Camping needs - what to get?

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MooPoo

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#72951 5-Dec-2010 20:13

I havent been camping in around 30 years, and am wanting to take my young family camping now but the wife says its just too expensive to get setup with all the stuff you have to buy. I see that tents have changed a lot since I last went camping - so cheap!

I can run up a short list of things that I need to get to go camping, but am wondering what everyone else takes?

We would have to get just about everything from scratch to do this, and our budget is not high so am wondering if you good people can make up a list of the things that we NEED and the things that we will WANT.

Obviously I will start it off with a tent. There are 5 of us so I suppose a 6 man tent would be a minimum?

Any help or recommendations on brands, sizes etc would be appreciated.

Cheers

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#413137 5-Dec-2010 20:32

If you ask some of my friends, you need to take a fridge, fan, microwave and other assorted goods... and Im not joking.

Personally, I always thought camping gear was a tent, sleeping bag, frying pan/pot, matches, toilet paper, small shovel and change of clothes.....

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johnr

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#413143 5-Dec-2010 20:42

50 inch LED TV Blue Ray player

timestyles

424 posts

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#413149 5-Dec-2010 20:51

If it's been 30 years since you've camped, and you've got SAF (spousal acceptance factor) to consider, then the first time you go camping, make it only 30 minutes drive from home and or the nearest The Warehouse, to buy any things you don't have. You're probably going to need a bigger tent, as an x-man tent means you can fit a maximum of x people with no spare room. You'll need room for your gear as well.
You could also spend an hour meandering around your local camping store, or the camping section of Trademe. One thing I'll never forget: when you're camping: if the children are happy, the wife/mother is happy. And when the wife is happy, hubby is happy.

knoydart

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#413153 5-Dec-2010 20:55

Always remember to know there to torch is, and you ideally don't bury it in the pack. Head torches are great for hands free working and the like

alasta

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#413157 5-Dec-2010 21:04

To be honest tents aren't really that inexpensive. Yes, you can buy cheap Chinese made ones from the big discount chains, but the quality is crap and a tent that leaks or falls down in the wind will leave you wishing that you hadn't cut costs in that area.

Remember that you'll need airbeds and something to inflate them with. I personally have a fold up foam mattress but I wouldn't necessarily recommend that as it takes up a huge amount of space in the car even when folded up.

MooPoo

251 posts

Ultimate Geek

#413158 5-Dec-2010 21:05

timestyles: And when the wife is happy, hubby is happy.

aint it the truth. Happy wife = happy life.

I could spend an hour walking around a camping store, but with all the things on offer I wouldn't know what I need and what I want. And I could bet the salesperson wouldn't be much help except for loading me up with crap I don't need to get more sales lol

kyhwana2

2566 posts

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#413175 5-Dec-2010 21:51

Well, most of the urgent stuff will be:
Food, water, portable gas cooker + canesters to cook food. Cuttlery. Wet weather gear + warm clothes. (Keep them dry!). GPS/cell phone for emergency. CB (UHF) kit if you're going to be seperated + emergencies ("emergency" channel is 5/35).
Rope + medical supplies. Knife/machette. (If someone breaks their leg, you're going to have to make a stretcher/etc to haul them out)
Torches + spare batteries incase you have move in the dark. Fire lighting supplies.

A sleeping bag + tarp/etc incase your chinese made tent fails. (The rope will come in handy then)..

A pack of cards would come in handy too. :)

Other than that, anything else is extra. Be prepared for emergencies and being stuck out there for longer than you expect and bad weather.

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timestyles

424 posts

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#413186 5-Dec-2010 22:07

Camping gear may be expensive, but for the average NZ family, the only alternative for an annual holiday is staying with relatives, which comes with its own problems.

webwat

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#413212 5-Dec-2010 22:55

If you can setup the tent in a sheltered spot and avoid it being side-on to the prevailing wind, then a cheapy tent might be ok but still needs a separate room for kids. You need a cheap plastic table and some fold-up chairs, and a chillybin with lots of ice for your drinks if you don't have power.

