First time camper?

[DaveS]

Following on from my posts in the "Dark Sky Site" thread I've started looking into basic camping gear for a single bloke.

I have to confess myself a total novice at this, the last time I had anything to do with a tent was on a summer camp with the school CCF in, well, um, er, not saying!

So I'm thinking:

Tent, not too small, perhaps a three-man to have a bit of room rather tha a one-man bivvy job.

Ground sheet (Or do they come with the tent? Told you I was a novice!)

Sleeping bag

Air matress? Or they only for wimps?

Something to cook on. Two burner Campinggaz thingy?

What else? Loads I've probably missed.

Likely it would be for a long weekend, or at most a week. Oh, and as I would be going to a darke site, my 'scope and mount together with AP kit.

So, any thoughts, reccomendations?

[stevepeverall]

I bought a Trangia a few years back and now wonder how I lived without it. Its a patented design classic and folds away into next to nothing, runs on methanol so no chance of gassing yourself in your tent at night and weighs next to nothing. If you shop around online you can pick the non-stick version up for about £50.

[SW130p]

I too am a first time camper, not yet been. I only got a tent so far but looking to get a folding table

Chairs

Sleeping bags

Air bed or those self inflation mattresses

Stove

Lights

A large plastic box to carry the cooking stuff and then to double up as a washing bowl

And anything else others mention

I got my tent from halfords a 4 man with a large middle section on offer because it was out of season for £20 should been around £200 so I'm going to do the same in the camping shop look for great bargins

Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

[leelee970]

Hammer, extra pegs (extra strong), extra guide ropes, matches, torch (extra batteries as well), small camping table.

Pump for blow up bed. Repair kit for bed. Tin opener, and bottle opener.

The list goes on ….

[crashtestdummy]

Airbed is esential to stay warm and I always have a cover over it as cold comes up through the ground.spare pegs and some thin rope (3mm) to repair guy lines.a gew lighters for cooking.spare clothes for ALL weathers.a book.spare torch and batteries.if you have electric hook up take a dehumidifier as it gets rid of dew from your kit stored inside

[Myopicus]

+1 for airbed - nothing worse than a bad nights sleep. I use a Vango inflating sleep mat with a foam one underneath, because (as crashtestdummy points out) the cold can get through air beds. Comfy and warm.

+1 for trangia stoves: simple, bombproof, low tech, compact and very satisfying! Get a decent meths bottle though - it stinks if it leaks.

A good head torch is invaluable if you want to use both hands and have illumination - I use a Petzl Tikka plus 2 which also has a single red LED for astro use.

Also useful: pillow, folding stool (Vango do a good one), Swiss army knife, Knife/fork/spoon, insect repellent, hand sanitiser, warm hat or Buff, good book, a pair of crocs or flip flops or similar (handy for when you need to visit the loo in the night!) and as a luxury i have an ex-army hammock - bliss!

[Phil Fargaze]

I have a three man tent which is perfect for when I go to star parties on my own, it`s not high enough to stand up in but that is not a problem. It has an outer fly sheet which gets put up first then the inner tent goes in which has sewn in ground sheet. There is a small porch area for kit, muddy boots etc. An extra ground sheet is a handy optional extra, these are best to be the same `foot print` as the tent so it does not extend beyond the outer tent. I have a two burner stove for camping with the family but for myself I have a small single burner which fits straight onto the gas bottle. I plan my menu around one ring, which works fine. As mentioned, ground insulation is essential, I don't trust air beds, so I use a thin self inflating air bed by Lichfield and sometimes supplement that with a simple 10mm foam mattress underneath. Then I`ll use a three season sleeping bag with thermals on stand by.    

[RichM63]

All sounds good.

Wellies and Loo Rolls + Golf type brolley, and something similar to TCP liquid (I'm great at finding monster nettles).

[ronin]

Seem to have most of the main items, a 3 or 4 man tent is probably best.

Where are you keeping the astro equipment?

As in do you need a tent that has a porch area?

Tents generally come with a sown in ground sheet but often suggested that you get an additional one that goes under to reduce moisture coming up, equally a tarpaulin works as good.

Kettle.

As it seems most of your astro gear needs power will you be looking at a site with electricity available?

I would assume so.

Drop into one of the budget stores and get a wind up torch and/or lantern.

Make a noise winding them up but very useful.

Go-Outdoors has nice small ones in for £4. I have 2 or 3 different ones in the car always.

If you haven't a sleeping bag perhaps this one: Echo400

Concerning where to go a dark site is half the idea but a clear dark site is better.

