Those of you who like to camp without taking loads of gear- please help!

[redsock]

Planning to camp for 1st time, with 3 kids and dogs! Only have a tent and beds at the mo so need to buy the rest, and only want to buy what I really need.

Also am hating the thought of all that work packing the car if i do buy lots of stuff, and with dogs too there is not much room... would really only like to take essentials.

So, couple of questions...

What can we do without, and what is neccesary?

Those who have tried camping both with ehu
and without, is there a big difference?

Is it best to just book a weekend at first?

Lastly, would you lovely camping ladies mind putting a list of what I REALLY cannot do without, ie. minimalist-camping-with-kids list?

Thank you!

My list for camping without car

Camping Stuff
Tent
Light
Sleeping bags
Blankets
Torch
Batteries
Radio
Camera
Penknife
Cooker
Saucepan
Plastic bags
Cool bag with freezer thingies
Cups
Plates
Cutlery
Batteries
Insect repellent
Food
Gas
Plasters
Antiseptic cream
Clothes
BEER
I do a strict list of clothes to bring too.

We went for weekend first time with just beds & primus stove. We have since bought chairs, table & somewhere to store clothes.

What ages are the children? Are you planning on cooking or eating out?

You need beds/pillows/bedding

If kids will be asleep by 8/9pm, you might need somewhere to sit & have a drink!

Goes without saying that you will need to be able to make a cup of tea (does the camp site have electric hook-up? If so just take kettle if you are not cooking)

Hope this helps

You don't need beds, bedding or pillows. Sleeping bags will suffice. If it's going to be cold have the right sleeping bags for the weather conditions and sleeping bag liners or blankets if you can fit them in the car.

#You don't need chairs, picnic blankets or tarpaulin and blankets will do.

You don't need clean changes of clothes every day or lots of sets of pjs (unless you have littlies who might have accidents at night). Children can wear grubby clothes while camping.

Deffo start off with just a weekend.

You don't need a radio.

If you buy wind-up torches you don't need batteries.

My essential camping list for a weekend this time of year:

tent (two person, with porch)
warm clothes that can be layered up (long sleeved top, fleece, body warmer, jacket)
waterproofs
tracky bums to wear as pjs
leggings for DS and I for night-time wearing under pjs
a few pairs of socks each
clean underwear for each day
one change of trousers each
two t-shirts each
sleeping bags
a duvet if we have a car
head torches
wind-up torch
hats and gloves for us
sun hat for DS
suncream
toothbrushes and toothpaste
mini shower gel
mini moisturiser
babywipes
hand-towel
one bath towel for us to share
a calor gas stove
two billy cans for cooking in and eating out of
two mugs
two bowls
two sporks (knife, fork and spoon in one)
a sharp knife
a small kettle
picnic blanket
dry bags
swiss army knife and tin opener
a first aid kit
chocolate and emergency chocolate
food (one box and one cool box. cooking equipment also goes in the box)
toys and books for DS (very limited but usually includes a ball of some kind and a frisbee and a game to play in the tent if it rains)
glow sticks
wellies for DS and flip flops

That's about it i think. It all gets packed into my rucksack and DS's backpack and the two boxes for food and cooking, plus the tent and sleeping bags.

Because our climbing trips are always also climbing trips I have no choice but to be minimalist, the car is taken up with all the climbing gear (which is a lot).

You don't need something to store the clothes in if you just keep them in the bag/rucksack they where packed in surely?

things I forgot from my list:
bags for rubbish
cling film
small tupperware containers

I put all the food we are taking that might spill etc into small containers or small zip-lock bags, like the coffee, tea, sugar, couscous, etc. and just take exactly how much I will need rather than for e.g. the whole box of tea bags.

Wine is good too

I menat because our camping trips are also usually climbing trips

Thank you ladies, this is so helpful.

I am so stressed as wil be on own with kids, who are 14 and 10, eldest bringing friend. So scared of getting something wrong.

overmydeadbody your tips are great, in fact I am going to print this thread.

Can you link me to the kind of stove I will need and I want to be able to do toast, so will a fork over the flame do lol.

Right, now need to find somewhere to camp...looking at Peak Disrict to start with, somewhere near lake/stream and woods would be great, any ideas!!!

are you near nottingham?
there is a great site near home pier point called vthorntons holt if you want to try it for a weekend.
or ashbourne, i think its called greendale, great place

Glad it's all helping!

