Carry on Camping - a cheaper alternive holiday.

Carry On Camping

What do I need to go camping?

Camping. It conjures up images of sunny days, green fields, meadows full of flowers. Peace and relaxation. Camping is a wonderful experience, for young and old alike. It is a great experience for children, fresh air, space to run around in and usually lots of friends to be made.

Camping is the green holiday alternative. You’ll be surprised how many great campsites there are within easy driving distance, in beautiful local areas which are well worth exploring. The other great thing about camping is that it doesn’t have to cost the earth. Camping means there is less travel and less use of hotels with all their wastefulness. Once you have bought your kit, it should last you for years. After the initial financial outlay, you will reap the rewards of your purchases for many years, making your holidays cheaper each time you go. You will not only be saving money but will be helping to save the planet too.

Camping can be very simple, you will only need a tent, a sleeping bag and a sleeping mat. There is a huge range of these three simple basics and a huge range of other camping accessories which will make your experience even more comfortable. Let’s talk a little about these three main items of kit you need to go camping:

Tents.

When you are buying a tent there are two main things to consider:

Space – Space is important in your tent if you are living in it for a holiday and equally important if you need a lightweight tent for backpacking. If you are holidaying and living in your tent, think about room to stand up, room to hang out and play cards in if it is raining, especially if you are taking your children, and room in which to store your kit.

Quality – think about what quality tent you want. The better the quality the longer it will last, but the more it will cost. If you are only camping in the summer or locally in the South East of England a basic 2 seasons tent will be fine. If you are going into the mountains or somewhere where you get high winds and heavy rain, you will need a better quality tent, one that is rated at 4 seasons.

Think about what quality and space you require and seek out an expert to help you choose the perfect tent for your holiday. Remember, this will be your home while you are on holiday and it is essential, for your comfort and enjoyment, that you make the right choice.

Sleeping Bags

Choosing a sleeping bag is simpler than choosing the tent. If you are travelling to your campsite by car, then size and weight do not matter. If you are carrying your kit then you need to think about the size and weight. A small, warm, lightweight sleeping bag is more costly, but better to carry. As with tents, the season rating is used with 2,3 and 4 season sleeping bags available.

Sleeping bags will have a temperature rating on them, showing what they will go down to. It is important to remember here, that there is no standard way of measuring this and when a bag states it is comfortable down to -5 degrees, this may be true for a fit and hardy person wearing thermals. The reality for somebody else could be that the bag is only warm down to 10 degrees. Bear this in mind when you are buying your bag and seek an expert opinion.

You can have the choice of a down filled sleeping bag or a synthetic sleeping bag. Down filled bags will last longer and have a much better weight to warmth ratio, but can be costly. A synthetic bag is heavier for the warmth you get, but they are much cheaper and can be carefully washed after use.

Sleeping mats:

These are an essential piece of kit to help keep you warm. Primarily they are designed to stop you getting cold from the ground. If you sleep directly on the ground it will draw the heat from your body quicker than you can go to sleep, leaving you shivering, even in summer. A ground mat can be a simple foam mat, which you can buy for around £5. A self inflating, super comfy, super luxury mat will set you back in the region of £100.

Self inflating mats are regarded as the better option as they will also provide an element of comfort as well as the insulation. They start at around the £25 mark and can be a great investment. A self inflating mat was one of my best buys for camping, many years ago, when I had to spend three months in a tent, pure luxury compared to a standard foam mat.

There you have the three key ingredients for kit to get you out camping. There is a lot more you can learn about camping, but buying the right kit the first time is important. The rest you can learn as you go. Get out there, enjoy the fresh air, sunrises, moon lit nights and have an eco friendly holiday, saving you money and helping save the planet too.