[Closed] Full camping set up - what to buy?

Check gumtree. Loads of ‘camping isn’t for me’ full setups going for peanuts.

Take a look at what campsites are charging nowadays first. Those holiday cottages might not seem as expensive afterall. I used to camp in campsites all the time but they are mostly shite now and the good ones few and far between compared to what they were. Overpriced, scum families runing wild, overcrowded with supersized tents and vehicles. I'd pass and stick to wild camping, hotels and b&bs.

Self-inflating mats.  Do not buy an airbed, rookie mistake.

Do not buy cheap shit.  You'll only end up throwing it away and buying what you should've bought in the first place.

See those flat briefcase-style stoves that take long cylinders of gas?  Avoid like the plague, they look good but they're piss poor and rip through gas at an astonishing rate.

If you've never camped before, borrow as much gear as you can for a first outing.  You'll quickly work out what works for you and what doesn't, and it's an expensive mistake if you buy a shedload of kit and then decide you hate it.

Choose your campsite carefully and the above can be avoided.

As above gum tree. Otherwise decathlon or gooutdoors so you can see stuff set up. Don't go mad with buying stuff. You don't need blow up beds that are 2' tall, tables and chairs, 20 lanterns kitchen cabinets etc. Less is more.

Tent wise, have a look at the Decathlon Air Beam ones. Very good for car camping and well priced.

We get along fine with a Decathlon (Quechua)  vis-a-vis 4 person tent that was bought 8 years or so ago for the princely sum of £89 in the sale* Loads of storage space inside and a sunscreen at the front that closes down when raining.  You can choose not to erect the sleeping quarters on one side and have bags of extra space.

We broke a pole last time (not bad for so many years use), so check it comes with a repair pole-section (this one did)

+1 thick self-inflating mat.  Vango do good ones.  7.5cm is more than fine IME

Folding table and a couple of decent chairs.

Cooking depends some on what type of camp sites you wish to use.   I prefer cooking in the open on a firebowl with a backup gas burner for rainy days.  Eating out and snacking in tent is a good bet.

Don't forget the duvet, pillows, kettle and bog roll.  A water container is a good bet too.  Games and radio.

*Still only £99  https://www.decathlon.co.uk/arpenaz-family-42-id_8378238.html

Have also used a Vango Halo 200 tent for quick no-fuss weekend getaways when you don't want the aggro of setting up a big tent/wish to utilise smaller campsites/wilder settings.  Perfect for 3 seasons in any weather, and the double self-inflating mat fits a treat.

Decathlon generally tends to be good for half-decent kit at sensible prices.

See those flat briefcase-style stoves that take long cylinders of gas?  Avoid like the plague, they look good but they’re piss poor and rip through gas at an astonishing rate.

Nope. They're fine for Summer car camping, my £10 Halfords one works great, is nice and stable and doesn't seem to use gas any quicker than any other stove I've got. The cylinders cost £1.50 - less than half what you'll pay for the same weight of Coleman or Camping Gaz. Where they do fall down is where the temperature drops below about 12c, there's not much propane in the mix and as the cylinder cools with use the flow falls off.

And if you can't borrow kit as Cougar suggests then do what Jambo says, pick up someone else's passing enthusiasm on the cheap second hand, or buy a budget tent. You don't need top of the line stuff for low-level campsite holidays. Try to see it set up before you buy so you can get a decent idea if the space and layout meets your needs.

The one thing I do have is 2 Camping Gaz stoves I picked up stupid cheap when Halfords were clearing them out.

We actually like airbeds - my wife sleeps best on one!

Good idea on some of those bits and bobs we might need.

I’ll have a look 2nd hand for a tent and other bits but I would prefer a new tent.

Was thinking around £200-300 for the tent.

We actually like airbeds – my wife sleeps best on one!

In a tent?

Yes, airbeds in a tent. We’ve tried those thermarest things and I think I’d get more comfort sleeping on some swept up leaves. 😉

Nope. They’re fine for Summer car camping, my £10 Halfords one works great, is nice and stable and doesn’t seem to use gas any quicker than any other stove I’ve got.

