IF you’re taking advantage of the good weather by heading to a festival or camping this week, you’ll need to make sure you have the essentials.
But costs can add up when it comes to camping – especially if you’ve already forked out for a pricey festival ticket.
If you’re planning on camping this summer you may want to pick up these essentials[/caption]
Luckily there’s currently some great deals around to help you save on your shop.
The Sun has rounded them up for you…
Argos Pro Action 2 Person 1 Room Dome Tent
Price: £18.50
The tent is currently in the Argos sale, down from its usual price of £25[/caption]
Of course, the first thing you’ll need is a tent.
Argos is selling this two-person tent for just £18.50 currently (it’s in the sale, down from £25).
The description on the website says it can be put up in about 10 minutes.
It has air vents to provide ventilation, a window and a lantern hanging point.
Reviewers say it is “brilliant”, with one person saying: “Bought for camping, easy to use and kept us dry.”
However another person said it was a little bit small for two adults.
Lidl Crivit Blanket Style Lightweight Sleeping Bag
Price: £14.99, or £9.99 with Lidl Plus
You can get this sleeping bag even cheaper if you own a Lidl Plus card[/caption]
This one is a steal at under a tenner if you have a Lidl Plus card.
The sleeping bag has been temperature tested and can be used even at lows of -4C.
It comes in a blanket style for “better freedom of movement and a comfortable sleeping position”, Lidl’s website says.
Plus, it can be used as a blanket when unzipped.
The product is in store now but it’s one of the supermarket’s middle aisle buys so you’ll need to get it before it’s gone.
Argos Pro Action Folding Camping Chair
Price: £6.50
The camping chair comes in a carry bag so it can be stored and transported easily[/caption]
This one is another Argos bargain buy.
The camping chair comes in a carry bag so can be folded away for easy storage.
There is a strap on the carry bag that makes it easier to transport too.
The chair comes with a built-in drinks holder so it’s perfect for either the beach, garden or camping.
Reviewers have raved about it, with one saying: “This is a very comfortable chair and ideal for keeping in the car for whenever you need it.
“Great value at £10 each and we bought two for the bargain price of £14.”
Another simply said: “Comfortable, fairly light and good value.”
Bar-Be-Quick Instant Barbecue
Price: £2.50
This might be a good choice if you’re not planning to BBQ often[/caption]
Are you really camping if you don’t have a BBQ?
Of course there are plenty of options for portable BBQs, but if you’re looking to save the most cash then you could pick up one of these.
The Bar-Be-Quick Instant Barbecue is cheapest in Morrisons at £2.50 but you can also pick it up in Asda for £3.
It’s only one use so it’s a good option if you’re not planning to BBQ much in the future.
However if you are wanting to cook on the BBQ grill more regularly it might work out more cost-effective to buy a small portable BBQ.
This one is beach safe and already comes with charcoal.
It burns for up to one hour and can feed between two to four people.
Aldi Premium Camping Storage Box
Price: £6.99
This could be a good way of keeping your belongings tidy inside your tent[/caption]
Campers wanting to keep their belongings organised might want to try this one from Aldi.
The handy cases come in camouflage-friendly green or grey.
The product description reads: “A camping must have to keep everything neat and tidy.
“Use the boxes to transport your belongings, then fold down and store away easy when not in use.”
The design folds down completely flat when it’s not in use and has two pockets for smaller items.
Three camping tips from an expert
David Scotland owns camping equipment retailer Outdoor World Direct and knows all about how to make a camping trip run smoothly.
When visiting any campsite this summer it’s important to make sure you’re not making simple mistakes that could ruin your holiday.
Check your tent
David recommends putting your tent up a couple of weeks before you’re due to travel to give you enough time to repair or replace any damaged parts.
He told Sun Online Travel: “You’d be surprised how many people turn up with broken tents.”
Test the ground
Picking a good spot to pitch your tent is difficult, with lots of things to consider.
One of those should be the condition of the ground you’re putting your tent on top of, according to David.
He said: “Once you’ve found the perfect spot, test the ground with your pegs before you commit to camping there to make sure the ground is soft enough.”
Don’t nap in your tent
It may seem the perfect place for it, but a nap in a tent could end badly, if it’s done at the wrong time of the day.
David explained: “If the sun’s shining and it’s hot inside your tent – don’t do it!
“One of our friends nodded off in his tent during a heatwave at Glastonbury and ended up at the medical tent with heatstroke.”
Instead, he recommends finding some shade outside or somewhere well ventilated.
