If you had £500 to spend...
Discussion
... On assorted bits and bobs to make camping a better experience, what would you buy/wish you'd bought sooner?
Not necessarily looking for a big ticket item, but if you had a combined budget of half a grand ish, what would you recommend?
Looking at everything from chairs and tables, to stoves and tarps.
Bit general, but it's the situation I find myself in.
Not necessarily looking for a big ticket item, but if you had a combined budget of half a grand ish, what would you recommend?
Looking at everything from chairs and tables, to stoves and tarps.
Bit general, but it's the situation I find myself in.
My view is that the enjoyment of any camping experience, is maximised by good sleep.
Sleep well and the following day is more fun.
Spend money on good beds/aerodebs/sleeping bags etc. Also, a couple of quid on eye shades and ear plugs!!!
Beyond that, staying dry and having plenty of space to sit/dry out kit, is a good idea.
A bigger tent than you think you need is a good place to start. I consider going 50% bigger than your number is good. If you are a family of 4, get a 6 man.
Sleep well and the following day is more fun.
Spend money on good beds/aerodebs/sleeping bags etc. Also, a couple of quid on eye shades and ear plugs!!!
Beyond that, staying dry and having plenty of space to sit/dry out kit, is a good idea.
A bigger tent than you think you need is a good place to start. I consider going 50% bigger than your number is good. If you are a family of 4, get a 6 man.
Good advice, in fact part if the deal is that we are moving up to a six man for our family of four. The budget is exclusive of the tent cost.
The sleep thing affects Mrs Cjelli more than the rest of us. The last outing, she apparently didn't sleep at all.
Maybe a camp bed for her, just in case my air bed etiquette isn't up to scratch.
The sleep thing affects Mrs Cjelli more than the rest of us. The last outing, she apparently didn't sleep at all.
Maybe a camp bed for her, just in case my air bed etiquette isn't up to scratch.
I've just done something similar, and have upgraded my cheap and cheerful Go Outdoors polyester tent for a big family-sized poly-cotton vis-a-vis 8-man behemoth. I don't know what you're used to, but if you are looking at upgrading your tent, this is the cheapest polycotton I have seen, and being Sunncamp is a very good brand - a total no brainer IMO. I spoke to these guys and they were very helpful, and it arrived the next day.
Key for me was to finally get a decent air bed, an electric hook up, a full size tent carpet, and some nice tent lights. Cooking-wise, if you can cope with taking along a gas bottle, a Cadac Safari (or Carri) Chef would be my choice, but I already have a couple of gas ring stoves and a Son Of Hibatchi BBQ.
Other stuff I'd upgrade is a better cool box, another table, and possible a porch to attach to the tent if 24 square meters wasn't enough
Key for me was to finally get a decent air bed, an electric hook up, a full size tent carpet, and some nice tent lights. Cooking-wise, if you can cope with taking along a gas bottle, a Cadac Safari (or Carri) Chef would be my choice, but I already have a couple of gas ring stoves and a Son Of Hibatchi BBQ.
Other stuff I'd upgrade is a better cool box, another table, and possible a porch to attach to the tent if 24 square meters wasn't enough
We've recently spent very similar, goes something like this:
Coleman Coastline 6 Deluxe Tent (6 man for 4 of us, just about big enough) £200ish
Footprint & carpet £65.00ish
May add the side porch for cooking in, storing shoes etc £50.00ish
Outwell 7.5cm double self inflating mat (air beds are s
t!) £100ish
We use a duvet as I can't stand sleeping bags. Kids use bags though.
Decent gas stove, gas bottle & camping kitchen £125ish
Rechargable LED lantern with nightlight £40ish
Decent portable BBQ (would love a Weber Go Anywhere but already have a
Smokey Joe)
Comfortable camping chairs for sitting in the sun
Electric hook up cable & heater if you're a fairy!
Decent coolbox? We have a small 12v one but don't bother with it.
We just need to add a decent table/chairs/bench type thing now.
Coleman Coastline 6 Deluxe Tent (6 man for 4 of us, just about big enough) £200ish
Footprint & carpet £65.00ish
May add the side porch for cooking in, storing shoes etc £50.00ish
Outwell 7.5cm double self inflating mat (air beds are s
t!) £100ishWe use a duvet as I can't stand sleeping bags. Kids use bags though.
Decent gas stove, gas bottle & camping kitchen £125ish
Rechargable LED lantern with nightlight £40ish
Decent portable BBQ (would love a Weber Go Anywhere but already have a
Smokey Joe)
Comfortable camping chairs for sitting in the sun
Electric hook up cable & heater if you're a fairy!
Decent coolbox? We have a small 12v one but don't bother with it.
We just need to add a decent table/chairs/bench type thing now.
