Camping virgins! What do we need?

[PDR]

DH wants us to start camping. We are in Devon so plenty of places on our doorstep so we could go somewhere last minute at weekends.

What do we need to buy... obviously a tent but what else?

We would like to go further afield, maybe France next year as well.

We are 2 adults and 1 DS 2.2yrs and we will have a newborn in February so ideally 4 man/family tent.

We have a Volvo so boot space is quite good. Don't mind shelling out for decent stuff that will last.

We are more likely to eat in local pubs than be cooking on a campfire.

Ummm.... any advice on what we need to get?

My first recommendation would be a really good self inflating mattress. Alpkit is good value for excellent quality. After being too cold on air mattresses, we changed to Fat Airics (Dozers are their new versions) and it's made such a difference.

More of a gimmicky thing, so not strictly essential, but I use my Eydon storm kettle for quickly boiling water all the time, so that was a good buy.

The phone number of a local B&B.

tent
beds
sleeping bags
chairs
are probably your first things

corkscrew
something comfy to sit on
something comfy to sleep on and in and you can get a prota loo for tents now - fo rthose night time trips you may want to make and not actually walk across a field in the night
tent pegs - you always need more than they ever give you.

if you are not cooking but want a cup of hot warm stuff in the morning - a trainger ( as this has two saucepans and you can heat up stuff on it)

tin opener and pegs and a wahsing line
washing up bowl and a universal sink plug, tea towel and washing up brush

dustpan and brush - this is handy for cleaning the tent off as you pack it up when you are leaving - also useful if you are camping in france for a week or two and need to sweep the tent of bits coming in.

Decent sleeping bags.
Ikea bags [or similar], for carrying/storing absolutley anything.
Insulating mugs, drinks go cold very quickly outside.
Torches/lanterns.
Spare batteries.
String.

LOL. This is turning into a Guide camp kit list.
Good luck and I hope you love camping as much as we do.
We are camping in devon next week.

Decent sleeping bags.
Ikea bags [or similar], for carrying/storing absolutley anything.
Insulating mugs, drinks go cold very quickly outside.
Torches/lanterns.
Spare batteries.
String.

LOL. This is turning into a Guide camp kit list.
Good luck and I hope you love camping as much as we do.
We are camping in devon next week.

Oops double post sorry, my broadband playing up. Again!!

At least a six-man tent if there are soon to be four of you.

You will want a stove; even if you think you'll be eating in pubs all the time, there's nothing like the smell of frying bacon in the morning wafting across the camping field! (I optimistically refuse to believe that anyone is so lazy that they have to go out for breakfast rather than cook it themselves )

I'd cross of most of IveKaty's list as non-essential.

Sleeping bags, self inflating airbeds (Alpkit good), head torches, a picnic blanket for sitting on outdoors, and a trangia or other heat sourse to boil water in the morning for tea/coffee.

Insulating mugs are good, I'd agree to them.

Then just the clothes and shoes and towels and toiletaries that you might need.

And a ball for the boy.

Less is more when it comes to camping, don't be suckered into buying useless gadgets or filling the car with unnecessary items, camping is about going back to basics and chilling out (dustpan and brush?! What's wrong with a bit of sald/grass/mud in the tent?)

no no sleepinglion, why would they need a 6 man tent for two adults and a tiny toddler and baby?

They could all fit into a three man tent quite easily.

Next someone will be recommending tent carpet

Because I hate to break it to you, overmydeadbody, but that tiny toddler and baby ain't going to stay that way for long! (worries a little bit that overmydeadbody hasn't noticed that small children get bigger). And since the OP says she has a good sized car and wants decent stuff that will last, why would she want to buy a three man tent which she will be cursing in about two years' time because she's too cramped and crowded?

Experienced campers will very rarely recommend that you buy a tent the same size as your family, PDR, unless you are planning on backpacking or have some other reason for not needing/wanting the extra space (a tiny boot for example).

Ah I see your point sleepinglion

half the fun of camping is all snuggling up next to each other at night, if they're in a 6 man tent they'll get lost in all that space

Sleeping we sometimes go out forr brekky LOL- only if really ahmmering down with rain though. That rather ruins ambience I reckon.

PDR look at Millets sale, they ahve a few Coleman and other brands on offerr.

And think about booking in advance; sadly the days of drop and go mid season camping are rather much over unless you know of a few special sites- too popular.

Oh and you might think about a high gear Gobi 4; excellent reviews, 16kg, smallish pack but good head height and size.

(I will admit we are selling one on ebay we won in a competition but not suggesting you buy from us- see Go Outdoors).

First time we went camping we had ds's 1, 4 and 5 and we took:

a cheap Argos 6 man tent

2 ready beds and a travel cot with blankets

A borrowed air bed from my sister that reeked of cat wee and a duvet

2 borrowed camping chairs, we used the boy's boosters and our buggy for the children

A single stiove burner and a pan, plates

Clothes and toiletries

Was a bloody wonderful trip (Charmouth if you know it)

Thank you everybody! This is plenty to be getting on with!

Porta loo for tent! Wow! That's amazing! Don't even want to think how you would go about emptying it mind!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Don;t worry LOL, they ahev a cassette in the abse now so it's not as grotesque as the old buckets (apaprenlty, absolutely a line DH and I will not break, loo in tent)