Essential gear for family camping
Don't go without your.
STOVE Almost as versatile as what’s in your kitchen, the Campingaz Camping Chef Folding Stove (above, £50, www.campingaz.com) can boil, fry and toast all at the same time – so it’s perfect for whipping up a family breakfast with minimal faff. A chrome finish makes it easy to clean too. And for barbecues, try the Outwell Calvados Grill (£45, www.outwell.com), whose spherical design cooks the meat (or veg) from all sides for a proper smoky zing.
TENT
Big but not unwieldy, the Coleman Rocky Mountain 5 Plus (above, £400, www.coleman.eu/uk) is perfect for a family of four. Its key selling points are blackout bedrooms (no being woken by the first light of day) and full-height living area, which is spacious enough for a table and chairs, and has a main door that is full height with a flat threshold – no tripping risk. If ease is your priority, look to the new breed of inflatable tents, like the Outwell Cruiser 6 Air Comfort (£1150, www.outwell.com) – insert pump and it goes up in minutes. Such luxury does come at a price though. On a budget? Try the Vango
Beta 450XL (£190, www.vango.co.uk), which fits two adults and two children comfortably, and still boasts a good few features like colour-coded poles and Diamond Clear windows.
SLEEPING BAG
Although its name may be a phrase you don’t really want to use on a camping holiday, the Grow Up Kids sleeping bag from Jack Wolfskin (left, £45, www.jackwolfskin.co.uk) is actually a great idea – it’s extendable, so it grows with the child who’s sleeping in it. It’s lightweight and cosy too. For mum and dad we recommend the Outwell Campion Lux Double Sleeping bag (£60, www.outwell.com), which puts the two of you together for, erm, added cosiness on those colder camping nights. And for tiny campers, we’re big fans of the adorablynamed LittleLife Snuggle Pod (£50, www.littlelife.com), a penguin-shaped hybrid of sleeping bag and airbed. The penguin’s wings are actually stabilisers, which prevent the bed from flipping if Junior rolls over in the night.