The camping essentials - I've found a bargain which you all need to know about thread...

[Hawros]

On 11/25/2018 at 11:26 AM, Lycra said:

 

It's 9.44kg and you will also need to purchase  a pump which is an additional £10 or £15, depending on make/model. Guessing the pump adds another 1kg to the weight but it can also be used to inflate airbeds.

I quite like the concept of inflatable tents and the reviews seem good, though some users report condensation issues inside the tent on the inflated beams. Personally I want to see more reviews after multiple uses of the tent before investing in one. However if you're looking for a tent to do 1 or 2 festivals they look a great buy at that price.

The pump weighs barely anything, but is quite big, probably 1.5 foot.

I've done 2 decent zests in mine - G '17 and Punk Rock Holiday '18 (6 days camping) and it's holding up really well. Had the same uncertainties regarding it having inflated beams, but works really well - easy to put up and down.

[duke88]

11 minutes ago, Hawros said:

The pump weighs barely anything, but is quite big, probably 1.5 foot.

I've done 2 decent zests in mine - G '17 and Punk Rock Holiday '18 (6 days camping) and it's holding up really well. Had the same uncertainties regarding it having inflated beams, but works really well - easy to put up and down.

I took the plunge and went for it! Bought the pump as well. I'll just have to work on the arm strength a bit for the walk from the car!

[Crazyfool01]

20 minutes ago, duke88 said:

I took the plunge and went for it! Bought the pump as well. I'll just have to work on the arm strength a bit for the walk from the car!

mines arriving in about an hour ... wanted to do a trial but will hold off for a bit although today will be a good to test the waterproofness ... will do a little tryout of the inflatable camp bed instead , this one means a second car trip which I've not done before but think its going to be necessary 

[duke88]

50 minutes ago, crazyfool1 said:

mines arriving in about an hour ... wanted to do a trial but will hold off for a bit although today will be a good to test the waterproofness ... will do a little tryout of the inflatable camp bed instead , this one means a second car trip which I've not done before but think its going to be necessary 

I've always done a second car run, much better than weighing yourself down with everything at once. It's quite nice to have a little stroll out to the car on a Thursday morning.

[HeyPorter]

Tent came yesterday and is still in its box in the garage, feels heavy but no bother. Pump arriving in a few days. Don’t see any point in getting it out and testing it till next year now. 

[Lycra]

6 hours ago, crazyfool1 said:

mines arriving in about an hour ... wanted to do a trial but will hold off for a bit although today will be a good to test the waterproofness ... will do a little tryout of the inflatable camp bed instead , this one means a second car trip which I've not done before but think its going to be necessary

Could always invest in a trolley. They make life a lot easier ?

[Crazyfool01]

2 minutes ago, Lycra said:

Could always invest in a trolley. They make life a lot easier ?

My method of choice  unfortunately im nearly full on 1 load 

[Ayrshire Chris]

Need a new air bed. Was thinking of us getting two singles rather than a double. This would allow us to stack one on top of the other during the day giving more space in the tent.  Quite a few good deals on equipment at the moment. 

[Beerqueen]

On 11/18/2018 at 8:27 PM, lazzareo said:

One of mine is a Skandika but not sure about the other.  I paid approx 25-30 on an eBay auction.

I'm wondering whether to get a thicker inflatable mattress but am worried about how bulky/heavy they are as we are travelling by coach and need to carry everything at once.  I have one of the thin ones and have managed with that in the past (the first day is usually a bit restless but after that I usually sleep pretty well - alcohol and exhaustion!).

[DarrenVonBoathook]

As mentioned quite a few pages back Alpkit are worth a look for camping mattress.  At 350g and a packed size of 8 x 21cm (claimed), the Numo might be worth a look. https://www.alpkit.com/products/numo It inflates to approx 8cm so *if* that's deep enough for a comfortable nights sleep it will save alot of weight, pack size and you can inflate it up by mouth, so you don't need to carry a pump.

There is also one that Lidl have done in the past which was pretty similar but weighed a little more at about 500g, but somewhat cheaper at £18. The gamble is if/when they will offer it again....

 

 

Edited December 2, 2018 by DarrenVonBoathook
Spelling. Never spot it until after I press submit

[Beerqueen]

31 minutes ago, DarrenVonBoathook said:

As mentioned quite a few pages back Alpkit are worth a look for camping mattress.  At 350g and a packed size of 8 x 21cm (claimed), the Numo might be worth a look. https://www.alpkit.com/products/numo It inflates to approx 8cm so *if* that's deep enough for a comfortable nights sleep it will save alot of weight, pack size and you can inflate it up by mouth, so you don't need to carry a pump.

