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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.

As a non-experienced camper...

22 replies

SliceOfCakeCupOfTea · 12/07/2022 20:11

...what do I need for 1 night camping?

We've got two different overnight camping coming up as a family of 3.

OP posts:
SuperCamp · 12/07/2022 20:25

Tent
Something to sleep on: blow up beds / foam mats / self inflating mats (SIM), for example.
Bedding. Sleeping bags or you can take your duvets etc.
Folding chair each
Lanterns and torches
Will you be cooking / catering?
if so;
Stove
Everything you need to cook and eat. Including a washing up bowl.

A table is handy.

Coolbox

Wipes.

Toiletries and normal ‘going away’ stuff.

Insect repellent

Just think through the shape of your 24 hours and what you envisage doing, and how you will manage it.

Don’t take bubble mixture for the kids: bubbles = detergent = bad for the waterproofing on tents.

Also don’t use aerosols in your tent. The solvent is bad for the waterproofing, and they leave a flammable residue.

Bunce1 · 12/07/2022 20:26

One night is not worth camping for. Camping is an quite fatiguing and I wouldn’t bother for night

Topseyt123 · 12/07/2022 20:29

I'd just not bother. But I am a camping hater anyway.

SliceOfCakeCupOfTea · 12/07/2022 20:32

Okay, well I am going camping twice for one night in the next few months. That's not what I'm asking advice on. It is happening so I'm trying to get ready.

OP posts:
DuesToTheDirt · 12/07/2022 20:33

We used to camp for long weekends and never bothered with table and chairs - only bought chairs when we ended up camping for a week, and still didn't use a table. I'd avoid complicated cooking too, for just one night - take a small stove or barbecue if you have one, and minimal ingredients. Or, if possible, just get a takeaway. Keep the packing minimal.

SliceOfCakeCupOfTea · 12/07/2022 20:34

SuperCamp · 12/07/2022 20:25

Tent
Something to sleep on: blow up beds / foam mats / self inflating mats (SIM), for example.
Bedding. Sleeping bags or you can take your duvets etc.
Folding chair each
Lanterns and torches
Will you be cooking / catering?
if so;
Stove
Everything you need to cook and eat. Including a washing up bowl.

A table is handy.

Coolbox

Wipes.

Toiletries and normal ‘going away’ stuff.

Insect repellent

Just think through the shape of your 24 hours and what you envisage doing, and how you will manage it.

Don’t take bubble mixture for the kids: bubbles = detergent = bad for the waterproofing on tents.

Also don’t use aerosols in your tent. The solvent is bad for the waterproofing, and they leave a flammable residue.

Thanks! This is exactly the sort of thing I was looking for.

Did not know about bubble mixture! I'll take that out of the box.

No need for catering as it's all going to be there but we've been told that we can bring extras if we want. Trying to decide how much I'll want/need a cuppa in the morning and if it's worth taking the camping stove and kettle.

OP posts:
SliceOfCakeCupOfTea · 12/07/2022 20:35

DuesToTheDirt · 12/07/2022 20:33

We used to camp for long weekends and never bothered with table and chairs - only bought chairs when we ended up camping for a week, and still didn't use a table. I'd avoid complicated cooking too, for just one night - take a small stove or barbecue if you have one, and minimal ingredients. Or, if possible, just get a takeaway. Keep the packing minimal.

Thanks! I've got a mini camping stove and kettle but don't know if I should bother taking it for the sake of a morning cuppa for DH and I.

Love the idea of a takeaway!

OP posts:
grannycake · 12/07/2022 20:48

Experienced camper here. Even for one night I'd take the components to make a cuppa. You wake earlier camping and I can't wait too long before caffeine

SliceOfCakeCupOfTea · 12/07/2022 20:51

grannycake · 12/07/2022 20:48

Experienced camper here. Even for one night I'd take the components to make a cuppa. You wake earlier camping and I can't wait too long before caffeine

Thanks. I can easily go without a cuppa or make do with a cold coffee (like the ones you see in petrol stations etc) or an energy drink, but DH needs coffee to be a person.
How do you store milk? Just in the cool bag? I worry it'll not stay cool enough.