Well I've done a bit of window shopping, and come up with the following bits and bobs. Bear in mind, this is filling in gaps in our equipment list, so may not reflect everything you were expecting. If you disagree with some of the quoted prices, bear with me, there are conditions which may be made transparent at a later time.
Cadac safari chef - £90. Because I've heard almost exclusively good things about them online. Love the idea of the flexibility and versatility. Will a safari be enough for a family of four, should I be looking at the next one up? Thinking about size as well.
Outwell ecocool coolbox - £90. Looks like a reasonable halfway house between an enormous fully powered one, and a freezer pack special. Obviously expecting to run it on freezer packs too.
Hi gear elite cupboard unit - £100. Storage and workspace in one fairly small (folded) package. Seems expensive to me, but the wife is convinced.
Outwell black hills chair - £52. Good sized chair for me, wife and kids already have theirs. Again seems expensive, but have to wear it.
Hi gear double picnic table - £35. Workspace/family dining.
Vango adventure tarp - £35. Flexible shelter add on.
Footprint for tent - £45. Think a footprint may be invaluable for a tent with a sewn in groundsheet. Never had one before, so maybe a bit belt and braces.
Air pump - £15. Set up three of our air beds with least hassle.
Camp bed - £20. Give Mrs Cjelli a fighting chance of a good nights sleep.
£482 so far. Not budgeted for the gas to run the cadac, what should I be looking at for that?
Cadac safari chef - £90. Because I've heard almost exclusively good things about them online. Love the idea of the flexibility and versatility. Will a safari be enough for a family of four, should I be looking at the next one up? Thinking about size as well.
Outwell ecocool coolbox - £90. Looks like a reasonable halfway house between an enormous fully powered one, and a freezer pack special. Obviously expecting to run it on freezer packs too.
Hi gear elite cupboard unit - £100. Storage and workspace in one fairly small (folded) package. Seems expensive to me, but the wife is convinced.
Outwell black hills chair - £52. Good sized chair for me, wife and kids already have theirs. Again seems expensive, but have to wear it.
Hi gear double picnic table - £35. Workspace/family dining.
Vango adventure tarp - £35. Flexible shelter add on.
Footprint for tent - £45. Think a footprint may be invaluable for a tent with a sewn in groundsheet. Never had one before, so maybe a bit belt and braces.
Air pump - £15. Set up three of our air beds with least hassle.
Camp bed - £20. Give Mrs Cjelli a fighting chance of a good nights sleep.
£482 so far. Not budgeted for the gas to run the cadac, what should I be looking at for that?
Crafty_ said:
A cheap caravan. Getting up off the ground into a dry environment makes a big improvement imho.
Doesn't matter if its tatty you can tidy it up and redo the soft furnishings as you go.
agree with that, spend £250 on a snotter off ebay/gumtree £120 on new tyres, £50 on comsumables like grease, gas hose and sealant and treat it as a work in progressDoesn't matter if its tatty you can tidy it up and redo the soft furnishings as you go.
marshal_alan said:
Crafty_ said:
A cheap caravan. Getting up off the ground into a dry environment makes a big improvement imho.
Doesn't matter if its tatty you can tidy it up and redo the soft furnishings as you go.
agree with that, spend £250 on a snotter off ebay/gumtree £120 on new tyres, £50 on comsumables like grease, gas hose and sealant and treat it as a work in progressDoesn't matter if its tatty you can tidy it up and redo the soft furnishings as you go.
The real key to sleeping well is as mentioned getting off the ground. Hence why caravans and camping beds work. If you can't or dont want to go those routes then an insulated mat under the airbed works really well. Just stops the cold coming up from underneath.
I would also go for single airbeds rather than a double. 2 problems with a double, every time your partner moves so do you, and if it does leak you both end up on the floor. At least if a single leaks one of you still sleeps!
We went down the route of buying large tent, then a kitchen outfit for it, then cupboards, gas fridge and now have a £500 caravan!
I would also go for single airbeds rather than a double. 2 problems with a double, every time your partner moves so do you, and if it does leak you both end up on the floor. At least if a single leaks one of you still sleeps!
We went down the route of buying large tent, then a kitchen outfit for it, then cupboards, gas fridge and now have a £500 caravan!
vladcjelli said:
Ha! Nice thought, but not an option.
To explain, have won a competition, so have a value to spend up to in a camping shop, which I will happily name in due course. (Want to get my prize first!)
In that case your window shopping list looks ok.To explain, have won a competition, so have a value to spend up to in a camping shop, which I will happily name in due course. (Want to get my prize first!)
For the gas I would suggest you use 4.5kg butane bottles, the smaller "campinggaz" type bottles are relatively expensive to fill. Go outdoors refill 4.5kg for £15 and I guess you'll find a local supplier for the same sort of money, just get on ebay or gumtree to find some cylinders. I think the regulator that comes with the cadac is for the small bottles, so you'll need a new one, they aren't expensive.
vladcjelli said:
Ha! Nice thought, but not an option.
