new to camping

laoch na mona

Hi I'm going to be doing a bit of hiking and camping next year and I'm trying to put together a list of gear I'll need. I have done a good bit of hiking but never more then one days walk.

here is what I have came up with so far

tent http://www.portwest.ie/0-8295/Tents/GELERT-EIGER-TENT.aspx edit would i be a lot better off spending more on a vango?
backpacking rucksack http://www.portwest.ie/0-7178/Gifts-for-Him/GELERT-EXPLORER-65L-RUCKSACK.aspx Ground mat
Camping stove http://www.portwest.ie/0-7348/Festival-Gear/GELERT-MERCURY-STOVE.aspx

Head torch
Metal Cooking tins + cups

Fire starter


I have a sleeping bag.
the links are the ones I think would be suitable



is there any other gear i should get or other general advice


Mise le meas

silverharp

2.8kg is heavy enough for a 1 man tent or a tent for 1 man, it didn't say if its a 1 or 2 person tent, i'd go for something under 2kg.

Get a good ground mat for sleeping, the very thin mats aren't that good imo but might not be an issue for you. Other than a comfortable pair of boots you can normally get on with bits and bobs from around the house. the last couple of things I bought were a 2 ltr water "platypus" and a bunch of carabiners (not climbing ones) to make it easier to tie stuff to the pack.

Start with not too much gear and buy as you need after you have been out a bit

BeardySi

Some variety of sleeping mat is a must, both for comfort and ground insulation... Thermarest-type foam filled inflatable mats are fantastic!
Make sure your sleeping bag is suitable for the conditions you need it for.

If by firestarter you mean a firesteel, I'd make sure and bring some suitable tinder and dry kindling in a tin along with it - you never know what you'll have to work with. Some waterproof matches are also a must - no need to make life difficult for yourself unnecessarily.

laoch na mona

silverharp wrote: »

2.8kg is heavy enough for a 1 man tent or a tent for 1 man, it didn't say if its a 1 or 2 person tent, i'd go for something under 2kg.

Get a good ground mat for sleeping, the very thin mats aren't that good imo but might not be an issue for you. Other than a comfortable pair of boots you can normally get on with bits and bobs from around the house. the last couple of things I bought were a 2 ltr water "platypus" and a bunch of carabiners (not climbing ones) to make it easier to tie stuff to the pack.

Start with not too much gear and buy as you need after you have been out a bit

thanks for the reply I already have boots and will probably get a 2 man tent because the girlfriend may be going with me

silverharp

laoch na mona wrote: »

thanks for the reply I already have boots and will probably get a 2 man tent because the girlfriend may be going with me

that's grand she can carry the tent

RoryMurphyJnr

Good ground mat is essential. Compression sac for the sleeping bag. Make sure you you get a liner for you're sleeping bag. You can throw it in the wash. Bivvy bag is a must. Simple mug plate bowl knife fork spoon set. Get a small day bag. First aid kit. If you bought good boots get good socks. Gaters decent waterproofs. Decent hat. Make sure to pack a loo roll. Pick up a Swiss army or leather man knife. Bring a lighter and firefighters.
If I think of anything else I'll let you know.
(That's 30yrs Scouting exp)

Ghost Buster

laoch na mona wrote: »

thanks for the reply I already have boots and will probably get a 2 man tent because the girlfriend may be going with me

A simple tent size rule. Two man tent means two contortionist midgets who can sleep flat on their back with no need to turn over what so ever during the night.
In my estimate:
2 man = 1 man
3 man = 2 man and a bit of gear
4 man = two and a kid
etc
etc

BeardySi

TBH, I'd be looking at a better tent... get the best one you can afford...

If you can stretch to the vango one portwest are offering, I'd go for it or something like that - better waterproofing and far sturdier. Personally I tend to avoid inner pitching tents. In these climes I'm often pitching in the rain and if the inner goes up first it gets wet before you can get the flysheet over it. At least with an outie you can keep the inside dry, and if the porch is big enough your gear too.

