Cooking
What tableware and pots to take camping
One pot, one pan, a bowl, a mug and cutlery per person cover nearly every meal. Materials, packed size and washing up at camp: the choices that matter.
Independent guide28 guidesupdated October 2026
Choosing your camping gear
Buying guides and advice on tents, sleeping bags, stoves and camp furniture: what to take for the way you travel, and what can stay at home.
Camping categories
Tents and camping shelters
How to choose a camping tent: real capacity, seasonality, waterproof rating, structure and care. Practical guides for family camping, hiking and bivouac.
Camping sleep system
Sleeping well outdoors: choosing a sleeping bag by temperature rating, comparing air mats, self-inflating mats and camp beds, and getting ground insulation right.
Camp cooking
Equipping a camp kitchen: choosing a gas or liquid-fuel stove, putting together a cook set, managing water, the cool box and food storage.
Camp furniture
Choosing camp furniture: folding tables and chairs, storage units, lighting and awnings. Practical guidance on weight, packed size and sturdiness.
Hiking and bivouac
Hiking and bivouac gear: backpack, lightweight shelter, sleep system, minimal cooking. How to cut weight and pack for several days out.
Motorhome and caravan
Equipping a motorhome or caravan: electricity, water, gas, awning, outdoor furniture and storage. Practical guidance for a trip by vehicle.
Camping guides and checklists
All our camping checklists and practical guides: the complete gear list, family camping, a first trip, bivouac. Lists to read before you leave.
Tool
Build your kit list
Three questions — how you travel, the season, whether children are coming — and the list keeps only what applies. Tick as you pack, then print it.
Open the list
Latest guides
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Sleeping
Sleeping well when camping in spring and autumn
Between 5 and 12 °C you feel colder than the forecast says: ground, damp and long nights explain why. R-values, comfort ratings, and what to try before buying.
Cooking
Barbecues and griddles at a campsite: what can you take?
Charcoal, gas or a flat griddle: what campsite rules allow, what the fat does differently on each, and how you clean up with no hot water on the pitch.
Furniture
How to choose a camping shower
Solar bag, pressure pump or electric: what each one needs on the ground, how much water a shower really takes, and where the soapy water goes.
Sleeping
Sleeping arrangements for children when camping
Why children get cold faster, which sleeping bag and mat to buy in their size, where to put them in the tent, and how they get back to sleep at night.
Furniture
Camping Lanterns and Head Torches: How to Choose
Battery, USB, dynamo or gas lanterns; head torches with red-light mode: what the numbers actually mean before you buy camp lighting.
You will find practical guides here on tents, sleeping bags, mats, stoves, camp furniture, lighting, accessories and hiking equipment. Each guide starts from a concrete question and gives an answer you can use before buying, without needless jargon.
Preparing the trip properly
What you need depends on how long you are away, the season, how many of you there are and the kind of camping you do. A family tent and a lightweight bivouac shelter answer opposite briefs: the first prioritises living space and headroom, the second weight and packed size.
Our guides exist to help you prepare your kit without hauling along things you will never use. Starting from a complete checklist is still the most reliable way to leave with a clear head.
The main pieces of camping equipment
- Tents and shelters
- Sleeping bags
- Mats and camp beds
- Stoves and camp cooking
- Folding tables and chairs
- Lanterns and head torches
- Cool boxes and food storage
- Backpacks and luggage
- Hiking and bivouac gear
- Motorhome and caravan accessories
Where to start
If this is your first trip, three guides cover the essentials: what gear do you need for camping, how to choose a camping tent and how to choose a sleeping bag.
Have a look at our checklists too, so nothing gets left behind.