Agreed. We’ll be using them next weekend and at 24/12 next month. We can make meals for 5 for the whole event easily and not use more than two or three canisters.

Take a look at what campsites are charging nowadays first. Those holiday cottages might not seem as expensive afterall. I used to camp in campsites all the time but they are mostly shite now and the good ones few and far between compared to what they were. Overpriced, scum families runing wild, overcrowded with supersized tents and vehicles. I’d pass and stick to wild camping, hotels and b&bs.

Depends how many are in your group. A cottage or hotel for my family costs about the same as a week in Turkey. (I’m exaggerating, but only a little. 😁 )

And from the phrase ‘scum families running wild’, I’d guess that you’re either a childless sociopath or not too wise at campsite selection? 😛

Decathlon generally tends to be good for half-decent kit at sensible prices.

With the added bonus that they don't quibble about replacing/refunding after the tent has ripped in the wind 🙂

Ear plugs and eye blackout masks.

Get used to wearing them at home first though.

I’m not gonna tell you what you should get as it’s often personal preference, so in true STW fashion, this is what I have...

Tentipi Zircon 7 Tent, one pole, can stand up easily and good shape for wind difflection.

SnugPak 3-4 Season synthetic sleeping bags.

ExPed Synmat - Inflateable mats, but nice and thick at 75mm with self-contained pump.

SnugPak - Travel pillows, a must...

Primus ETA Spider stove set - Good for lightweight travel and family use.

Tatonka Stainless Steel kettle pan set - 1/2.5/4 litres pans with lids usable as frying pans.

GSI Stainless Steel Kettle & Coffee Percolator

Enameled metal cups, plates and bowls for that authentic camping look 🙂

Lifeventure Stainless Steel cutlery sets - robust and well made, although for lightweight camping a titanium Spork is good

Mora Bushcraft Survival knife for general use, Light My Fire FireKnife for cooking uses

Gransfors Bruks Wildlife Hatchet and Outdoors Axe

Various lights/lanterns from Petzl and Alpkit

UCO Stormproof Torch (Lighter) and bottle opener

MSR TrailShot Water Purifier, mainly for solo use...

There is loads more but I’m bored. Also useful are games like chess, scrabble etc...

On stoves :

I have a Coleman 424 multifuel. Previously, it was last used around 2009 when I last raced following which it was flung in a shed and forgotten about. Fast forward 8 years and my dad dug it out last summer, to say it looked sorry is an understatement. Bathed in something that stripped half the paint, rusty bits and some sort of half sludge half rust muck caking it. Not holding out much hope I tried to start it a couple of weeks ago and it lit perfectly first time. The unleaded in the tank was still good and managed a weekend at Comrie, still not topped up BTW.

Not the lightest stove going but definitely durable, mine looks like it will clean up fine. Cheap to fuel and good power, second burner not as controllable but not the hardest thing to get used to.

Knife and fork is a Swiss army style set that splits in two from Aldi IIRC

Palmer77 just reminded me of the one indispensable thing - headtorch!

Most any type will do for around the campsite/walks back from pub, but a red led option is a bonus for low light, night maps, stargazing etc.  I'd recommend what I have but Maplin is no more.  Something like this

https://www.amazon.co.uk/PathBrite-LED-Head-Torch-Lightweight/dp/B0189Y8UN2

Depends unfortunately. What car so you have? You could easily take up a good chunk of your boot with a large airbeam or steel piled tent.  Personally I've done cheap 4 man Tesco tent right the way up to rediculously huge Outwell Vermont XL.  Some Vango beast in between and a smaller (but still relatively huge) newer Outwell which we're v happy with for the range of weather we can get in Wales etc.

Couple of essentials imo. Heater - surprising how much temp can dip at night in a tent.  Comfy camp chairs. Most are shit. Do not buy a crap airbed. It'll go down. It'll be cold. It'll ruin your holiday. I love a carpet in the living area. Not exactly an essential but it's nice to have.  Something to keep things (beer) cool If on an extended trip.

