Camp Virgin...help me list of everything I need!

[MumBoyGirl]

So...I'm biting the bullet and buying a tent!
My kids will think I have lost my mind am wonderful!

So before I tell them, I need to budget and plan a little...

I've been to have a look at some tents - and haven't yet deceided on what to get...but I'm trying to work out how much I'll need to spend on other stuff to make it a pleasant way to travel and not just an endurance test!!

I don't need fairy lights and sheepskins, but neither do I want to slum it.
So...what are your must haves for comfort and practicalities when camping??

I am thinking I would really like airbeds (one for me and DH and one for kids to share)?

What about tables for eating, places to store stuff, cooking??

I'd really appreciate some tips from more experienced campers!

x

We used to go camping a lot. Our equipment for 4 of us was: Folding aluminium table, camping bench (seats 2), 2 big camping chairs, 2 burner gas stove (uses small gas canisters), air beds, camping lamp and our tent was one which had a large central area with 3 sleeping pods off it. Stored stuff in large zipped waterproof shopping bags (home bargains have them) and rucksacks.

Mumsnet has a really useful and quite comprehensive list, sorry I can't link from the device I'm using.

Make comfort a priority with lots of cosy bedding. We have bell tent which we love, not glamped up but it's a lovely space.

I get cold easily so hate airbeds, we are investing in self inflating mats (Sims) this year.

Cold, damp kids will be miserable (flashbacks to my childhood camping!) so take wellies/waterproofs for the mornings and lots of layers at night.

Top mumsnet space saving tip - freeze a box of wine for an icepack and drink as it defrosts :)

We have a caravan so some of these are more specific but this is my list. WARNING it is very long and will not fit into a normal car but it might help you write yours. (I've just printed it out to sort out the Caravan before we go away next week)

It's copied and pasted from table in word which is why it looks a bit odd in here.

Caravan “Got It” (long) list. (I must have a shorter list for if we're just going away for a weekend)

Awning Coolbag Hoover
Barbeque Corner blocks Hot water bottles
Batteries Corkscrew Ikea bags
Bikes Crocs Insect repellent
Bin Bags Cruet Insect room guard
Binoculars Cutlery Kettle: Electric
Books Dettox Kettle: Whistling
Bottle opener Dishcloth Kitchen roll
Bowls Doormat Klipits
Breathalyser kit Drill and corner tool Knives
Broom Dustpan and brush Lantern
Bucket Duvets Laundry detergent
Cadac Elastic bands Lighter
Café tierre Electric lead Lighter blocks
Camp Kitchen Empty milk bottle Lights
Camera Face cloths Loo roll
Candle holders Fan heater
Can opener Fire blanket
CDs First aid kit
Chairs Fly swat
Charcoal Foil
Chemical fluid Food *
Chopping boards Frying pan
Citronella candles Games *
Cling film Gas cylinders
Clothes * Grater
Coat hangers Ground sheet
Colander Hairdryer
Cold blocks Hand soap
Cooking utensils
Saucepans
Mallets Scissors Washing up bowl
Maps Scooters Washing up liquid
Matches Sheets and bedding Washing up sponge
Measuring jug Shoes Waste hog
Medicine box Site books Water Barrel
Mirror Sleeping bags Water pump
Mixing bowls Sleeping mats Wash kits*
Mover remote Small table Washing line
Mugs Small tent Whisk
Needle and thread Step Wheel lock stuff
Notebook and pen Stools (& table tops) Wine glasses
Oven gloves String
Oven trays Sun cream
Pegs Sun glasses
Phones Tables
Phone charger Tablecloth
Picnic set Teapot
Picnic blanket Tea towels
Pillows Tissues
Plastic bags Toaster
Plastic tubs Torch
Plates Toys *
Pledge wipes Towels
Potato peeler Trays
Radio Tumblers
Rain coats
Razor
Rubber gloves

I've just reread and realised that this isn't quite the list that you're needing. Sorry.

