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Topic: Advice on the Best Starter Kit for Newbie

KathleenEC

05/4/2011 at 9:04pm
Location: Essex
Outfit: Skandika Gotland

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Hi all

I am totally new to camping although my other half has camped before, albeit roughing it which I am not sure I am that prepared to do especially with our 2 year old! lol
I was wondering if you could help me on deciding what basics to get as I am feeling overwhelmed by it all! We have a Skandika Gotland tent which is HUGE! But aside a Tesco double airbed which we have for guests, which I find goes down in the night(!) we dont really have that much!
I would like to know where and what to buy a cooking table, airbeds, lighting etc and any advise from you seasoned campers that have small children would be greatly appreciated! Looking to try and book Deers Glade in Norfolk this month so havent long to get prepared! EEK!
Many thanks!

Madscot66

05/4/2011 at 9:33pm
Location: Dumfries
Outfit: Amazon 600 zenith 8 man kampa polzeath

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Type in camping check list into google and have a look and see what you need most.

Sleeping bags( vango nitestar 450)
Cooking kitchen (yellowstone)
EHU ( electric hook up)
Pots and pans
Airbeds(intex deluxe )
Pinic rugs( under airbed ,stops cold coming up)
Power inverter( gives you 240v from car )
Kitchen utensils
Coolbox
Battery lights

This is just a start for you .
You will collect this up as you go on . Check photos out on the tent review section. And will see what people use or when your on site take a look around , I did was so helpful.
Remember enjoy yourself............

emmatobin

05/4/2011 at 9:45pm
Location: Blackpool
Outfit: Sunncamp Kansas 8 & mojave 5

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see this part of the site for a checklist.

I have a young daughter - shes 5 now but was almost 3 when we started camping..at this time of the year the most important thing you should think of (in my opinion) is keeping warm.. especially your 2 year old! Think sleeping bags, blankets and use something as insulation underneath you airbed (if using an airbed) as you may find it cold at night, cardboard is a great option for underneath airbeds - failing that we use the fleece picnic blanketsv underneath (about £4 ish)

It really depends on what you want to take - how much room you have in car - do you have a roofbox or trailer or just the car ? If its just the car then start out small, just take the basics - you can pick up camping stuff cheap enough in the supermarkets these days and I always find its best to start off cheap in case you dont like it!
ALWAYS shops around though, I have found soooo many bargains by just spening an extra 5 minutes looking around online!

I'd say the basics are
tent (obviously)
chairs
table
stove (can pick up small one ring types that run off gas canisters for under a tenner - dont forget your gas cannisters though)!
something to sleep on - airbeds or camp beds etc ..
sleeping bag (or quilt)
pots pans, plates cutlery etc...
lights
spare batteries (for lights)
coolbox and ice blocks to keep food cold

have a look round your local camping shop if you have one... asda and tesco do a lot of camping stuff quite cheap too.

There are a few websites here to get you started if you want to have a look...

go outdoors
yeomans
norwich camping

KathleenEC

05/4/2011 at 9:45pm
Location: Essex
Outfit: Skandika Gotland

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Thank you, have only just found this site and have spent last hour reading only a few of the threads-so much info! Look forward to chatting to people on here to help allay my fears of the first camping experience! Need to give up the control freak in me! lol

emmatobin

05/4/2011 at 9:48pm
Location: Blackpool
Outfit: Sunncamp Kansas 8 & mojave 5

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we all started out the same way!

KathleenEC

05/4/2011 at 9:53pm
Location: Essex
Outfit: Skandika Gotland

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Thank you EmmaTobin, I am definately not keen on the cold! My OH works away in the week as a contractor so he has gas cooker and also electric heater. Would definately be investing in a heater, just reading up about the oil ones. If you have electric hookup does that allow unlimited electric at a site? For overnight is oil better?
We have a car and pickup truck so would pack as much in as possible including duvets!
Thanks for pointing me in direction of the essentials list have just printed out! :-)

emmatobin

05/4/2011 at 10:50pm
Location: Blackpool
Outfit: Sunncamp Kansas 8 & mojave 5

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Have a look at this

The voltage supplied in the UK is 230.
Therefore a rough guide to work out how many Amps will be drawn by a Kettle, heater or Toaster etc is to divide the Watts by 230.
e.g. 2kW (2000 Watts) will draw about 8.7 Amps.
I think the idea is to not have everything plugged in at once anyway so I wouldnt recommend having anything else plugged in at same time as heater
As for oil ones.. Im not too sure about them, never used them

arsenaldes

06/4/2011 at 7:01pm
Location: Aston Clinton
Outfit: Kampa Holkham + Outwell Yukon River*

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Dont forget the bottle opener and corkscrew

-------------
Experience enables you to recognize a mistake when you make it again.
Everything has been said before, but since nobody ever listens we have to keep going back and saying it all over again and again and again

emmatobin

07/4/2011 at 12:38am
Location: Blackpool
Outfit: Sunncamp Kansas 8 & mojave 5

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and tin opener!!

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