If you can get a tent with dark sleeping area you should.  Unless you like waking early in which case don't bother.

Heater – surprising how much temp can dip at night in a tent

A good sleeping bag is important, but a heater? I don't think so.

How does the heater work? Battery is going to be ridiculous and combustion is a massive no.

How does the heater work?

Presumably off the same electrical hookup that the TV/BluRay/Phones/Laptops/Tablets/Microwave everyone seems to take now all work off?

An outdoor spec cable extension lead wired to the outdoor powered campsite plug with an RCD protection plug on it.

Powers, charges and runs the fan heater if you want it.

Any yes a proper stove that runs off a proper gas bottle that will also do your gas BBQ

It would be transported in a car so weight and size packed up not an issue.

yeah wait till you get all this lot next to the car...

Presumably off the same electrical hookup that the TV/BluRay/Phones/Laptops/Tablets/Microwave everyone seems to take now all work off?

An outdoor spec cable extension lead wired to the outdoor powered campsite plug with an RCD protection plug on it.

Powers, charges and runs the fan heater if you want it.

Any yes a proper stove that runs off a proper gas bottle that will also do your gas BBQ

It would be transported in a car so weight and size packed up not an issue.

yeah wait till you get all this lot next to the car…

Whilst I realise you sound like you are taking the piss I also realise you are being perfectly serious.

I should have really known better shouldn't I?

I’d definitely hunt around gumtree and Facebook marketplace looking for tent & carpet set-ups from people who tried it and didn’t like it. If you really love it all and want to invest in something better down the line, you can shift yours on the same way.

A bad night’s sleep makes everything seem a bit shite - so make sure you’ve got that sorted. If you are car-camping just say “**** it” and pack stuff whether you think you’ll need it or not. It takes a few trips to figure out what you need and what’s superfluous - you’re not having to drag it a mile from a car park to an overcrowded festival campsite.

A tent with a sheltered porch area where you can kick off wellies etc to keep the tent clean but they’ll still be dry in the morning etc etc.

A Bluetooth speaker and a phone full of podcasts etc.

Plenty of layers for sitting around in the evening - even round a campfire, it can get chilly just sitting there.

Whilst I realise you sound like you are taking the piss I also realise you are being perfectly serious. *facepalm*

What you actually on about?

Campings changed man...

The statements on their own seem ridiculous, why would you take all that camping? Then I realise that plenty people do.

That's what I'm on about.

Also, the editor sucks (but nobody cares about the broken forum) and doesn't actually show the edited version for a few minutes. I had changed it to make it clearer (I thought).

Right...

I guess the idea of taking a safe power source with you is ridiculous isn't it, I mean for the sake of a cable you can avoid charging things like your camera in the car which all seem to turn off the power when off now.

Seems like a simple thing to make camping a bit more fun and relaxing, unless you think it should be lights out at 9pm

Given the unpredictable nature of the UK weather having a plan B is a great idea.

There’s a spectrum. The sleeping bag we use for family camping trips weighs more than my entire bikepacking kit.

But when you start throwing generators and heaters in the mix, I reckon it’s time to start considering a caravan...

I think the blow heater is a step to far myself 🙂

That aside, a lot of self pitched campsites in the U.K. won’t have electric hook-ups if they’re just a few fields on the side of a farm.

And that aside, the OP’s just looking for a bit of friendly advice, not to read arguments.

Right…

I guess the idea of taking a safe power source with you is ridiculous isn’t it, I mean for the sake of a cable you can avoid charging things like your camera in the car which all seem to turn off the power when off now.

Seems like a simple thing to make camping a bit more fun and relaxing, unless you think it should be lights out at 9pm

Given the unpredictable nature of the UK weather having a plan B is a great idea.

Er, yes.

I don't go camping to drag half the shit in my house with me. Fan heater, full stove and BBQ with a calor gas bottle can **** right off, just get a campervan. I know opinions are like arseholes but surely the point of camping (and not glamping) is to get away from it all?

As for lights out at 9pm, if you need power to function after dark you aren't trying. And certainly not camping.

