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Topic: Back to basics - anyone done it?

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lidds0

30/7/2018 at 9:21am
Location: Yorkshire
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Quote: Originally posted by osvic on 29/7/2018
we have our holiday set up with everything you can imagine and then a small tent we take for overnights. We take with it our SIMS, a set of smaller cheap chairs and the cadac safari chef and of course the kettle.
We just hook it out the trailer and chuck it in the car. Works really well unless its to hot then we lack shade but can work on that.

We do similar. Problem is, on one 6 weeks trip to France, we spent 4 weeks in the overnight tent but only 2 with the full set-up, which meant we carted a ton of stuff around with us for the majority of the time which seemed a bit crazy!

As Ewan says, it's what works for you and the kind of camping you do. We've recognised that we mostly tour, so now want to take one lot of scaled-down kit - not too basic - instead of the kitchen sink set-up we usually lug around with us.

lidds0

30/7/2018 at 9:22am
Location: Yorkshire
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For shade, a car tarp is good 😊.

homebird2003

30/7/2018 at 12:19pm
Location: Southampton
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Take a look at the film Carry On Camping which shows simple camping....A couple on a tandem carrying a ridge tent, cot beds & sleeping bags, hanging lamp. Cooking was done with one pot or frying pan on a little gas cooker while sitting on fold up stools. Presumably they had a kettle too. Two plates,cups,cutlery. They seemed to wear the same clothes every day though....

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dmsplat

30/7/2018 at 12:56pm
Location: North West
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Quote: Originally posted by homebird2003 on 30/7/2018
They seemed to wear the same clothes every day though....

To be fair, I do that when I camp!!

With me, my wife and three kids, even doing fairly minimal kit per person adds up to a mountain of stuff & seems to take up all of a Ford Galaxy & massive roof box. We don't do EHU or loads of extras. It's all stored ready to go, so it doesn't take that long to grab and load.

Each person gets:

- SIM (7.5-12cm, pretty bulky)
- Sleeping bag (relatively small pack size)
- Pillow
- 1 holdall for their clothes & toiletries
- 1 small day pack for (kids) books / toys (parents) books, medicines, stuff the kids will want but won't remember....
- Fleece jacket
- Rain jacket
- Shoes
- Boots
- Wellies
- Head Torch
- Chair (umbrella kind)

Add that to the tent, cooking stuff, cool box, stove, petrol can for stove, carpet, table and the pile gets big fast! (The biggest things are the SIMS, the cool box and the cooking stuff box. I lust after those tefal stacking pans! The pillows are a luxury, but squish down fairly well).

Having said that, although it's a lot of stuff, the tent is usually up in 45 minutes or so and within an hour and a half from arrival we're basically done.

If it were just me & my wife with a smaller tent, our gear would fit in a fairly small car easily - we look forward to those days!!!

ANGEDAWS

03/8/2018 at 11:22pm
Location: Northern England
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Thanks all, some interesting thoughts! I am hankering afer the sort of camping we did when we were in our 20s but I am well aware that those days are long behind us!

I think that if I can get the sleeping set up right then DH will be sold. Oh and that is a minefield in itself, having spent some time researching airbeds/SIMS!

Maybe we need a few days away with a basic set up before we part with the camper ...

lidds0

04/8/2018 at 7:57am
Location: Yorkshire
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Quote: Originally posted by ANGEDAWS on 03/8/2018
Thanks all, some interesting thoughts! I am hankering afer the sort of camping we did when we were in our 20s but I am well aware that those days are long behind us!

I think that if I can get the sleeping set up right then DH will be sold. Oh and that is a minefield in itself, having spent some time researching airbeds/SIMS!

Maybe we need a few days away with a basic set up before we part with the camper ...

Yes, dependable tent, comfy bed and good chair are the three staple requirements, even for a more basic set up!

richardh1905

04/8/2018 at 8:44am
Location: South Cumbria
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Quote: Originally posted by Ewen c on 29/7/2018
My camping gear for next weekend is a one man tent, down sleeping bag, petrol stove and blow up mat. It all fits in a rucksack.
However, many would say I carry too much. One person's downsizing is another person's excessiveness. Take what fits in the car....or rucksack.

Indeed - on my next mountain wild camp I'm going to leave the stove, fuel, cookware and mug at home!

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richardh1905

04/8/2018 at 8:50am
Location: South Cumbria
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What is simple camping to one might be glamping to another, so it is difficult to offer advice.

If I'm on my own, I like to just throw a small tent in the boot of the car (or rucsac), along with mat, rucsac, headtorch and a small stove/cookware set. And that is it.

This might be regarded as too minimalist for some, but I love the simplicity - less is more when it comes to camping.

