Do you have a ‘lovely’ camping set-up ?

[ViaRia01]

I’m looking for inspiration on how to get together a collection of ‘lovely’ gear for camping with my family - two parents, two preschoolers.

So, what I mean by this, is that while we are away we still want to have comfort, quality, colour and - did I mention - comfort?! We don’t want to ‘pack everything and the kitchen sink’, but for the things we do need, we want them to feel nice.

I’m struggling a bit to explain this I think but does anyone understand what I mean and do you have this sort of set up?

Examples I’ve found so far include:
I’m thinking the Heston Everdure mini barbecue. It’s pricey but the quality looks good and I think it will serve its purpose while being nice to use.

Wooden directors chairs as opposed to standard folding camp chairs. I know they’ll be a little more heavy/ bulky but I think I’d put up with that in order to have the nice look and feel.

I’d want a plug in cool box as we will want to keep food fresh rather than having very basic meals/ rations.

We will have an 8 berth tent rather than being all squashed into a 4 berth tent.

I really hope it makes sense but do let me know if not! Do you have this kind of lovely set up? Can you share the products you’d recommend/ avoid? Maybe some lovely photos too if you can?

Thank you

We had a Outwell canvas tunnel tent, when our kids were that age and we camped a lot. It was expensive and very bulky but had lots of room inside and didnt get boiling in hot weather.

It might depend how much space you have in the car/roof box though....which will also affect the chair choice. We always take duvets instead of sleeping bags and when DC were little they went in the footwell of their space in the car.

We're going away with 1 teen next week and have a smaller tent now which is easier to pack/set up (we are only going for a few days) we have a (very basic) 2 ring gas hob that is 20+ years old and a small basic bbq that does the job (check campsite rules first, we went away in a heatwave about 6 or 7 years ago and bbqs were not permitted because of fire risk) We also have a plug in cool box ...but found it worked OK even without the plug, when we forgot it one year! 🤣 (although we do have fairly basic meals)

Not sure if this answers your questions, but it's worked for us on lots of great holidays!

Oooh we got some smashing Outwell camping chairs that are the epitome of comfy! They fold up relatively small and are very quick to put together. I'll try and find them.

Be careful what you put in the cool box though, it's not a fridge and won't keep your goods at a constant temperature (sorry if you know this already, it took me by surprise when we started camping)

We always take our own pillows and I found some lovely flannel sleeping bags so we don't have that horrible cold silky stuff they make cheap bags from. It's definitely possible to camp in comfort, we love it!

I have an outdoor revolution ozone 6 for 3 of us and a dog.

We have carpets in the bedrooms and reflective mats to retain heat.

We have a gas single ring and an electric tepenyaki grill.

But mostly I have the outdoor revolution sofa and arm chair. They are expensive but they are so comfy and inhave back issues. They are game changing. For wooden director chairs get some decent seat pads!

Hopeful link to chairs 🤞🤞

I would suggest moon chairs. They are bulky but so cosy.

Reflective mats on the bedroom floors.
Carpet in the main bit of the tent.
Battery and solar lights.
Duvets rather than sleeping bags.
Proper pillows.
Self-inflating mattresses rather than airbeds.

My nice set up: a 5 berth Outwell canvas tent for 3 of us - has a lounge and porch area so space to spread out. Huge difference having a canvas rather than polyester tent in the summer.

Gave up on sims and airbeds long ago and now have inflatable camping mats. We always take proper pillows from home.

You dont need an electric cool box, just a bloody good passive one.

Nice sturdy melamine plates not flimsy plastic ones - and a table to eat at, not on knees

We just use cheap camping chairs though!

We have big inflatable beds (50cm off the ground), we take duvets, and we have a proper small fridge with freezer compartment and a microwave.

i second decent camping chairs. Having somewhere comfortable to sit makes a big difference.
we take comfy pillows and warm blankets to add to our sleeping bags. Hot water bottles for chillier nights.
Our tent is an old canvas frame one - I think it’s very lovely! We use a small shelter for extra living space as the tent isn’t very big. solar Fairy or festoon lights look cosy and are practical.
last year we added a bbq pizza oven to our kit, which is fun.

We seem to take the kitchen sink!!
I use IKEA laundry bags to pack - sheets / towels in and then another for shoes / wellies / waterproofs. Have waterproofs plus soft shell so you have a mix. Also take lots of blankets too.
Each child has a bag of toys.
Decathlon for a solar panel and their frame and Sims for a bed. Bulky but you'll have a decent night's sleep.
Kids can be difficult - we have tried 2.camp beds, camping bunk bed and a double airbed and now stick with them sharing a double camp bed at the moment as they seem to get on better together (4 years between them so they really shouldn't).
Kids love love love it so although it's a pain in the bum it's worth it for them!

Thanks so much, these recommendations and guidance is so extremel useful. I’m going to look into everything and reply to specific posts shortly.

Any other ideas in the mean-time - keep them coming! I am planning to gather all the main bits of gear we need over the next few months so it’s likely to be a slow thread as I come back in due course with questions and photos of what I’ve chosen : )

Lovely things that don't take up much space: windbreak, cushions (double as pillows), patterned blankets, bunting, fairy lights, colourful mugs and plates, coffee maker (Aeropress for us). Chairs: go for practicality or you will need a van to transport it all, but some are definitely better than others. Snuggly wooly jumpers for the evening. We were lucky to have a vintage enamel cooking stand with it's original printed fabric which always made the tent look more interesting. Basically everything for camping was as bright and cheerful as possible even tea towels. Oh and take some circus toys like juggling or diabolo they always draw people in.

With tents you really need to look at design, 4 of us were fine in a 5 berth Outwell tunnel tent as it had a good living area and porch. A tarp also looks interesting especially if you tie it between trees and it can keep you dry or shaded depending on weather.

