Absolute beginner camping list needed

[cunoyerjudowel]

Dh and I would like to go camping but have never done it as adults, therefore have no kit.

i would rather get a good set up and be comfortable than save a bit of money, so happy to invest in quality for the long run.

it would be just the 2 of us, and I get cold really easily and he runs very hot.

would be looking to go to the lakes as it’s not too far and we know it well.

so please can you advise on a complete set up - with recommendations of quality equipment.

a tent box on top of the car is not feasible so it would be an actual tent.

thanks

Tent - borrow one if you can or look on local selling sites. Get bigger than you think with space for sleeping and somewhere to sit if the weather is grim.
Sleeping - sleeping bag/duvet, take your own pillows, a couple of fleecy throws/blankets to throw over. SIMs are better than air beds - the thicker the better. Double sleeping bags are not romantic, we all have singles. I love my ‘Beast’ but DH likes a mummy style bag. Good advice to get dressed in pjs before bed and put clothes back on. If you can get a couple of plastic-backed picnic blankets they are great for an extra layer of insulation under sleeping mats.

Eating - plan some easy one pan meals. We have a couple of briefcase style stoves. Just raid the kitchen for plates and equipment. Put all the cooking and eating stuff in one plastic box so it stays together. Don’t forget oil, salt, pepper, brown sauce etc. We often take a homemade chilli for the first night that just needs heating and serve with wraps, crusty bread etc. Steaks to have in baguette with salad also a good and quick option. Frying pan breakfast.
A coolbox is a necessity - don’t even start looking at Icey-Tek boxes (you have been warned!). Don’t forget matches. Even better look for a campsite with a pub within walking distance for dinner one night.

If you have electric hook up you’ll need a proper cable but for us it’s a necessity for a kettle and for charging phones etc.

Get a couple of good camping chairs - an inflatable sofa is just a faff. A table (or two)is also good - it’s somewhere to cook and prepare food and also for eating, playing cards etc.

Don’t forget lights - a couple of lamps and a couple of torches. It can get very dark.

When packing don’t take suitcases - big supermarket bags for life are much better for squashing in the car. We have one for each person and one for towels, random stuff.

I can put up with discomfort, basic sanitation, weirdly cooked food but it's the bugs that get me. The ones that bite, that is. Ordinary creepy crawlies, no problem.
So make sure your sleeping area has zip up insect nets. Consider if you are sitting round the campfire of a evening covering up or a good spraying of yourself with Jungle Formula. I come up in huge lumps that turn into blisters that last for weeks with mozzies, especially foreign ones.
(I will NEVER camp in Normandy again.)

Once you’ve figured out what you need it’s a good idea to have a list for future trips. If you can keep the stuff together when storing it it’s handy as you can pack and check the list as you go replacing anything that has run out etc.

Some great ideas here . I’d add some crocs or easy slip on sliders for easy of in and out of the tent, a picnic mat for under sleeping mats and one for living area, one of those roll up bamboo beach mats / ‘doormat’ type thing to use at entrance to prevent bringing in grass/sand/ dust. We always have a ‘ no shoes in side’ rule . A gas burner and kettle - one of the absolute joys is the first cuppa ! Somehow an electric kettle is not the same.

Pick the warmest gear you can find!! I've camped since I was a kid, in all weathers/conditions, and being cold/wet is miserable. Never underestimate the weather.

Everyone's set up is different and you often find things that work/don't work and find things that would be useful by seeing other people's set ups. As a teen, I just crashed in a small 2/3 man tent with my stuff. When I first took my 2DC and 1DSS camping, there were five of us: I had a 5 man poled tent, but it didn't have a ZIG (zipped in/sewn in groundsheet), so it was quite draughty and cold (even in the summer!)...and not much "living space inside" for when it was cold/raining. Then I went for an 8man inflatable (saw them being put up at the campsite we were at and asked the owners about them). Lots of space, nice and sturdy in strong winds, piece of cake to put up (even solo). However, you need large boot space!! When I divorced, I then "downsized" to a 6 man (for me and 2DC) inflatable (again plenty of living space and a porch/vestibule - handy for shoes etc).

To future proof (before I get too old and decrepit to put up tents on my own), I've just bought an old T2 camper van! My DC are getting older now. My eldest (DS 18) wants to use a small tent of his own, and my youngest (DD 11) can bunk with me.

Basic gear though? Kind of depends on whether you will DIY with food or eat out but...

