Please tell me about your recent camping purchases

[FlippertyGibberts]

I need some camping gear inspiration 😄🏕.

I quite fancy some solar lights or a solar panel. Or a new tent, but I don't need one really.

I haven't bought one yet but it's on my list for next year - a really good quality coolbox like an iceytek.

I have my eye on the decathlon tripod kitchen unit and table. I really don't need them or have space in the car.

I got the inflatable bed bases at the end of last summer, I love them but need something new to go on the top.

Weve bought a new table and higher sides for the trailer (to fit more stuff in!)

Got a new massive tarp and poles for extra sun/rain shelter. After an apocalyptically rainy weekend in the Lakes I was very grateful my sis brought hers!

2 amazing tables which fold down really efficiently. And a string of LED lights that go along the main beam. They light the tent brilliantly. And a set of caribeners, meaning I can hang stuff EVERYWHERE!!

My best camping thing is to take sheepskin rugs. Standing on them to get changed is the best. I swear they are as efficient as a heater. I vac pack them and they take next to no space. In fact vac packs would be high on my list of good camping stuff - one for sheet/duvet, one for pillows, one for sheepskins and one for my super thick arm-crocheted blanket. They take less than a minute to vac down (they came with a pump) and mean the bedding packs down so small.

@NannyR, I need to sell mine 😄 - I just don't have room for it, and usually camp somewhere with fridges and freezers available anyway.

@ReviewingTheSituation, karabiners sound like a fab idea! I've got some S hooks that I use atm, and they really make a difference.

Yep - caribeners are fabulous. For wet coats, towels, lamps... love them!

Maybe I need the opposite thread - Please tell me about your camping downsizing hacks 😄 (and then I could fill the saved space with all of these ideas 🤣).

I'm after a blow up pillow - any suggestions? Also a sleeping bag liner for autumn and spring camping (was minus 2 in March, a little chilly!)

Oh, I just bought an Alpkit blow-up pillow! It has a removable and washable pillowcase. At first I thought I loved it, but now I'm not completely sure - it seems a bit odd, but maybe I just need to try again / get the inflation level right. What pillow do you use at the moment @gogohmm?

Decent Sim and fold out bed.
Kelty tru-comfort sleeping bag. Love it!
Colapze rechargeable camping shower. Great for washing up.
Gorilla tub trugs for washing up, wet boots, keeping the tent tidy, carrying water, etc. you’ll find a use.
I’d like a new tent but can’t justify it. Yet. 😀

Table and chairs from Lidl. Previously we had a bench / table set that was all connected. This is much more versatile.

We have a trailer tent which was by far our best purchase. It takes an age to erect but it's so much comfier than a standard tent and huge!

Another good buy is an electric cable which can plug into the electric hook up on site. We use ours for phone chargers, lamps, mini fridge, travel kettle etc.

I love my collapsible washing up bowl with handles www.blacks.co.uk/15905076/hi-gear-folding-wash-bowl-15905076/?istCompanyId=d92b362f-ac8a-4a8a-87ca-c56eafad7955&istFeedId=2f99410f-1124-43d5-8232-86c184f09479&istItemId=imxtxqrmm&istBid=t&gclid=EAIaIQobChMIg5rP5Nin-QIVyrTtCh2HkAHsEAQYAyABEgIHp_D_BwE&gclsrc=aw.ds

Just bought some solar ground stake light things reduced in Sainsburys to £1 . To put by corner guys.

Never liked tent carpets before, but bought this massive cotton rug from IKEA for £10 for the bedroom. The black natural one is even more massive for £17 www.ikea.com/gb/en/p/tiphede-rug-flatwoven-natural-black-40456757/#content

I LOVE my Icey Tek. And my Weber Go Anywhere BBQ.

We take a proper rope hammock!!

Oohh, I love camping gear! I've just replenished a lot of ours as we sold the campervan. We now camp in a small electric car, so everything has to be space saving really. A big space saver for us was going with a small sleeping bag and taking along liners for colder nights. I got the mountain warehouse microlight ones which have been very good. We have good Sims and sleep really comfortably without the bulk. The family all have small memory foam roll up pillows that I got from John Lewis. I am a side sleeper so bought a tiny blow up one from Jokel. It's great, but I saw one in Decathlon that was cheaper and looked quite good. It was a Forclaz one from their hiking range. We have a couple of 3 person pop up tents, but I am hankering after something more compact. I really like the decathlon ones that erect with a button. Can't justify it though as we'd need 2 of the 3 person ones and it wouldn't save any space or weight!

Just picked up one of these:
www.decathlon.co.uk/p/camping-bedside-table-compact/_/R-p-326577

A surprisingly ugly little storage table, but packs down very small and is the perfect solution to having my tissues, clock, phone, torch, kindle, power bank little box for earrings and penknife strewn all around my pillow.

LighteningStrikes I am not convinced by those button operated tents. I was looking at one in Decathlon this morning. Actually I pressed the button and collapsed it and then couldn’t get it up again. How to embarrass yourself in Decathlon.

Anyway, I think the mechanism might not stand up to someone tripping against the tent or squashing it in transit, and at some point in the near future would just get misaligned and jammed. As the poles are not bendy like pop up tents.

Also too susceptible to some idiot (me, this morning) obeying the ‘press here’ instruction on the big red button on the side.

Ha! Yes I can imagine the kids would take great pleasure in collapsing the tent on each other and breaking it. 😁

A trangia. If I can't cook it on a trangia I don't have it. No more running out of gas.

My best camping thing is to take sheepskin rugs. Standing on them to get changed is the best. I swear they are as efficient as a heater. I vac pack them and they take next to no space.

we always used to have sheepskin rugs on the car seats - so never took up any extra space - I hadn't thought of taking them away and using them for standing on though

I still use a silk 3 season sleeping bag I purchased to go travelling in 1988, its like new, I think I paid £70/80 for it as it packs up small enough to go inside a backpack.

I use it often for camping and if im staying at friends of family as it saves laundry as I take it home with me. Used it many nights camping.
I dread to think how much it would be to replace, its incredibly comfortable o sleep inside

I got the 3 panel folding solar panel from Decathlon last summer and it is good at recharging my big Anker power bank (which can recharge DD phone at least 3 times before she whines it's out of power!). I also gave DSis the 2 panel version at Christmas abs I know she's been happy with it on Guide camp (farmer's field so no power).

This year, I bought a shelter from Lidl's middle aisle that was surprisingly effective! Relatively decent head height and very useful shade when so hot out.

I am eyeing up the Decathlon blow up bed frame, their pressurised solar shower and a cabinet to hold my kitchen stuff.

This camping cool set was great. Compact so we have room for more unnecessary camping crap

www.decathlon.co.uk/p/stainless-steel-camping-cook-set-3-5l/_/R-p-174679