Let’s face it – the absolute minimum you need to go camping is a shelter and something to sleep on (unless you’re Bear Grylls and then you may even dispense with that!). For most of us, though, a few more essentials are preferred, perhaps even with some luxuries thrown in for good measure. So, what are the essential pieces of camping equipment and what are the extras that experience tells us will make life even better under canvas? Read on to find out.
Choosing a tent
Whether you’re off to your first festival or heading out on your first family camping trip, getting the tent right is essential. A tent’s capacity is measured in terms of the number of people it will sleep. Our advice would always be to buy slightly bigger to give enough room for you and your belongings, so two of you under canvas should look at a 3-man tent. The Kampa Brighton 3 Tent is great value for money, while the Coleman Tasman 3 Tent features a large front porch – handy for standing wet shoes and boots, without bringing them into your sleeping space. Our full range of tents online is available now.
Your camp bed and bedding
Like duvets, sleeping bags are tog-rated – the higher the tog number, the warmer the sleeping bag will be. Don’t be fooled into buying a lower tog – in the UK, even summer nights can be chilly. Our sleeping bags range from a lightweight 4-tog to a cosy 12-tog and are perfect on top of a camp bed which we recommend for a good night’s sleep, to avoid bumpy ground. Read our guide to getting a good night’s sleep while camping for some useful tips on how to sleep well on a camping trip.
Cooking and eating on a camping trip
Unless you plan on eating every meal out, which can be both impractical and costly, you need a way of preparing meals. Portable gas stoves are an ideal solution and a single burner hob like the Kampa Dometic Evo Portable Gas Stove is sufficient to prepare many of our 6 easy campfire recipes, not forgetting the gas cartridges! Touring caravanning supplies double up well for camping and include saucepans and frying pans. For your morning cuppa or a hot drink before bedtime, a camping kettle is handy and, for tent pitches a distance from the water supply, a water carrier is useful too.
Seating
If your days will be spent out and about, perhaps sightseeing or hiking, a camping chair becomes an essential piece of equipment. Sitting on the ground is ok for young bones but isn’t practical, especially at the end of a long day of physical activity or when eating your meals.
All of the above will be sufficient to enjoy your initial camping holidays but as you go on more trips, so you will get to know the equipment which will add to your holiday experience. This will vary from family to family and could include a variety of items. For the family camping, a folding camping kitchen may be indispensable while for anyone wanting all the creature comforts of home, understanding how to use electric hook up on your pitch and know what equipment you’ll need and which are the best 12 volt appliances will be vital.
Camping equipment from BEC Ingoldmells
Whether you are looking forward to your first camping holiday or your hundredth, you will find everything you need in our shops on the east coast of Lincolnshire and in our online camping and leisure department. Our experienced sales team is available via email or telephone on 01754 871152 and you’ll find lots of useful posts in our camping and leisure blog too.
