Many - probably most - experienced campers take spares and a basic repair kit when they go camping. However, it is something novices might overlook. I'd advise newcomers - anyone, in fact - to think carefully about 'spares and repairs' before setting off on a camping trip.
Why? Well, whether it's just a night under canvas near home, a weekend at a music festival, or a fortnight's seaside holiday, any camping expedition can be marred by the simplest of mishaps. In fact, something like a broken tent pole could ruin a trip - even though it is so simple to fix if you have the necessary items with you.
Even running out of gas can mean a frustrating waste of holiday time if your campsite doesn't stock the brand or size you need. And sod's law says your torch or lantern batteries will only go flat when the shops are shut.
There is no definitive list of 'spares and repairs' of course. But there are some suggestions below. The list is not exhaustive but includes things I usually take if I am car-camping. (As an aside, I even take my spare small tent as back-up - but that's a bit OTT and definitely outside the scope of 'spares and repairs')
Please add comments and suggestions What have you found useful on your trips? What would you recommend to novices? What would you add to the list? What has been your experience of 'on-the-road' repairs? Have you ever rescued a holiday with repairs or spares?
First aid kit (vital);
Roll of Gaffer tape (also vital - but get proper Gaffer not a cheap substitue from Poundland);
Length of shockcord sufficiently long to repair a complete pole (shockcord does more than just poles; can replace flysheet cord loops for instance);
Plenty of spare tent pegs of various types and lengths;
Two or three spare guy lines with runners;
Spare pole sections (preferably pre-cut to the length or lengths required);
A 'pole threader' to hook shockcord through pole sections;
Two spare pole ferrules;
Junior hacksaw (only if you haven't pre-cut the spare pole sections to length);
Clingons or similar to attach extra guys and/or to stand in for damaged eyelets;
Needle and thread (plus needle-threader if your eyesight is poor like mine);
Clothes pegs, assorted cable-ties, some safety pins and assorted rubber bands (all these are handy for all sorts of things);
Seam sealer;
More gaffer tape;
Small tent fabric repair kit (a piece of fly fabric plus adhesive; usually supplied with new tents but can be bought separately);
SIM (or airbed) puncture repair kit (usually supplied with new airbeds and SIMs but can be bought separately);
Small pliers and screwdriver;
Spare batteries for torch(es) and lamps;
Spare gas cannister or bottle as appropriate to your cooking gear;
Replacement bootlaces if you are hiking;
Small ball of string; and finally...
Yet another roll of gaffer tape
Hi Scep....excellent thread..although we are not novice campers,we have been somewhat soft in the past,going places where we know we can get anything we need in case of a crisis(camping wise),but as we are starting to venture further away from the "all inclusive,near to facilities"sites this list is going to be invaluable....thank you so much for taking the time to think about and post it!
Cate
------------- March- Padstow
April- Forest Glade
June-Grizedale
July-Jedburgh
and lots more besides
A can of fabsil,rechargeable batts with solar or windup charger,role of clear plastic green house tape sheet of polythene we had a rip one year whilst raining so we put poly over and fixed down till morning when it was dry,and a quality fabric glue
I always have a small pair of sharp scissors in the spares kit too. Also a nappy type safety pin is useful - used it last week when a bedroom pod hanger thingy came unstitched - made a quick temporary repair (and pleased to say I remembered to sew it when I got home!!)
And I have a spares kit for polyester tents and one for canvas - the canvas spares contains, as well as some of the above that Scep has listed -
spare springs for poles
butchers type hooks for hanging stuff on the poles
spare buttons for poles
pegging rubbers - various sizes
------------- Anne - mad mum to one - foster mum to many - adoptatent to you guys!
A good list and like other lists on here worth asking yourself as you read through it do I need that? And more importantly would I know what to do with it if I had it?
Personally, like others I am on the other side of the "preperation" spectrum and am not the type of person who does plans to detail we have our checklist of things to take but it doesnt cover all eventualites, just those that we feel are important.to us. Maybe partly because we wouldnt know what to do with a Pole threader if we did have one......but three rolls of gaffer tape, after 10 years of marriage I have plenty of uses for that....
------------- April - Strangers Home, Essex
Aug - Chy Carne, Cornwall
fire extinguisher (esp if wild camping) 50m of para cord, does away with the need to have spare shoe laces, guy lines ect. repeat prescription form, means if you run out of meds or forget any, it has all your medications listed on it, also more details dob, doctor/surgery info, home ad, and it can be easily read. Wire ties, bin bags these have more uses than just sticking rubbish in. I also take a spare gas regulator, I cant think of any more just yet......yes, just 1 more, MEEEEEE
------------- If it wont move, try a bigger hammer.
Amazing family weekend with old steam engines, classic car displays, market stalls, and full catering and bar. And camping on site - Save £25 by booking in advance.
Topic: Camping trips - spares and repairs
...but three rolls of gaffer tape, after 10 years of marriage I have plenty of uses for that....