I've recently gotten a vango omega (similar sleeping area to the one on portwest, but with a massive porch) and it really is the dog's danglies!

the_syco

laoch na mona wrote: »

tent http://www.portwest.ie/0-8295/Tents/GELERT-EIGER-TENT.aspx

First off, rain comes down. Thus, when your tent is open, a pool of water will form, so ensure you get one with a porch thing.

As said, a one man tent is for one man, no gear. If you go camping by yourself, get a 2 man tent, or if with someone else, get a 3 man tent.

Get one with a separate inner and outer sheet to spread the weight, but ensure you get one where the ground mat and inner layer are not separated, to protect against small streams running through your tent.

laoch na mona wrote: »

thanks for the reply I already have boots

What brand of boots, and how many eyes are in them? Also, have you broken them in yet? If not, your hike will be sh|te.

RoryMurphyJnr wrote: »

Good ground mat is essential. Compression sac for the sleeping bag. Make sure you you get a liner for you're sleeping bag. You can throw it in the wash. Bivvy bag is a must. Simple mug plate bowl knife fork spoon set. Get a small day bag. First aid kit. If you bought good boots get good socks. Gaters decent waterproofs. Decent hat. Make sure to pack a loo roll. Pick up a Swiss army or leather man knife. Bring a lighter and firefighters.
If I think of anything else I'll let you know.
(That's 30yrs Scouting exp)

Agree with the Emergency Survival Bivi Orange Sleeping Bag. You should never need it, but if you do, it'll save your life. Ensure you have it in one of the outside pockets. Pickup a spork if you can.

Find out how to easily open a can using the penknife, and how to open them if you lose it :P Put the loo roll in separate plastic bags, with at least one in an outside pocket.

Get a pair of binoculars. You'll come across animals, and it's handy to know if it's a cow or a bull, etc.

Buy some water purifier tablets in the chemist, and read how to use them before you go hiking. Handy for when you run out of water, and decide to drink from a nearby river/lake/etc.

Of course, have a compass, know how to read it, and know how to plot your course, using an estimate at how long it'll take to get from A to B, to ensure you're not kept up a mountain.

Small AA powered radio. Tune in some AM stations that you'll be able to pick up anywhere, and ensure that one is a station that gives you weather updates.

Get a AA battery phone charger. Test it a few times before going, as some of them are dodgy. If you have an iPhone, get a charger that needs at least 3 or 4 batteries. Avoid the solar powered ones, as you'll need to actually have sun for most of the day! Spend about €30 on it, as I find the cheapo ones are not worth any money.

laoch na mona

the_syco wrote: »

What brand of boots, and how many eyes are in them? Also, have you broken them in yet? If not, your hike will be sh|te.




Buy some water purifier tablets in the chemist, and read how to use them before you go hiking. Handy for when you run out of water, and decide to drink from a nearby river/lake/etc.

they are a pair of military surplus boots they are well broken in on day hikes

I thought boiling water was enough to purify it?

two wheels good

A light groundsheet - to protect the floor of the tent floor on rough ground or to provide a "patio" area outside the tent door.

BeardySi

laoch na mona wrote: »

I thought boiling water was enough to purify it?

It should be, but you don't always necessarily have time to get a billy on the go... A couple would be handy in a pinch.

Use your judgement based on your surroundings - livestock, likelihood of contamination from farmland, recent weather (frozen spring led to extra dead livestock) etc etc...

the_syco

Treadhead wrote: »

Use your judgement based on your surroundings - livestock, likelihood of contamination from farmland, recent weather (frozen spring led to extra dead livestock) etc etc...

On this note, if you think that there may be spill from fertilised land, etc, keep walking. A bit extreme, but maybe invest in a few slips of paper that would tell you if it's same (or what chemical balance is in it)?

colblimp

Hi and welcome to camping!

Here's my take on gear.

Don't buy the Gelert tent; it's €37.80 for a reason - it's rubbish and 2.8kg for a 1 man tent is crazy heavy!

The Gelert stove looks as if it might be alright, it's light enough and looks like the design is based on the MSR Pocket Rocket, which is a superb stove.

The rucksack is enormous at 65 litres - I use a 45 litre sack that devours enough gear for a 2-3 night wild camping trip.

