The camping season has begun, I know it’s all year round but I chose not to winter camp. I waited for spring to sprung and headed out with my unused ‘TentBox Go’ I bought for Lucas and myself and drove down to the new forest. My reasoning was to pick up a mixing desk I bought for the summer season after culling all of my kit, a decision I do not regret. I have a much better deal, I bought a Soundcraft Powerstation 1600, more on this in another post.
Camping I was camping.
I have a tenancy to over pack,
I have been aware of this for sometime and I have wanted to do something about it.
This I did, I threw caution to wind, pun intended, packed what I thought I needed and left the drive.
It was only when I was on the M25, did I realise some of things I had wanted to bring,
were still at home. I was out for only a night, there wasn’t a shower at the campsite
but I forgot my toothbrush and toothpaste, so I purchased those there.
I did remember a change of clothes but I forgot my jacket in case it got cold in the night.
My sleeping bag is synthetic and 10 years old, plus washed a few times,
the reliability of it is questionable. I did bring my hiking stove, coffee and a chair.
Plus my recording kit, pillow and my hiking bed.
Everything fitted in my black travel Quechua pack.
Check out the flaming pumpkin link at the top of the page for a full kit list. I have watched a lot of camping videos on youtube and seen how presenters take minimal kit and make it work and I think they’re lying. To be fair, I was cold and I woke up about 2 am, I put on my hoody and that was better, sort of. Overall, I would say, I don’t think it was a bad idea, I mean it would have been if it was in the dead of an English winter. I am not going to repeat this extreme mindless operation but, I am going to continue with minimal kit, it did work for me. On with the cull concept, I have a lot of tents dotted around at home and I have set myself a challenge. That is to use all of them this year to see if they are worth keeping, whatever ones I don’t are to be given away. I know what ones they are already. I will list them from memory and give myself some indication whether they will continue as stock for 2027.