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Camping

Our UK Camping forum has all the information you need on finding the right equipment for your tent or caravan.

Advice for a first timer

11 replies

SillyBlueHat · 20/05/2014 10:15

DH and I have decided camping is the only way we are going to get a holiday for the next few years and have started looking at tents, but I'm overwhelmed with all the choice and thought I might try MN for some words of wisdom.
We are a family of 4 with 2 toddlers. Anyone got any tips for a first time tent? We don't want to spend a fortune but don't want to pay for something that will fall apart after one use. We are hoping that this is the start of many happy holidays.
Also, what do we do about cooking? And milk for the toddlers? Do we get an electric fridge and get a pitch with electric hook up? Cool boxes won't be any good for more than 1 day will they?
Do sites get booked up really quickly? DH is a teacher so we are limited to school holidays.
Anything else we need to think about? I know we will have to get to a campsite early if we are to put up a tent and mind 2 small kids! DD1 is already excited as Mr Tumble goes camping too!

OP posts:
TwoLeftSocks · 20/05/2014 10:56

I'm not too sure about brands of tents but one with a decent amount of 'living space' is very useful, especially if it's raining, or just for playing in. We've got one that one of us can put up solo while the other entertains the kids, though we have just popped them in the car watching CBeebies on DH's phone before while we've both sorted the tent.

For cooking, we've got a gas stove with two burners and a calor gas canister - they aren't cheap but last a while and do the job nicely. We've managed with one burner with a windshield for quite a while though, and that worked ok. Some sites will allow a bbq too but it's worth checking.

For milk and keeping stuff cool with a cool box, it's worth finding a campsite that have a fridge / freezer, so that you can at least keep some freezer blocks on the go. We have half a dozen and rotate them round with three in a cool box at a time. It works for us as we're happy buying perishable things on a day by day basis. Haven't used an electric fridge but others could advise on that.

We've been to some sites that even have a little 'campers kitchen' with a microwave and washing machine / drier, which can be really useful.

Sites can get busy during the holidays, and we tend to look for ones that have a family field or a quite nights policy, so we're not right next to teenagers enjoying themselves noisily. There are some good site reviews on the MN reviews bit, and also at UK Campsites.com

Oh and assume it'll get cold at night, even in August (I usually end up with my woolly hat on even in the summer) and those flexible trug buckets from B&Q etc - really useful for everything from storing toys to cooling beers, carrying washing up, and bathing shower-averse toddlers.

CampingClaire · 20/05/2014 11:05

Okay...look at Outwell...great family tents that will last. Look for a tunnel with bed pods side by side. If the kids are older they'll want to be further away (at the other end of the tent or on a different side but when they're small you'll want to have them closer.

A tunnel tent is easier to pitch. Check out youtube for pitching videos. My advice would be not to get a dome with pods. We had that first but sold it after two trips and lots of swearing!! Fibreglass poles are lighter and also your DH may be able to build on his own after a shot or two at it (not a shot or two....then he wouldn't be able to build it!!)

Get something that you can add to as you need more space. Lots of Outwell tents have canopies/add on extensions some even have zip on rooms so you can expand like a transformer as the kids grow!!

Coolboxes won't work for longer than a weekend but lots of sites have communal fridges where you can put your stuff (labelled). Campers are nice and I've never heard anyone say there stuff has been touched. Other than that go for something you can plug in
.
Cooking for toddlers...as long as they like pasta and rice you're laughing. It's easy one pot cooking time!!
Make spag bol or something for first night, freeze it then take with you. Add FRESH pasta once it's reheated an a bit more water, cover and the pasta steams. You may need to add a bit more water and it takes a bit longer than normal but you only use one pot. It also means you're feeding everyone quite quickly once you're settled in.
Take a bag of toys for the kids to play with while you build tent. Something that you don't need to help them with. Take lots of warm socks for them too for when they're wandering round the tent. Oh...you can get tent carpets..these are worth the money but a picnic rug or two will see you through to start with. I put them in bedroom pods and we have a carpet for the main area.
Have fun!!

CharmQuark · 20/05/2014 13:35

The Vango Icarus is a big, roomy family tunnel tent that can be extended with an optional porch. Vango are a good brand, they last well and have a tension band system that makes them stable in bad weather. These tents have darker inner tents for darker mornings, and are v v easy to put up. After the first time you can pack them away 'as one' i.e with the bedroom still attached inside the fly sheet, which saves you a job next time you pitch.

You can go the whole EHU hog, but you might also find that cramps your style in restricting your choice of sites with availability. Also the more 'wild camping' style sites that allow campfires and generally enable you to pitch further away from other campers are less likely to offer EHU. We use a good cool box (an Icey Tek but you don't have to go that expensive first off) and top up with re-frozen packs, or ice from the supermarket. And shop daily / regulalry for pershables. You can keep milk for cereal or morning drink cold overnight in a flask. An Icey Tek will keep stuff cold for days, as long as you don't leave the top open or let the kids constantly open it.

PeterParkerSays · 20/05/2014 13:41

Go to somewhere like Go Outdoors / Yeomans as they have the tents on display outside. We had to factor DH's height into our calculations (he's 6"3) so he wasn't constantly stooping, and we decided to get a tent with removable bedroom compartments so DS can have a separate sleeping area when he's older and we have more space now.