It's just two of us now and we camp much more lightweight so my down sleeping bag and Wild Country tent are lovely to my eyes.

I learned so much over the years from seeing how Dutch & German families set up camp. My must haves were always good chairs, a torch to hang up and grab easily at night for toilet trips, a single duvet and a pillow, comfy socks and Crocs/sliders.

Forgot picture! Part of the fun is gradually building up and improving your set up and the lovely places you camp.

This is so similar to ours when we had our canvas tent! We have a lighter non canvas one now

@ViaRia01 pegs are super useful for pegging bunting, fairy lights...as well as wet swimming costumes, towels, shower puffs etc

I was always freezing at night until we bought a decent SIM (we have the Vango double 10cm one) and better quality sleeping bags. Now I can sleep in normal pyjamas instead of 4 layers of thermals.
The last 2 years I’ve taken a teapot for morning brews- easier to keep topping up if you need as much tea as me!
I always make a big stash of gingerbread and flapjacks for the week- it’s so nice to have homemade cake and tea when back from the beach.
And this year DH and me had the whole 4 man tent to ourselves (Berghaus Air 4XL) and the children were in their own small tent. I can highly recommend this!

Our folding barbecue is something like this barbecue . It must have been a cheap version as DH would never have paid that price. Ramming things into your car/trailer/roof box is never fun so do have an eye for things that take up less space, especially if you end up with one of those huge air tents.

If you have electric hook up take a kettle and electric stove - much easier. We have some lovely fairy lights add the ‘end’ is a really decent light for the tent. Tent carpet adds a bit of luxury as well. SIMs to sleep on with proper duvet and pillows. A decent kitchen set up helps - a kitchen unit with storage in for cups/plates. And take proper mugs for your tea/coffee.

I have a very small camping set up as it’s only me and my car is tiny. But I have a comfortable SIM, lightweight but warm sleeping bag which I cover with pure wool blankets and I take my pillow and silk pillow case. I have a sheepskin rug for the tent floor, fairy lights, a lantern that flickers like firelight and a small bedside table.

My chair is little but has an insulated cover for warmth, I take china plates, proper cutlery and a lotus grill bbq in bright pink.

I’d always at least double up the ‘berths’ to number of sleepers.
an extra room for evenings, chairs etc plus an awning for fine weather and cooking.
got a brilliant electric coolbox from Lidl earlier this year.
decent air beds plus mats for underneath for insulation at this time of year.
Solar power banks and plenty of lights.
a canning toilet is essential for me!

I am all about the comfort. We've only been camping for a year and we've already bought and sold so much stuff and I think we've just got to the right level although we are considering selling our 6m old 600xl vango airbeam for a fancy polycotton one in the next few months.

We generally go EHU and use an induction hob, kettle and coffee pod machine. Definitely a heater for evenings. We've just got a powerful solar Jackery so we can go non EHU to some popular sites. We also needed a trailer as we have so much stuff.

Our outdoor revolution 12cm SIMs are super comfy, zempire travel pillows are great and pack down to nothing. We've just got vonhaus recliner chairs that are supportive and relaxing, after a weekend in the moon chairs gave us bad backs. Dimmable festoon lights in the tent give a decent soft light.

We're definitely bougie campers but we do try to go away at least every other weekend April to Sept so we do get our use out of our stuff and we'd have spent much more doing the same trips in a hotel/ air bnb.

Night owl coverless duvet - chuck it straight in the machine when we get home

Lighting is key!
we have loads of these dotted around, makes it look gorgeous https://www.black-by-design.co.uk/outdoor-c5/outdoor-lighting-portable-lamps-c87/fatboy-bolleke-portable-indoor-outdoor-led-lamp-red-p6296/s7346?utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_term=fatboy-bolleke-portable-indoor-outdoor-led-lamp-red-100277&utm_campaign=product%2Blisting%2Bads&cid=GBP&glCurrency=GBP&glCountry=GB&gad_source=1&gad_campaignid=16173187439&gbraid=0AAAAADlUv9ohOQTLDZSd02_wnXqzKk5Jn&gclid=CjwKCAjw7rbEBhB5EiwA1V49nW0J7c89jWfCTE0jwcZys9-x7_FtsV6ggceqHAxjPRCobGesSARNLhoCLhUQAvD_BwE
you can get one with flat bottoms as well to put on the ground next to your camping chairs my friend had a fabulous camp kitchen similar to this https://www.berger-camping.co.uk/item/camplife-capri-deluxe-kitchen-box-with-lid-323907?varid=305667&partnerid=ZC7&utm_source=google&utm_medium=cpc&utm_campaign=Bidnamic-Shopping-GB-Furniture-HIGH&utm_id=ZC7&utm_source_platform=google&gad_source=1&gad_campaignid=22176919598&gbraid=0AAAAAoZlOBlLUlJkVgtL60MXmILaGB0Fn&gclid=CjwKCAjw7rbEBhB5EiwA1V49nUks99Iy4TlkWFtEQCJ6W5EZ-KfMctPkHpzezHgdNINBb0btCc6HtRoCzcsQAvD_BwE
Also take a long painting/decorating table with a table cloth to eat at rather than one of those folding picnic table

Also a really lovely posh drinks trolley-like cooler/gin trunk just for booze - Polarbox (or field bar if you want to push the boat out!)

@TeddyBeans thank you. I was looking at those outwell padded camping chairs too and it’s kind of a toss up between those and the more fancy-looking directors chairs. Yours do look more cosy to be fair… but the directors chairs look more lovely (to me) with wood and the potential for lovely fabric prints etc. something to weigh up I think but your post has definitely helped.

I’m well aware there’s no point in everything looking fancy but being uncomfortable to use or inconvenient to pack and transport.