Quote: Originally posted by spiritburner on 14/1/2016Reading this forum over the years it wouldn't surprise me if folk just get overwhelmed with kit & the packing & unpacking. I know I'd get sick of it if it took me hours to set up & pack away then having too stash it all away at home & dry a tent the size of a Zeppelin. Keep it simple - to me that's what camping's about. If folk need every mod con they have at home maybe a van is the way to go. My parents have had caravans & a static - that suits them but being in the vans used to give me the ab-dabs. Mobile suburbia.
Maybe not exactly overwhelmed, in our case (No tellies/Microwaves/slow cookers etc, etc), but I can certainly see where you are coming from. I think I'm just about at that point now where I'm still happy to spend the best part of two hours grafting, then the next 2 hours pottering about, to set up for two full weeks on a French campsite, but I'm beginning to think a good hour or so is more than enough for a 2 or 3 nighter here in the UK, which is the majority of our camping.
I'm not gonna get obsessive (or down-hearted!) about it, but I think I'm more likely to be "Cutting back a little", than going down the 'vanning route, mainly because we love the canvas experience once we are set up.
Due to our style of camping, we've already started to not bother with a cooker set up on many occasions, relying a lot on a leccy kettle and snacks on site, plus eating out (as we spend the majority of time off site anyway!) That may appear lazy to anyone looking over from a neighbouring pitch, but I'm not too fussed about that, and it seems to work for us.
We're looking to get away in a week or so's time, and I'm also tempted to not bother with the camp beds, as we were comfy enough on our Expeds on the floor for our French overnighter... but I suspect the cold may just tempt me to spend the extra 10 to 15 mins to set the beds up (inc. valance sheets, of course!), and keep off the floor! Maybe nearer the Spring, we'll leave the beds at home!
Trouble is... if it can be called "trouble"... is that I've found that many jobs are almost literally 2 minute, or 5 minute jobs... it's just that there are so many of 'em!!
Quote: Originally posted by Mucker1884 on 14/1/2016
Quote: Originally posted by spiritburner on 14/1/2016Reading this forum over the years it wouldn't surprise me if folk just get overwhelmed with kit & the packing & unpacking. I know I'd get sick of it if it took me hours to set up & pack away then having too stash it all away at home & dry a tent the size of a Zeppelin. Keep it simple - to me that's what camping's about. If folk need every mod con they have at home maybe a van is the way to go. My parents have had caravans & a static - that suits them but being in the vans used to give me the ab-dabs. Mobile suburbia.
Maybe not exactly overwhelmed, in our case (No tellies/Microwaves/slow cookers etc, etc), but I can certainly see where you are coming from. I think I'm just about at that point now where I'm still happy to spend the best part of two hours grafting, then the next 2 hours pottering about, to set up for two full weeks on a French campsite, but I'm beginning to think a good hour or so is more than enough for a 2 or 3 nighter here in the UK, which is the majority of our camping.
I'm not gonna get obsessive (or down-hearted!) about it, but I think I'm more likely to be "Cutting back a little", than going down the 'vanning route, mainly because we love the canvas experience once we are set up.
Due to our style of camping, we've already started to not bother with a cooker set up on many occasions, relying a lot on a leccy kettle and snacks on site, plus eating out (as we spend the majority of time off site anyway!) That may appear lazy to anyone looking over from a neighbouring pitch, but I'm not too fussed about that, and it seems to work for us.
We're looking to get away in a week or so's time, and I'm also tempted to not bother with the camp beds, as we were comfy enough on our Expeds on the floor for our French overnighter... but I suspect the cold may just tempt me to spend the extra 10 to 15 mins to set the beds up (inc. valance sheets, of course!), and keep off the floor! Maybe nearer the Spring, we'll leave the beds at home!
Trouble is... if it can be called "trouble"... is that I've found that many jobs are almost literally 2 minute, or 5 minute jobs... it's just that there are so many of 'em!!
I think you're not far wrong, spiritburner. We've got rid of almost all our kit (kept only the Thermarest Dreamtime XLs - gotta have a good bed). We've tried just about every kind of camping, including just a tiny tent (but that was in addition to our main tent hols, rather than instead of, so we were still carrying a ton of kit and it all began to feel a bit depressing).
We've decided to begin over and whittle everything down this season. No more stuff to put up and fill and then take down again (except the tent!). Just need to keep it as quick and as simple as possible, while still being warm and comfy!
So, I'm writing lists, and doing lots of crossing off!
Has anyone been full-on, camping-mad for decades and then found themselves not remotely interested in either tents or equipment?
I must be getting old...