OP posts:
grannycake · 12/07/2022 20:54

Re milk. DH uses a small bottle of UHT which he says is fine in tea. I either drink my coffee black or use coffee whitener like coffee mate

SkankingWombat · 12/07/2022 21:13

Bunce1 · 12/07/2022 20:26

One night is not worth camping for. Camping is an quite fatiguing and I wouldn’t bother for night

These are my sentiments too (and I'm a keen camper), as there is very little difference between what I'd take for a night vs a week. Setting it all up isn't worth the hassle for one night (or even 2 really) unless you are a single adult with a very simple and quickly erected small tent. However, given it is a done deal, I wouldn't do any cooking to save bringing the stove and pots & pans etc. Takeaway for dinner, cereal/chocolate brioche and fruit for breakfast, and either sandwiches (ideally made in advance) or eat out for lunch. I would seriously consider leaving our table and chairs set at home and just eat on a picnic blanket, but suspect DH would veto that idea as he now finds getting up and down from the ground more difficult. Definitely don't bother with additional awnings or gazebos. If you are taking DCs, then a ball and their tablets will be sufficient entertainment for the time you have.

FWIW I camped for 2 nights alone last weekend (was there with friends, but they had their own tents), so took a hugely scaled-back set up to our usual family-of-4 trips. I took a very small tent, self-inflating mat, sleeping bag, Trangia stove plus fuel and matches (I ate directly from the pans), one set of cutlery, one water bottle to refill as needed, dehydrated food stuffs plus the odd tin/pouch, clothes and toiletries (inc toilet paper!), a small lantern, a book, a roll of duck tape, a small and basic camping chair, a small low level table and, most importantly, a cool bag full of booze. I used bundled clothes under the sleeping bag as a pillow to save the bulk of bring that. I could have dispensed with the chair easily if needed, plus the food and stove although that would have cost me a fortune and not made a huge difference in space/weight given how small the Trangia is. The mini table is super useful even if just somewhere flat to put your beer.

eurochick · 12/07/2022 21:14

Torches
Mozzie repellant

coffeetofunction · 12/07/2022 21:17

Flip flops or slidders for early morning/late night toliet runs

Comfy night wear, we all take oodies

Toilet roll incase the site runs out

A shower bag, that you can put all your toiletries in and carry to shower block. We all have one each to make life easier

Charging facilities

A bag for dirty laundry

midairchallenger · 12/07/2022 21:27

Keep it super simple. The more you take the less fun it will be.

Keep in mind that the temperature can drop sharply overnight even if it's been comfortable during the day (extreme weather events aside), so have layers for overnight.

Make sure you have insulation between you and the ground - if you use airbeds you still need insulation - or you will get cold no matter how many blankets are on top of you.

Wilma55 · 12/07/2022 21:49

Take frozen milk. Or cold in a flask to keep it cold.

5zeds · 12/07/2022 21:54

I would definitely take tea/coffee (milk in a chilli bottle with some frozen in the bottle, so put it in the freezer with the lid off and a couple of inches of milk in the bottom the might before, fill up in the morning)
Gin/tonic/beer/coke will make you all feel happier in the evening as will crisps/snacks.

SuperCamp · 13/07/2022 00:29

I would take the stove and kettle.

For one night you can take chilled milk in a flask, or chilly bottle. It will be fine.

Bags of brioche rolls are good for breakfast.

Take cereal bars etc. I get very hungry, camping.

Holly60 · 13/07/2022 07:04

With bedding - take a load of blankets to put under and on top of the air bed.

Holly60 · 13/07/2022 07:06

Holly60 · 13/07/2022 07:04

With bedding - take a load of blankets to put under and on top of the air bed.

As well as your duvet/ sleeping bag. I also take my bedsheet to cover my airbed but you might not bother for one night.

So we do blanket under air bed. At least one blanket on air bed. Then fitted sheet, and then duvet/double sleeping bag.

QueenOfWeeds · 13/07/2022 07:10

If your DH is a “coffee before anything else” type, then take an empty thermos with you - boil water to pre-warm, then fill with fresh boiling water before bed. It will almost certainly be hot enough for a coffee without the faff of getting the kettle on the next morning (and if it isn’t, it will reach boiling much more quickly).

SliceOfCakeCupOfTea · 15/07/2022 14:13

About to head away in a few mins. Does anyone have any tips for putting up a tent in the rain?

OP posts:
SuperCamp · 15/07/2022 16:08

Pack your tent last in the car so that you can get it out without having to dump other stuff on the grass to get wet.

Wear wellies and waterproofs, OR your most minimal skimpy clothing that will dry the fastest.

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