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25/6/2013 at 9:48am
Location: Hertfordshire Outfit: Lots of tents and a 72 VW Camper
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Joined: 16/4/2002 Forum Admin 
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Welcome to the forums. I am sure many people will be along with advice and tips, however in the meantime you will find over 35 pages of peoples tents and their setups from here Show us your Tent Photos
Also you will find thousands more tent photos here 
Plus to find campsites that suit your requirements and to read and submit campsite reviews, see here 
------------- Carbon Monoxide Staying Safe Advice
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25/6/2013 at 4:44pm
Location: Eastbourne East Sussex Outfit: 1997 Lunar Venus
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Joined: 15/7/2008 Silver Member 
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well that reply was helpful :) I was going to say. i would first concentrate on the basics before you go spending a fortune on what you think you might need. Most of the kit out there you will not need, it all depends on the level of comfort you want. think first about shelter (well you heave your tent) Sleeping. some good airbeds and sleeping bags ( i don't use airbeds as I have a trailer tent but i am sure some recomendations will come) cooking and seating. will you be eating in the tent or eating out? again there are lots of cookers on the market but i always coped fine with a grill and 2 burner set up. I have been camping since i was a kid but I still get drawn into buying things I don't need (i see it as part of the fun:) My advice would be go on a short weekend with the basics (maybe you can borrow some kit you do not already have, and have a think about what you would need/would like. this will narrow down your choices a great deal.
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25/6/2013 at 4:49pm
Location: Outfit:
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Joined: 09/5/2007 Platinum Member 
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You will find what you need/don't need the more you go camping. It's personal preferences, but don't underestimate creature comforts. If you are going for a week or so and you intend to cook for your family, then you will need stoves, tables, chairs to sit on, etc. Do have a good look at other peoples set up and don't forget the sundry items like cork screws, bottle openers, knives and forks. The list goes on............
------------- The true test of fairness is how fair you are to those who are not
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27/6/2013 at 9:43pm
Location: stoke Outfit: Eurohike Buckingham 8
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Joined: 26/5/2013 Standard Member
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Hiya. we've only really started camping this year as a family and the 2 things we have found essential are electric hook up and a electric cool box. most of the other stuff in our rapidly expanding collection we have bought very cheap from places like B&M, home bargain etc with the idea of buy it cheap and if it becomes an essential then we can replace it with better quality if need be or if we dont use it then it didnt cost much in the first place. Ive stalked the forum pages a fair bit and picked up some good tips. Happy camping
------------- Tenting is becoming addictive
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27/6/2013 at 11:08pm
Location: Cumbria Outfit: Outwell Arizona L
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You will build up a collection of your own essentials over time.
There are the essentials, sleep, eat and somwhere to rest.
But dont forget things to do, I like to go off grid so no EHU for me. So its a wind up radio, newspapers, pack of cards, and other travel games.
Oh and on the table aspect, some have the shelved or storage under them, I wish I had got on of these rather than a normal camping table. Clever storage and packing becomes important for long camping trips.
But just remember, so many things you could buy, but so little boot space available.
------------- Camping with a Outwell Arizona L
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27/6/2013 at 11:51pm
Location: None Entered Outfit: Yellowstone Yukon 4 missouri 3
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We started last year, and have probably replaced every single item we bought for our first camping trip with more suitable, or just nicer stuff.
Decide what you want to sleep on, airbeds make me feel drunk, oh no wait... Oh yeah it's the airbed. So we sleep on just SIMs. I probably wouldn't camp without electric.
Oh and if you're struggling to spend your money the outwell camping club on Facebook is excellent at spending other people's pennies
------------- 2013
Easter - Thorpe park tin tent
May bank - Saxdale
Whitsun - Nantcol
June - Studfold
July - Priests house, Barden's back garden ;-)
July- 4 vents Paris for euro Disney
Aug - Saxdale
Aug- high straggleton farm
Aug BH - Studfold
Sept - Stratford
Oct - Masons
NYE -saxdale (eeeek)
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29/6/2013 at 12:28am
Location: Scotland Outfit: Yellowstone Falls and Vango F10 MK4
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We started as newbies in 2011. We initially bought cheaply. Cheap airbeds, cheap sleeping bags, cheap tent. We soon fell in love with camping and now have upgraded everything with a view to (a) enjoying the better quality and (b) having things that will last.
As essentials go, it depends on your holiday experiences and how you camp. If like us you will mainly spend time chilling in and about your tent then make sure you have things to do to prevent boredom. Games, radio, cards, alcohol even. Lol. On the other hand if the tent is just your base and you intend to be out and about, I would prioritise getting good quality sleeping gear. Camping and sleeping are not easy bedfellows. If you are out and about you'll want to maximise your sleeping comfort. If you're mostly in and around the tent then you can always grab short cat naps during the day.
If you'll almost exclusively self cater then you'll want a two stove burner and possibly a BBQ kit. As well as decent kitchen equipment.
Don't forget to pack batteries, a torch, wet wipes, kitchen roll, toilet roll, duck tape, scissors, washing up liquid and scourer.
If you plan to camp in march April or September and October then I'd advise on hot water bottles and thermals, as well consider a small fan heater and EHU.
Happy camping
------------- MAY 2017 - Loch Ken, Scotland
JUNE 2017 - Sango Sands, Durness, Scotland
AUGUST 2017 - Balloch O Dee, Galloway and Invergarry
SEPTEMBER 2017 - three brief trips
OCTOBER 2017 - hopefully one final trip before Halloween
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