I know opinions are like arseholes but surely the point of camping (and not glamping) is to get away from it all?

It's to enjoy the time away.

I guess, I just don't see the fun in bringing your routine with you. I have similar ire for those who drag TV's with them so the whole site can hear the going s of of eastenders every night.

Irony of your lights out at nine statement being most sites I've been on that would cater to electric hookup would have you shut up at the back of ten anyway.

And that aside, the OP’s just looking for a bit of friendly advice, not to read arguments.

Have you taken a blow to the head recently? 😉

You don't need alot really and most of it you can get second hand in almost brand new and hardly used condition. We camped on campsites and if you choose wisely you avoid the 'undesirables'. But even choosing decent 'glamping' type campsites I'm not sure how anyone can get the cost anywhere near the same cost of a B&B or holiday cottage....not one you'd actually want to stay in anyway. We've never payed more than £20 a night for a campsite and that is for a proper top notch campsite with decent facilities, in a prime location etc.

When we tented we had a Vango tent where the interior bedrooms areas had dark material on the inside, though not quite blackout, they were pretty dark. I've had no problems sleeping when camping.

As far as gear goes i'd say tent, decent sleeping bags, we had fold away camp beds under strict orders of the wife, a hook up cable, electric kettle - firing up the stove every time you want a brew is a PITA, a stove and some food prep gear. That's the basics really. I got one of those electric cool boxes as I demanded cold beers on demand and useful for proper milk instead of powdered rubbish. The whole point of camping is to get out every day and not hang around the campsite. We'd come back in the early evening after getting upto something during the day, hang around the tent for a few hours in the evening, having a beer, cooking dinner, kids would be running around like nutters completely un-hooked form their electronic devices. It's great fun.

Proper wild camping is good fun....upto your early 20's. Nothing wrong with a decent campsite and electric hook up.

but surely the point of camping (and not glamping) is to get away from it all?

I've never felt that bringing a gas bottle prevents me from getting away from it all.

Are the air pole tents worth the extra money? I do like the idea of them being quick to put up but I am concerned about long term durability

I've used a couple of the Vango AirBeams, a standard tent and a drive-away awning and both have been great. The body of the tent is no more or less durable than any other comparable tent and the AirBeam system works a bit like a tyre with an inner tube with a butyl (I think) inner encased in a protective casing then zipped into a channel in the tent. Some of the early ones were a bit under-specced - sorry about the people we startled at 24/12 a few years back - but the latest ones seem pretty durable.

If one does go pop, you can always buy a replacement tube and I guess, if you were really concerned, you could buy a spare to carry with you just in case.

Super fast and easy to put up. Otherwise I wouldn't overthink things, start with the basics, do a shake-down trip and take it from there. A cool box is handy for milk and stuff, folding chairs and table, lighting etc.

Proper wild camping is good fun….upto your early 20’s. Nothing wrong with a decent campsite and electric hook up.

I forget sometimes most of you are old enough to be my dad. FWIW I'm 35 and wild* camping is just dandy.

*If you think no power is wild then god help you when the apocalypse happens.

*If you think no power is wild then god help you when the apocalypse happens.

.

38, camped on top of things with nothing more than a bivvy bag etc. etc.

Also gone away for a weekend and stayed in a campsite, just a different thing.

FWIW I’m 35 and wild* camping is just dandy.

*Swoon*

Don't buy too much to start with. Work it out as you go along. A cool box properly manage can last most of a week. manage your shopping and you can get by with out a much hasseh.

Also for car camping we just use a duvet. We actually use a custom homemade duvet that we have used bike touring so no heavier than two seeping bags.

Proper wild camping is good fun….upto your early 20’s

Mileages vary.  Sometimes (in our early fifties) we still used to camp with little support other than the Ghillie Kettle and a box of sticks, the Trangia set, and a torch. But we did choose somewhere with at least water, a toilet and shower if staying more than a night.  Just the sound of a nearby brook, or the ocean,  the owls and other night creatures.  No lights on the site other than the stars/moon.  My favourite camping has always been 'quiet, rural, no hookup'.  Things can also change a lot with a group/party/fire-pit where you make your own entertainment.  That's a load of fun.  Liked to go for a few varied sites/trips a year yet always tried to avoid the crowded ones.

