The camping paradox...and can it be solved?

[taybert]

Just back from camping. Loved it as usual despite pretty terrible weather at times but after packing up this morning I’m struck by how long it all takes and how much hassle it is.

Before we had kids we packed light with a small tent and we were happy to tolerate some discomfort for the fun. Now my tolerance for discomfort is much lower and I know we all have a worse time if we don’t sleep. Subsequently we have super comfy sleeping mats, good chairs to sit on which are comfy but lightweight and fold down. The kids need to be fed food they like and we need to be able to cook it so we have what feels like an elaborate cooking set up /kitchen and we take loads of food. Camping in a tent in the UK so take lots of spare clothes and shoes as we can’t easily dry things and we need layers for the cold. We have a full car and roof box and it took a good 2 hours to pack away today. I now have a mountain of washing to sort and equipment to clean and dry before packing it all away again for another year. We packed over a couple of days and it took several hours of planning.

So when I step back and look at it the problem is all the stuff we’ve got to make it better and more comfortable- foam roll mats would take seconds to put away, a disposable bbq and a single ring stove and kettle is hardly anything, we used to sit on some cheap camping chairs which fold in a second. But I know if we did that we’d be uncomfortable, not sleep well or eat well and it wouldn’t be as nice when we were there (though setting up and packing away would be soooo much easier).

So what’s the answer? Just accept that it’s like that and it’s something we can only do a couple of times a year because of the hassle? Or do we really need to accept that tent camping is no longer for us and think about a campervan? And does a campervan actually solve those problems? In my head the quicker bed set up, the kitchen already being in existence and the fact that the camping stuff could be left in the van could make all the difference, as well as the fact that some things might stay dry and wet things could dry off. But is it really like that? Or do you just create a different set of problems?

Answers on a postcard!

We have exactly the same problem: used to camp with small amount of kit - small tent, fold up stools, one gas bottle with 2 ring burner that could be screwed onto the top - quick to pack down and fit in small car. Now, with 2 teens, we have much larger tent (downsized from 8 man to 5 man) with awning on front, Vango shelter, comfy chairs, tent carpets, EHU, you name it. BUT, I'm reluctant to forgo any of this as I really like the element of comfort it affords alongside being outdoors. We gave up weekend camping years ago and now just camp in France - you need fewer clothes but still need all the other stuff and, once the tent is up, it stays up for 2 weeks: anything less than this just seems like too much faff.

This year, due to COVID, was slightly different. We would normally stop overnight in a hotel on the journey up and down through France, but decided instead to camp this year. We stopped 2 nights on the way back and it rained - it also rained on the day we left our campsite in the south - so we had 3 mornings in a row of packing away wet tents. We are now considering a caravan. Tbh, we tow a trailer anyway, and I really want the ability to be able to move around more and camp in 2-3 different places over the course of a 2 week holiday, so I think this will be the solution to the camping paradox for us!

some great thoughts here
Art of Camping

Ok it took some finding, my original inspiring article.
Only gear you need

@NotMeNoNo

Ok it took some finding, my original inspiring article. Only gear you need

The paper lantern and candle idea is genius for sites which won't allow camfires.

We’ve totally convinced ourselves a campervan is the answer. Currently juggling finances in our heads to see if we can make it work. Also husband and I exchange links to vans on a daily basis. See you all next year for a a campervan tips thread!

Booking. Com, house with mains water and Wi-Fi. If the kids want to camp send them to cubs.

It’s not about the kids liking camping (though they do), it’s about my husband and I liking camping. I’d rather be camping than in a cottage. The logic is that we love camping and want to do it more often so want it to be less hassle but at the same time we just need a bit more comfort than when we were a couple in our 20s (and the addition of children means more stuff, even if you’re pretty minimal with what you take).

After yet another camping holiday we came home early from we just sold our tent and the bigger equipment. Our problem mainly was that we have a small house and not much garden, so I was always paranoid about having to pack away a wet tent and then having to have the house draped for days trying to dry it.
My partner and I both have dodgy backs and, like you say, in order to be comfy you need more stuff. We’ve kept the little stove and box of kitchen stuff and our bedding stuff and decided if we feel the need to camp, or our daughter wants us to, then we’ll find a campsite with one of those pods. Without the hassle of setting up I’ll be more inclined just to go for a weekend.