Camping kit - what items are a game changer?

[RS1987]

We are a family of 4 plus dog - DC are 10 and 8.

We go camping twice a year and am looking at expanding our kit repetoire.

What do you swear by for camping? Especially interested in comfort options for sleeping and sitting. Also organisation, our packing and tent organisation is generally a bit chaotic.

Solar panel from decathlon.

Folding ikea kallax boxes - 1 per person in their sleeping area and all their shit gets thrown in it when I’m tidying! Plus 1 for shoes.

s hooks for hanging stuff up in the tent

We’ve got a tall car so can fit a set of 3 of those plastic drawers in the boot. They’re insanely handy

A camping toilet, cat litter and a sturdy bin bag!

electric rechargeable fan

double camp bed

separate utility tent

We added the decathlon canopy tarp and it’s been fab as an extra awning, sunshade on hot days, place to tuck in chairs etc. we’ve not used our utility tent since (oops)

A proper comfy chair is now non negotiable - we take the ones from the garden. We also have a huge picnic mat

We have a bucket bbq and also a stove that’s like the go system dynasty on decathlon.

we have oex fathom sleeping bags with silk liners. Also king size cotton sheets which can either be a layer or an alternative. We use normal roll mats with a little inflation, and always normal pillows from home.

packing-wise, we keep most things in the car in storage boxes which are swappable in and out, and use huge ikea bags for eg walking stuff, inner tent stuff, the stove kit, etc
Weve sort of developed a system of where things live too

A double height air bed.

A lot depends on the size of your tent. My recommendations pretty much only work in a very large tent - (we have a vango anantra for reference), and a trailer to carry it all in!

• A decent bed. We have a vango Shangri la SIM on a double camp bed BUT I intend to replace the base with the quecha inflatable bed bases.

• decent chairs. We have Kentucky lake moon chairs for lounging and Vango Hampton deluxe xls for dining.

• storage. For clothes (we have 2 shelving units we use with kallax boxes). Kallax boxes are so useful, we use 1 for blanket storage and one as a laundry hamper. Storage in the kitchen area, I bought plastic drawers from b&q. Much easier than continually bending in to plastic storage boxes. A folding coat stand for wet coats and clothes. We pack everything in plastic boxes for ease and then store all the camping stuff in them at home. We then use the boxes as bedside tables.

• a dining table. One with adjustable legs for sturdiness

• decent pans. None of that camping rubbish. I have a full kitchen set of pans, cutlery, knives etc.

If you had asked me about backpacking style camping, my answer would very very different!

Electric hook up and an electric induction hob. Electric blankets.

I am a bare bones camper compared to some here but these two things make a huge difference
A hot water bottle. Make it and put it in your sleeping bag an hour before bedtime. Snug as a bug and drives out any damp.

A doormat. A boon in wet weather or when the grass has been cut as it stops all the grass/mud coming into the tent.

An inflatable frame to put your sim on, they make them even comfier, plus you can store bits under them.

Great ideas so far everyone, thank you!
We have a big airbeam tent and a big car. We sometimes camp with EHU and sometimes not. The IKEA Kallax boxes and plastic drawers/shelves are absolutely being purchased.

Sim?

Self inflating mattress, comfier and warmer than an airbed.

We currently sleep on this (all 4 of us) with duvets and pillows. https://amzn.eu/d/0hr6TaYj

Thanks - will take a look!

Biggest game changer for me was blackout tent- cool in the day, dark in the mornings...

If you're taking EHU, I'd recommend the heated pillow that Lidl had in their aisle of random stuff earlier this year. It's not as full on as a heated blanket but you can use it to warm your feet in bed! I've never got on with sleeping bags and just take the duvet and pillows from our bed, and switch to brushed cotton as it's not so cold when you first get into bed.
I also got magnetic motion sensor lights that attach to the tent pole - great for midnight wee trips.

For me it's dustpan and brush.

We're a basic bunch

A raised camping bed (you can store stuff underneath as an added advantage), a thick SIM and a cosy sleeping bag. Utter bliss.

Portable loo !

Sorry to be dense but what’s a utility tent?

Sims are a game changer. We have 10cm thick ones, that are wider than standard camping mats and they do allow me to get a decent nights sleep
but I am intrigued by the inflatable frames mentioned up thread…

I just hate inflatable airbeds. They always seem to deflate over night. Are SIMs much better?

If you are happy with this then keep it.

I'm a duvet fan, cannot get on with sleeping bags unless absolutely necessary.

A SIM in a foam mattress that inflated slightly. Much warmer and comfier than an airbed, they don't deflate in the same way as they don't need anywhere near as much air.

The inflatable frames are amazing. Nothing like an airbed - really rigid, need a proper pump and go up to 6 or 7 PSI.

Much different 😂