38, camped on top of things with nothing more than a bivvy bag etc. etc.

93. Sleep naked on mountain tops in blizzards with no more than a Tesco carrier bag and a packet of frozen peas for a pillow etc. etc.

I was replying to the person who seemed to think it was only fun in your early 20's.

Anyway, this has gone beyond amusing, as I said before opinions are like arseholes.

OP: Here's an example of what you can pick up for under £200. Toilet is probably a bit much if you're on a site but otherwise a sensible start and more than capable of keeping you warm and entertained if you take appropriate bedding and entertainment.

https://www.gumtree.com/p/camping-gear/tent-camping-gear/1302973416

You should get an acoustic guitar.

Or a Ukelele.

Campers love that shit.

I know it has been said, but I have to second (or third or whatever) getting the kit second-hand. I bought a full set of everything we needed (RCD electric hookup, airbeds, table, big double stove, gas bottle, kitchen unit etc etc etc etc etc and two 6-8 men tents). The whole lot cost us £180 from Ebay and I am sure I will get most (if not all) of that back when the kids are too old to be bothered about doing it anymore.

If you get a gas bottle second hand, when it needs refilling do you just take it to somewhere (Go Outdoors etc) and pay the £35 to get it refilled? You don't need to show any original paperwork etc and I assume it doesn't matter if the bottle is a bit bashed about? Some of the second hand ones look dire but I see little point in buying a shiny new one as you are just going to swap it for whatever the place you take it to has in their compound and is full.

^ Yes - just take yours, give it to them, get another full one (which could be tatty/near perfect condition cosmetically) in return – they don't fill it for you onsite.

That's good then. You can get empty ones for about £5 on gumtree etc but they look pretty dire. As long as it doesn't leak there isn't an issue!

That’s good then. You can get empty ones for about £5 on gumtree etc but they look pretty dire. As long as it doesn’t leak there isn’t an issue!

If it's in date for being swapped then just head to a garage and swap for a newish looking one 😉

Started camping last year in a borrowed ⛺ then bought our own in the Blacks sale for £195,  Eurohike Buckingham 8 elite. Its 7m x 3m and stand up height, it's a lovely tent. What we did invest in was a towbar and second hand trailer. The trailer is a Brenderup, absolutely worth its weight in gold. Everything fits inside so the car just has clothes bags in. We also take a mini fridge, a microwave, Weber BBQ and a 🔥 pit. Love it!

Also for car camping we just use a duvet.

Same here. Exped mats and sleeping bags for lightweight and/or cold weather but for casual summer car camping a duvet, big fluffy pillows and (shock horror) an inflatable camp bed.

Several stoves here but the car camping one is a Coleman dual burner plus grill with separate regulator for big (ish) gas cylinder. A folding table and chairs are nice if you want to be comfortable.

As for avoiding chavvy campsites, easier said than done I'm afraid. Often you have no idea until you get there. Though I do have an ever-expanding blacklist.

Take some earplugs for when you are camped next to Percy the panther's Ukelele orchestra. 🙂

A wee bottle. Not a "small" one - one to avoid the schlep to the lavs at 2 am. Warning! Do not leave the wee bottle in plain sight of teeth cleaning visitors to your pitch!!

Non stealth ad alert.

If you look at my profile I have a full if necessary family set up for sale, I’m away for a couple of days but email if it’s of interest 😆

If the airbed is comfier than a thermarest I reckon your over inflating the thermarest or didn't clear out stones before pitching.

I'm with squirrel ... not much point camping if you just reproduce  home (for me anyway)... couple of chairs would nice though when its chucking it down..

