Beginners kit

beantins

Hi all, myself and the missus are toying with the idea of doing a bit of camping in the near future, on site camping and i have a car to haul kit, was just wondering if any one could give me a little heads up on what basic gear il be needing along with the tents and sleeping bags, thanks for any input!

il gatto

Depends on your intentions. Is it campsite? Do you have kids? How rough are you willing to rough it?

Basic kit:
Tent, basic 3 man. Don't spend too much as you may hate camping.
Foam roll mats. Sleeping bags. Inflatable pillows (clothes will do but your necks might hurt in the morning).
Stove. Multi fuel, gas. Loads of options. Handy in a power cut also.
Cooking utensils. Pots, pan, plates, cutlery. Aluminium and plastic. Again, no point spending too much if you hate it.
Water. Bring clean water. And toilet paper.
Simple food. Canned soup, stewed steak, packets of pasta, soup. Something handy.
Good wet weather gear and changes of clothes.

I'm sure I've forgotten some obvious stuff, but as you can see, there's a bit of planning. If you get into it, you can expand/refine your kit and organise it so you only have to grab a few bags and go. Otherwise it's a pain.

Orion

For water I generally buy a 5 litre bottle from Lidl and then keep refilling it from the tap on site.

Start off simple: gas or liquid fuel stove, basic cutlery/plates. Tesco do a clone of the Light My Fire mealkit (bowl, plate and cup) for a third of the price of the branded one. Get a whistle kettle.
For foam mats get ones with aluminium on one side for insulation. Later look at the self-inflating ones. I got a Vango one for 25 in the Great Outdoors recently and it's very comfortable.
If you can borrow a tent off someone first just to make sure you like it then do that. Don't buy a tent from Halfords or Argos - they're crap. You'd be better off spending a little more on a decent one. You can always upgrade later. As you camp you will see what other people are using and you will add to your kit as you go.
I'm not a fan of inflatable pillows myself. Bring a pillow case and put a fleece or two in it when you're sleeping.
Food doesn't need to be that simple - it's amazing what you can cook on a simple stove when you have to. I've done chicken curries, lasagne, full fries on just a Triangia. But when starting off keep it easy to cook and experiment as you go.

Hope you enjoy it.

BarryD

If you're camping at a site etc., a camp chair or stool - the ones you fold up can make things that bit more comfortable. You don't need a table but something to sit on adds considerably to enjoyment. A light for the tent is handy too - one that runs off rechargeables etc. Torch for outside, you'd manage with a decent torch to do both inside and out. A cheap windbreak is not essential but again can add to simple comfort as it gives you a little shelter if there's a breeze blowing.

Sauve

Few lengths of simple rope/cord is a good idea as you'll always find some use for them.
From a clothesline, to tying down an unruly corner of your tent.
Same for plastic bags, bring a few for rubbish, dirty clothes etc.

beantins

Thanks lads, good to have a wee bit of know how before i go

Charlie19

Cooler box, ice packs and I do wrap my packs of meat and beers in a couple of damp cloths. Keeps the contents of the box cold for a couple of days. I bring spuds and cook wedges with black pepper. Tinfoil comes in handy for cooking.

You'll pick up a cheap windbreaker for 10-15 euro, handy for giving you shade and privacy or if you have a parasol out your garden you could use that.

A 3/4" chisel comes in handy for making wee holes if you are using a windbreaker and don't forget your hammer.

Red Kev

If you're taking the car then you'll have space for a couple of proper pillows from home! Anytime I've done site camping I've alwyas bought a small duvet from home as well, if you have the space, no point in finding out at 3 a.m when you're freezing that your sleeping bag isn't good enough.

Just take a couple of small pots and a frying pan from home as well along with a couple of mugs, plates and cutlery, there's no point spending money on camping equipment if you decide later you don't like it and you'll get a good idea as to what the minimum is you'll need. Don't forget a can opener.

Camping Gaz are the handiest cookers you can get, I've used a Campingaz Twister Plus PZ for a good few years and I think it's the best option for hikes of up to a week.