When I went to Shrewkfest last year it was the first camping I'd done
as an adult. So what did I buy, take and use?
I already had a lightweight sleeping bag. (I tend not to get
chilled easily, and it was in August in the Midlands.)
I borrowed a tent and self-inflating ground pad from a friend who does
a lot of this stuff. (Go Outdoors has a similar 2-person pop-up tent
for £65. My best guess on the pad is about £30.) I also got a lot of
advice from him. If you have such a friend, ask and listen.
I brought along the 3m×3m gazebo tent I use for barbecues, though in
the end I didn't need it. (This was an Aisle of Wat offer in Lidl in
2018, £60.)
I brought along some camping chairs which I originally got for air
shows (via Freecycle). eBay has these for anything from £12 to £45. If
like me you are quite large I recommend avoiding the cheapest ones.
I had bought a titanium spork a few months ago. About £9 on eBay for
this specific sort, double-ended with a spoon on one end and a fork
with one serrated outer edge on the other.
I already had a Leatherman Surge, which gave me pliers and a working
knife. (And the all-important bottle opener.)
I bought a BCB "Fire Dragon" folding stove and some gel fuel blocks
(eBay, under £20 all in). This did sometimes ignite grass nearby, so
one has to keep an eye on it. Since I drink water as a regular thing
anyway, I knew I'd have a bottle to hand and could simply pour some on
the smouldering grass.
I bought a basic mess tin for under a tenner, for boiling water. I
took a supply of instant noodles (local Asian supermarket, but
basically the same idea as a Pot Noodle), boiled water in the mess kit
on the stove, and ate them with the spork.
I borrowed a foil tray from my barbecue supplies to make a wind shield
for the stove. (I have since bought one made of folding metal plates,
which was under £10.)
I bought a rechargeable lantern, about £8. I like LEDs. That can be
magnetised onto support struts, or hung inside the tent. I already had
a couple of big USB-recharging batteries which I could use to top up
that and my phone over the weekend. (I have my doubts about how long
this lantern will last, but I'm not hanging it out in the rain.)
I have a camping trailer which I use mostly for moving board games
around, but since I was pitching the tent right next to the car, I
didn't bring it. All I was taking away with me was a ukulele and a
music stand.
Total amount spent on equipment for this trip, less than £50, and
the only consumable part is the fuel blocks.