17 June 2010 : Written by Geoff Vaughan and Rhian Evans
So you fancy going camping and you may not be the most seasoned of campers? You don't have all the gadgets and weird camping-world know-how but are keen? The last time you went camping you did pretty well, but still ended up having to buy some kit from Millets on the way and stopping at a grocery store to buy something annoying like washing-up liquid or tea-bags when you have tonnes at home? Well, have no fear, your essential camping kit-list is here - we've done our best to think of everything, so you don't have to....
It has been built up from years of experience, mistakes and improvisation..... we hope it proves useful.
Before you start packing - check the weather forecast - this can determine some items although if you're in the UK you should expect anything!
If you are camping for the first time don't go out and buy all the kit under the sun - ask around your friends, they are bound to have some things you can borrow so you don't have to spend a fortune to see if you like the experience.
Shelter and Sleeping
- Tent (double check tent poles and pegs as a family member may have 'borrowed' half the poles and pegs for a volleyball net)
- Lightweight groundsheet (useful for sitting on if ground wet, for covering over cooking equipment etc when you go out for the day, and also you can use it to make a windbreak)
- 2 spare tent poles and guy ropes (to make the rest of the windbreak - useful for cooking by if you have small tent)
- Mallett
- Air-bed, mattress, therma-rest (brilliant for keeping you warm and comfortable)
- Sleeping bag (check it is appropriate for the temperatures you are expecting)
- Pillow
- Blanket (to spread on the tent floor - makes it a lot more comfortable)
Cooking, eating, drinking and washing-up
- Take an easy meal for the first night and breakfast. You may have a 24hr supermarket near you but you can't guarantee it where you are going, and the nearest pub will stop serving earlier than you expect.
- Bio-degradable washing up liquid. a small jam jar or plastic bottle is plenty for the weekend.
- Washing up sponges/clothes. Instead you can use tin foil scrunched up around a pebble or piece of paper. Works fine for cleaning plates.
- Tea towels - the amount you bring should be proportional to how long you are going away - they can get a bit grubby!
- Plastic plates and knives and forks. Saves weight over ceramics and much better for the environment than disposable. You really know you are camping then!
- Bowls and spoons. Unless you have the skill to eat muesli or soup off a plate.
- 2 plastic storage boxes. Very cheap from local stores or supermarkets. Use one for kitchen kit and utensils and the other for foodstuffs. If you can get ones with a lid it makes storing them so much easier in the tent and car.
- Gas stove. So many types out there. 1,2 or 3 burners. Solid fuel, gas, liquid. If camping for the first time ask around. Someone will have one tucked away. Also the briefcase style stoves are perfect if you have a car and are very simple to use.
- Kettle (one you can put on a stove!). Absolute must. Arrive, cup of tea, pause and then attack the tent and unpacking! Make sure it easily accessible upon arrival. Likewise the milk!
- Mugs and cups - plastic wine glasses are great and beat drinking Merlot out of a tin mug.
- Pans. 1 normal saucepan and 1 frying pan is normally fine - depends how many of you there are and how ambitious your meals are. From porridge to scrambled eggs to mash potato and homemade soup. Get a couple of pans.
- Wok. Extremely versatile. Fried, poached, scrambled eggs, stir fries, bacon, sausages, spag bol, curries, toast, pancakes, ratatouille, omelets, fajitas, risotto, the list is endless.
- Kitchen foil. Great for BBQing things. Fresh fish, few herbs stuffed inside, salt, drop of white wine/cider/water, wrap it up and chuck on the bbq. You can wrap potatoes/sweet potatoes/corn on the cob/onions etc and chuck them in the embers. Can also make a lid for your wok. And is re-usable if you clean it.
- Sharp knives
- Grater
- Peeler
- Potato masher
- Bottle opener - bottle of wine, no opener = gutted!
- Wooden spoon
- Tea lights (great for dinner) Not recommended inside the tents.
- BBQ - best to bring small one with legs, not a disposable because lots of campsites don't let you put anything hot directly on the grass, it's better to re-use again and again, and it's cheaper in the long run.
- Charcoal
- Fire-lighters
- Matches
- Cooler box and ice blocks. Many campsites have a facility to re-freeze these blocks
- Table
- Kitchen Roll
- Plastic food containers to store left-overs / sandwiches
- Food - for essential foodstuffs see our Essential Food to Take Camping Check-list
Toiletries and personal stuff
- Bio-degradable shampoo and shower gel / soap
- Insect repellent
- First Aid kit
- Ear Plugs
- Toothbrush and toothpaste
- Towels (if you're on the beach you might need 2 each)
- Flip flops - great for the shower and or getting up and going to the loo in the night (no, not in the flip flops - they're just easy to put on)
- Warm and cold and wet weather clothes
Generally very useful stuff
- Bin bags - try and find a site which recycles so you can minimise the amount of landfill waste you produce.
- Chairs, rugs or something to sit on.
- Water carrier - this can be some empty large water bottles - depends how much you use.
- Duct tape - you can fix anything with Duct Tape.
- String - washing line, hang a lantern, guy rope, tying up thermarest etc
- Games (Football, rugby ball, raquets, frisbee, scrabble, cards)
- Maps - OS local area maps or biking maps - there are always great little walking routes to be found.
- Pen knife - even better are the mulit-use penknives which are pliers, openers, knives, files etc.
- Head torch with spare batteries
- Lantern for communal area
- Emergency toilet roll
- Camping Ninja Head - essential for any camping trip - makes for great photos and videos!
And last but certainly not least.... your confirmation of campsite booking and directions from Campingninja!
This might seem a lot and this is obviously aimed at campers with a car. The vast majority of this will fit into 2 large plastic storage boxes. Have a look around the house for that cheese grater that never gets used since you got given that new one on your birthday. Or those extra corkscrews and string cluttering the man drawer! You find alot of this stuff lying around. If you need to buy something, look at the basics range in a large supermarket. Peelers for 32p, mashers for 19p, wooden spoon for 27p. You can assemble a fantastic camping kit box very cheaply indeed and all if it will keep well in the storage box in between camping trips. Leave it under the bed, in the loft, in the shed.
If you have any ideas about stuff we could add (we are sure there may be some things we have missed for families) please add your ideas in our comments section - share the camping love!