Camping breaks

[Gowsi]

The family has not had a holiday for a while and with 4 kids it is quite costly.

With this in mind the wife and I are considering camping. I think the kids will be up for it, but I am a complete newby.

I have seen some reasonably priced 6 man tents, but what else is required?

I'm not thinking of big two week holidays, more weekends away throughout the summer. Even overnight stays will be an adventure for the kids, as long as the location is well thought out.

So a tent is obvious (I'm sure there is good and bad here, some sleeping bags and 4 leg camp beds).

Is it worth buying something to cook on, or is just popping to the local cafe for breakfast just as good?

Any tips welcomed.

 

[llbabiiangelll]

Don't bother with 4 leg beds, get some Thermarest style inflatable mats. Cheaper, much smaller to pack, fine for an overnight or two.

Get some folding chairs and a folding table. Breakfast in the morning is so much better if you can all sit down. A two ring hob style cooker with a gas bottle is brilliant for cooking, probably overkill for family weekends but I've cooked all sorts of stuff on ours that we inherited from the outlaws.

You need torches for when the kids wake up in the night of course. In fact, as my wife is the world's most organised woman, I'll just mail you the camping list she keeps and updates every time we go

Mitch

 

[GettingStrongerJW]

First thing first: location, location, location! Since you're going with the family I highly recommend finding a place where you're camped relatively close to your vehicle. That means you can have all the necessary things you need without worrying about carrying them. Also make sure it's something fun; a lot of trails, a creek, river or a small lake for fishing, hills for hiking/biking, etc.

The thing is about tents is that they're never comfortable to sleep in. I recommend taking a thick blanket that would cover most of the floor in the tent so you don't have to deal with tree roots, hard ground, loose rocks, etc. Make sure you pick a place that's relatively even and check for ants or any insects that might have a nest built around the area.

Make sure each person has their own water bottle and that they drink regularly.

If you're up for it, have one of those small grills and a frying pan and make some eggs, toast bread, and sizzle some sausages. Learn how to brew coffee on an open fire for a real treat, and the obligatory smores for the kids. I highly recommend bringing food that is easily grilled like hot dogs, burgers, corn, etc. All of which can be kept fresh in a cooler filled with ice for a couple of days.

Have the kids bring a few extra pairs of under garments (underwear, socks, undershirts, etc.) because they're bound to get messy. A first aid kit is a must.

Sleeping bags aren't really necessary if you have enough blankets at home so you don't need to waste money, but if you want the kids to experience sleeping in a bag, something not too expensive would suffice because it's the summer and they don't need those extra layered ones (especially if you drape a thick blanket on the floor like I previously mentioned).

I wouldn't recommend a 6 man tent for 6 adults, but for 2 adults and 4 kids it's perfect.

 

[xostephxo39]

Headtorches are really useful as well (mine's a Petzl - but you can get cheaper ones that will probably do you).

Make sure you get decent sleeping bags and bear in mind that the temperature ratings on them are for average people, if you, the wife or the kidlets sleep 'cold' (i.e. feel the cold lots when you go to bed) you'll need a warmer one than they recommend - I'm terrible, I get laughed at by my friends when we go on holiday because unless the temperature is really hot I feel cold in bed.

I would definitely get a stove of some sort - a hot drink in the morning, going to bed or even during the day if it's been a miserable British summer day is worth the expense. Another cool thing to do is to buy those disposable BBQs and the kidlets can go all hunter gather with sausages and burgers for dinner (and, of course, marshmallows).

Large plastic containers for water are a good idea as well - kiddies get muddy - and of course you'll need water for your tea.

Mitch, your wife obviously rocks muchly - list makers are the best type of people!

 

[AliBizzare]

Ah and something needs to be said about a good, solid knife! A dependable, multi-purpose knife is essential when you're camping.

Finite Monkey, Hannible, and Ero are much more seasoned outdoors-man than I, so I am sure they' give some solid advice.