Oh yes been there! after one particularly wet July in Scotland 12 years ago, we stuck everything in the car and rented a static caravan for the rest of the fortnight saying 'never again'. Occasionally we are still tempted by the 'romance' of tenting again but quickly walk away making the sign of the evil eye lol. Still loving the gypsy-like moving on down the road type of holiday and loving campsite atmosphere and all the different people you meet, we changed to a caravan, a camper van, and now back to a caravan (we're too disorganised for motor caravanning) to give us a bit more freedom to explore. An awning gives us that true camping experience if we feel too nostalgic. Sitting in a cosy dry caravan with your book, a glass of wine, non frizzy hair, and the loo two comfortable steps away while the rain pelts down is just glorious at our age. I like to think of it as a more comfortable way to camp - not 'going over to the dark side' at all. Saying that, there's still a tent in our attic we are strangely loathe to sell..........
------------- Sometimes You're the windscreen; sometimes the fly
Well, we are not going to have a long tent holiday this year due to other commitments. It doesn't mean camping is jaded. I enjoy the set up but...
This year we intend getting away for more one or two night breaks with minimal gear. A halo is being bought to supplement the Coleman. Kids in one tent and us in the other. Trangia and petrol stove, mats and sleeping bags. Chuck it in the boot and away after work. Eldest daughter is not that keen anymore but I've been camping all my life and can't see me giving it up.
I have tent camped since primary school with my parents and siblings. Also camped with the cubs and later the scouts.
Was camping without parents at 12 -13 yrs old and then backpacked Europe as a young teenager ( the world was a safer place back then).
When I met my wife to be, we continued camping but not as often as I did as a single man.
When we got married we bought our first caravan ( I was 21 yrs old). I still did quite a bit of backpacking/wild camping etc with my mates and continued to do so until a few years ago.
When our children came along we tent camped a few times a year as well as other breaks in the caravan. We also had holidays abroad without tent or caravan.
Also introduced our 3 grandaughters to tent camping as well as caravanning.
Nowadays at almost 64 yrs old its mostly caravanning, although I still really enjoy my camping, albeit a fair weather camper due to health issues.
I bought a new lightweight 2 man tent for this years camping but don't tell the wife about the other 5 tents left after downsizing.
I can't imagine life without camping to be honest, its the best way to be in the great outdoors. I can honestly say I have never thought of given it up.
My wife gave up on the camping a while back but really enjoys our many breaks in the caravan and does not mind me getting my few times away.
------------- It is a wise man who has something to say.
It is a fool who has to say something.
Hi I think me and the OH have done the circle of camping starting off wild camping with a ridge tent many moons ago then the frame tent followed by the trailer tent then 2 caravans lived in an American motor home for a year then various motorhomes finished up with an older Hymer C class sold that as repair costs were getting beyond a joke
that was 18 months ago we then thought that we would go back to tents again we needed something easy as we are both in our mid 70s so we purchased a Vango Spectrum 500 air and an electric pump, we have camp beds and sims for the extra comfort as my wife has rheumatoid arthritis ,, we hope this year to be going for about 4 weeks to a small site on the costa brava we visited in the motorhome also have a Coleman pop up for the overnight on the way down really looking forward to it At our age life has to be an adventure and live for the day as you just never Know !!!
I love camping, in fact camping saved my sanity when I was going through some rough times, but last year with a dodgy knee and all the rain, there where a couple of times when I was lumping wet canvas about, I was finding it a bit hard.
Near the end of the year a friend introduced me to Hammocking and another friend took me my first wild camp I only had to walk for 25 min, but I found it quiet liberating only having my rucksack to carry stuff and now know down sizing is the way forward even for car camping and quiet looking forward to this years camping with all my camping buddy's.
Quote: Originally posted by fiona karen on 20/1/2016
I love camping, in fact camping saved my sanity when I was going through some rough times, but last year with a dodgy knee and all the rain, there where a couple of times when I was lumping wet canvas about, I was finding it a bit hard.
Near the end of the year a friend introduced me to Hammocking and another friend took me my first wild camp I only had to walk for 25 min, but I found it quiet liberating only having my rucksack to carry stuff and now know down sizing is the way forward even for car camping and quiet looking forward to this years camping with all my camping buddy's.
Well, if you decide to downsize will you please let me have first refusal on your canvas tents? Our thoughts are much the same as yours, only downsizing for us is probably getting down to where you are now!
A day of all things motorhome and campervan. The show is held both in the main indoor arena and across the grounds. Catering, hot drinks and food options are available. Easy access to the site and free parking included. Win one of five pairs of day tickets
Topic: All Camped-Out!