To explain, have won a competition, so have a value to spend up to in a camping shop, which I will happily name in due course. (Want to get my prize first!)
Do they sell/rent high class hookers. If not, that is two options from the above list crossed off.To explain, have won a competition, so have a value to spend up to in a camping shop, which I will happily name in due course. (Want to get my prize first!)
I spent just under £400 on a cheap but incredibly well maintained folding camper earlier this year and it has been a revelation - mattressed beds raised off the floor are awesome and a world away from air beds. No use to you I know, but sleeping well is the difference between pleasant and miserable IMHO.
How about solar panels or hydrogen generator? Adding power could take things to the next level and it is a cool toy to talk about in the promotional stuff you'll have to do that no doubt comes with the prize.
Well, I've been and collected my stuff today.
The staff at Go Outdoors Derby couldn't have been nicer.
Picked up pretty much my list from above, except a different, but similar priced chair, went up to a camp bed for £45 which was a full folding job, rather than the little one that you put together from a kit of poles and wire legs. Just felt it looked like a more serious proposition. It's not like size and weight are a huge issue for the sort of camping we are aiming for.
So a big thanks to Go Outdoors for running the competition, can't wait to get out there and use the gear in anger.
The staff at Go Outdoors Derby couldn't have been nicer.
Picked up pretty much my list from above, except a different, but similar priced chair, went up to a camp bed for £45 which was a full folding job, rather than the little one that you put together from a kit of poles and wire legs. Just felt it looked like a more serious proposition. It's not like size and weight are a huge issue for the sort of camping we are aiming for.
So a big thanks to Go Outdoors for running the competition, can't wait to get out there and use the gear in anger.
Crafty_ said:
vladcjelli said:
Ha! Nice thought, but not an option.
To explain, have won a competition, so have a value to spend up to in a camping shop, which I will happily name in due course. (Want to get my prize first!)
In that case your window shopping list looks ok.To explain, have won a competition, so have a value to spend up to in a camping shop, which I will happily name in due course. (Want to get my prize first!)
For the gas I would suggest you use 4.5kg butane bottles, the smaller "campinggaz" type bottles are relatively expensive to fill. Go outdoors refill 4.5kg for £15 and I guess you'll find a local supplier for the same sort of money, just get on ebay or gumtree to find some cylinders. I think the regulator that comes with the cadac is for the small bottles, so you'll need a new one, they aren't expensive.
The cadac didn't come with any sort of hose to connect it to a cylinder/canister. Fine, I quite liked the freedom to source whatever suited me.
But, due to the unique nature of the HP/LP models and variations, googling the right parts is proving more difficult than I expected.
What do I need to make it work?
I had a look on the go outdoors site, it appears what you have is actually called a cadac safari chef LP.
I found the manual here: http://www.cadaceurope.com/content/uploads/files/6...
That says you need to use a 28-30mbar regulator for butane.
If you were going to go for a 4.5kg cylinder this regulator will do the job, you can see it says 28mbar on the sticker if you blow the picture up
http://www.gooutdoors.co.uk/pennine-leisure-calor-...
The brass fitting will screw on to the bottle (you use a cheapy spanner to tighten it), there is a small rubber seal that fits inside the regulator - you should find one of these in the cap on the bottle when you get it.
Then, get some proper gas hose like this : http://www.gooutdoors.co.uk/pennine-leisure-hose-a... to connect the regulator to the cadac.. This should have a fitting that screws to the bottom of the control as shown in part B of the instructions.
Thats it.
If you use a different type of bottle you need to get a different regulator, e.g. if you go for the camping gaz bottle you use this regulator : http://www.gooutdoors.co.uk/gaz-regulator-and-hose...
I found the manual here: http://www.cadaceurope.com/content/uploads/files/6...
That says you need to use a 28-30mbar regulator for butane.
If you were going to go for a 4.5kg cylinder this regulator will do the job, you can see it says 28mbar on the sticker if you blow the picture up
http://www.gooutdoors.co.uk/pennine-leisure-calor-...
The brass fitting will screw on to the bottle (you use a cheapy spanner to tighten it), there is a small rubber seal that fits inside the regulator - you should find one of these in the cap on the bottle when you get it.
Then, get some proper gas hose like this : http://www.gooutdoors.co.uk/pennine-leisure-hose-a... to connect the regulator to the cadac.. This should have a fitting that screws to the bottom of the control as shown in part B of the instructions.
Thats it.
If you use a different type of bottle you need to get a different regulator, e.g. if you go for the camping gaz bottle you use this regulator : http://www.gooutdoors.co.uk/gaz-regulator-and-hose...
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