I'd say prioritise your beds. Nothing worse than being cold or uncomfortable at night. We have a high rise air bed which is good but needs re-inflating each night. I want to switch to camp beds with a 10cm sim on top.

Tent
Stuff to sleep on: blow up beds or SIMs - or thick roll up mats from Decathon for the kids are usually FINE. SIMS are warmer because they insulate from the ground, comfort between blow-up or SIMS is a matter of personal choice.
3 season sleeping bags - unless you are only camping in the S of France, for example.
Chairs: stable chairs, with cup holder.
A table
Something to cook on: double burner stove / Cadac all popular choices and then you can decide what sort of camper you are and maybe in the future add a Cobb or a Campfire Grill or a tripod etc. Portable BBQ always good - you may need to raise it off the ground in many site.
Some sort of plastic box / crate to store stuff in - unless you go for a camping cupboard
Good lanterns.
Kettle that goes on your stove. (but you can manage with a pan to begin with

Then it's your smaller stuff, and much of that you can pillage from your kitchen to begin with.

And extras like a tarp or gazebo, a windbreak, etc .

This is my camping checklist: (I don't take everything every time - depends on planned catering arrangements)

Tent
Awning
Tarp
Mats
Sleeping bags
Pillows
Blankets
Table
Chairs
Windbreak
Lanterns and torches
Bunting
BBQ , charcoal
Campfire grill
Firelighters
Cooker
Gas
Pie iron
BBQ Wok
Marshmallows
Big water flagon
Bucket
Travel clock
Penknife / opener
Tick remover
Antihistamine
Wipes
Toilet roll
kitchen roll
Bin bags
Mosie repellant
Sunscreen
Toothbrushes, etc
Towels
Book
Buthchers hook
Rope
Icey Tek and freezer blocks
Spare Batteries
Tissues
Camera
Chargers – phone etc
SatNav
NT Book
Binoculars
Flip flops
wellies
Walking boots
Waterproofs
Fire steel
Knives
Sharpener
Go Pro
Guitar
Book
Kite etc, ball
Survival tin

KITCHEN BOX
Plates, bowls, mugs, classes, cutlery
Pan
CAFITIERE
Chopping board
Pan holders
BBQ tools -tongues
Spatula
Frying pan
Folding washing up bowl
Foil
Salt and pepper sachets, sauce sachets
Tea towels
Sponge, liquid, gloves
Matches

I should start by pointing out that on your first trip you shouldn't go to far from home. Close enough to be able to pop back and get stuff you realise you need. Close to a good camping supply shop, and a decently amenitied(?) camp site. Maybe even your back garden would be a useful trial. With camping, being over prepared is vastly preferable to being underprepared.

And don't go for too long either.You might think "bugger this" and give up.

Put the tent up to practice before you go.
Get a good tent.
Get good Sleeping stuff. It's crap to camp if you get wet and can't sleep!!!!

Buy ski base layers now in shops (cheap as they all on sale) and wear under pjs.
Take hats to wear at night.
Take hot water bottles (ditto)
Pain au Chocolat and croissants make an excellent alternative to toast. Brioche keep for ever and are useful for feeding hungry small people. Here is my main list:

Camping

Tent inner
Tent outer
Tent poles
Front porch/gazebo
Windbreak
Carpet
Cleaning box
Water carrier
Trolley for water carrier
2 ring cooker
Kitchen box
Tea jar & teabags
Aluminium table
Small table
big table
Groundsheet & doormat bag
Camp Kitchen
Dish drainer
Sleeping mats x2
Roll of plastic
Gas canister
2x camping chairs
Cool box
Rope bag
Bedding
Clothes
Wellies and walking boots
Microfibre towels

Watching this! I've been trying to get H to agree to go camping for ages. We've got a 7mo and 4yo. Starting with a family friendly festival this year but want to get decent kit for future trips

I wouldn't advise air beds. We had one of the big ones that's higher off the ground but I found it bloody awful to sleep on. A decent thick SIM or a camp bed with a thinner SIM (depending on your preference) will be much more comfortable.

