Outdoors · Camping
Comfortable camping is mostly about sleep, warmth and one hot meal. Everything else is a bonus.
Almost every miserable camping trip comes down to the same three things: a bad night of sleep, being cold, and having nothing hot to eat. Get those right and a night out is genuinely restful.
This list covers a car or short-walk campsite for one to three nights. Work through it and mark what you already own, then look at what is actually missing before buying anything new.
Sort this section properly and the rest of the trip looks after itself.
A dry, quick-pitch shelter is the backbone of any overnight trip and the difference between a rough night and a good one.
Why you need it. A dry, quick-pitch shelter is the backbone of any overnight trip and the difference between a rough night and a good one.
What to look for. A weatherproof tent you can pitch in under ten minutes, ideally once in the garden before you rely on it.
Sleeping warm is what makes the next morning's distance feel possible.
Why you need it. Sleeping warm is what makes the next morning's distance feel possible.
What to look for. A comfort rating a few degrees below the coldest night you expect. Down packs smaller; synthetic keeps working when damp.
Most overnight cold comes up from the ground, not down from the air. A pad insulates you from it.
Why you need it. Most overnight cold comes up from the ground, not down from the air. A pad insulates you from it.
What to look for. An insulated inflatable pad for weight, or a foam pad for durability and zero risk of punctures.
A rolled jumper works for one night and ruins the second. A proper pillow is the cheapest sleep upgrade you can pack.
Why you need it. A rolled jumper works for one night and ruins the second. A proper pillow is the cheapest sleep upgrade you can pack.
What to look for. Inflatable or compressible foam, with a brushed cover that is not slippery. Look for something that packs down smaller than a loaf of bread.
Most tent failures are peg failures. The pegs supplied in the bag are usually the weakest part of the whole tent.
Why you need it. Most tent failures are peg failures. The pegs supplied in the bag are usually the weakest part of the whole tent.
What to look for. A set of sturdy steel or alloy pegs suited to your usual ground, plus a light mallet or rubber-headed hammer and a spare guyline.
A sheet of waterproof material covers a damaged roof, keeps belongings dry, becomes shade, or becomes shelter. Few things are this flexible.
Why you need it. A sheet of waterproof material covers a damaged roof, keeps belongings dry, becomes shade, or becomes shelter. Few things are this flexible.
What to look for. A reinforced tarp with eyelets, around 3 x 4 m, plus a length of paracord to tie it with.
One hot meal and a reliable drink of water do most of the work.
A hot meal and a warm drink do more for morale at the end of a wet day than any piece of gear.
Why you need it. A hot meal and a warm drink do more for morale at the end of a wet day than any piece of gear.
What to look for. A compact gas stove with a wind shield, and slightly more fuel than the trip calculation suggests.
A pan that nests, a lid that doubles as a plate and one decent mug turn a stove into an actual kitchen.
Why you need it. A pan that nests, a lid that doubles as a plate and one decent mug turn a stove into an actual kitchen.
What to look for. A nesting pot and pan set with folding handles, plus a mug, plate and cutlery per person. Anodised aluminium is light, steel lasts longer.
Two days of proper food instead of two days of dry snacks. It also keeps milk, medicine and leftovers safe.
Why you need it. Two days of proper food instead of two days of dry snacks. It also keeps milk, medicine and leftovers safe.
What to look for. A hard cool box or insulated bag sized to your car boot, with two freezer blocks so one is always frozen.
Dehydration is the quiet reason most days out start to feel hard. Carrying your own water means you never depend on finding a tap.
Why you need it. Dehydration is the quiet reason most days out start to feel hard. Carrying your own water means you never depend on finding a tap.
What to look for. Around 1 litre per person for a half-day, easy to drink from one-handed, and a shape that fits your pack's side pocket.
Camp cooking is pleasant right up until the point where nothing is clean. A tiny kit prevents that.
Why you need it. Camp cooking is pleasant right up until the point where nothing is clean. A tiny kit prevents that.
What to look for. A collapsible bowl, biodegradable soap, a sponge and a quick-dry cloth. Keep it all in one bag so nothing goes missing.
Moving generates a surprising volume of packaging, and bags double as clothes carriers and soft padding.
Why you need it. Moving generates a surprising volume of packaging, and bags double as clothes carriers and soft padding.
What to look for. Heavy-duty bags in two sizes. Keep a roll in the car so nothing gets left behind in the old place.
The small things that decide whether you want to stay another night.
Hands-free light for a pre-dawn start, an unexpected late finish, or finding anything at all inside a tent.
Why you need it. Hands-free light for a pre-dawn start, an unexpected late finish, or finding anything at all inside a tent.
What to look for. A small lamp with a low mode for camp and a bright mode for walking, plus spare batteries or a charged battery pack.
A head torch points where you look. A lantern lights the table, the tent and the space everyone shares.
Why you need it. A head torch points where you look. A lantern lights the table, the tent and the space everyone shares.
What to look for. A rechargeable LED lantern with a warm dimmable setting and a hook. Check the runtime on low, not the headline brightness.
Sitting on the ground is charming for twenty minutes. A chair is what makes an evening at camp somewhere you want to stay.
Why you need it. Sitting on the ground is charming for twenty minutes. A chair is what makes an evening at camp somewhere you want to stay.
What to look for. A folding chair that packs flat or into a bag, with a supportive back and feet that will not sink into soft ground.
Midges and mosquitoes decide how enjoyable dusk is, and dusk is the best part of the day at camp.
Why you need it. Midges and mosquitoes decide how enjoyable dusk is, and dusk is the best part of the day at camp.
What to look for. A repellent suited to where you are going, plus a head net if you are heading somewhere notorious. Check it is safe for children if relevant.
Weather turns faster than forecasts admit, and staying dry is how you stay warm.
Why you need it. Weather turns faster than forecasts admit, and staying dry is how you stay warm.
What to look for. A breathable waterproof shell that packs small enough that you actually carry it. A hood that adjusts is worth more than an extra layer.
Blisters, grazes and headaches are the everyday injuries, and all of them are far more manageable with a small kit in the bag.
Why you need it. Blisters, grazes and headaches are the everyday injuries, and all of them are far more manageable with a small kit in the bag.
What to look for. Blister plasters, adhesive dressings, antiseptic wipes, painkillers and a bandage. Restock it after every trip rather than before the next one.
