Camping Equipment for All Budgets

Tent

Having a reliable tent can make the difference between a enjoyable camping trip or a disastrous one. When buying your tent you have to take into account that the size will affect the price – a tent designed for say one or two people will be significantly cheaper than a tent designed for four to six people. When looking for a tent take into consideration the types of weather you will use the tent in, tents range from one- to four-season, some are only suited to particular weather conditions, some are suited for all weather conditions. Buying a tent with a tub floor will keep the floor (flooring made from a single piece of material, no stitching) of the tent bone dry. Even in dry conditions a tub floor stops any moistures built up under the tent from soaking into it. When inside any size tent, there should be a good circulation of oxygen and reflective pegs are great for when walking outside in the dark. It’s never a bad idea to set a newly-bought tent up in a garden, so when it’s time to use it in the wild, you will be prepared and know exactly what do do.

Low Range: £10 – £30; Mid Range: £40 – £90; High Range: £200+

Fire

There are many different ways to get a camp fire going, and it is always a good idea to have a few sources of creating fire, from rubbing two sticks together or striking steel against flint to waterproof matches to a lighter. Having as many sources as possible to get a fire going is always a great idea. The type of weather conditions you will be camping in will determine what source of creating fire will suit best. With some household products such as nail polish and candles you can turn a cheap box of ordinary matches into waterproof ones, here are some instructions on how to create them. Most of the time a cheap lighter will get a nice fire going, but if you want to fully immerse yourself in the wilderness nothing beats striking a piece of flint with steel to create sparks. If you know where to look, you can find flint.

Low Range: £1 -£2 for matches/lighter; Mid Range: £3 – £5 for flint and steel striker; High Range: £20+ for a outdoor lighter

Sleeping Bag/Hammock

Sleeping bags can either be a good or bad thing for camping. If out in a more humid climate a hammock may suit better, just make sure you carry a mosquito net so no insects can bite or sting you. In colder climates sleeping bags work great. If possible take air beds or sleeping mats to help with comfort. Similar to tents, sleeping bags also come with different seasonal protection. Check the ideal temperature use when looking for sleeping equipment to suit any weather conditions you may be in. There are different types of sleeping bags, some that completely enclose you in and others that are almost like a bed. The enclosed sleeping bags would work best in colder weather but would work just as well in warmer climates, the bed-like sleeping bags would be much more comfortable in much warmer and humid weather as you’re not completely enclosed.

Low Range: £8 – £20; Mid Range: £25 – £60; High Range: £70+

Cutlery

When searching for cutlery, if you plan on going with plastic folks, knifes and spoons make sure the plastic is very durable. A great option is sporks; not only do these combine forks and spoons, but some even have a serrated edge for cutting. Titanium sporks are available and will last much longer than your average plastic sporks, plus they wont rust in damp conditions. The downside to sporks is that if you are eating food like steak you will need a fork and knife, but you could get around this by buying good quality plastic knives.

Low Range: £1 – £5; Mid Range: £8 – £15; High Range: £20+

Medical Kit

A well thought out and packed medical kit should always be packed with basic items such as plasters, bandages, antiseptic wipes and paracetamol. Packing items that you may need in specific parts of the world is never a bad idea, so research the place you are going to and stock up with medical items. Having each medical item clearly marked and organized will help either yourself or somebody with you treat a wound quickly without losing time due to an unorganized medical kit. Carrying a smaller medical kit, still with everything the larger one would have, is great for when you plan to walk into a dense forest or go on a long trail. Any cuts or scrapes you get either by branches or rocks should been seen to immediately. When in warmer climates insect repellant will help protect you against any diseases such as malaria that mosquitos may carry, but in much colder temperatures heat packs are a great thing to carry, with most providing upwards of ten hours of warmth.

Low Range: £1 – £5; Mid Range: £5- 15; High Range: £20+

Light

When camping you should have at least a lantern, preferably a butane lantern and a torch. The benefit of butane lanterns if that you won’t waist battery power for torches, plus when inside a tent, lanterns will illuminate a lot more space in a smaller package. Lanterns with a dimmer feature help not only when you want less light, but to preserve butane fuel. When searching for a torch and lantern make sure they have specific features that you will need. A lantern that can produce enough light to illuminate a tent designed for upwards of six people is great but not for a tent designed for two to four people, unless it has that built-in dimmer switch. Any torch that can produce a high, medium and low beam is a nice piece of kit to have.

Low Range: £1 – £10; Mid Range: £15 – £25; High Range: £40+

Rucksack

A good, heavy-duty rucksack is vital for camping. When deciding on a rucksack take into consideration all of the items you will be carrying. Another thing to check for is padded hip belts, these help spread the weight of the load evenly around the upper body, taking a lot of strain away from the back. Some of the more moderately priced rucksacks also feature a hydration unit hidden at the very top with a durable drinking straw and mouth piece, excellent for higher temperatures.

Low Range: £15 – £30; Mid Range: £35 – £70; High Range: £80+

Knife

A good strong knife is an essential piece of kit. Leathermans are a great tool to carry, not only do they have nice sharp blades but also other tools, like screwdrivers, bottle openers, can openers and saws. Purchasing cheaper knives isn’t a bad idea for small jobs such as cutting food, but they are definitely not good knives to rely on. A blade with a steel grade of S30V will cut through almost anything you will find when out in the wild, very useful for shaving off any damp bark of twigs to use as fire wood.

Low Range: £5 – £15; Mid Range: £20 – £35; High Range: £50+

Gas Cooker

Most camping gas cookers use butane. Butane come in canisters available in different sizes. Butane is a compressed gas and can only be released by pushing down on the nozzle so there will be no leaks while traveling. Carrying a gas cooker can be useful even if you plan to start camp fires to cook food – there may be situations where you want a nice hot drink or have a warm snack, so rather than wait for a fire to get going, just flick the switch on your cooker and you’re ready.

Low Range: £10 – £20; Mid Range: £25 – £50; High Range: £60+

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