Our Guide to the Most Essential Camping Equipment

Camping is amazing, not only are you able to get out and enjoy all that nature has to offer with those that you care about, but you can also experience a real sense of adventure and stay within wonderful natural locations like woodlands and coastal settings.

Before you do set off on a camping adventure, however, we know that there’s a whole lot to pack, and it really is easy to forget certain useful items. To ensure that you don’t find yourself stuck without something that you’re going to need, we’ve put together this handy post detailing all of the most essential things to bring.

Tent essentials
Now, we’re sure you’ll have remembered this anyway, but of course you’ll need a tent. Along with everything included with your model of choice, it’s always a good idea to bring some spare pegs, and remember to take a mallet to knock them in. Another great idea is to bring a floor mat to sit in the entrance to your tent, as this will minimise the mud that makes its way into your tent, and duct tape is always handy if you need to make any on-site repairs.

Personal
Bring a full spongebag including a toothbrush, toothpaste, shampoo, soap, shower gel and anything else you use in your daily routine. It’s also essential to pack sun cream, insect repellent, antibacterial hand wash, any personal medications and a first aid kit.

Clothing essentials
Make sure that you have a full outer layer of waterproofs, as well as plenty of extra clothes for every day that you’re camping. It always gets colder at night, so make sure you’ve got enough warm clothing to ensure you still get a good night’s sleep, no matter what the weather. Also bring a good range of fully-waterproof shoes.

Cooking
The amount of cooking equipment you choose to bring really is down to you. Some will opt for just a stove, crockery, fuel and a pan, whilst for others, camping is a chance to get really creative with their cooking.

A stove-friendly kettle is always a good thing to bring, whilst tin foil and kitchen roll will also be valuable additions to your kit. As far as food goes, we’ll leave it down to you, but remember to bring a little cooking oil for when you use a stove.

Please remember safety first and always cook outside and away from the tent, and do not store your gas bottles in the tent.

Sleeping essentials
You’ll need a pillow, a sleeping bag and either a sleeping mat, an airbed (with a pump) or a camp-bed. These comforts take up a fair bit of room on the journey to the campsite, but make all of the difference when it comes to insulation in the night.

Miscellaneous
A torch (and spare batteries) is an absolute must, and will come in handy if you have to get up in the night, as well as for finding bits and bobs in your tent as the light dwindles. Next, bring some bin bags to put dirty clothes and rubbish in, and if you choose a pitch with an electric hook-up, ensure you have all necessary plugs and adapters too. A multi-tool or pen-knife is also an essential, along with some string, tin and bottle openers and either matches or a lighter.

So there you have it, all of the essential kit that you’re likely to need on your next camping trip. Of course, you’ll need to bring anything specific to the activities that you’ll be getting involved in too, so make a thorough plan before you set off. Your choice of park can also make your holiday that bit more convenient, and here at Shorefield Holidays we have a huge range of camping and caravan touring pitches available. From quiet peaceful spots, to those offering fantastic views and on-site facilities, we really do offer something for everything. To find out more, take a look at our camping and touring pages.