Don't bother with a groundsheet for the porch of the tent, it's completely unnecessary and will just add extra weight.

In terms of sleeping, forget the closed cell mat - get yourself a nice air mattress. Believe it or not, Midleton Army Surplus have Thermarests for €10 - yes, €10!!!

If you can give an indication of your budget for gear, I can make some suggestions.

laoch na mona

colblimp wrote: »

Hi and welcome to camping!

Here's my take on gear.

Don't buy the Gelert tent; it's €37.80 for a reason - it's rubbish and 2.8kg for a 1 man tent is crazy heavy!

The Gelert stove looks as if it might be alright, it's light enough and looks like the design is based on the MSR Pocket Rocket, which is a superb stove.

The rucksack is enormous at 65 litres - I use a 45 litre sack that devours enough gear for a 2-3 night wild camping trip.

Don't bother with a groundsheet for the porch of the tent, it's completely unnecessary and will just add extra weight.

In terms of sleeping, forget the closed cell mat - get yourself a nice air mattress. Believe it or not, Midleton Army Surplus have Thermarests for €10 - yes, €10!!!

If you can give an indication of your budget for gear, I can make some suggestions.

I'd like to spend as little as possible but not get terrible gear that I will need to replace immediately
I had budgeted 200 but that was looking at the cheaper tent

colblimp

laoch na mona wrote: »

I'd like to spend as little as possible but not get terrible gear that I will need to replace immediately
I had budgeted 200 but that was looking at the cheaper tent

Yeah, €200 isn't great for all the gear that you'll need. That said, you can get some pretty nice kit for that. In terms of the tent, I'd go for this:

http://www.fieldandtrek.com/wild-country-zephyros-1-tent-783173

I have one and I don't have a bad thing to say about it. The porch is big, the tent is under 1.5 kg (I made mods by changing guy ropes and pegs), it'll stand up to any wind and rain and I've never had any condensation problems. Yes, it's over half your budget, but I think a good tent is crucial for when you're cold and wet at the end of a days hiking.

The next thing I'd buy would be an inflatable mat. Like I said in my previous post, there's a place in Midleton that sells Thermarest 3/4 length inflatables for €10, which is the bargain of the century! If you're in the area, I'd recommend you pick one up, it'll last for years and is extremely comfortable.

Next on my list of recommended kit is some dry/compression bags. Any good outdoor shop should sell them, the brand I use is Exped and you can really squash down clothes, tent, sleeping bag etc so packing your rucksack is easy. The great thing about them is they have a HH of 10,000mm which means nothing inside them will get wet. Additionally, you can stuff your day clothes in one at night and, hey presto, you have your pillow, which is very, very comfortable!

Finally for now, as I think we're closing in on your €200 budget, is a water system. You're not going to want to carry water with you as 1 litre = 1kg so you need to collect water as you walk. Just drinking water from a stream, horse trough, stagnant pool will make you very ill, so you'll need a filtration system. Get this:

http://www.backpackinglight.co.uk/hydration/PA101.html

Again, I have one and have taken water from really dubious sources and have never once been ill. It's worth every penny.

It took me around 8 years to get all the gear I have now, so it won't happen overnight, the thing is be patient and it will come eventually. Any more questions, just ask. Hope this helps.

laoch na mona

what tent would ye recommend i get

colblimp

laoch na mona wrote: »

what tent would ye recommend i get

I included a link to the tent in my last post - the Wild Country Zephyros 1 from Field and Trek at the bargain price of £85.

WILD.

Good gear = comfort when camping and hiking but when you are a first time buyer it is hard to know where you can compromise with the cost. Maybe you and your girlfriend should go on a wild camping expedition trip in the mountains. There are some companies in Ireland at the moment that will provide all the expedition equipment and take you both out on an overnight experience in the mountains that will give you a good idea of what type of equipment you would then need to buy...and where you can get good deals. google wild camping expeditions in Ireland.
Hope that helps!

Carawaystick

I'd probably consider getting good raingear too.
I'd suggest having rainwear so you're comfortable sitting out in moderate rain in a light breeze -- i.e. not driving rain
I'd try get some king of breathable coat and then maybe cheap breathable or unbreathable bottoms.

