Hi everyone my name is Darren i'm a 29 year old single man with no children.
I got into camping a couple of years ago when my friends convinced me that it was a great experience. I was somewhat sceptical about it and couldn't see the point in not spending our summer holiday in a nice hotel, warm water , a comfy bed and all that!
Well pretty soon after my first camping trip I became hooked. My friends and I have since been on several local trips mainly for long weekends always organised by someone else. This meant that I just had to get in the car and turn up at the destination.
This year altough I am not soley organising our trip I am helping more and I am aiming at beccoming a more "complete" camper.
Having read my little story I gues you would be wondering why I have posted here? Well I think it is high time I purchased some kit of my own and would appreciate any views on the following questions:
1. Can any one recommend a light weight reasonably priced tent ideally no more than a 3 man tent.
2. Any other sensible purchases to go with my new tent? Sleeping bags, mats etc?
Please bare in mind that I want to be as minimilist in my camping style I dont want to be going away feeling like I'm taking my house with me.
I would also appreciate any comments regarding more basic camp sites. Having read a great deal on this websites a lot of the sites seem to be catered for families with lots of facilities. I would really like to go somewhere where I can pitch my tent (ideally have a fire although it seems few and far between allow this now in th UK)and relax without tens/hundreds of people around.
I have seen a few camping sites in France that seem to fit my idea but i am aware that I may be jumping in at the deep end there!
Well thats the end of introduction I look forward to your comments!
Hi Darren and welcome to UKCS, a site that's just as addictive as camping itself!
You'll find most of your kit questions answered in the Equipment section, and if you look at the Campsite Search at the top of the page, you can do an advanced search with a category for sites that allow fires.
Hi Darren welcome, start with the check list you don't need it all but it will give you an idea.
So get out there round the tent displays and find the one that suits your needs, be it sleeping only or will you want to sit in it or stand.
something to sleep on and in you will know best how comfortable you want to be
then think about eating and drinking are you going for cooking your own or eating out.
extras eg. mallet, lights, and of course home comforts
For two of us on a weekend getaway by bus I take a tent and large holdall which is kept packed.
Airbeds, blow up pillows 2 three season sleeping bags Suitcase stove, kettle, pan set, plates, cutlery, cups, food mallet, torch, light, foldup bucket Washbag & towel, toilet roll, first aid kit Clothes book to read
I see that Lidl are doing a 3 man tent as of the 24th April for 29.99 - not sure how good the tent is, but lots of their other camping stuff is good, so maybe for the money worth a try??, poundland do enamel plate, bowl cup and other bits n bobs to get you started.
Good luck and welcome to the site, very verry addictive..
i have a rage bodo 3 from a seller on ebay (about 45 quid with postage so if you could go halves with a mate it would be good). it holds up against bad weather and has a bit of room for us to socialise in. sig in bedroom. we take roll mats and three season sleeping bags with ot water bottles. seems to do the trick. also, saw some pretty funky fold-up seats on funky leisure website for about a tenner i think (may be wrong). that and a good book (and a couple of cans of lager) is about all we need for an overnight stay. fish n chip shops work well. if staying for longer will take suitcase camping stive and compact mess set with couple of tins.
hi darren, you sound like a minimalist like myself. Although I do 'family camping' in a car, I normally make my purchases based on quality, compactness, weight, and function. Hence, I tend to look not so much in "family camping' shops but look at outdoor shops for expedition purpose.
- Thermarest self-inflatable sleeping pad. Great insulation and comfort, small pack size and light weight. Lifetime warranty. Many thickness to choose from. I would bite the bullet and buy the thickest one for ultimate comfort. The advantage of this is that you can buy a very compact and light weight chair converter to convert your pad into a very comfy low chair. I often take this to the beach and picnics.
- Also check out the sleeping pads from Jackwolfskin. I would think they are also very good but I already have Thermarest. This is a high end outdoor brand which I came across when I was camping in Wasdale 10 years ago. I own many of their products including 3 sleeping bags, a wash bag (had mime for 11 years and not a stitch out of place),a 3 man tent, and a huge family tent. Totally impressed by their quality and functional design.
-k2 Luxeon LED lantern by Silverpoint sold at Cotswold. This powerful lantern is only 13cm tall, 5cm diameter, and weights only 197.6 gr with 3 aa battery.
- Petzl Tikka Plus--super bright head torch. Runs on 2aaa battery which last for a long time.
- In regards to proper furniture such as chair and table, check out Decathlon and camping shops for 'family camping'
-Tarp and extentable lightweight poles are very useful for British camping. Will especially complement a small tent. I have a 3x3 Roben tarp and 2 poles, all bought at Cotswold. However, Decathlon also sells their own version at a fraction of the price. Don't know if quality is similar.
It sounds like you are looking for non-commercial campsites. There are some beautiful campsites partly own by the Forest Commission. My favorite is Oknell. Another nice one is in Wasdale. I think there is only one there. Can't say I have been very impressed by the selections of Campsite in England. Either too manicured or its just a field full of tents next to each other. I'm off to France this summer and will be looking for a Municpal campsite.
Again thank you all for sharing your knowledge. I have to say a few of the campsites in France lok right up my street, but that might be a trip for next year
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: Born again camper