We bough at tent last year and camped for first time with 2 Dec, 7&3. We have a Vango Keswick tent.

We bought the following-
Sleeping bags each.
Air beds each
Fold out table to use stove on
Gas stove & pan set (halfords)
Fold out picnic table & chairs (halfords)
Battery torches
Cool box & ice packs
Chairs
Wind break
Camping toilet (basically a bucket with a toilet seat)

We only camped twice for a few nights each time.

This summer we will make a few changes. We've decided to go electric hook up this time. We couldn't keep food fresh im cool box.
Need to buy hook up cable, small electric heater, kettle & toaster. We don't have room to fit any more in car so not going to buy a fridge. We've decided to just take basic food that doesn't need refrigerating and eat out.

Need Fold out camp beds to replace air beds which we threw away as they didn't stay inflated.

Some inflatable sofas type things.

Just to add to that... We camped in August and it was freezing at night. I had on pj's, fleece jacket, sleeping bag, duvet. We had carpet in floor of tent and in bedrooms plus blankets between floor and air beds. Kids were in vests, pj's, onesies, sleeping bags with blankets in top! I'd say definitely spend on good 3/4 seasons sleeping bags. The 3 year old has a child size 'pod' sleeping bag and the 7 year old has an adults side. We bought most of our kit from Go Outdoors. Some cooking equipment from halfords in sale and tent from Winfields online.

How is the Vango Keswick putaplasteron? That's the one we're looking at getting.

I am a rough camper, so can't advise on luxury, but I would say that Petzl head torches are absolutely essential.

Lights, torches and lamps.

Never too many!

It's late, so I haven't read RTFT and someone might have suggested this, but one of our best ever camping buys was a big (huge), clear plastic storage box with a clip on lid (really useful box, I think it was called - bought in Staples or somewhere similar).

Everything in it stays dry when it pisses with rain (including the matches - though we have an extra tiny box for those as well). It doubles as a seat or a (low) prep surface. All food that needs to be out of the weather or away from the wildlife can go in it (open packets of pasta or biscuits, veg, eggs, bread).

And when you're at home, all your camping plates, mugs, cutlery, torches, pans etc etc can be packed into it, the lid clipped on - and then you stuff it in the garage and it's all packed and ready for next time.

Also, for the air bed, an electric pump which plugs into the fag lighter socket in the car. Saves hours of hassle and reduces the swearing.

Oh, and a massive flask we use as a teapot: tea stays warm in the morning chill while it mashes. Hot tea. Fabulous.

Lighting - head torches are really useful, as are normal torches, but trying to do semi-civilised family camping without a decent lantern or two is miserable. It goes dark! Proper dark! You can't find your book or wine or anything!

I'm a SIM convert, but I never would have done shared airbeds. Too small, too wobbly.

Good sleeping stuff. I have a Vango sleeping bag that's like a duvet folded in half with a zip on. Rough camping it's not, it folds to the size of a small suitcase, but I really feel the cold and it makes it all bearable.

If you're going to cook, think about what you need to do so. I've forgotten a sieve (easily done, and it's really hard to strain rice with a saucepan lid) and a chopping board in the past.

PS if you like to read, Kindle Paperwhite/Voyager is your friend when camping

Pollaidh Why a Petzl? I've always used a cheap £5 head torch. How much better is a good one?

My often overlooked items list:
Dry things to wear at night
Wellies
Flip flops/ sandals for the shower
Head torch
Books
Rain gear, x2 (After a storm last year)
Lighter x2 or 3
Far warmer bedding than you'd think

I've just had bad experiences with cheap ones - poor beams, not watertight. Depends on whether you will need to navigate or cross tricky terrain though - in which case a really decent reliable torch is an essential. If you're pottering around a campsite a cheaper model may well be fine.

A decent table if you're staying for a while is essential, in my opinion. It gets items off the ground saving room as you can use it to put things under, too.

The best camping kit list I've found is www.campsites.co.uk/downloads/the-ultimate-camping-checklist, but unfortunately you do need to give them your email address to be able to download it.