The other thing is to bring layers of clothes, so you can wrap up when stopped and unwrap while moving.

Lastly, you should always have a heavy/rich meal in the evening. we would always have used up the oil in tinned fish etc for those extra calories, which keep you warm at night. Nuts, or avocados are also good for this, being high in fat.

I'd be in the good tent/mediocre sleeping bag "camp", you can always bring a sleeping bag liner, or get a cheap fleece blanket and wrap it around you.

nice_guy80

some decent stuff on donedeal from time to time

you can pick up tents, stoves and other misc stuff

laoch na mona

nice_guy80 wrote: »

some decent stuff on donedeal from time to time

you can pick up tents, stoves and other misc stuff

ya i'm keeping an eye on donedeal and adverts

Corbally

Sorry to be a naysayer but the thermarests in the Army Surplus Warehouse are €40 - €45 ( I work for the Army Surplus Warehouse).
Seen as how I work for a company that sells camping equipment you might think I'm trying to sell you stuff but my advice is ignore half of the "must-have" lists you will see online. I've done alot of camping and I've spent way too much on gear and had to carry heavy kit around for days and not use it. Kit list should be decided by location. If you're camping for 2 days in a forest 500 yards from your car with the missus bring everything! Duvets, laptop for dvds, shaving kit, mountains of food and water, bag of turf and some firelighters.
If you're doing a few days wild camping you don't need much at all. If you're hiking I wouldn't bring a tent. A tarp/basha with a good sleeping bag and ground mat is fine. I wouldn't bother with a bivi bag unless you plan on sleeping out in the open.
For a first aid kit I'd bring a few plasters, strapping (for sprained ankles) and some savlon. Put savlon on every scratch. After 7 days of accumulating little scratches your hands can get quite sore. Unless you're trained anything more serious than scrapes and cuts will need a trip to A + E.
For water needs, puri tabs. Can't beat them. Taste isn't great but carrying 10 liters of water is a pain.
Zip lock bags are a must. Turn off your phone and put it in a zip lock. Keep it off and you'll have a full battery if you have an emergency and the zip lock will keep it dry. Toilet roll in a zip lock too.
Light hatchet for firewood and to dig a hole for a latrine. I'm not a big fan of folding saws.
Curry powder...add it to everything once your food starts to get boring.
Wouldn't bother with a Knife Fork Spoon set either. If you can't eat it with a spoon use you're hands. You should have a knife (fixed or folding).
Hand sanitizer. Very easy to get a dodgy stomach after a few days without washing your hands with soap.

As colblimp said a 65 liter pack is huge. If you can't fit all your gear into a 45 liter you're taking too much.

One thing to watch for with sleeping bags if the ratings. You will see 3 season ratings, -5 degrees ratings and weight ratings 350g/m. Its impossible to say buy a 3 season for winter in Ireland etc. Everybody feels the cold different, some people are fatter/bigger/colder etc. Weight of the filling is the best way to judge a sleeping bag. Different brands can very on the rating. A 3 season from one brand will be a 2 season from another bag. -5 degrees means you won't die at -5 if you're wearing clothes inside the bag but it doesn't mean you'll have a toastie night.
A 350g/m mummy bag(called 3 season by most manufacturers) is probably the best bag in my opinion if you are sleeping on a good ground mat. It's not too hot in summer and in winter you can layer up and have a comfy sleep. I slept comfortably in -10 degrees with a 350g/m bag on a thermarest with socks, trousers, t shirt, hoody and a hat on. If you don't like sleeping in a sleeping bag with the hood up and the draw string pulled don't camp in winter.

