Camping questions

[guitarman]

Having studiously avoided camping for 30 years the arrival of a dog means we'll be camping this year

So I bought a tent and now I have to equip it so recommendations for

Sleeping - camp beds or air beds?

Cooking -

Keeping stuff cool/cold

Lighting

Any other useful items?

Remember I'll be in the car so portability is not really an issue.

Cheers

Dick

 

[Rev Chuck]

Camped for last 15 or so years. We have a trailer tent for some of that and a frame tent for the rest. I'd take the trailer tent any day.

Sleeping - camp beds or air beds?
Airbeds - you are not constrained IYKWIM by the edge of the bed

Cooking -
Depends how many of you there are going to be camping, and what you want to be doing with it.
Whole family - A two ring Coleman or equivelant burner...
Just two people - any of your light stoves.

Keeping stuff cool/cold
Bought an insulated box thing from Halfords a couple of years ago that works of the car electrics (and mains) - although we do turn it off at night, 'cos even in Cornwall the evenings are cold. But the one we have does the job, keeps some cheese, milk and more importantly they beer, cold. It can also be turned around and used to keep things hot

Lighting
We have never found a satisfactory solution to this. So arrangement of head torches and lanterns, which somehow you have to recharge.

HTH, enjoy

 

[Bigtwin]

arrival of a dog means we'll be camping this year


Dick

Couldn't you get the tent up on your own then?

 

[Micky]

Well guarded secret...

Just as the GS's used to be a well guarded secret, then so are these....

When I'm not off on the GS I'm away in the VW... it has the bed, lights, cooker, fridge.. is ideal for the dog (she doesn't drive though ) it drives just like a largish car, keeps its value better than anything else on the road. Used as an everyday vehicle, can carry fridges and cookers and beds to the tip, will tow a small trailer, with the 'bike on, if you wanted. It's kept with salt an pepper, sauces, pots'n pans and spare knickers.. and is ideal for errr mmmm well it's ideal for those errr mmm errr well you know!!!

For camping advice it's a whole new ball game, just buy good gear! As Shaun at Rainbow says to his customers, the first motorbike you buy wont be the last one... just dive in with the camping gear and enjoy...

You'll elicit so many answers from this lot you'll be just as confused....

Islay April 2003... I was the only one on the site, just me and mi dawg

 

[ralphy]

Couldn't you get the tent up on your own then?

 

[Bazza]

Just converted from 2 man packpacking tent to back of car camping ..... And its soooo much easier....and cheaper for gear. Bit of a gear nut aswell so looked into the gear in great detail...... ended up with.
Inflatable double matress.
http://www.cotswoldoutdoor.com/Cat/116853?Ref=
Has the advantage of two seperate chambers so if your partner is lighter , she does bounce off when you move about......

Actually the stuff is cheaper here. http://www.abc-camping.co.uk/catalogue.aspx?varCat=Airbeds

Coleman Poplar Double sleeping bag is very nice.....

Campingaz Powerbox 36L Deluxe ( and one of these )

Campingaz Camping Kitchen Extra there is different types of this one but the zip up bit was very good for keeping the food in place and safe outside from bugs etc...... And the hot plate is good for barbequing

The lighting is still a problem to get right as was said before.... we have a small gas lantern we had whilst backpacking and is nice to sit outside having a beer and the hiss of the lantern is nice but no good in tents

We opted for a rechargable lantern from Cotswold. can be charged from ciggy lighter and was good last summer ....

Hope this helps but if you get decent gear it will last a lifetime but have fun....

 

[guitarman]

Thanks guys, some useful stuff there. The double airbed with two compartments sounds liek a good idea.

Lighting seems to ne an issue. I've got wind up led torch and a head torch aready but it seems like some sort of lantern might be useful.

I guess I'll have to look at the cooking stuff available but it's always good advice to buy good quality gear.

A powered cool box is worth investigating.

Thanks for the useful links

Oh and Bigtwin

Cheers

Dick

 

[Grumpy Lee]

Lighting and bedding

Dick

The last few years we've carried a battery power pack with us and run one or two strip lights from it (well it's OK for the weekend), and actually used it to jump start a couple of vehicles.