Its worth getting a set of heavy duty plastic tent pegs if you are planning a sandy campsite, because the tent normally breaks after a gust pulls the pegs out of the ground. Dont forget a spare mobile battery or car charger, and an LED lantern that can hang from the roof of the tent.

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gzt

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#413246 6-Dec-2010 00:34

Natural insect repellent cream. "Repel Natural". Wipe it on the doors of the tent. Never needed anything else. From most pharmacies.

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SepticSceptic

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#414142 7-Dec-2010 17:32

alasta: Remember that you'll need airbeds and something to inflate them with. I personally have a fold up foam mattress but I wouldn't necessarily recommend that as it takes up a huge amount of space in the car even when folded up.

Airbeds are icky to sleep on - one tends to sweat on the plastic, even if it is velur. There is no breathe between the body and the airbed - use a quilt or blanket inbetween. Or sleeping bag if you really want :-)

SepticSceptic

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#414149 7-Dec-2010 17:42

Here is my list, as made up of a few years camping with Wimmen and kids, especially if you are camping for more than a week. I actually have this as a Word Doc - check list:

Large Items:
Tent poles and sunroom
Storage units
Deck chairs
Gas Bottle
BBQ Cooker
Chilly Bin
Sleeping Bags
Pillows
Portable Table Set
Rollout Table
Blankets
Air Matress(es) + Pump
Bath & Beach Towels

Gas Lamp & Mantle
Gas Spanner
Hammer & Axe
Lighters

Kitchen:
Tongs / Spatula
Salad Servers
Fry Pan / Pots / Pans
Kettle
Potato Peeler / Grater
Dish Cloth / Sponge
Plates and Bowls
Cutlery
Chopping Board
Can Opener
Cork Screw
Dishwash Liquid
Tea towels
Rubbish bags
Tin Foil and Plastic wrap
Knives
Thermos

Bathroom:
Sunscreen
Moisturiser
Tooth Brushes
Toothpaste
Insect Repellent
Solarcaine
Shampoos
Soaps
Paracetamol
1st Aid Kit
Medicines
Sewing Kit
Savlon
Lip Balm
Flyspray

HATS

Other:
Camera
Broom / Brush Set
Bucket
Torches
Boogie Boards
Wash powder
Clothes Line & pegs
Tow Rope
Mobile Phones + Charger
Boom box
Power cord/board
Lamp
Snorkel sets
Fishing Gear / Backpacks
Mossie Coils
Tarp
Shovel
Heavy Duty Tape
Binoculars
Pocket knife / Compass

Eggs Butter
Jams Oils
Sugar Tom Sauce
Coffee / Tea / Milo Cheese
Salt & Pepper

mentalinc

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#414201 7-Dec-2010 19:27

^^^ winner.

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Elpie

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#414215 7-Dec-2010 19:45

If you haven't been camping as a family before have you considered hiring the gear? Setting up from scratch isn't cheap and you will never recoup your outlay if you/your wife/your kids hate camping and don't want to go again.

Renting the gear isn't cheap either but at least it would give you a chance to try out camping before spending the big bucks.

cyberhub

224 posts

Master Geek

#414222 7-Dec-2010 19:59

I have done heaps of camping and your list does change depending on your location and how luxurious you want the camping experience but as previously mentioned you want to make it as comfortable for the wife and kids as possible to make your camping experience a good one.

The list above is really comprehensive, I have added a few notes

Good quality dome tent with enough room for everyone* - Kathmandu or any other quality camping store. You want a good one as a leaking tent although character building can really wreck a camping trip.

Deck chairs - Warehouse $10 or $20 each

BBQ - good for group cooking

Air Mattress(es) + Pump - you can use those blue foam mattresses from the warehouse if you are roughing it, but I am sure the wife would prefer an air mattress

Bath & Beach Towels - quick dry towels are good for extended trips from Kathmandu

head lamps for everyone, makes setting up a tent in the dark or playing card games much more fun

Can Opener - important as many a people have seriously cut themselves using a knife to open a can

I generally would change what stuff I take depending on where I was going, lake, beach, camping ground etc require different stuff but I am sure you will figure it out :)

Good luck

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