Essential stuff to have in your camping kit

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Jdsk
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Re: Essential stuff to have in your camping kit

Post by Jdsk »

I hadn't heard about Nido before this. I know what's in it. What do people like about it, please?

Thanks

Jonathan
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Paulatic
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Re: Essential stuff to have in your camping kit

Post by Paulatic »

Jdsk wrote:I hadn't heard about Nido before this. I know what's in it. What do people like about it, please?

Thanks

Jonathan

I can’t find any earlier reference to Nido in this thread if that’s what 'this' is?
Never heard of it either so had to search , I see it’s a Nestle product.
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Jdsk
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Re: Essential stuff to have in your camping kit

Post by Jdsk »

My fault. Wrong thread. But I was so fascinated by others' coffee arrangements...

Jonathan

https://forum.cyclinguk.org/viewtopic.php?f=1&t=142216&start=30#p1548190
nsew
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Re: Essential stuff to have in your camping kit

Post by nsew »

Jdsk wrote:My fault. Wrong thread. But I was so fascinated by others's coffee arrangements...

Jonathan


Nido is a Nestle brand full fat milk powder that is widely available through North Africa and can nearly always be found in the African migrant stores in Europe.
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Cowsham
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Re: Essential stuff to have in your camping kit

Post by Cowsham »

Anyone use solar chargers on tour / camping ? -- I was thinking of taking one next year if the pandemic is sorted. I'd still take the power banks and charge them up at the campsite while off cycling through the day but toyed with the idea of using a folding solar panel on top of the tent charging the batteries while I'm away from the tent because sometimes you get to the mains sockets to find there's none left.
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Jdsk
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Re: Essential stuff to have in your camping kit

Post by Jdsk »

I had one that was designed for walking etc a few years ago. It could just charge an iPhone but was always pretty marginal.

Now I have a USB output from the dynamo, but it's a USB battery pack that does the heavy lifting. A solar panel wouldn't add anything.

Haven't had that problem at a camp site, but my pack would charge all of our devices for well over 3 days.

Jonathan
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Cowsham
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Re: Essential stuff to have in your camping kit

Post by Cowsham »

Jdsk wrote:I had one designed for walking etc a few years ago. It could just charge an iPhone but was always pretty marginal.

Now I have a USB output from the dynamo, but it's a USB battery pack that does the heavy lifting. A solar panel wouldn't add anything.

Haven't had that problem at a camp site, but my pack would charge all of our devices for well over 3 days.

Jonathan


I'm usually away 11 or 14 days depending on the boat times -- like you I have started using a big battery pack which charges the phone and stuff for about 3 days then when I get the chance I'll get it on the charge. I take an smaller lighter power bank with me for the days cycle but usually don't need it.
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foxyrider
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Re: Essential stuff to have in your camping kit

Post by foxyrider »

Cowsham wrote:
Jdsk wrote:I had one designed for walking etc a few years ago. It could just charge an iPhone but was always pretty marginal.

Now I have a USB output from the dynamo, but it's a USB battery pack that does the heavy lifting. A solar panel wouldn't add anything.

Haven't had that problem at a camp site, but my pack would charge all of our devices for well over 3 days.

Jonathan


I'm usually away 11 or 14 days depending on the boat times -- like you I have started using a big battery pack which charges the phone and stuff for about 3 days then when I get the chance I'll get it on the charge. I take an smaller lighter power bank with me for the days cycle but usually don't need it.


I have taken a solar charger on a couple of trips. My experience is that it charges a power bank faster than a device so it becomes a 2 step operation. The biggest issue is finding a position where it will charge, anything less than full sunlight and it starts dicking about so you might end up chasing it about the field to escape shadows! yeah, not brilliant but its got me a top up at a couple of sites that didn't have any public power sockets.
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Cowsham
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Re: Essential stuff to have in your camping kit

Post by Cowsham »

foxyrider wrote:
Cowsham wrote:
Jdsk wrote:I had one designed for walking etc a few years ago. It could just charge an iPhone but was always pretty marginal.

