When preparing for a camping trip, you may want to fill your bag with all the little things you probably need.
Whether you’re backpacking, car camping, going alone, or with your family, regulars, or newcomers, it’s important to pack your luggage smartly to get the most out of your weekend.
Here, ask an outdoor expert 10 camping essentials.
1. MSR Hubba Hubba 2 person tent, € 550, 53 degrees north
First, you need a shelter. Three of our experts have nominated the MSR HubbaHubba tent as their top pick.James Foley, owner of a cork-based adventure tour company BeyondTheGlass.ie, Praised how “lightweight” it is. “No extra weight is added to the backpack while hiking.” GalzGoneWild.comThe women-led community of camping trips in July, August and September loves being “ultra-compact” for “fast and light backpacking adventures”.
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MSR Haba Haba Tent for 2 people, € 550, 53 degrees north
Sarah Hooligan, who has been camping for over 20 years and now runs the outdoor business Nature Therapy, adds: On hard ground or on warm summer nights when you want to see the stars with the rain fly off. “
2. Lowe Alpine Diran 50:60 bag € 160 from € 180 to € 160, OutdoorAdventureStore.ie
If you’re backpacking, Dublin-based Russell Mills Mountain Trails.ie We recommend that you try the bag at the store before you buy.
“First, check your back length to see if it’s for men or women, because we’re all a little different in shape. Then ask the store to put a weight on your rucksack and test it. We need to be able to do this because there is nothing worse than a poorly fitted rucksack, “says Russell.
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Lowe Alpine Diran 50-60 bag, 160 euros, OutdoorAdventureStore.ie
He recommends looking for bags from the American brand Lowe Alpine. “I’m a big fan of their bags. I think it’s a very good pack. I need a comfortable rucksack with a fit of about 50-60 liters. When I reach these 75 liter rucksacks, it’s It tends to fill up and actually carries too much. “
James cites the Dylan bag as his favorite. “Especially if you go on a longer trip, you can fit it better,” he says.
3.3. Osprey Aura AG Women’s 65 Liter backpack, € 290-€ 260 OutdoorAdventureStore.ie
Most brands offer unisex options, but Sarah emphasizes this as a standout for women’s campers.
“I can’t recommend it enough. It has all the features you can probably need from the pack: an on-the-fly harness to ensure it’s the right size for you. And hip belts, plenty of compartments and mesh pockets, removable lids, trekking pole attachments and rain shelters, “she says.
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Osprey Aura AG Women’s 65 liter backpack, 260 euros, Outdoor AdventureStore.ie
“This pack is slightly heavier than other ultra-lightweight options, but I can already carry it over hundreds of kilometers and report it as an excellent option. This bag also uses 100 recycled materials. This is another reason I love it. “
4. LifeVenture Ultralight Dry Bag Price cut from 13.95 euros to 17.95 euros, OutdoorAdventureStore.ie
James recommends hoarding such dry bags from Life Venture, as there is a risk of sudden showers across Ireland, regardless of when you are camping. “Putting it inside your backpack keeps your luggage dry,” he says.
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LifeVenture Ultralight Dry Bag, price cut from € 13.95 to € 17.95, OutdoorAdventureStore.ie
Mel also offers tips for carrying your tent during backpacking. “Remove the tent from the original bag, pack the flysheet and tent into a dry bag, pack it into a backpack, and then put the poles and pegs into the backpack separately. This frees up more space. “
5. Therm-a-Rest NeoAirXTherm Sleeping Pad € 250, BaseCamp.ie
For a good night’s sleep, you’ll need a decent sleeping mat or pad. “The mat below is important for comfort. Don’t compromise on the mat,” says Russell, who recommends Therm-a-Rest inflatable mats. “They are mostly industry standards.”
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Therm-a-Rest NeoAirXTherm Sleeping Pad, 250 euros, BaseCamp.ie
Sarah likes the brand NeoAirXTherm pad. “After a lot of research, this was the best option I could find on the market and I wasn’t disappointed,” she said of the “ultra-lightweight” mat. “I’ve never had a cold sleep during the camp since I invested in this kit. It comes with a breathtaking pump sack, the Therm-a-Rest Mat is manufactured in Ireland and adds a bonus. It has been!”
6. Vango Comfort 7.5cm Sleep Mat, € 90.99 to € 81.95, SurfDome.ie
Low-budget, experienced camper van and blogger Neil Smith Charles Camping.ie, I like the range from Vango. They tend to be slightly heavier than the more expensive options — “the more you spend, the less the golden rule of backpacking,” he explains, but it’s usually more robust.
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Vango Comfort 7.5cm Sleep Mat, € 90.99 to € 81.95, SurfDome.ie
“I like the more solid, a little cheaper old style,” he says. “They are generally warmer, have more support and don’t wake up like a 90 year old with a good kick. This is very beneficial.”
7. Vango Ultralite Pro 300 sleeping bag € 119.95, Charles Camping.ie
Sleeping bag choices can vary from season to season, and autumn and winter trips require warmer bags than summer nights. However, this does not mean that you need to buy the bag based on the season indicated on the package. The exact opposite.
“Ignore the seasons — these are meaningless explanations of the seasons,” explains Neil. “Look for Celsius. Even if it’s a summer bag, I want something close to zero.”
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Vango Ultralite Pro 300 sleeping bag, € 119.95, Charles Camping.ie
Like James and Sara, he likes the range from Vango. James uses the brand Ultralite Pro 300. “Because this is a synthetic bag, it keeps you warm when it gets wet, but a down sleeping bag doesn’t get warm when it gets wet,” he says.
Sarah is a lightweight and inexpensive Ultralite Pro 100 (99 euros, TheScoutShop.ie). “The ultra-compact pack size is perfect for summer camping trips and is also a budget-friendly option,” she says.
8. Vango Nitestar Alpha Junior, 41 euros, great outdoors
When camping with kids, Neil offers a junior range from the affordable Vango, while boasting the warmth and comfort of the brand’s other bags.
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Vango Night Star Alpha Junior, 41 euros, great outdoors
“For very young children, it’s usually a good idea to tie the bag halfway with a belt or a string of a certain length to prevent the bag from crawling to the bottom of the sleeping bag. You can buy a sleeping bag, but it grows so fast that you need to buy more sleeping bags, “he says.
9. Therm-a-Rest Compressible Pillow, 35 euros, Booley.ie
For car camps, you can bring pillows from home, but if you need to put them in a bag, you’ll need something more portable. Mel proposes to get one of these foam-filled compressible pillows, wrapped in a brushed polyester cover.
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Therm-a-Rest Compressible Pillow, 35 Euros, Booley.ie
“I’ve tried inflatable pillows, but nothing beats the soft, soft pillows for lying down at night,” she says. “Therm-a-Rest is the best I’ve ever met.”
10. MSR PocketRocket € 50, 53 degrees north
Once you’ve got your night’s sleep in order, you need to make sure you have something to eat.
Both Sarah and Mel emphasized the MSR Pocket Rocket as the most reliable portable stove. “Nothing beats the Pocket Rocket stove. It’s small, compact, and lightweight,” says Mel.
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€ 50 from MSR PocketRocket, 53 Degrees North
Sarah adds: “Easy to use by attaching to a mini gas canister. Impressively, it boils 1 liter of water in just 3.5 minutes and after use it can be folded to fit your mug.
“I’ve been using this stove for adventures for years, but I didn’t have to look elsewhere.”
