Camping tips for a novice
Discussion
SlidingSideways said:
madbadger said:
If it is cold a camp bed is no use as you need to insulate yourself from the ground. Particularly as sleeping bags insulate you by trapping air in the 'loft'. Not nuch good when you squish it underneath yourself.
While thermarests are very good, especially when hiking, you could alternatively just spend a fiver on a foam insulating mat and put it between your sleeping bag and whatever you're sleeping on and get the same effect.But if using a camp bed or airbed a foam mat underneath is essential (especially in the Lake District, it can get very chilly.)
For anything soft (clothing, bedding etc) some stuff sacks are much more useful for boot tetris than rigid shapes or rucksacks - you can squeeze the air out then squish them into odd shapes to fill the odd gaps between more rigid gear in the car. Alpkit do good robust, waterproof ones - very handy for when packing up in a downpour, you can leave them outside and pack them last (rather than being obliged to pack the tent last.)
Lanterns are handy, head torches are much more useful than hand torches.
Slippers for inside the tent, really handy on chilly evenings and mornings.
Avon Skin-so-soft had the active ingredient (citronella) for deterring insects removed years ago. You'll smell lovely but it won't deter mossies. Pitch away from streams etc instead, and some smoke from a BBQ/firepit does help a bit.
I always take a 25L water bottle with a tap to save daily trips for drinking and cooking water. But don't forget to take something (or find something there) to prop it up on so you fit saucepans/cups underneath. Where I usually go has a river running through it, so a couple of rocks works normally.
Alcohol hand wash, Dettol style anti-bac wipes and baby wipes are essential for camping in my book.
A way of cooking when the wind and rain are bad is almost as important for camping in the UK - an awning and windbreak (if your tent doesn't have one built in) is very handy. The latter also useful for sitting outside of an evening.
Consider pimping your tent with some decent tent pegs. I get a bit twitchy with my big, bluff 8 man tent having had one tent demolished by Lake District winds, so I rarely use the standard candy cane style pegs. Some Spikes and Y Beams are handy for rocky or soft ground respectively.
Again, many thanks for the hints and tips. I didn't make it to the camping shop yesterday but will try to get there before Saturday as it would be prudent to get some mats to go under the air beds.
My wife bought a folding bbq yesterday so we can use it for heat as well as cooking.
With regard to provisions, we are staying in Hawkshead which has a Co-Op and plenty of pubs, so we will be okay. The weather doesn't look like it will be too bad either - although as a frequent visitor to the Lakes I know that rain is the norm and sun is the exception in August.
My wife bought a folding bbq yesterday so we can use it for heat as well as cooking.
With regard to provisions, we are staying in Hawkshead which has a Co-Op and plenty of pubs, so we will be okay. The weather doesn't look like it will be too bad either - although as a frequent visitor to the Lakes I know that rain is the norm and sun is the exception in August.
PH5121 said:
My wife bought a folding bbq yesterday so we can use it for heat as well as cooking.
Be really, really f
king careful with that. Dying embers of a BBQ emit Carbon Monoxide in deadly quantities. Plenty of news stories about people who brought their BBQ into their tents at night to keep warm and never woke up.HereBeMonsters said:
PH5121 said:
My wife bought a folding bbq yesterday so we can use it for heat as well as cooking.
Be really, really fking careful with that. Dying embers of a BBQ emit Carbon Monoxide in deadly quantities. Plenty of news stories about people who brought their BBQ into their tents at night to keep warm and never woke up.PH5121 said:
it would be prudent to get some mats to go under the air beds.
Put the mat on top of the airbed, underneath your sleeping bag. The airbed will still get cold overnight, even when insulated from the ground.Putting the mat on top will insulate you from the air bed, and keep you much warmer.
http://www.therange.co.uk/intex-ultra-plush-queen-...
We use the double version of this with a duvet, nearly as good as my bed at home.
We use the double version of this with a duvet, nearly as good as my bed at home.
PH5121 said:
My wife bought a folding bbq yesterday so we can use it for heat as well as cooking.
HereBeMonsters said:
Be really, really fking careful with that. Dying embers of a BBQ emit Carbon Monoxide in deadly quantities. Plenty of news stories about people who brought their BBQ into their tents at night to keep warm and never woke up.
Agreed! Very easy way to kill everyone in the tent. Do not even consider doing that!king careful with that. Dying embers of a BBQ emit Carbon Monoxide in deadly quantities. Plenty of news stories about people who brought their BBQ into their tents at night to keep warm and never woke up.madbadger said:
I have camped for a long time and down to -25C and the best way to stay warm is a down sleeping bag. If it is cold keep your wooly hat on.
I dread to think what it would take to properly heat an 8 man tent.
Down is the way to go but its bloody expensive getting a decent down sleeping bag, synthetics arent as good but are adequate and cheaper if you get a 3/4 season bag. I have a couple of down jackets that are absolutely awesome and are great for mornings and evenings and of course cold days.I dread to think what it would take to properly heat an 8 man tent.
A heavy, 4 season, budget synthetic bag still doesn't come close to a decent quality down bag. Not snobbery, side by side comparison on my last camping trip in temps down to about 4C earlier in the year. There are ways round it - liners, more clothes, even a duvet over the top - but for comfort and warmth an all in one solution of a good down bag is the best option. And you pay for that.
But if properly stored down does last well for years. I wouldn't be shy about looking into second hand down bags. Once they've been dry cleaned if they've been cared for they'll be more than adequate and a fraction of new cost. There should be a decent number of Rab down bags knocking about second hand now, they changed their manufacturing standards and shifted a lot of last years stock very cheaply - so the bags they replaced should be filtering their way onto eBay by now.
But if properly stored down does last well for years. I wouldn't be shy about looking into second hand down bags. Once they've been dry cleaned if they've been cared for they'll be more than adequate and a fraction of new cost. There should be a decent number of Rab down bags knocking about second hand now, they changed their manufacturing standards and shifted a lot of last years stock very cheaply - so the bags they replaced should be filtering their way onto eBay by now.
Decent pegs make a world of difference.. the alpkit ones mentioned earlier look really good (and I think I'll be buying some!) but more commonly available are 'rock pegs' like these: http://www.gooutdoors.co.uk/hi-gear-groundhog-4-pa...
They dont bend anywhere near as easily as the wire pegs that come with most tents and hold much longer in stronger winds.
Also a decent hammer to smash them in with will help: http://www.wickes.co.uk/Wickes-Powastrike-Club-Ham...
They dont bend anywhere near as easily as the wire pegs that come with most tents and hold much longer in stronger winds.
Also a decent hammer to smash them in with will help: http://www.wickes.co.uk/Wickes-Powastrike-Club-Ham...
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