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

[**claire**]

Anyone in the Herts area - there's a great camping exhibition on at the moment at a garden centre in Codicote - great bargains to be had! Making our second visit there this weekend to pick up some stuff for another camping trip next weekend, but there's some great stuff in there:

http://www.campingcentreexhibitions.co.uk/

http://www.vanstoneparkgardencentre.co.uk/info2.cfm?info_id=220703

Also some amazing tent porn to be had - I had no idea there were so many different types & sizes until I went there (& you can pick up the display ones for a bargain price at the beginning of June if you reserve now).

[eFestivals]

don't forget the efestivals camping store (which helps fund this website).

http://camping.efestivals.co.uk

[dondo]

Sorry if it's been mentioned previously in this thread as I've not looked, but Aldi are doing an offer soon (May 22nd) on camping stuff, including camp beds (recommended by me), sleeping bags and trolleys. There are tents but I don't know their spec.

https://www.aldi.co.uk/en/specialbuys/coming-soon/camping/

Lidl got some camping gear too

http://www.lidl.co.uk/cps/rde/SID-C1214AF2-1047BC85/www_lidl_uk/hs.xsl/our-offers-2491.htm?id=294

[GeorgeRAWR]

Can anyone recommend either: a tent, big enough for one tall person and his gear, relatively cheap, but will withstand the sort of weather we had in 05/07 etc
OR
a tent big enough for one tall person, his grandma and their gear, that will withstand the sort of weather we had in 05/07.

I've had a look at this one - http://www.campingandcaravandirect.co.uk/Tents/4-Person-Tents/Coleman-Instant-Tourer-4-Man-Tent/p-99-114-1192/ which was listed a few pages back, but the fact it's not double skinned worries me - wouldn't condensation be an issue?

[Mr Splodge]

don't forget the efestivals camping store (which helps fund this website).http://camping.efestivals.co.uk

And they deliver really quick, and stuff good quality can recommend the trolley

[Helephantelope]

Lidl got some camping gear too

http://www.lidl.co.uk/cps/rde/SID-C1214AF2-1047BC85/www_lidl_uk/hs.xsl/our-offers-2491.htm?id=294

Good spot, the solar/wind up lantern/radio gizmo looks interesting for a tenner!

[clarkete]

Don't expect that to provide any useful charge to the smartphone that's attached to it

[Helephantelope]

No I know, I was thinking more I like the idea of a wind up radio and lantern. I'll be taking an old brick phone anyway so I doubt that will need any extra charging but good to know I could squeeze a bit of charge from it in an emergency!

[clarkete]

I just remember having something similar in the past and spending quarter of an hour tediously winding it just to get a few minutes out of an old Nokia

[toppo]

Igloo Maxicool 60qt £42 in costco as opposed to double elsewhere online. Keeps stuff really cool for 5 days

[Helephantelope]

I just remember having something similar in the past and spending quarter of an hour tediously winding it just to get a few minutes out of an old Nokia

Hehe yes don't worry I won't be relying on it for anything like that, but thanks for the advice! I'm thinking if the phone charging capabilities are going to be used at all it'll only be for a moment to be able to turn on a dead phone and write down a phone number (e.g. my sister with her iPhone last year ). I'd never thought of taking a radio to listen to Worthy FM at the campsite but now I've seen other people mentioning how much they enjoy it in the mornings I reckon I need to give it a go!

Edited May 15, 2014 by Helephantelope

[mkgirl1981]

saw these in primark today - fleece lined tights & leggings!

the tights are £3.50 & leggings £6

Edited May 16, 2014 by mkgirl1981

[Bubblecup]

saw these in primark today - fleece lined tights & leggings!

the tights are £3.50 & leggings £6

I bought these several months ago with Glasto in mind, will be perfect for those cool clear nights after the hot sunny days

[coma girl]

They look good, popping into Primark next week so I'll grab a pair.

[Rumblestripe]

Not a find but a request

Anyone suggest a decent CHEAP cool bag?

I had an Aldi one last year which did a sterling job of keeping things pretty cool through to Sunday. Unfortunately the handle ripped in getting it off the trolley (it was SERIOUSLY overloaded though!) so it is no more. I want one of those fabric fold flat jobbies with a decent capacity 30 litres should do it, I don't want to spend more than a tenner (a fiver would be better!) there are loads on Amazon and The Bay but a recommendation would help rather ŧhan taking pot luck.

Ta!

[Divein]

Not a find but a request

Anyone suggest a decent CHEAP cool bag?

I had an Aldi one last year which did a sterling job of keeping things pretty cool through to Sunday. Unfortunately the handle ripped in getting it off the trolley (it was SERIOUSLY overloaded though!) so it is no more. I want one of those fabric fold flat jobbies with a decent capacity 30 litres should do it, I don't want to spend more than a tenner (a fiver would be better!) there are loads on Amazon and The Bay but a recommendation would help rather ŧhan taking pot luck.

Ta!

I'm after one of these n all. I can't even find my one from last year

[Bubblecup]

Tent bargain alert! https://www.aldi.co.uk/en/specialbuys/thursday-22nd-may/product-detail/ps/p/igloo-tent-1/

[Helephantelope]

Scored myself a free mobile phone to take with me with minimum faffing around - £5 on the o2 website and £5 cashback via Quidco!

More info - http://www.efestivals.co.uk/forums/topic/185259-mobile-for-a-fiver/

[FingZen]

Has anyone been into Lidl to check out the solar/wind up lantern/radio gizmo yet. How does it look?

[Helephantelope]

I haven't had a chance yet, will hopefully swing by Lidl tomorrow to see if I can grab one. Will report back if I can.

[rockgodbob]

Has anyone been into Lidl to check out the solar/wind up lantern/radio gizmo yet. How does it look?

yep bought one this morning

it kinda does what it says on the tin, although its smaller than I imagined and there's no power input so you can't effectively charge it up via mains so its charge is solely winding or sunlight, radio works ok but there's no frequency dial or view so you have to work out by listening what channel you're tuned to. I'll have to wait till its darker to see how good the led is but on first view it seems quite bright

still a bargain for a tenner i think though

[FingZen]

yep bought one this morning

it kinda does what it says on the tin, although its smaller than I imagined and there's no power input so you can't effectively charge it up via mains so its charge is solely winding or sunlight, radio works ok but there's no frequency dial or view so you have to work out by listening what channel you're tuned to. I'll have to wait till its darker to see how good the led is but on first view it seems quite bright

still a bargain for a tenner i think though

Good to hear, I was able to quickly pop into my local Lidl but they'd sold out. They had good stock of everything else.

[Helephantelope]

Hmmm, no power input is a bit of a dealbreaker for me, I'd want to make sure it was 100% charged up in advance after testing it out a bit. I've taken a bit of a risk and ordered one of these instead, the spec looks better for the price but I'll wait and see when/if it arrives!

[clarkete]

I dunno why you don't just spend 20 quid on one of those usb batteries, but each to their own

[Yesiamaduck]

Has anyone been into Lidl to check out the solar/wind up lantern/radio gizmo yet. How does it look?

I got one when passing by, I didn't itend to, I ain't using this thing for charging because trust me it'll do an appalling job. The radio doesn't sound too bad and the LEDs are perfectly fine, nice gizmo but not at all essential and easily replaced by a smart phone. But for £10 it's a good item to have for when you suddenly need a bit of light or fancy worthy FM in the morning but just don't expect anything more. Hang it in your tent and it'll do fine.