Hope that's helpful

silverharp

^^^

good points , ive being doing single nights camping with about ~10 hours hiking between the 2 days, so the weight is important enough. I think I have the water sorted now so I only ever have about a ltr on average , knowing ill pass a water source or end up at one.
Still struggling with the pack weight but don't feel like Im bringing the kitchen sink , summer sleeping bag, 1 man tent (1.6kg) , ground mat, jumper and rain gear seems to take up most of the space, cooking equipment and a couple of zip lock bags for bits and bobs. the food adds up but I tend to do more of the hiking on the second day so the pack is lighter then. My main "luxury" item is a pair of flipflops as its nice to be able to get the boots off straight away and get them dry

A tarp would save weight for sure but curious to see how the winter will go, the tent does add about 4 degrees compared to outside temp so I hope I wont need extra stuff in the winter, I have a liner for the sleeping bag but havnt brought it yet.

should probably look into one of those alcohol stoves which are more compact than having the gas ones

Mac2010

silverharp wrote: »

^^^
should probably look into one of those alcohol stoves which are more compact than having the gas ones

I used EsBit solid fuel stove dozen times and i find it extremely useful. Never used alcohol stove so no experience myself

Esbit's own solid fuel tablets tend to be bit more expensive than cheap hexamine tablets.

A good windshield + light pot/mug + Solid fuel Tabs = Very lightweight.

A good windshield + Compact gas stove = Fast boil time but extra weight ?

Just my 2 cent

FrostyJack

hanksy123 wrote: »

As colblimp said a 65 liter pack is huge. If you can't fit all your gear into a 45 liter you're taking too much.

I have a Berghaus 65+10 ruck and I don't have enough room for my gear. The way the pockets on the side are internal ruins it. There is very little webbing also to attach anything to. I have tried many different combo's of gear and only one fits with any sort of food and water in it. I would want to have a 80-90 litre to fit all the fancy extras like a storm shelter or a proper first aid kit.

silverharp

FrostyJack wrote: »

I have a Berghaus 65+10 ruck and I don't have enough room for my gear. The way the pockets on the side are internal ruins it. There is very little webbing also to attach anything to. I have tried many different combo's of gear and only one fits with any sort of food and water in it. I would want to have a 80-90 litre to fit all the fancy extras like a storm shelter or a proper first aid kit.

mine is a 65 + 10 as well Vango and basically I get the tent , sleeping bag and mat and jumper into the main part and food and cooking equipment/food into the bottom, the pocket in the hood is for a couple of zip lock bags and for now I have a platypus water bag hanging on the outside and a water bottle in one of the outside pockets. in the winter Ill probably have to switch over to a heavier sleeping bag so that will soak up any spare space in the main part.

FrostyJack

What sleeping bag do you currently use?

silverharp

FrostyJack wrote: »

What sleeping bag do you currently use?

Something I picked up in Halfords "Urban Escape" 1kg and fairly compact I have a couple of "-5C" bags but they are 1.5kg and bulkier. Im curious to see what I will need over the winter. I camped on Friday and it was 4C outside and the bag was ok with hat and gloves on. I have a silk liner which I havnt used yet but that should be good for another ~4C ?? so the plan for now is to keep this bag going until I need to switch also I plan to use some basic base layers

http://www.halfords.ie/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/product_storeId_11101_catalogId_15551_productId_836083_langId_-1_categoryId_212554

laoch na mona

laoch na mona wrote: »

other general advice

Don't watch the Blair Witch Project!

FrostyJack

silverharp wrote: »

Something I picked up in Halfords "Urban Escape" 1kg and fairly compact I have a couple of "-5C" bags but they are 1.5kg and bulkier. Im curious to see what I will need over the winter. I camped on Friday and it was 4C outside and the bag was ok with hat and gloves on. I have a silk liner which I havnt used yet but that should be good for another ~4C ?? so the plan for now is to keep this bag going until I need to switch also I plan to use some basic base layers

http://www.halfords.ie/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/product_storeId_11101_catalogId_15551_productId_836083_langId_-1_categoryId_212554

That looks similar to my Snugpak Jungle bag which is rated 1 degree lower on both extreme and comfort but that is only 750 grams, I am planning to use that with a USMC bivi bag instead of a bigger bag (have 2 huge ones that take up most of my bag) this week. I have an snugpak ionsphere tent which packs small and weighs just over 1kg but 3 of them take the guts of the bag along with a fleece. One option is to get a slightly bigger bag and just bring the tent.