Heading into the great outdoors this bank holiday weekend? Make sure you stock up on the essentials first. From inflatable tents and sleeping bags that double up as onesies to sachets of coffee for your essential morning caffeine fix (but we can’t promise you nice weather, sorry).
The tent that puts itself up
What it’s called: Heimplanet Mavericks
What it costs: €4,999
Why you need it: This ten-person tent pretty much inflates itself with no parts to assemble or poles to mess around – one person can get it set up in just ten minutes, leaving more time to relax in the sun with a beer. And if the weather’s not so kind, it can withstand winds of up to a whopping 112 mph (although to be honest, we’d probably be on our way back to our nice warm houses before the winds reached half that speed).
Where you can get it: heimplanet.com
The stove that charges your phone
What it’s called: BioLite CampStove
What it costs: US$129.95
Why you need it: Okay, so we know that the whole point of going camping is to escape the rat race and leave your technology behind. But we also bet you won’t last more than a day or two without a glance at your trading screens. This handy little device will cook your burgers while converting heat into electricity to keep your gadgets charged up and ready to go.
Where you can get it: biolitestove.com
The portable coffee press
What it’s called: Stanley Mountain Coffee System
What it costs: £60.00
Why you need it: Stanley believe no-one should have the face the elements without a good cup of coffee – and we agree. Just like we know you won’t survive without your gadgets, we know you’ll need a caffeine fix (quickly) when you get woken up by the birds chirping at 5am – and there’s no Starbucks in the wilderness. This ingenious system has everything you need to make the perfect cup of campsite coffee – a pot for boiling water, a built-in French coffee press plunger and a vacuum flask for keeping your coffee warm.
Where you can get it: shopstanley.com
The power shower you can take anywhere
What it’s called: Helio Pressure Shower
What it costs: US$99.95
Why you need it: If you love camping but hate campsite showers or washing in the stream, this should be top of your wishlist. It’s the closest you can get to taking your power shower with you, delivering 5-7 minutes of steady water pressure while you wash your hair, do the dishes, rinse your muddy walking boots or even clean the dog. And it weighs less than a litre of water, so you can take it anywhere.
Where you can get it: nemoequipment.com
The speaker that holds your beer
What it’s called: The Kube
What it costs: $999 if you reserve now (and pay in full) with a $100 discount
Why you need it: Nothing will put a downer on your camping trip quite like drinking warm beer while fighting over who gets to play their iTunes playlist through their tinny phone speakers. The Kube will solve both of these problems, delivering crisp, clear audio via Bluetooth for up to 20 hours on a single charge – all while keeping your beer cool.
Where you can get it: kubesound.com
The flameless cooking system you can use inside your tent
What it’s called: Trekmates Flameless Cook
What it costs: £30 for a cook box or £20 for the flask version
Why you need it: Because if your camping trip is a washout, you won’t have to spend hours huddled over a camping stove trying to keep the sausages dry enough to cook. Instead, head inside and use one of these chemical packets that are totally safe to use inside your tent. Genius.
Where you can get it: trekmates.com
The tent ropes you won’t trip on
What it’s called: Nite Ize Reflective Rope Pack
What it costs: US$11.99 for a 50ft pack
Why you need it: If you only pick up one essential on this list before venturing off into the great outdoors, make it these tent ropes. We’ve all tripped over the tent ropes while making the treacherous venture over grass, stones, abandoned shoes and sleeping dogs to the bathroom in the dead of night. These reflect your torchlight back, making them easy to spot. So you’ve got no excuse for falling over and waking your fellow campers now.
Where you can get it: niteize.com
The sleeping bag that doubles up as a onesie
What it’s called: MusucBag Classic
What it costs: £109.00
Why you need it: You know that moment when you have to peel yourself out of your nice warm sleeping bag on a cold, drizzly day? It just became a thing of the past. Now, you can wear your sleeping bag all day long. And even if you do only use it to sleep in, it’s still a great buy, as the built-in arms and legs mean you can toss and turn without feeling like your arms are strapped to your body.
Where you can get it: amazon.co.uk
The kitchen sink
What it’s called: Sea to Summit Kitchen Sink
What it costs: £17.15
Why you need it: Forget taking everything but the kitchen sink, now you can bring the kitchen sink as well. You can use it to carry or store water so you don’t have to crowd round a single tap to wash the dishes. And you can fold it up and stick it in your bag to use as a water bowl for your dog while you’re out having adventures.
Where you can get it: amazon.co.uk
The multi-tasking tool
What it’s called: Victorinox Traveller Lite Swiss Army Knife
What it costs: £118.00
Why you need it: It would be easier to tell you what this doesn’t do than what it does. It has everything from a penknife, screwdrivers, blades, tweezers, scissors and a toothpick to a corkscrew and bottle opener (essentials, obviously). Then it also has a digital clock, alarm, timer, thermometer, altimeter, barometer and a white LED light so you can use it at night. Don’t leave without it.
Where you can get it: millets.co.uk
The light you can share
What it’s called: Coleman LED Quad Lantern
What it costs: £47.96
Why you need it: Okay, so you know you need a good lantern for cooking, playing cards and relaxing around the campfire as it gets dark. But what happens when someone has to make the trek to the bathroom? This ingenious solution has four separate panels of light that you can remove and use as independent lights before retuning them to the unit to charge when you get back. No more squabbles over who has to wait in the darkness.
Where you can get it: amazon.co.uk
The heated camping chair
What it’s called: The Heated Portable Chair
What it costs: $119.95
Why you need it: Because now you can sit outside and enjoy the view without freezing your backside off. This foldable chair has its own built-in heating system – and unlike your typical camping chair, it doesn’t sag. You might want to keep your heating system secret if you don’t want to share, though.
Where you can get it: hammacher.com
Where will you be camping this summer? What’s at the top of your list of essentials? Let us know! Tweet us @LittlefishFX or drop us an email.
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