I’m with squirrel … not much point camping if you just reproduce home

Why not? It's just a different way of doing things. I like to be able to stand up straight, cook nice meals, sit around a table with a cold beer, stay warm, have decent light after sunset and have a comfortable night's sleep. We choose 'nice' camp sites with good facilities, play area etc and it's a holiday for the whole family. Sleeping in a field with nothing but a toilet and cold running water (which I have done – I did it for three months around Europe) isn't so much fun for a week way with the family.

Don't forget a bottle to pee in in the middle of the night so that you don't have to trek across the campsite to the loos............

You should get an acoustic guitar.

Or a Ukelele.

Campers love that shit.

Really poor advice imho. Far better to invest in an electric guitar and and amp. If your family get into it, you can then invest in a drum kit, bass, etc. That way you'll be able to share right across the site. HTH.

don't bother getting everything you will ever need from day one. start off with a cheap little tent, sleeping bag and a roll mat and see if you like it. you're either a camper or you're not! also theres a wide range of campsite around. do research and avoid the chavvy/big ones as they can be like a big mobile council estate.

Tell me about mats.  I sleep fine on an airbed tbh but I'm just about to replace one and if people reckon self inflating mats are more comfortable then I'll hold fire on the airbed. I've slept on thermarests before and find it hard to believe they can be more comfy (or, more precisely, non-uncomforatble) than airbeds.  They seem pricey too.

Has to be a double...

Has to be a double…

Not sure many do doubles, the main advantages are warmth. an airbed is just an airgap and it lets all the heat out, the foam in the matt gives you some insulation. The thickest ones from any of the generic camping shops are what you want for car camping.

Airbeds and 2 people always deem like the worst possible thing, unless they are hard as a rock everytime the other person moves you feel it.

By the time some folk here get everything setup it must be time to start packing up again.

I always struggle to be comfortable on a thermarest. Sleep on my side and hip and shoulder go straight through. Lying on my back it's ok but then I snore.

Tell me about mats.  I sleep fine on an airbed tbh but I’m just about to replace one and if people reckon self inflating mats are more comfortable then I’ll hold fire on the airbed. I’ve slept on thermarests before and find it hard to believe they can be more comfy (or, more precisely, non-uncomforatble) than airbeds.  They seem pricey too.

Edit: this one.  http://m.gooutdoors.co.uk/airgo-cirro-double-dlx-sim-p429554 . £110 at the moment so quite a bit more than an air bed but a good price comparef to some

I always struggle to be comfortable on a thermarest. Sleep on my side and hip and shoulder go straight through.

My wife was the same until she bought a thicker one. About 8cm I think.

I'm not averse to a bit of genuine wild camping when it enables you to get to a location where other accommodation is not possible.  I'm generally not that keen on camp sites, because they have other people on them.

If you follow the logical extension that since this is a "lower cost option than a holiday cottage" and not about the camping experience per se, then you inevitably get into the luxury camping end of the spectrum - seats, tables, electricity, kettles, comfy beds, TV, fridge, beds, toilet* etc...

Once I get my head into that, then I'm left wondering why you wouldn't just go the full hog and have a caravan (or a campervan if the budget / other compromises work for you).  I have a deep inner hatred of the idea of a caravan, but think it distills down to the fact they are usually owned by caravaners, and I don't want to be on holiday in a field full of caravaners.

* having recently spent the night in a glamping pod again, my thoughts are that traipsing 50m across a damp field getting attacked my midges because you need a pee in the middle of the night is not the bit of "experiencing the connection with nature" I was most worried about missing out on, from the luxury experience.

Hey OP ... what ever you buy .... buy something and do it !! .... You'll not regret it*.

Just back from our first little trip this year... only 90min up the road, but a world away....And a brilliant added bonus was I found myself quite unexpectantly wondering through the villiage where The Detectors was filmed.....   https://singletrackmag.com/forum/topic/the-detectorists/

* Bear in mind we've probably thrown a fair bit at it .... Big air beam tent/self inflating mattress on top of inflating bed "frames"... sleeping on proper sheets and under a duvet.... I honestly didn't wanna get out of bed this morn but the little river, just out front of the tent, called me and I had a cheeky swim.

Get out there, which ever way you choose.

Good luck.