Basically consider what the weather/cloud might be like.

A dark cloudy location isn't much good.

How do you find ear plugs?
You may be wanting to sleep when others are up and about.

[JB80]

A swag should do the trick.

[Phil Fargaze]

I must admit I do find ear plugs handy, depends if you are a light sleeper, but don`t use them if you want to hear the wake up call if it clears. I`ve always wondered, who is it that stays up all night to see if it clears anyway!?

[eid]

If I were going camping in a car, I'd take a 2 burner gas stove (with grill) over a triangia any day. And definitely a 3-man tent at the very least.

A nice thick pair of socks for sleeping would be nice. Feet can get cold all the way down there in the bag.

[Hermit]

Thermals, eyemask, ear plugs, bucket...

[DaveS]

Thanks guys, lots to ponder here. I may be back with more questions, but now at least i know what to look for.

I think I prefer the campingaz stoves as I have a heathy respect for the toxicity of methanol (As a chemist)

I think if I were planning a week's stay then electricity would definately be needed, and with our weather I reckon you need a week in order to have a resonable chance of one clear night. If I was only planning a weekend then I could probably get away with a thumping great Li-ion rechargable.

[Joseki]

As for tents I'd get a Vango tent, a 3 person dome.  I would say it's a pretty decent brand and have owned or used a few.  As a cautious person I'd suggest not buying everything at once, in case you don't like it but a small gas stove is handy (plus a set of nested pans) - though what you need other than a tent, a sleeping bag and an inflatable mattress (or foam roll mat) depends on the facilities of the site you're going to.  I went to a nice national trust site last year with the family, which was definitely 'for softies' and I've been places that are just a field.

[Joseki]

oh and I wouldn't recommend those foam roll mats unless you really need to cut down on weight.

[pete_l]

How do you find ear plugs?

You may be wanting to sleep when others are up and about.

So far as ear plugs are concerned, I'd recommend Hearos

I'd also suggest using ziplok bags to keep all your food in. It keeps the insects out and discourages them from "exploring" near your site.

Moist wipes can come in useful too. Saves water and are more convenient (but aren't a substitute for a proper shower).

As far as advice goes, don't try to set up your camp in the dark (voice of experience ) and for many of the same reasons, make very sure there are no ants' nests or other insects "homes" under where you pitch your tent. Plus I always make sure I set up my scope on a sheet. That way if / when you drop something you *know* it'll be on the sheet and not in grass or on the ground. Things are much easier to find that way.

[hazegood]

don't get a three man sized pop up tent if you are camping  on your own,  yes they take minutes to put up, but taking them down and repacking them is a torture on your own, needs at least two people,

[Uplooker]

When purchasing the tent, apart from it having a stitched in / sealed ground sheet, you also want one that has at least a 3000mm static head rating. What this essentially means is that the tent material will be able to support a water column 3 meters high without water coming through. The absolute bare minimum for the UK is 1000mm static head rating. This does not really cut the mustard. It is not uncommon for a 3000 static head and even a lot of the cheaper tents come with this rating. I know you plan on it being dry and pristine skies, but you are likely to get rain and sometimes heavy rain. better to spend a bit extra and be dry.

Also if you are going camping with a view to stargazing and are taking a relatively heavy mount, it is a good idea to get 3 off blocks of wood - 6 x 6 x 1 inch. Drill a hole in the middle of each block that will allow the foot the of tripod leg to slot into. It means that when you have polar aligned your mount and scope that the weight is more evenly distributed and there is no dander of the feet of the tripod sinking into the ground and ruining  PA or at worst the mount toppling over

Ian

[Alkaid]

Do not underestimate the importance of a decent sleeping bag. Avoid 1 or 2 season bags. It can be coldish on clear nights in the UK, even in summer. Get a 3 season bag. If you are warm, just unzip it. A nice trick is to unzip the bottom bitso that you can stick your feet out if a bit warm. But if its cold, you will appreciate the insulation.

[DaveS]

Ian, thanks for the advice on static head. I did remember seeing a mention of it on a SGL star party thread, but couldn't remember the recomendations.

So, not a pop-up tent, but three man anyway, sewn-in ground sheet, plus one other 3-season bag (Had seen various types on Black's site, now I know), air bed plus foam matress.

Two-burner gas stove perhaps, plus all the other gubbins.

Will have to see.

[laser_jock99]

Not got one myself - but this looks about the right size for you + some gear

http://www.gooutdoors.co.uk/coleman-instant-tent-tourer-4-p261574

Personally I like a tent that you can at least stand up in!