I didn't know Frodo was such a seasoned outdoors woman!

 

[marigold]

yes a camping stove is great (my parents took me camping for years and years its awesome)

eating in your own campsiteand cooking on your coleman stove is really nice. Cooking and eating in your own camp site is really nice.

 

[addict]

Dude, you are sooooo not in England

Our insects are so civilised they stop for tea before we do, open fires are generally not allowed on family campsites and Holy Mother of God it can get cold at night even in mid summer

mitch

 

[JoeyB]

I haven't been camping for a while, but I use to go away lots with the canoe club as a student.

Ooh, don't forget the baby wipes! If you want a small cheap stove Trangias are an option, but if you're car camping then size and weight will be less of an issue than backpacking so a bigger stove is also an option.

Not sure what car you have, but some of the newer ones have a plug in the boot that you can run an electric cool box from - great for keeping the milk for your tea cool (are you sensing a theme in my advice yet?) and the burgers of course. Alternatively, you may be able to run the cool box from the cigarette lighter switch in the car.

 

[babeyyy___x3]

Oh i forgot. I also went camping with the army cadets when i was one. They taught me that if you get cold, not to wrap yourself up in layers and layers of hot stuff. Because if you sweat, it will make you that much colder.

 

[Mastero]

Ah, England is a different beast all together!

At least you don't have to deal with running down a mountain being chased by a horde of angry bees.

 

[SteveF]

I can second the Therma-rest mats and the head lamps (Petzl make the best) - these days Therma-rests come with non-slip surface so your sleeping bag doesn't slide off while you are sleeping and head lamps now are LED instead of bulb so they last much longer. Two things that will make your life at camp much easier. You'll also want to get a small stove and cook set. Stoves are insanely small and light and most can burn just about anything and usually white gas. From my mountaineering days MSR was the best brand. Reliable, light and small in size. It takes a bit to cook up on them as it's more down to practice than anything else. These days your stove/fuel bottle/utensils/dishes/pans all pack down into something smaller than half a shoebox. Frodo makes a good point of not getting -30 below down filled sleeping bags. Unless you want to sweat to death. Also... not sure how big your kids are but instead of one big 6 man tent... I'd go for two smaller tents. Kids get their own and you and the missus get yours. Increases the sense of adventure for your kids and you'll get a better nights rest without being surrounded by 5 other people.

Small camping lantern is good to have as well. Camp soap for the dishes - if you want to go deluxe get a water purifier... they make some really great ones these days that filter 99% of everything out. Several models of the Therma-rests also have clips to turn them into hand little camping chairs - that's worth looking at.

As for layers.... you definitely want them. Last thing you want is to catch a chill. So layers and pit-zips on clothes are a must. That way you can pare down as you need. For most people and 99% of situations that includes and undershirt (not cotton as it holds moisture - usually made out of polly-pro) a t-shirt, then a fleece layer and finally topped off by some type of shell (usually gore-tex or whatever) with pit zips. It just takes getting used to adding and removing layers. But you can easily adjust your own personal climate pretty damn fast with some practice.

 

[mattybananas]

Have you got a go outdoors local to you ?
The one by me is incredibly helpfull and pretty well priced.
We set ourselves up from scratch a couple of years ago with an 8 man tent and everything else we needed from there.
I you'going with the kids it's worth investing in a mains lead and paying an extra couple of quid a night for an electric hook up , plus you can have an electric kettle , so much better than having to fire up the stove all the time.

 

[areyoureadytorumble94]

My wife decided a few years ago that we were going camping!

We've had a laugh and its been a great bonding activitie for all of us

We started off with a cheapy tent, but it was rubbish and leaked so we decided to invest in a good qulity second hand one

i agree with StJ, with 4 kids you might consider two 4 man tents. You get a bit of space, and the kids get the added excitement of being on thier own

A decent mallet is worth buying

If you want a bit of fire action, a bar-b-que is often allowed


After your first trip out you will have a list of things to bring and leave behind. The wife is still tweaking our list...she loves it!!