Yes, airbeds in a tent. We’ve tried those thermarest things and I think I’d get more comfort sleeping on some swept up leaves.

Agreed, don't get the airbed hate, far more comfortable.

A huge part of camping successfully is just about being organised with your kit, rather than buying the latest and greatest.  Having good quality kit does make a big difference for sure, but forgetting to take a bit of string/para-cord, spare batteries, the fuel funnel for the stove, duct tape to patch a tear in the tent etc can have a disproportionate impact on your enjoyment.

Cheap plastic toolboxes are fantastic for keeping all your camping gear together - and it means you can just store them ready-to-go, so there is a reduced opportunity to forget something each time you go.  It also makes the pre-camping faff a lot more tolerable if you don't have to hunt-down a little bottle of washing-up liquid, mossie repellent etc every time.  Keeping a pen/paper in each box and noting down what needs to be added next time (or has run out) is also a good idea and means that your kit continuously evolves in terms of it's usefulness.

Sorry - not a particularly sexy recommendation!  Maybe get a titanium aeropress or something to offset?

As for actual kit,  This is the one piece of kit that I would recommend to anyone:

I would try to pick up an older one of ebay or whatever - it sounds like there are some QC problems with the newer ones - but the older ones are virtually (maybe actually?) bombproof and will comfortably outperform a gas stove.

I’m in my 40s and still enjoy wild camping. Where do I collect my badge of honour?

Not regularly enough to claim *that* special badge unfortutely!

Still putting off camping with the family. I have no desire to move house. I like basic camping - bivis, bushcraft style woods, wild camping, lightweight shelters etc

I've booked an NT bothy in October with my son (6). To me that's glamping, it's a solid building with running water and a composting toilet. Tried to sell it to my wife and daughter (5) and they both weren't keen, my wife said 'why'?' !

No faffing needing with enough kit to fill a trailer. Our holidays are all self catering places, it's definitely more expensive than camping but it's a hell of a lot easier, and then I get to camp the way I like to. Last friday was a stealth camp with a bivi, sleeping bag and mat - no one else around, it was bliss

Seems quite polarized on the airbed vs inflated mat.

Don't be confusing thin, lightweight 'Thermarests' to thicker mats used for car-camping.  Have used both 7.5cm and 10cm self-inflators.  Both were supremely comfortable with no rolling or partner disturbance.  Never had much luck with double airbeds - cold, rolly things.  They could've gotten better, but IME 7cm+ mat gives me the comfort, warmth and the firmness that are required for long sleep and ...

fast leisure 😉

There are two issues with traditional airbeds.

The first is that it's dead air, as soon as the temperature falls it'll be like sleeping on a block of ice.

The second is that if there's two of you on a double airbed, you get this effect:

Sturdy/stable and hard wearing?  I'd recommend a Cabanon canvas frame tent - mine is still as new after lots of years of lots of use, and even though it's  a frame tent. it's actually easier to put up on my own than some of those nylon jobbies.  Of course they were very expensive - and I'm not even sure what they make these days, I'm just doing the "this is what I've got" thing!

I use an airbed if car camping, but you need to put one of those thin foam roll up mat things on top otherwise you will get cold and condensation will form. Oh, and if for two, have two single airbeds, doubles are crap.

Essential item = hot water bottle!  Although when cycle touring I'd use those hot hand warmer pouch things.

Basic list - tent, chair, table, cooker, kettle, frying pan, plate, dish, cup, cutlery, torch, bed, sleeping bag, hot water bottle, water container.  When you decide you like it, you can add the luxuries.

Oh, forgot the MOST important item - a Portapotti!!

When I've been car camping I use an inflatable air bed (maybe not the best choice, but adequate) but rather than sleeping bags I take fitted sheets and a duvet. Collapsible chairs and a stove, plus cooking stuff and plenty of thermoses for the day out. Next time I'd sort out some sort of table and a bigger cooker. Citronella candles are handy. The tent is a field and trek own brand from a sale. Car space isn't a problem for me as I don't have kids. ymmv.

torch

Headtorch.