Most important thing to remember is not to stress!! It has to be fun or there's no point in doing it. As long as you are all warm and well fed it will be a success.

Toast: It doesn't work just sticking the bread in a fork over a camping stove flame unfortunately, but I did see something that attaches to the campingaz stoves to make toast with. Will look for a link...

You might be better off investing in a two ring burner of some sort if there are four of you and the children are at the age when they eat a lot. One burner is enough for DS and I but I tend to do a lot of meals that involve little actual cooking iukwim.

Have you considered taking a disposable bbq for at least one night's meals, then just buying sausages/chops/burgers etc. on the day from somewhere local and having them with bread/rolls/buns/ and salad?

Hang on a minute while I look for cookers for you...

oh gawd, how could I forget?! the list should also include washing-up sponge, small container of washing up liquid (I just decant a bit into a little bottle to take), a tea towel and matches/lighter

I have this campingaz cooker

This looks good, and it does toast too! Pretty reasonably priced too, if you think you will be camping regularly.

a mini one, but prob not good for you as only one burner and no toasting facility!

folding csmping toaster

I'm going to buy one!

oooh look!! I tihnk I may definately have to invest in these, genius!

Don't bother with the folding toaster! We have one and the toast slides straight out of the side and into the flame[sob] Have yet to find an adequate toasting method...have considered taking my electric toaster with us, but that's not really in the spirit of minimalism, is it???

I really really want the folding cups though. Do you think they feel as nice as they look IYSWIM?

We cycle tour & camp, so this list is VERY minimal, more minimal than the one I copied from the start of this thread.

Camping Stuff
Tent
Light
thermarest type bed mats
Sleeping bags & silk liners
extra Blanket for boy
Torch
Batteries
Radio
Camera
Penknife
Cooker
Saucepan
Plastic bags
Cool bag with freezer thingies
Cups
Plates
Cutlery
Batteries
Insect repellent
Food
Gas
Plasters
Antiseptic cream
water proofs
sandals
Minimal wash kit
minimal toys, all must be be mutipurpose and small. one book of bedtime stories.
I do a strict list of clothes to bring too.

If more than 2 nights I add string and wash liquid.
We do not cook, We eat cold breakfast and tea and eat a main meal at lunch time. use tea shops for cups of tea. We tend to buy one or 2 days food at a time.

I'd start with a weekend first, not tooo far from home.

I hate packing and til recently we had stupidly small car, no roofbox, and 3 kids (and 2 adults)

I take

Tent
SMALL torch. Older kids might get a small penlight also.
Fat airics (bit like thermarests)
5 x 4 season sleeping bags
Camera
Small single burner stove
camp kettle (you can cook quite a lot in this) or small saucepan
washing up brush and liquid
Cups
Plates
Cutlery
Food
Gas
very small first aid kit (we have a basic one in the glove compartment of the car)
water proofs
Minimal wash kit

no toys. great outdoors etc. maybe a tennis ball (easy to make bats from sticks)

For a weekend, 1x changes of clothes for kids (waterproofs will help a lot with this) adults get to change underwear and shirt.

go for a weekend first, yes, good plan.

For people who want some form of toast, we have one of these toasted sandwich maker things. It does actually work very well and the kids love the toasties with some cheese and marmite.

With ds having ASD and being Mr Fusspot there isn't much that we can cook on a camp-cooker that he will actually eat (doesn't do pasta/rice/beans/soup or anything else you can bung in a pot), so we tend to find somewhere to have a meal while we are out and about during the day then have something snacky in the evening. At least if it's chilly the toasted sandwiches are still something warm for supper.

I like that toasty makes! What genius!

Thanks, all these tips and stuff are going to help!
Still nervous...
Asda are selling a pan set with kettle for £15 at mo, is that worh getting?

We have one of these toasters which works OK if slowly:

www.winfieldsmegastore.com/index.asp?pcode=CUT059&pg=1&level1=Camping%20Equipment&level2=Cooking&lev el3=

We use thermarest mattresses with trekker chairs (a sort of harness that makes the mattress into a chair in the daytime) for sleeping and seating, has the added bonus of not needing a massive tent as it gets the beds out of the way, bit pricey but worth it if you go a lot.

Don't be nervous, you'll have fun!