-a good tent. I'd go for inflatable. It's a piece of piss to put up/take down (always make sure it's completely dry before you pack it away - you can pitch in your garden once home if still wet! Trust me on this, you don't want a mouldy tent!). If it's just the two of you, then go for at least a 4 man with some living space.
-good SIMS (self inflating mattresses). Warmer than a normal inflatable and than just using a camp bed (unless it's got good padding/insulation). Check these fit in tent! After many years, I saved up and bought Thermarest Mondo Kings and they brilliant.
-good sleeping bags: choose the warmest rating you can find - far easier to unzip them and cool down than spend the night freezing your butts off.
-pillow (maybe your own one from home), or an inflatable.
-I take an Oodie (for inside tent and when weather is dry) and a Dry Robe type thing (for when it's raining).
-good base layers, a warm hat and warm socks (can you tell that I don't like getting cold?!).
-crocs and wellies. Covers all weathers! Flip flops to wear in shower.
-first aid kit with some OTC meds, sunblock, bug spray, alco-gel etc.
-wipes (handy for everything!).
-A good camping stove. I have a Trangia (had it for years, take gas, spirit, gel etc). I also have a Cobb (for more BBQ style stuff!). I'm quite tempted by the Jet Boil (for speedy hot drinks in the morning!).
-matches and a lighter
-buy a 5L water bottle and take that with you.
-travel johns to save the night time dash to the WC.
-bin liners/rubbish bags.
-folding table and folding chairs.
-a large flask (to store hot water in for quick hot drinks!).
-cool box/icebox. I have an electric one and a normal one. I tend to cook up meals and freeze them in to portions to take with me. They double up as ice blocks and it means less faff with cooking/food prep.
-collapsable washing up bowl, washing up liquid, a tea towel and a sponge.
-plates, bowls, cutlery. Chopping board, knife, scissors and basic utensils.
-sealable food bags.
-lightweight quick dry towels.
-torches/lanterns and batteries.
-if you go for electric hookup, buy a proper lead for this! If not, bring some portable chargers.

You may already know this, but don't use your stove inside the tent (danger of fire and CO poisoning) or near the tent (fire risk).

Also...bear this in mind. Noise travels. And if you plan to have "marital relations" in the tent, make sure you're quiet and there are no lights on in your tent....or people around the campsite WILL see an interesting shadow performance!

Sorry, that was a long list!!

For me camping is about slowing down, watching the stars, having a camp fire, cooking on the gas stove outside etc.

I don't really understand the people who bring their tv's, air fryers, stereo's etc and sit inside on a blow up sofa....I mean they should've got a caravan instead or just stayed at home and not come to a lovely campsite to ruin my night blasting out their noise.

Sorry about that rant but camp sites post covid have got a lot noisier and less respectful in my opinion. I try to avoid sites with hook ups, bars and other decent facilities because I find they are much quieter and don't attract the noisy stereo / tv / getting drunk and sitting outside shouting to 3 am crew.

Agree on self inflating mats or camp beds. Sleeping bags are warmer than duvets and you can get different rating if one of you is hot and one cols. I always use a 4 season bag even in summer as I really feel the cold.

I've had outwell and Vango tents. I'm not convinced by air tents and have a big steel poled Outwell which withstands the wind but does need reproofing this year.

Bivvi bag for over the top of your sleeping bag will keep you so much warmer

bicycle lights are useful torches, esp the ones with latex straps. I wear mine around my finger, like a ring. Ordered from Temu - v bright and cheap

a portable power pack for your USB things

a little hat will keep you warm

loo roll, obviously

a fold-up, Velcro fastening mat, waterproof on one side, fabric on the other, is a useful extra layer between you and the ground

a little stove is good for making cups of tea, warming through soup, etc. I have a really micro one but it does the job.

plenty of water. I always boil a kettle and take a full flask of hot water, which saves boiling up from cold, for hot drinks

Shoes which are easy on / easy off, for waking for a wee

a bit of sunblock and alcohol will keep you comfy!

Much depends on if you are staying at a campsite or not.

We're camping Newbies but couldn't go basic, I need my comfort so always go EHU. We started with a borrowed tent and bought: decent sleeping bags and SIMs, campbeds (we no longer use these though), bucket moon style chairs (no holes in arms/ backs to keep warmer in a breeze) we tested a lot of chairs in store for comfort. We bought camping table and kitchen from FB marketplace and bought an electric coolbox and heater. A mini gas stove and camping kettle, everything else we bought from home (plates/ cutlery/ pans etc).
We've since added camping plates, stackable pans, induction hob, travel kettle, collapsible washing up bowl and drainer. We now have a big 6XL air tent. We had to upgrade to a trailer to fit it all in. Our camping supplies are all stored together and trailer ready to go so can set off quickly.

Following!

Wow guys thanks so much I am studying all the advice!

I’m a basic camper - mainly due to a tiny car and lack of storage for kit. But what I do have is the best quality I could afford so I’ve never been cold or wet on any of my trips. A decent tent, good quality SIM and sleeping bag, small chair, table, stove and cool box are the basics. You can go mad and get all sorts of camping gear now but it all has to be put up/assembled then taken down at the end of your trip!

