Camping is an amazing experience no matter how old you are, and camping no longer has to mean taking only the absolute necessities or being cold and uncomfortable.
It’s easy to create your very own gorgeous glamping setup, and with some savvy buys from places like supermarkets, bargain shops and the likes of Amazon, creating your very own gorgeous glamping, comfy camping setup has never been easier!
Read on to find out what you need to create an envy-inducing, Instagram-perfect glamping setup…
Comfy Chairs
There are so many different types of camp chair to choose from, from space saving stools and basic folding chairs through to gigantic inflatable sofas.
A few of our favourite chairs for summer 2022 however provide a great blend of comfort, portability and good looks. We’ve recently bought the Outwell Seneca Lake Chair (expect to pay around £60-£65) we love its classic butterfly chair shape and stylish grey upholstery. Chairs like this are bigger than a classic camp chair, but for the additional comfort and added style points, they are hard to beat and this one offers exceptional value for money.
Other beautiful folding chairs you might want to consider come from the cool-as-anything brand Snowpeak [left], Sklum [centre] and BO-camp [right].
If space is a major concern, and lets face it, packing for a camping trip generally means a full car and roof box at the best of times, then Helinox chairs have got your back. Quite literally.
Whilst it won’t be everyone’s cup of tea, we love the bright funky tie-dye Helinox Sunset chair [above], and if you hate it, it comes in lots of other colours that aren’t quite as loud.
If space isn’t an issue, then you can’t go wrong with a moon chair, but be warned, they are huge even when folded down but they do offer the glorious ‘legs tucked under’ curled up kind of sitting that you might do on your sofa at home.
The Vango Thor moon chair [above] (expect to pay around £70) gets our vote – it’s not quite as pretty as the Outwell Fremont lake chair, but it is super comfortable!
If you fancy blowing the budget on something truly stunning, then we’re obsessed with these beautiful Inca Butterfly chairs from Olive & Sage [above], but at around £215 each, you’ll need to be a real stickler for aesthetics to stump up that much.
Rugs
We’ve long been fans of the humble rag rug, and we tend to take a few of different colours and sizes to cover the groundsheet inside our text for an eclectic boho look.
More recently however, we’ve become enamored with recycled plastic rugs because they come in an array of gorgeous colours and patterns and they’re waterproof, which means they can be used inside your tent our outside.
The brightly colour rug above is the Talking Tables Outdoor Rug (expect to pay around £35), though supermarkets like Sainsbury’s, Aldi and Asda have currently got similar rugs available in store.
We also highly rate Green Decore Recycled Plastic Rugs [above] (expect to pay around £55) which come in an array of different colours, patterns and sizes. They’re produced ethically and are excellent quality too.
Bell Tent Boutique sells some fantastic half-moon rag rugs (priced from £69.99) and designed specifically for bell tents. They are superb quality and make a huge difference to the camping experience!
If you’re after something that’s a bit cheaper, Mountain Warehouse Picnic Mats (expect to pay around £16.99) make a great inexpensive choice.
Lighting
Camping lanterns are easy to find, but there are some options that we think are better. We’ve been using the HUBi Lumi lighting system [below] (expect to pay around £220) for many years now and we still think it’s the best lighting solution for camping.
The HUBi includes a power bank to power up your USB devices that the Lumi lights plugs right into it. Together with the weatherproof solar panel, the Hubi has never let us down and makes a great option.
The Outwell Sargas tent light [below] (expect to pay around £25-£30) comes in a couple of different colours and is a highly rated option. It folds almost flat, is dimmable and has a 230V plug, so you will need a power source.
Power
We’ve mentioned the HUBi in the above section on lighting already, and if you want easy lighting and power, then that remains our top pick for choice for campers.
For those seeking something a bit more hardcore, we recommend taking a look at the Bluetti Poweroak EB70 or the Jackery Explorer 500 Portable Power Station.
If those fall outside of your budget, then you might want to consider something like the EcoFlow River Mini Portable Power Station all of which will provide plenty of power for everything from your phone and other USB devices and all of the above have at least 1 3-pin plug socket too.
Cooking
A double-burner stove might seem excessive, but it’s a real camping game changer. As people who like to cook ‘proper’ food when camping (curries, casseroles, stir fries etc) having 2 burners means cooking is so much easier.
Our Primus Kinjia 2 burner (expect to pay around £160-£190) is a beautiful bit of kit and it has served us well for many years. The downside is that it doesn’t have built-in ignition, but apart from that, it’s great.
Good quality pans are also a must and after many years, we’re still using our Robens cook set which is great quality, but Vango also do some great value camping pan sets, as do Outwell.
Do be careful when buying pans online, particularly on Amazon as you might find what you buy is smaller than perhaps you’d anticipated, so look out for the word ‘trekking’ which normally indicates a smaller size.
The best camping cookware will consist of a set designed to nest inside each other to save you on space. If you’re looking for something really small, consider something like the Wautton Camping Cookware Kit.
Sleeping
From sleeping on the floor to double-height air mattresses and everything in between, If It’s a camping sleeping option, I’ve probably tried it.
In terms of taking up the least space and providing maximum comfort our camping go-to is a double folding camp bed topped with a big thick SIM (self inflating mattress). Not only does this lift us up from the ground and provide us with extra storage space under the bed, but it provides near ‘sleeping at home’ levels of comfort and warmth.
My favourite SIM to date is the super deluxe Vango Shangri La and at a chunky 15cm thick, placed on top of our double Outwell Pasodas folding double bed, it’s a winning combination.
A warm sleeping bag is a must when camping, and there are so many brilliant options out there. Not all of us want to be trussed up in a mummy sleeping bag (though they will keep you warm), so consider a sleeping bag that provides you with flexibility.
Selk’bag is the original wearable sleeping bag, and I love mine. It keeps me toasty warm beside the campfire, in bed and it also means I don’t even need to get out of my sleeping bag for a nighttime toilet visit.
Those who are perpetually cold when camping might want to try something like the Vango Radiate with a battery-operated heating element inside, or a traditional 4-season mummy bag to keep you toasty warm.
Lounging
A warm sleeping bag is a must but those wanting to snuggle up together might prefer to opt for something like the Rumpl Original Puffy blanket or something super flexible like the Jack Wolfskin 4 in 1 blanket.
Insulated ponchos are also great for staying warm when camping, particularly for when sitting beside the campfire. The Therm-a-rest Honcho Poncho makes a good premium choice, or for those on more of a budget, you can find a great affordable Mountain Warehouse wearable blanket.
Possibly one of our best buys is our camping hammock. Folded, it takes up as much room as a camp bed and provides amazing levels of ‘lounging around in the sunshine’ comfort. An unnecessary luxury, but one you’ll love!
To stay super snugly when camping, consider investing in a battery-operated electric blanket like the fab Zonli Wireless Heated blanket which will keep you warm without the need to camp with an EHU.