Now all we need is some sunshine!

 

[casualchick]

Dude! He may as well get an RV! ;]

 

[terminate]

We're off camping in 4 weeks or so.
We used to go regularly but this will be the first time in a few years and the first time with our toddler (who will obviously love it).
As Mitch recomended write a list (or cannibalise someone else's list) and keep it updated on the 'puter. The more you go the more you'll realise what you used, don't need or need to get. Then it'll become your list.
We then put our stuff in a couple of large plastic boxes with lids in the loft. So it's always ready to go.

I'd definitely get something fairly good to cook on. We've got a double hob thingy with a gas bottle. You never really know what's available at the site you go to (until you find a few you like and have been a few times) so hoping there's a decent cafe nearby is a gamble IMHO.
Also...cooking out in the open IS camping! If you aren't going to cook a fry-up in the morning, with a nice brew (with some insects floating in it) and some pasty cold toast then what's the point?
With a good stove you can always rustle up some beans on toast, scramblies, soup, pasta, etc. The kids might moan that the rain us diluting their soup but that's what rain is for right?

Something you could maybe think about is taking a duvet for you and 'er indoors.
We used to pack the car and then lay the duvet on the top of everything. My missus HATES sleeping bags so taking a duvet means at least she'll get a better nights sleep.

+1 for table and chairs. Not being able to sit down gets very annoying.
And without a chair how else will you be able to get up before everyone else and sit in front of your tent with a steaming mug of tea, saying "mornin'" as people hobble up to the bogs with unlaced boots and creases in their faces.

 

[infinite_times]

This is excellent, keep 'em coming.

 

[NeTe]

Oh and take some binbags and carrier bags. Always need somewhere to put rubbish.
Something we used to do was save up nectar points when we went shopping through the years and then redeem them when we went camping. First stop was always the supermarket for supplies (bread, bacon, eggs, beans etc)
Makes the holiday even cheaper.

Oh and some sort of lantern for general night time lighting. Torches can be annoying if you just wanna sit and chat in the dark.

 

[missiekat]

Aaand...if you have the space try and put your tent up before you go.
You don't wanna find out that your tent needs 4 tension rods, but the one you've bought only has 3, when you've driven 2 hours and are standing in the rain while the wife and kids watch you through steamed up car windows.

It'll also allow you to work out how the damn thing goes up without becoming the on-site comedy entertainment for all the other campers that already have their tents up.

Also...sorry to be a downer on things but be prepared to not enjoy it.
Our first trip about 15 years ago in Snowdonia was in a 2 man tent that was too small, we forgot loads of stuff, it persisted it down for the first 2 nights and the sheep in the next field seemingly baa'd all night.
We ended up packing everything up and going to a B'n'B for the next couple of nights.
Enjoying camping is all about being prepared and knowing what's what IMHO. That gives you the space to chill out and relax. And that only really comes after doing it a couple of times.

Oh and we should organise a MAP camping trip.
Get 10-15 of us in one field, tents round the outside, training in the middle and barbecue and beers at night.
Actually a displosable barbie can be a good way to have a camping meal without having to buy a stove and bottle early on.

 

[Mousy_baby]

If possible, try to camp somewhere where you can have an open fire. Even if you do most of your cooking on a primus or a disposable barbeque or whatever, having at least some of your meals cooked on an open fire will be a great experience for your children (although whether they participate in the cooking itself will obviously depend upon their ages.) And for you it will increase the macho outdoorsy factor by about 1,000.

And if you do decide to really go for the full-on survivalist experience, then the old scout trick of frying an egg on a hot rock DOES work! But speaking from personal experience, it's best to use a flat one. Watching your nice egg slide off the rock and into the fire is just annoying.

 

[NikkiBaby[[DeD]]]

LOL! ;]