Camping gear recommendations: tents, beds, accessories and upmarket luxuries

[weltweit]

Candles. In a tent. Made of highly inflammable synthetic fabric.

Don't do this at home kids.

Its a useful light source though, no batteries to run out etc .. and with some silver foil can make a sort of lantern. Got me out of trouble anyhow.

I used candles when I was backpacking for 6 months with no trouble. The only cause for concern was if you used them a lot inside the tent they caused a touch of condensation. Not a lot though.

 

[caizaab]

Its that time of year again, so I'm thinking what stuff I could get that would make camping even better. I need an air bed as I manage to burst or lose the bloody thing every year, so am thinking up upgrading from the usual cheap Aldi job. Anyone got any recommendations? Someone told me Fat Airics are expensive, but worth it, but they seem to be out of stock anyway. I am getting a small tax rebate in the next week or two so fancy treating myself. Any camping porn pics appreciated.

I love your post.

I like camping with not a lot.

 

[UnderOpenSky]

Candles. In a tent. Made of highly inflammable synthetic fabric.

Don't do this at home kids.

Use a wide mouth jam jar and tea lights.

Or buy an LED based torch, they batteries last for ages.

 

[caizaab]

Or buy an LED based torch, they batteries last for ages.

Or buy 2 torches and 8 batteries.

 

[UnderOpenSky]

Why would you want to do? LED's are cheap now and far superior.

 

[caizaab]

Why would you want to do? LED's are cheap now and far superior.

How much would a recharger weigh? We could always burn wood.

 

[UnderOpenSky]

In the UK? Good luck finding dry stuff for most places you go. Fires are ace, but defiantly a bonus! You can get an ok LED for a tenner. Rechargers are light, but like I said, you get a long time from a set with an LED.

 

[weltweit]

Are you guys talking about those wind up lights that I have seen some sailers using.

They seem pretty cool to me.

 

[UnderOpenSky]

Nah, handy as a back up, but not that bright and a pain to keep winding.

I use one of these, runs of 3 AAs and gives you about 20 hours of light on main beam and loads on the side ones

This is a good budget alternative.

Up to 150 hours on the side LEDs (enough to read in a tent) and costs £15.

Alpkit Gamma

 

[fen_boy]

I'm about to buy this tent, it's one of the 'cheaper' Outwell tents.
We're going camping a couple of times over the summer and then to The Big Chill. Should I risk taking this to The Big Chill?

Also, what do you recommend for a 2 and 4 year old to sleep on?

 

[pogofish]

Candles. In a tent. Made of highly inflammable synthetic fabric.

Don't do this at home kids.

I like a paraffin lamp myself - light, heat & midgie control in one easy & efficent package, that also teaches you economy of movement. No hassle of batteries either.

Its just not camping without the imminent risk of conflagration IMO. Character-building!

 

[Chairman Meow]

I just ordered two of these after being on the waiting list for aaaaages!


http://www.alpkit.com/shop/cart.php...ct_id=16215&category_id=253&mode=out_of_stock

 

[vauxhallmum]

I just bought an enormous soft bag on wheels for £12.99 to put the tent bag in cos we don't have a car.

*green smugness*

 

[nick h.]

Thermarests are OK but Exped are much closer to the comfort of a real bed. Thicker, heavier and more expensive though: http://www.exped.com/exped/web/exped_homepage.nsf/b43HomePageE?openframeset

 

[Chairman Meow]

Thermarests are OK but Exped are much closer to the comfort of a real bed. Thicker, heavier and more expensive though: http://www.exped.com/exped/web/exped_homepage.nsf/b43HomePageE?openframeset

Meh. My lime fat airic is going to be comfier.

 

[nick h.]

Exped gets better reviews - have a google before you commit.

 

[Saffy]

I'm about to buy this tent, it's one of the 'cheaper' Outwell tents.
We're going camping a couple of times over the summer and then to The Big Chill. Should I risk taking this to The Big Chill?

Also, what do you recommend for a 2 and 4 year old to sleep on?

We have an outwell montana 6 and it's fantastic.

Our 2 slept on an air mattress last summer but it was crap and kept going down, meaning there were loads of fights between them as they both kept rolling too close to one another. Think we're just going to go with rollmats this summer as they have lovely 4 season down sleeping bags.

To be honest camping makes the kids so tired they could sleep standing up.

 

[Chairman Meow]

Exped gets better reviews - have a google before you commit.

I can't find either stockist or price for them, and I bet they don't do lime green ones.

 

[UnderOpenSky]

I can't find either stockist or price for them, and I bet they don't do lime green ones.

First hit on google. TBH I don't think they are worth the price premium over a thermarest.

 

[Chairman Meow]

First hit on google. TBH I don't think they are worth the price premium over a thermarest.

How much? My far airics were £80 for two. They are the size of a sofa though apparantly, but who cares if you are car camping.

 

[nick h.]

First hit on google. TBH I don't think they are worth the price premium over a thermarest.

And you've tried one?

You get what you pay for:
http://www.outdoorsmagic.com/review.../Exped-Down-Air-Mattress/RCN/53/rgn/9/sp//v/1

http://www.buachaille.com/p43-3-29/Thermarests-&-Mats/Exped-Down-Air-Mattress-&-Pump-Sac.html

Ask around on camping forums if you want more recommendations.

 

[Chairman Meow]

Ahem

http://www.outdoorsmagic.com/review...18/prod/Alpkit-Fat-Airic/RCN/53/rgn/9/sp//v/1

I wouldn't want to carry one up a mountain, but half the price.

 

[UnderOpenSky]

And you've tried one?

You get what you pay for:
http://www.outdoorsmagic.com/review.../Exped-Down-Air-Mattress/RCN/53/rgn/9/sp//v/1

http://www.buachaille.com/p43-3-29/Thermarests-&-Mats/Exped-Down-Air-Mattress-&-Pump-Sac.html

Ask around on camping forums if you want more recommendations.

My mate has the down one, very nice, but not worth the difference in price in my opinion. It also complete overkill for the OP's needs.

 

[boskysquelch]

ding-bats are useful for several things.

 

[SaskiaJayne]

Is it possible to get old school type canvas tents as I find the modern ones pretty grim on a hot day.

You can, these are good & possibly world's most expensive tents. http://www.dewaardtenten.nl/index.html

 

[LilMissHissyFit]

I'm about to buy this tent, it's one of the 'cheaper' Outwell tents.
We're going camping a couple of times over the summer and then to The Big Chill. Should I risk taking this to The Big Chill?

Also, what do you recommend for a 2 and 4 year old to sleep on?

We had 'ready beds' for ours and put a foam camping mat underneath for insulation.
They arent enough on their own you'll need sleeping bags too but the fleece part of the 'ready bed' was especially useful for preventing small people rolling off the airbed and providing extra warmth
for a festie I wouldnt take a decent family tent, Im glad I bought a smaller, 4 man with a porch for glasto, it came back with several burn holes in it, if it had been my big, expensive family one I would have been absolutely gutted

 

[Dovydaitis]

id get a cheap one for a festie, i got mine off ebay and was ony £24. i didnt want to spend a lot first of all as i hadnt been camping in years but it's fab! its withstood strong wind and heavy rain no fear.

 

[Chairman Meow]

I wouldn't take a good tent to a festival, it'll get trashed. You can get dead cheap ones these days, so buy a back-up and if it doesn't get trashed you will have a spare.

 

[wiskey]

I'm wondering whether to buy a double airbed rather than using the self inflating matresses.

I've never used an airbed before though. Do they work?

 

[Tank Girl]

they do work, a bit heavy, but if you've got the car you'll be fine