Message Forums

Hi,

Just had our first adventure in the tent and loved it! However, the evenings were soooo cold. As we glanced around the field we could see many people around what looked like glorified BBQ's, yet they were obviously still hot whilst our little disposable paltry affairs were long gone.

What are they? We have not got that much spare room in the back of our car. (It is a Renault Espace, but I do tend to take the kitchen sink with me. Have yet to work out how to pack economically!!!!) Need something small yet perfectly formed.

Thanks

Hmm, thanks for that lostdreamer. I do need to reconsider the clothes side of things.Thought we were going to have a scorching weekend. As newbies completely failed to consider the cooler evenings. Def learnt from my mistake there.

Still fancy a campfire thingy though. Not only do they add warmth but light. Looked so cosy - never thought I'd have campfire envy!

Quote: Originally posted by taffyp on 06/6/2010

Hmm, thanks for that lostdreamer. I do need to reconsider the clothes side of things.Thought we were going to have a scorching weekend. As newbies completely failed to consider the cooler evenings. Def learnt from my mistake there.

Still fancy a campfire thingy though. Not only do they add warmth but light. Looked so cosy - never thought I'd have campfire envy!

 

---

---

we take 2 buckets bbq's from B&Q - one for cooking and one for heating.  And the £7 I spent on thermal undies was the best money ever spent ;-)

I got a small barbecue from Asda so that after the sausages got cooked I could keep the fire going, only problem is the handles sort of disintegrated after two evenings of using firelogs. Admittedly, the second evening we kept it going for about four or five hours.

So check, if you're going for the small barbecue, that it doesn't have plastic/hard melamine handles too close to the barbecue itself.

The firepits are designed to use as such but they're often unwieldy to pack, and dirty to bring home.

So now that I'm barbecueless, I'm going to get to my destination first, go to the local supermarket and buy a simple cheap barbecue, and when I'm leaving camp I'll donate it to whatever new neighbours arrive.

Some great ideas folks. Will def give them a go. OH is now sweating at the possiblity of having to fit more stuff into the back of the car. I feel a trailer coming on .....

Time to fish out those thermals I think. Wasn't there a thread on here last week about how to look alluring in a tent? Hmmmmmmm, not a chance!

Quote: Originally posted by frome on 06/6/2010

---

I got a small barbecue from Asda so that after the sausages got cooked I could keep the fire going, only problem is the handles sort of disintegrated after two evenings of using firelogs. Admittedly, the second evening we kept it going for about four or five hours.

So check, if you're going for the small barbecue, that it doesn't have plastic/hard melamine handles too close to the barbecue itself.

The firepits are designed to use as such but they're often unwieldy to pack, and dirty to bring home.

So now that I'm barbecueless, I'm going to get to my destination first, go to the local supermarket and buy a simple cheap barbecue, and when I'm leaving camp I'll donate it to whatever new neighbours arrive.

---

i do not feel the cold like most people so by the time it does get cold i am tuned in with a few drinks down my neck and warming up from  the inside out, once we close our door we have a little blow heater which gets to a tempature and switches off and keeps us warm until we decide to go to bed, our sleeping bag as always been warm for us and never let us down yet.

BBQ sounds good, never tried that yet,

Unless you're in the South of France, sandles, shorts and a cheap supermarket hoodie just don't cut it at 10pm on campsite! Newbies always underestimate how cold you can get sitting around on site at night, even in July and August. Think layers..thermals are great, tracksuit bottoms, long sleeved t-shirts, double layer of fleecy tops and something windproof if sitting outside. Don't forget hats, socks and fingerless mitts in really cold weather. TBH though proper wool or wool mix jerseys and socks will beat all but the most expensive synthetics hands down. I have an old thin cashmere sweater that used to belong to my late FIL...it's going into holes under the arms but it's the warmest of base layers, belive me. And I knit for a hobby so we all have woo socks.

The other thing to remember is that cold strikes up from the ground, so don't wear thin soled shoes or sandles. Wool socks and Crocs may look naffer than naff but they really do the job of keeping your feet warm!

Oh, I find that my back gets cold sitting in a camp chair so I double up a fleece blanket and use that as insulation. I don't tend to sit snuggled up in a blanket though as the tendency there is to sit immobile...it's worth getting up now and again for a brisk move around, otherwise you can practically set from the cold. Oh, and though alcohol can make you feel warm, it doesn't actually warm you up. It drops your core temperature. You're better off with a hot drink last thing at night.

I agree with Val, warm clothes are the way to go.  Layers that can be added or taken way as necessary rahter than piling everything on at once.    I also find that a fleecy blanket wrapped around 'grandad' style is good.

Fleecy blankets are also good on beds for extra warmth.