All of my kit, with the exception of my tent and cool box, fit in a couple of storage boxes that I can put straight in the car. That way nothing gets forgotten. I just need to add clothes and food. Great for last minute getaways.

What do you think your style will be?

I prefer wilder style / back to basics sites where you can camp where you like, there is usually much more space, and you can have a campfire. I often cook over the fire.

Other people prefer to use EHU with more mod cons, but it means you get set pitched by the electric posts and tents are closer together.

I avoid packed busy sites where tents are closer together in rows at all costs!

But that’s just a camping style preference.

For 2:

A 4 person tent tall enough to stand up in in the living area and at least the front of the sleeping pod. Search Millets 4 man tents for some great bargains. All the brands they sell are OK. A simple tunnel tent (hooped poles making a tunnel) is easy to put up. Inflatable tents are heavier and bulkier to pack.
Mallet, spare tent pegs

Sleeping: you need insulation from the ground so many people prefer SIMs (self inflating mat) which have a memory foam core. A fleece blanket on top and sheet, then duvet is good if you don’t want to buy sleeping bags straight away.

Stove of some kind, kettle, pan, kitchen gear for simple cooking, washing up bowl and liquid, mugs, glasses, plates, bowls. I take my cafitiere.
Portable BBQ if you fancy it

Cooler, unless you are relying on tinned and dry food that is ok without.

Table, folding chairs.

Torch and lanterns.

Toiletries, flip flops for showers, bag you can hang everything up in at the showers. Butchers / S hook to hang over door and hang toiletry bag on.

Water container: buy a 5l flagon of supermarket water and keep re-filling it

Matches, batteries, citronella candle, insect repellent, wipes, anti bacterial wipes, toilet roll, tissues, treats and little luxuries. Ear plugs, eye mask

Solar lights to put by your tent pegs at tent corners.

What a brilliant first-time setup! You were brighter than most of us who start with just the basics and end up freezing or tossing and turning all night. 😅 That self-inflating mat sounds like a total game-changer—I'm ill on a regular airbed and now seriously reconsidering!

I totally agree on the baby steps approach. There's a medal for roughing it unnecessarily, and having little comforts (like eye masks and a kettle!) makes such a difference. Your mention of fleece blankets under the mat is such a good tip, too—I’ve never thought of insulating under before, but it makes total sense.

Love that you've evolved into camping pros! It's encouraging to hear that it can become a relaxing and fun holiday with the right gear and some learning. Taking notes on that pop-up gazebo and interlocking mats too 👌

Thanks for sharing—super helpful!

Sincerely,
Chris Hennessey
Founder of 52nd Street Auto Wash
Car Detailing in Kentwood, MI

Thick bin bags and Gaffer Tape (proper gaffer, the type that tears by hand and is easy to remove later).

Ideal for patching leaks in the middle of the night, seals tears, blocks draughts, allows for the unchecked tent from Millets/Blacks/etc coming without the top bit, seals wet clothes into a usable extra pillow, covers cuts in the rain when a plaster won't stick, usable over a sock in the case of a 3am toilet trip ankle sprain, means you can mark an X on your tent to distinguish it from five others from the same shop, handy for ensuring when you pack things up that nothing goes astray, good for taping up jogging bottom trousers used as pyjamas in tick infested areas.

A second pack of tent pegs.

Packet of wet wipes.

Tick removal tools.

Large wound dressings - ideal for blisters and hot spots that could become blisters and insect bites once you're out of the rain. Also useful around ankles to avoid a tick buffet/handily exposed bit of skin between boots and leg.

Sports leggings, full length, highwaisted - more useful than standard underwear.

Sports bras - more comfortable than faffing around with straps and hooks in a tent.

Decent boots - Crocs are great for many things, but wearing them for walking across a lumpy field in the dark when there are bits of cord sticking out from tents is a great way to twist an ankle.

Enamel mugs and plates.

Microfibre towels.

I prefer a Kelly Kettle to things that require gas cylinders.

LED Headtorches.

Paracetamol, more sunblock that you thought necessary, two warm hats, sunglasses, spare glasses.

Written directions to the nearest hotel.

Final thing I thought of!!!

a giant, heavy duty, waterproof roof bag for car, and decent ratchet straps for it.

If you need to bug out due to torrential rain and high winds (like I had to once in the Lake District!), it means you can quickly lob everything from inside tent into the boot (so, no “car Tetris” faffing and no wet gear in car!), throw kids/people in car, then collapse soggy tent and dump in roof bag (easier than having to roll tent to fit in bloody tent bag!), strap to roof, and go!!