Camping Essentials
Camping can be great fun, and when the thrill of a festival or the great outdoors starts to tug at your adventurous side, you need the right camping gear for your trip.
And once you've bought your camping equipment, you can use it again and again for future camping holidays. Check out our handy camping guide to help you decide what to take along.
Camping equipment - what to buy?
With so much camping equipment and handy gadgets out there, choosing the right kit can be a bit overwhelming. But at a basic level, all you really need is:
- A tent, of course - but it's best to choose this wisely as it'll be your home from home. An inexpensive tent will be fine for a festival, but a quality one will keep you warmer and drier on longer trips.
- Sleeping equipment such as sleeping bags, camping mats, or an airbed for added comfort.
- Camping lights - take a lantern to keep in the tent and a torch for trips outside.
- Tools to help you put up your tent, such as a mallet and peg extractor
- Camping cooking equipment is a must if you want to whip up your own meals rather than live on cafe or takeaway food.
- Warm clothing and waterproofs; wellies and a rain mac or poncho wouldn't go amiss!
- A rucksack to pack everything in
Once you've got the must-haves sorted, take a look at camping furniture, camping accessories and gazebos - these will help to make your trip more comfy and enjoyable. They range from folding chairs and wellies up to solar showers and tent carpets; perfect if you fancy some glam camping!
Camping cooking equipment
Nothing beats cooking and eating in the great outdoors. If you think you're a dab hand at camping cuisine, make sure you take the right camping cooking equipment, such as:
- Camping stove and gas
- Pots, pans, and cutlery
- Plastic tableware and cups
- Coolbox for storing chilled food and cold beers
- Kettle for that morning cuppa
- Washing up liquid and a sponge for afterwards!
Kit your tent out with furniture
If you want a little bit of comfort, you can take along some camping furniture. Folding stools, tables and moon chairs are ideal for relaxing, eating, reading and simply taking in the view while you're away. Plus, you could also bring along a gazebo for some extra outdoor shelter.
Before you go crazy buying all this extra stuff, make sure you've got enough room in the car before you leave, and think about how much space you'll have in the tent for storage.
It's also a good idea to pick up a water carrier to save you trips to the tap and back.
Camping equipment available at Halfords
Halfords has a massive variety of tents and camping equipment available to reserve online and collect in-store so you've got everything before you go - or you could even pick your gear up on the way. Alternatively, you can buy online for delivery direct to your home. Happy camping!