You could of course, if you have tow-bar, get the socket wired with a live feed to one of the pins that aren't used and then just plug in an extension lead and run the lights from that. Or failing that just get a lead with some croc clips and attach it to your battery each evening.

We've had Themarest sleeping mats for the last 12-15 years. Mrs GL is very fussy about her sleep and these have been brilliant. Having said that we now have an airbed (one of those Coleman dual compartment ones - Which? Best Buy) that we now use in the trailer tent (coz we is old n falling to bits an we ave trouble sleeping on the ground - I'll re-phrase that, sleeping no bovver it's the getting to n from the ground we ave the trouble wiv).

If you think of anything else you might like to know give us a shout - we've been camping for the last 30+ years and usually with at least one mutt and of course an outfit.

Lee

 

[Gipsy]

Depending on space a cheap porta potty is very usefull. The joys of wandering over a dark campsite in the early hours just to take a leak can soon be exhausted especially for women whose anatomy, and sense of public responsibility often prevents tham taking the well known short cut that we man occasionall use, also known as a hedge. Separate small toilet tent also available. I think Halfords had them last year.

 

[rocks]

Tents..

I bought my Relum Sahara tent from these guys. I have couple of main backpacking tents.. a North Face Starburst and Exped Orion2..

http://www.tentsdirect.com/

But for weekend car camping tent, I use my Sahara.... it has no ground sheet, but is easy to errect with a hand, even possible on my own with a bit of thought and planning, a small tarp sorts out the ground sheet issue, also ensuring its easier to pack away at the end.

I have a 7.5kg calor bottle and coleman twin burner unit, which I happily cook and boil kettles inside the tent.. due to the amount of space and shape. I certainly would certainly NOT attempt this in a non fireproof canvas tent, ie Nylon..

I have had mine over 5 years now and its still kicking having been to numerous re-enactment events. Its served me well so far and never leaked. Easy to put up, but a large air space, so a little cool at night, but a good sleeping bag sorts that. I use an ameraican style army bed, and a Snug Pack Softy 10 bad..

 

[STUBBS]

there are loads of holiday parks, caravans and cottages that let you take pets, try putting country cottages in a search engine this is who we go with (family and the dog)

 

[guitarman]

Thanks guys, I did look at hotels and cottages that accepted pets but tbh he's still a little young for that.

Rocks - funnily enough I've been looking at the Colemans and may well go down that route.

Porta potties? I've sseen them but never imagined anyone used them. Maybe I need to think again.

Lee - much appreciated, I'll drop you a PM if there's anything I need to know about dogs and camping.

Cheers

Dick

 

[Wizard]

Lighting

Couple of ways to do it, but by far the easiest while on site (without leaving a potential flat battery) is to use a split charge unit in the car to a second battery, and strip lights (available from any caravan accessories shop).

Split charge unit means that you can hook virtually anything up to the battery (portable TV anyone?) and still start the car in the morning

 

[Micky]

Couple of ways to do it, but by far the easiest while on site (without leaving a potential flat battery) is to use a split charge unit in the car to a second battery, and strip lights (available from any caravan accessories shop).
Split charge unit means that you can hook virtually anything up to the battery (portable TV anyone?) and still start the car in the morning

Yup.... no probs there Wizard

Sorry guys... all this talk about air beds, strip lights'n cookers takes me back years! Just as a GS is the bizz.......

Mind you, still roughed it on the Dragon Rally in a good ol' tent

 

[blues n twos]

When I camped in Capel Curig last year I bought a gas powered lantern. It all folds down and is housed in a rugged plastic container when stowed.

This has the advantage of kicking out a lot of heat as well if its a bit nippy and is fully adjustable for light intensity.

Technicaly your not supposed to use it inside a tent but lots of people do. Just make sure you are ventilated

Jon

 

[Micky]

When I camped in Capel Curig last year I bought a gas powered lantern. It all folds down and is housed in a rugged plastic container when stowed.

Jon

Strewth Jon... how d'ya fold the gas