See if you can borrow anything from friends / buy second hand whilst you're working out what you need. Camp sites will often freeze ice blocks for you if you want to take a cool box but we found it easier to just buy fresh milk every day and keep it in a bucket of water overnight.

lentilpot · 20/05/2014 16:22

According to Which? the best tent brands are Outwell, Vango and Coleman.

denialandpanic · 20/05/2014 19:20

we've just bought an outwell amarillo six. put it up in the garden last weekend and heading off for first trip this weekend. it seems like a great tent,I will be able to update further next weekShock

SillyBlueHat · 22/05/2014 07:45

Let me know how you get on denialandpanic.
Thanks for the advice everyone. We are off to look at tents this weekend and I think I'll look for a campsite with a campers kitchen. I'm quite excited!

OP posts:
newnameforanewstart · 22/05/2014 08:13

Sorry I am short of time this morning, will be back later with more information

I have an outwell, and so do some friends of mine (who are new to caping and have bought a magic with a kids pod etc and the kids LOVE it but they are a bit older than yours)

I will come back and tell you about our tent properly when I get a chance

However I do suggest you check out this YOUTUBE channel as it run through a load of the different features for some of the outwell tents. Its great if you have not been camping before as you might realise that you really want zip up curtains or the abilty to add extra pods etc. It also have videos of how to put some of the tents up etc.

Outwell channel

I have a blinking huge tent but then we do actually need it and get a lot of use out of it.

newnameforanewstart · 23/05/2014 12:42

Hiya OP.

Ok I don´t know if you are interested but this is what we have.

We camp in a group (normally 3 or 4 couples - in ONE tent!) Sometimes it will be just us and our DC. Something 2 couples and 1 single adult, sometimes 4 or 5 single adults, sometimes a combination of adults and kids! We have a slightly odd hobby I suppose that means we go off and camp and we do get on very well so I guess that HELPS! Not saying this is for everyone by any stretch of the imagination.

Right ho as a base tent we have this one by outwell Bahia7 they do smaller tents in the range things I love about it! OH SO FLEXIBLE, zip up curtain, good number of doors, good size interior space, good head height, SIG, good ventilation, really waterproof, good in the wind! As a small family though it would be massively too big, but you could consider one of the smaller tents in the range and then add on the awning if you wanted to at a later date. As I said one the things I love is the flexibility.

Ok, we also have the following

One of these and it comes everywhere with us on every trip very handy for getting in and out of the tent in wet clothes etc and not bringing mud in side entrance

Two of these, some times we take both, sometimes one, sometimes we don´t take one at all Storage pod what I love about these is that we take a lot of gear with us relating the hobby we have and we can pack it away in one of these (even as a large group) and zip the door closed and it doesnt take up room in the tent and keeps in out of site of anyone (not that that has ever been a problem as campers as are a friendly group and the campers that share our hobby are a very friendly group) but it still lets us keep all the gear in one place and not clog up the tent! if we take two the other one is used a clothes storage etc.

Two the these, again sometimes we take one, sometimes both, sometimes we don´t take one at all. Sleeping pods ok things I love about this - extra sleeping space it does fit 2 adults but they need to be friendly at least if not in a relationship! We have put one connecting to the bed rooms when we have kids, toddlers, etc staying so the parents are close on hand but the kids can be put to bed and then not disturbed. We have put it separate from the bed rooms to create another bed room when we have an extra couple staying etc.

We also have one of these Cuisine pod great for keeping kitchen stuff out of the main living space, can act as another door, lets you make a Brew in the rain etc.

Now going back to the main tent! things I love

Good head height!
Flexibility we can make it one big room or have the front section separated by a door.
cable entry point which means you don´t need to run a cable though a door.
SIG - bug free camping (I hate bugs!)
we can change the number of sleep pods - adding with pods or zipping one away giving more space in side the tent.
great ventilation
good number of doors.
darker fabric on the bed pods.
Im 99% sure I can zip two bedrooms together if wanted (have to confess I have never done this - so I could be wrong will check the next time the tent is up)
You can put the tent up and then pick it up and walk to the ideal spot on the pitch - which can be handy
The guy rope and peg system is handy.

We have a foot print which I wouldn´t be without and a carpet which we do love but could manage without. We are not fair weather campers so the foot print is a non negotiable for us.

for such a big tent it is easy and quick to pitch and most of it 1 person can manage on their own with the odd bit of help. I mean colour coded poles and colour coded sleeves it pretty much idiot proof, same with the pegs - great if you are new to camping as it is so straight forward.

The carry bag has wheels which is a nice touch.

There is one problem with it, we have camped all over Europe in it, in the hacking rain, in wind storms, snow, boiling hot sun and we genuinely can find only one problem! It can cost a bit for a pitch as its big! but less than it would have cost us all to have separate tents.

Chimchar · 29/05/2014 10:49

No advice about a tent...we have a Bell tent and LOVE it. Its not for everyone, but we are really happy with ours.

I would say, for a first trip, go somewhere with good facilities..a nice, clean heated wash block and toilets, a wash up area, and a family only field.

Make your life easy by taking instant, quick food...cereals or bacon butties for breakfast, tinned hot dogs in rolls for lunch and a pub tea, or beans/soup/spag bol type tea. plenty of snacks...yogurts, tinned rice pudding, fruit, biscuits.

Hot chocolate before bed to warm everyone up, and FORCE the kids to wee before you settle down! Grin

Bottle of wine to help you sleep. Wink

A good cool box will keep food cold for a few days as mentioned above.

Take plenty of warm clothes top layer up, and a few extra blankets for nighttime if anyone is cold.

Easiest option is to go with another family...makes evenings more fun, kids entertain each other and you can share equipment.

Have fun!!

SillyBlueHat · 30/05/2014 17:20

I've seen a Coleman Hi Gear 8 man tent for sale locally. Is that far too big for 4 people do you think? It does look massive

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