I love camping, but I feel very lost and alone when I visit the camping topic, so are there any other minimalist campers out there?

[OverMyDeadBody]

I would like to start a minimalist camping thread, as I'm sure there are other MNers out there and it would be really great to share tips and experiences and stories.

Just to know that I am not alone and not a fraek for only having a tiny two person tent and taking everything we need to go camping in one rucksack on my back.

true true

i am just trying to force myself to go out for a walk but ive had my dinner and feeling lazy

well I do minimalist camping in Europe with friends, we fly there and then rent a car but still can't take much due to the weight restrictions on the plane, so it's still minimalist!

i spent many a holiday cheerfully sleeping on cold stones but once i had slept on a thermarest tehre was no going back! the are really small folded up and they more or less self inflate. they are really insulated and comfie to sleep on. you can get special straps to convert them to comfie chairs too.

i think there are lots of cheaper imitations now. worth trying esp if you are camping for weeks.

dh and I have done the minimalist thing - living out of a rucksack for moths in Europe.

but now it's time for a few extras - hence the camp kitchen and chairs! If you are going to be staying in one place for 2 weeks then it makes sense not to be uncomfortable. if you are travelling round or just doing short trips then of course lightweight is the way to go.

I'm assuming that the rucksacs for moths are verrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrry small

Now that's what I call minimalist!

When I was a student and used to go (ice) climbing we used to take no tent at all but sleep in large concrete pipes by the side of the road - the ones put ready to be laid as water pipes or whatever.

Not recommended!

When I was a student and used to go (ice) climbing we used to take no tent at all but sleep in large concrete pipes by the side of the road - the ones put ready to be laid as water pipes or whatever.

Not recommended!

I'm just researching 'porta-shitters', so feel fairly confident I do not count as a minimalist camper

yes we are hiring a little car in portugal but flying there so cant take much

well i went for my walk last night and managed to fall over and hurt myself..hasd to ring my dd2 bf to come and take me home

ahem months not moths - although we did meet quite a few mosquitos in the South of France

I used to go climbing. Went to Chamonix, lovely until I came back down by helicopter...not so lovely...end of climbing. Still go camping occasionally..have upgraded to a caravan thou after 2005 gales!

I am a minimalist camper at heart. Just find it hard to go on foot camping without car with 3 small dc. Am hoping that as they get a bit bigger we can do more rough camping and backpacking.

I don't get all the excitement over tent types or tent furniture on the camping threads. You might as well go in a (shudder) caravan.

nooo not a shed dragger!

i LIKE MY CANVAS - WELL POLYCOTTON!

oops sorry wasn't shouting

love this thought because the only thing that is stopping me taking the kids camping this year is the fact that we only have a tent, blow up beds, sleeping bags and 2 lanterns. ...hance needing to buy loads more stuff BUT no cash..

sooo please all you minimalists, tell me what we need to be able to go this year rather thanxt(me and 2 kids)

I used to be a minimalist camper. Had a little tent that only weighed 1.7kg and backpacked round the UK with it - fab.

But now have a dh and a dd and a much bigger tent. Think we're still minimalist compared to a lot of people though - would never consider EHU and would never go to a campsite with a clubhouse, etc.

We have thermarests and they're really good.

I feel quite nostalgic-I used to be a minimalist camper-in Snowdonia in February kind of thing! My DH warned me before we married that he wouldn't camp! However my DS is carrying on the tradition-he even goes as far as shortening his toothbrush to cut down on carrying!

DH always uses a tiny toothbrush and flannel when camping/backpacking and says that you can dry yourself from a shower with a microfibre hand towel. But he is now far too middle aged to go without his short length Thermarest. He still has the same canvas tent he bought 30 years ago as he is very minimalist regarding spending money.

best thing to do is take a mate camping who is really organized and has everything with her then you can just borrow it. that way you could be truelly minimalist!

Are you still there OverMyDeadBody? We went minimalist backpacking and camping this weekend for the first time since having children. And it was fantastic. I was so surprised how easy it was. Just 2 backpacking tents, sleeping bags, snacks and spare clothes and we slept by a stream on Dartmoor with our 3 dc.

I am enthusiastically planning more trips now.

fennel and any others that do this, do you just literally pick somewhere you like the look of to pitch tent. or are there rules as to where you can/cannot pitch?
love the sound of minimalist camping would like to give a go