitting lid!).

Waste of space: too many clothes for the dc. Take one set of grots to wear on-site, and one set of neats to wear off-site, plus a set of spares. On-site, the dc run around in shorts and bare feet in all weathers, with a raincoat if necessary, because bare skin dries faster than wet clothes and wipes clean faster than shoes.

Have fun!

plenty plenty booze x

I always take the microwave (apologies to wild campers..I'm more a glamper )

However next on my list are lots of warm layers, a decent tent, decent sleeping bags and camping beds.. I prefer those as no risk of them deflating in the night!

Lots of wine...:)

I second the wine! (Of course)

Italian stove top coffee maker (amongst other things, of course, but this is now an absolute essential for us). And a sieve for draining quick cook pasta - has to be quick cook so you don't waste the gas.

Hot water bottle (as well as the sleeping and cooking stuff obviously!) and a wooly hat

extra fleece blankets (ikea have really cheap ones and they roll up nice and small!) emergancy ear plugs. Hot water bottle (must!) Wooly socks. Crocs. Welly boots.

Wine and chocolate!!!

Strong carrier bags/baby Ikea bags for putting clothes in while you are in the shower,

Everything everyone else said for warmth/water proofing.

For us a good nights sleep is the main thing, so we don't skimp on sleeping kit - warm PJ's, pillows, mats, sleeping bags etc. Never underestimate how cold it gets at night - even in the height of summer, and a bad night makes for grumpy campers all the next day.

earplugs, warm sleeping stuff and a cafetiere.

String and pegs and duck tape, and a zip-close plastic food bag to keep the matches in.

A good knife. Ear-plugs. If you forget the ear-plugs, use the knife.

If you PM me your email address I'll send you my master camping list.

Euphamism.

A tent. A blow up bed. DP. He is better than a Swiss army knife because he can produce a full roast dinner including yorkshire pudding on a barbecue and can produce tea within 10 minutes of waking up.

yorkshire pudding on a barbecue - really? How??

My DP isn't as useful as a Swiss Army Spoon.

Baby wipes, candles to make midges go away, gloves (yes even in summer, everywhere else was warm but my bloody hands) not loads of clothes, just layers. tea towel and fairy liquid and a sponge! twenty pences for showers. Foil. a washing up bowl (you wont want to put your pots in the sink when you see whats crawling in there :) )