There is also one that Lidl have done in the past which was pretty similar but weighed a little more at about 500g, but somewhat cheaper at £18. The gamble is if/when they will offer it again....

 

 

Cheers!  Missed that but it looks a good option!  

[Gedh]

If you feel the cold, mats like this aren't as good as the self inflating type as you bleed more heat into them as they don't have any insulating foam. Just something to be aware of.

 

[Lycra]

2 hours ago, Gedh said:

If you feel the cold, mats like this aren't as good as the self inflating type as you bleed more heat into them as they don't have any insulating foam. Just something to be aware of.

 

We always take foam camping mats to put under over air bed. This helps with warmth  they're very lightweight and easily strap to a rucksack ?

[The Other Steve]

On 12/2/2018 at 10:12 PM, Beerqueen said:

I'm wondering whether to get a thicker inflatable mattress but am worried about how bulky/heavy they are as we are travelling by coach and need to carry everything at once.  I have one of the thin ones and have managed with that in the past (the first day is usually a bit restless but after that I usually sleep pretty well - alcohol and exhaustion!).

They are definitely more bulky but worth it.  I would say they are about 30cm in diameter when rolled.

[Beerqueen]

2 hours ago, lazzareo said:

They are definitely more bulky but worth it.  I would say they are about 30cm in diameter when rolled.

Thanks - I think I will have to think about how much I am taking nearer the time and whether I can manage something a bit bulkier.  I still have to think about what alcohol we're taking and how to transport it!

[Gedh]

57 minutes ago, Beerqueen said:

Thanks - I think I will have to think about how much I am taking nearer the time and whether I can manage something a bit bulkier.  I still have to think about what alcohol we're taking and how to transport it!

That's a definite balance. The more alcohol you take the less you need the thicker mat....

[jyoung]

1 hour ago, Beerqueen said:

Thanks - I think I will have to think about how much I am taking nearer the time and whether I can manage something a bit bulkier.  I still have to think about what alcohol we're taking and how to transport it!

Anything that can be strapped onto the side / underneath of a bag works for me. I'll probs grab a thicker mat nearer the time and attach it to the underneath of my bag with clips. 

[Rumblestripe]

You may be lucky enough to be able to grab one of these Garden Trolleys from Homebase

Pneumatic tyres and rated to carry upto 250Kg (a LOT of cider) £35 to you guvnor...

https://www.homebase.co.uk/saxon-steel-mesh-garden-cart_p374813

 

[John the Moth]

16 hours ago, Rumblestripe said:

You may be lucky enough to be able to grab one of these Garden Trolleys from Homebase

Pneumatic tyres and rated to carry upto 250Kg (a LOT of cider) £35 to you guvnor...

https://www.homebase.co.uk/saxon-steel-mesh-garden-cart_p374813

 

That’s a mobile playpen for the little ‘un sorted ?

[lukemack]

After a new sleeping mat, willing to pay upto £70 if abyone has got any recommendations

[tjamest]

Just over budget, but this has been my place of rest for several years. Slightly wider than most which is nice.

https://www.facewest.co.uk/Thermarest-NeoAir-Voyager.html 

[alanr]

I got this one via an add on facebook. 

Trekology sleeping mat

The offer on facebook drops the price to £10.49. It seems a good mat on my floor, not tried it in a real situation. For the price I thought it was worth a try.

Offer is on this page (scroll down to find it)

Trekology

 

Alan

[HalfAnIdiot]

45 minutes ago, tjamest said:

Just over budget, but this has been my place of rest for several years. Slightly wider than most which is nice.

https://www.facewest.co.uk/Thermarest-NeoAir-Voyager.html 

Seconded. Warm and comfortable. In fact it's very comfortable, rolls up small and is lightweight too.

There are lots of NeoAir variants but go for one with a thermal barrier. May be worth looking around for discounts.

[Quark]

On ‎2‎/‎13‎/‎2019 at 1:17 PM, Rumblestripe said:

You may be lucky enough to be able to grab one of these Garden Trolleys from Homebase

Pneumatic tyres and rated to carry upto 250Kg (a LOT of cider) £35 to you guvnor...

https://www.homebase.co.uk/saxon-steel-mesh-garden-cart_p374813

 

Pretty certain the roads to the gates are littered with the remains of these things.  Every time I've seen one the axles just can't cope with the combination of weight and terrain.

[scaryclaireyfairy]

It really depends on how you load them. A bit like a rucksack, you have to be canny.  They're good for a couple of crates and your tent, sleeping bags/mats etc but the folks that pile ninety-twelve crates on them are asking for misery. Oh and you have to pay attention to what's underfoot rather than blunder on the most direct line. Eg, farm tracks with tyre ruts are potentially worse than the extra effort of taking it over the grass.