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Ewen c

04/8/2018 at 8:51am
Location: County Kildare Ireland EU.
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Quote: Originally posted by richardh1905 on 04/8/2018

Quote: Originally posted by Ewen c on 29/7/2018
My camping gear for next weekend is a one man tent, down sleeping bag, petrol stove and blow up mat. It all fits in a rucksack.
However, many would say I carry too much. One person's downsizing is another person's excessiveness. Take what fits in the car....or rucksack.

Indeed - on my next mountain wild camp I'm going to leave the stove, fuel, cookware and mug at home!

Flameless cooker?
I got a load of them with some ration packs. Still to try them.
I couldn't go without my freshly made morning coffee so need the stove and the roar of a petrol stove is quite comforting.
My Rucksack is all packed for later today and is quite heavy due to food, water and ...cider.

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Mucker1884

04/8/2018 at 9:25am
Location: Derby.
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We started camping in 2012, both fast approaching our 50's, at the time, and with a little spare pocket money to hand. I joined these forums at the same time. I saw the set-up photo's! I think it's safe to say we have never done basic camping, so are therefore unable to "go back" to it!!

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Ewen c

04/8/2018 at 10:54am
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Here is my minimal for tonight.
I decided to take the flameless heating bags for my MRE to give them a try. That means I could get rid of the pot for boiling the bags.I can just use loch water to activate the heaters. Still got the petrol stove and a cup for boiling water for coffee. The MRE packs are heavy but it will all be in my stomach this evening along with the cider.
3 litres of water is vital as is a book and a down jacket for the evening. Spare clothes aren't really required...

Apart from that, it is just air mat, pillow, sleeping bag, first aid kit, msr filter, tent, power bank, petzl, a cut down karrimat to plank my bum on, waterproof jacket and one luxury item....a lightweight mallet.

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DarrenElbrow

04/8/2018 at 4:37pm
Location: Poole Dorset
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We have a small folding camper, a Conway Challenger, . Pretty lightweight, we tow behind our Mini Clubman. It’s stocked with enough food for a weekend, and we have a tub for carrying pillows and odds and ends that we don’t leave in the camper. Sleeping bags stay in the camper. The only thing is we have to use EHU for the fridge as our Staffy has raw food which needs keeping chilled ( and it’s somewhere to keep a cold cider or two)
We can be on the road at 6pm after work, 30-40 minutes drive to a campsite. 15 minutes to open the camper and we’re good for an overnight or 2/3 night weekend. Even midweek sometimes. We’ve had the camper for 3 years and never even left our home county, Dorset. Some many lovely places to stay within an hours drive
We have the feeling of being in a tent, with a decent bed off the floor and it’s pretty cosy if we take a heater at the beginning/end of the season. Even the dog loves it, as he gets to share the bed which he’s not allowed to do at home

Post last edited on 04/08/2018 18:59:25

Post last edited on 04/08/2018 19:00:12

ANGEDAWS

04/8/2018 at 8:02pm
Location: Northern England
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Thanks all. Darren, we have thought about downsizing to a smaller camper. We can set the Pennine Sterling up far quicker than we could a tent and you do have the comfort. But then we would have to pay to put a towbar on our new car and until the kids fly the nest we could do with the space on the driveway (dont have a garage).

I love to hear about people going really basic but DH would never go for that idea. DS and I went backpacking one and I loved it but I think we still need a few home comforts.

Lots to think about.

harribo52

05/8/2018 at 8:31pm
Location: Glouc
Outfit: Alaska and Eldorado . Romahome Duo

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I've longed to downsize in the amount of stuff I take, as pitching the tent doesn't take long. It's all the rubbish I put in it that takes time.
Having bought a Romahome camper last year I hadn't done any tenting this year until I went to Cornwall last week.
Decided to get the Alaska out as I was missing the tenting side of camping.
Decided not to do a belt and braces camp.
It's amazing how much space you have left in the car, so much so that I had to keep checking that I hadn't left anything behind.

On a note for Ewen C about the Alaska.
If you have problems getting the door frame pins in the holes in the canvas (2nd pin).
I cut 1 inch off the top pole that runs across the top of the door. (the one with 3 holes in)
It makes life so much easier on pitching and the tent sits better, no flappy porch sides.

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Soligavant

05/8/2018 at 9:16pm
Location: East Yorkshire
Outfit: Kampa Mersea 3 tent

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I've been following this topic with interest and come to the conclusion that I've never got any further than a back to basics setup.

Tent, bed/sleeping bag, chair, table, stove, coolbox, 3 boxes - one with tent related stuff in (torch, spare pegs, repair kit, mallet, etc.) one with cooking related stuff and dry goods in and one with clothes/toiletries in.

... and I'm trying to reduce this so that it all fits solely in the boot of my car

Caligula

05/8/2018 at 11:24pm
Location: Suffolk
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Lavvu, bivvy, trangia, canoe.......

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