I hanker for a new gadget.

[Slubberdegullion]

What's new and exciting in the world of camping gadgets then?

I do not want the Lakeland snack stand before someone links me that.

Something for cooking on/in/with? Dunno. Can't be a great enormous vessel/contraption as space is at a premium already the bloody dds have gone and grown longer so footwell space has now been compromised.

Something lighting? NO FAIRY LIGHTS.

No also to bunting, chandeliers, weird carpets or a Cadac. None of that sort of guff.

Fancy a thing for 2014 but what?

I'm definitely getting a campfire toastie maker this year, probably a bit late to the pie iron party though.

Mm.

Here is my problem with the pie iron.

Toasted sandwiches are for lunch right? It's not an evening thing is it? So does that mean you have to light your campfire at lunch so you can use your pie iron.

Can you make a pie in a pie iron?

Slubber, what about a lantern stake? for a lantern or a citronella tea light, or else a small bucket of cheese straws or crisps, or one of those bags for carrying wine that are made of chiller material - you could hang that on the stake and keep your beer bottle in it while lounging.

Or a collapsible bucket with lid? like this but Halfords have them much cheaper. It is almost a full sized bucket

Pie Irons? yes, you can make actual pies, using home made or ready-made pastry, and either fruit, or savoury fillings. I suspect you can use suet pastry / dumpling mix too, which would be a doddle to make under camping conditions. I have not tested this, though.

My new toy is my Weber Go Anywhere BBQ, but that has too many overlaps with the Cobb. I challenged you to a brownie-baking challenge on another thread as brownies can allegedly be baked in a Go Anywhere.

We just got the funnest (I know that's not really a word) lantern where the sides pop off and you can walk around with them and then pop them back on to charge and to be a free-standing lantern. The DDs are still at an age where they think it is funny to shine a torch in your face so this gadget helps with that. They are no longer allowed to touch DH's hefty bright mag light.

here

I love that bucket.

Or a collapsible kettle maybe?

We have this one:
www.seamarknunn.com/acatalog/collapsible-kettle-blue-1571.html?gclid=CI2Vz_f99r0CFe6WtAodmFYA-A,

but I rather hanker after this one:

www.halfords.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/product_storeId_10001_catalogId_10151_productId_914067_langId_-1_categoryId_165650

Or you might like these if space is an issue:

www.halfords.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/product_storeId_10001_catalogId_10151_productId_955481_langId_-1_categoryId_165669

Also what is a weird carpet? I need a carpet and given I have everything else on your list of no-nos, I might rather like a weird carpet.

I got a s'mores basket from the US. Love.

Lotus Grill - wonderful thing.

I bought DS one of these torch / collapsibe lanterns. It doesn't show it in lantern mode, but you twist the rim round the bulb and pull it outwards to reveal a column of light that acts as a alantern, to be hung in your tent by the handy loop. Good for kids in pup tents, not lighting a full tent.

Also these marvellous reading lights which can be twisted round things like guy ropes, hung over a branch, stood up as a bedside light. The batteries last for ages, I use one hooked into my pyjama top to read with rather than waste batteries in a big lantern. Last year Argos had p-acks of 2 or 3 for even cheaper.

I wnat one of those Halfords collapsing kettles.

Ooh.

Things that go flat.

I top rather like the lantern holders, although they hint a little at glamping. They do look like they could be used with a safety angle though which would cancel out any glamped shenanigans.

Have bucket (with lid). Have kettle. Will have to wait until they break before can justify new ones I think.

Lantern looks good.

What is a s'mores basket expat? I like s'mores.

Weird carpet are really any carpet for a tent but especially some sort of nature fibre hessian business which would only get jam and mud and moistness in and would eventually make your tent smell of a lambing shed.

Expat - show us you s'mores basket!

s'mores basket

That little bendy light is rather cool.

Cannot justify any other cooker gizmos. Stoves (x3 ) and Cobb and fire pit with swinging grill is enough I think.

Collapsing colander

Thanks Slubber - think I will stick to picnic rugs. I dread to think what would end up in any hessian type carpet we would have in our tent. A lambing shed would be like a rose garden by comparison I imagine.

What about an Opinel knife or Swiss army type affair or do you already have a full sufficiency of those?

Or this: www.sainsburys.co.uk/sol/shop/home_and_garden/121795807_sainsburys-expandable-airer.html.

Folds down to a small size for storage and then, with only a small amount of yanking, it expands to satisfy all your camping airing needs.

It's this well, not from Crate and Barrel, though.

My folks bought it in a shop called Academy in the US and brought it.

Outwell are really into things that squash flat aren't they?

How much would I use a colander I wonder. More or less than a hook to hang things on? Or a pie iron?

I quite like that lantern you can take bits off. Is it terribly bright though? Does it illuminate the inside of your tent like an operating theatre?

Love the s'mores doohickey. It's like a BBQ rib grill thing but smaller for biscuits.

Airier is v sensible and utilitarian MummyPig, currently just attach washing line to car /tree.

We use foam squares as carpet. Easier to clean.

Those hooks look really handy!

How about a utility tent if you don't have one?

cast iron garlic roaster

That lantern stake - I think it would be useful for hanging cooking utensils from, so they don't get lost in the grass / covered in nasty muddy sludge at the wrong moment.

Oooo, that looks lovely, Blu.

I have two Diablo pie irons that I brought over from the US when I moved here a dozen years ago and they are still going strong.

We have a roof box on our people carrier so can really load up.

Also - the lantern stake could be handy for tying one end of a short low washing line to... for T Towel, cloth etc.

I knew I should have bought one. Cheap, takes up no space, endless versatility.

Slubber - have you got butchers hooks for using over shower doors where there are not enough hooks, etc?