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.

I swap all guy ropes for either the reflective hi vis ones or put fairy lights along them all. Too many times I’ve gone flying from tripping over bloody guy ropes!

Just looked up the table with the stools that slot underneath (or a Decathlon version) and it folds up with the stools inside!! I am in love ❣️

Although I guess we'd end up taking our comfier folding camping chairs too anyway...

Sometimes I yearn for the days of foreign/aeroplane camping with DH - a tent and a meths burner in our rucksacks, one fork each, off we popped for two weeks 😂

This bed makes camping a pleasure instead of an endurance test for me. Fluffy pillows, nice bed linen and a feather duvet.

If you've got EHU a single induction hob, table top fridge and a kettle and toaster.

I can camp indefinitely with these things, plus ear plugs, eye mask and a good stock of coffee and a cafetiere, and a decent chair. Although at this point, I don't even know if it qualifies as camping any more, and we do have a van.

Self inflating air mattress with a memory foam topper. We take duvets for us, one underneath, 1 on top. Kids use sleeping bags.

We use a double self inflating mat on top of a double inflatable air bed - the air bed is an old one we used at first but found it too soft. Then a fitted sheet and duvet with decent pillows. It’s really comfy and warm

Also a tea cosy - good for keeping pans warm while you’re waiting to see who wants seconds!

This thread is making me chuckle and reminisce about a trip I went on a couple of years ago. I’m a basic camper as everything has to fit in my tiny two seater smart car so other people’s set ups fascinate me.

On a trip to Devon, I had the whole site to myself but then a couple in a huge car with a roof box arrived. They had a large tent, inflatable sofa for inside, sleeping mats, duvets and pillows, a wardrobe and drawer storage units, camping chairs and side table for outside and a fire pit. Then the camp kitchen came out - huge gas bbq, dining table, chairs, tablecloth and place mats, cool box, table for food prep and a food storage cupboard.

It was like watching a magician pulling stuff out of a hat. I was totally transfixed.

fairy lights.
spare socks
wine

I hate shee-wees but admit leaving the tent in the night is awful... don't judge me... but I found the best solution. You know those tubs of flapjacks / mini brownies they do in M&S. The tubs work brilliantly for an emergency wee - they have a lid so no spills and you can chuck them out at the end of the trip. And you get to eat min rocky road BEFORE using the tub.

Yes, by the time I'm finished with our camping set up I often think I've stayed in worse holiday homes 😂

Flip flops for the showers and earplugs. And 2 sturdy carrier bags to take to the showers. So you can put clean clothes in one and dirty in the other whilst you are in the shower.

Crocs.
A smallish cross body bag with loo roll, torch, handwash as campsite toilets rarely have anywhere to put those items when you're on the loo.
Old towel for wiping off your ground sheet when you strike camp - prolongs the life massively if it gets packed away clean and dry

Trangias for cooking (not family though) but great for fast boil of kettle that's enough for 2.
Sleeping bag liner.
Little lights for ends of zips.
Box for shoes by door. We usually just pick up a cardboard box and use that then bin it at the end with the recycling.

Kitten wasn't meant to be part of that post!

It's the only way!

In the Covid times DH and I rented a car to meet some friends camping. Each pod had been allocated an 8m square.
In ours we had our three man tent and two tripod stools (and the car)

next door - not part of our group - had (also as a couple) a six man full blackout tent, a separate utility tent, a separate toilet mini tent, a full bbq, a full stove set up, a full sink set up, sun loungers and separate chairs… we were all TRANSFIXED

Don't get me wrong there is something lovely and nostalgic about back to basics camping and I do have whole separate set up for that style of camping for when I take one of the kids away for a weekend. It's lovely and we really enjoy it. But when it's for a week as one of my main holidays, I want it to feel like a holiday. And bed on the ground, eating tinned curry on a little stool does not feel like a holiday to me!

We use the plastic drawer units for all our kitchen, eating equipment, etc. It works better for us than boxes as can put kettle, tea and coffee on top without having to take it all off when needing to get things out. Then all stays in there at home which makes packing to go much easier.

As other said, camping toilet. I have a separation toilet, with a bottle in front for the liquids and a box in the back for solids. Bin bag plus wood cat litter in the box, and you're set.

Also a shower tent made from a larger hula hoop and a 180x300 cm shower curtain. I hang it from the tailgate. Doubles as a dressing tent, washing tent and toilet tent (I have a micro camper, or better nano camper - Fiat 500 with seats removed and wooden base plate).

I am using folding boxes in Eurobox size for my stuff, easy to secure in the back, easy to upgrade to a bigger car, easy to put away at home. Want to get wooden lids for them that allow some creativity in using them (Owomo box lids), also for sleeping on top of them. But if you have space enough, the Kallax boxes might be a nicer solution.

Almost everything else I take from my normal household (pots, pans, plates, cutlery, S-hooks, guest airbed, duvet, tarp, laundry dryer for the radiator to hang from the car door, etc. ). If it does the job at home...

A folding camper.

Carpet, proper beds, seating, table, heating, insulation, fridge, running water etc.

One spork and one mess tin each for food .
Im a festival camper so travel light !

also puppy pads can be great for doorway for muddy shoes etc and just throw away when you leave .

I hate camping with a passion but needs must at festivals.

The thing I focus on is being warm and comfortable overnight.

I have found that old fashion camping beds with poles so much better than anything else. Being off the ground is much better for warmth. I then put a thick blanket on the camp bed as my base. Then a super thick sleeping bag with a brushed cotton coating. They are so warm and cosy and much nicer to sleep in than the ones with a shiny nylon coating. Plus I always take my normal pillow.

Apart from a smallish tent, you just need a comfortable bed (I like a camp bed - no danger of popping, and it's a low one so only 10cm off the floor), a good sleeping bag and pillow, and a small stove on a small folding table and a comfy chair. Plus of course some good books. Maybe a cool bag with ice pack for my wine.

Jobs done!

If with kids/dog, not much different. Add a larger tent, a larger stove, plus table and maybe a BBQ.

I do not get people bringing most of the contents of their houses. You watch some take hours to set up, and hours to take down (add the hours to pack the car at home, and the hours to unpack once back!) just for a weekend away. TV's, and fridges and freezers. Just stay home if that's what you want!

I also try to avoid electric - if the kids (teens) can't charge their phones they are far more frugal with their usage if they know they can't charge them easily!

We are much more minimal but a big upgrade has been lining the tent floor with one or two blankets - added warmth, no sliding around, and instead of sweeping up or wiping the floor we just fold them up to wash at home. Also a spare sleeping bag in case someone pees in theirs or gets cold.

Linen waffle towels. Dry so quickly so no horrible thick fluffy towels hanging around. They are relatively expensive but so worth it. We use them at home in summer https://www.linenme.com/bathroom-linen/hand-guest-towels/set-2-natural-linen-cotton-guest-towels-wafer

Can anyone recommend a reasonably priced SIM? I have to buy one for each fanily member, so it will be pricey!