Now I have a USB output from the dynamo, but it's a USB battery pack that does the heavy lifting. A solar panel wouldn't add anything.

Haven't had that problem at a camp site, but my pack would charge all of our devices for well over 3 days.

Jonathan


I'm usually away 11 or 14 days depending on the boat times -- like you I have started using a big battery pack which charges the phone and stuff for about 3 days then when I get the chance I'll get it on the charge. I take an smaller lighter power bank with me for the days cycle but usually don't need it.


I have taken a solar charger on a couple of trips. My experience is that it charges a power bank faster than a device so it becomes a 2 step operation. The biggest issue is finding a position where it will charge, anything less than full sunlight and it starts dicking about so you might end up chasing it about the field to escape shadows! yeah, not brilliant but its got me a top up at a couple of sites that didn't have any public power sockets.


Anybody know what wattage to take that would be a good balance between weight and function.
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Cowsham
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Re: Essential stuff to have in your camping kit

Post by Cowsham »

A hot water bottle -- essential for me anyway.
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Psamathe
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Re: Essential stuff to have in your camping kit

Post by Psamathe »

Cowsham wrote:
foxyrider wrote:
Cowsham wrote:
I'm usually away 11 or 14 days depending on the boat times -- like you I have started using a big battery pack which charges the phone and stuff for about 3 days then when I get the chance I'll get it on the charge. I take an smaller lighter power bank with me for the days cycle but usually don't need it.


I have taken a solar charger on a couple of trips. My experience is that it charges a power bank faster than a device so it becomes a 2 step operation. The biggest issue is finding a position where it will charge, anything less than full sunlight and it starts dicking about so you might end up chasing it about the field to escape shadows! yeah, not brilliant but its got me a top up at a couple of sites that didn't have any public power sockets.


Anybody know what wattage to take that would be a good balance between weight and function.

What is appropriate depends on individual (how "techny" you are, how many devices, use, etc.).
I regard myself as at the "techier" end of the spectrum: Garmin with turn by turn navigation, smartphone recording track, iPad to update website on arrival at camp site, compact camera to take phones, etc. and no dynamo.

For me, my power use is ride using GPS navigation and phone recording track; arrive upload tracks, upload photos take (via iPad), edit web site with track, few pics (maybe some cropping, colour balance, etc.) and some text (so Mum knows I've not been hit by a bus), cycle.travel to create route for tomorrow (though actually now try and have a couple of days ahead in case can't get on internet one night); load route to Garmin's web site and download to phone and GPS. All that takes a fair amount of pawer (e.g. tablet screens on).

In Europe (France, Belgium, Germany) I take a 21 Watt Solar Panel and 2 x 10,000mAh battery packs. And overall I'm OK though a few wet overcast days and I'm looking for a mains plug. Only use the solar panel when at camp site (i.e. not tied to bike whilst riding) but I generally depart early and arrive e.g. by early afternoon so panel has good time in Sun.

There are specifics that determine how you use it and what you need. e.g. my phone wont charge directly from the panel as it keeps switching on, lighting the screen which consumer more power ... So charge phone from batteries. the 2 batteries are so one can be on solar panel whilst other charging something else (to maximise using output from soalr panel).

Left out in the Sun they can be tempting. On one occasion I glanced up to find my panel and batteries gone, but quickly got up and caught the guy putting it into his van! (he then claimed he thought is was abandoned ...).

Another consideration is the number of USB ports on the solar panel. Mine has 2 and I often use two, never needed more but there would have been occasions where I'd have been limited with just one.

Ian
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Cowsham
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Re: Essential stuff to have in your camping kit

Post by Cowsham »

Thanks Psamathe
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Oldjohnw
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Re: Essential stuff to have in your camping kit

Post by Oldjohnw »

This goes everywhere with me:

IMG_20201125_132125749.jpg
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Re: Essential stuff to have in your camping kit

Post by Vorpal »

Oldjohnw wrote:This goes everywhere with me:
<bird book>

I used to carry one. I still carry them on walks in the the forest, but on bike rides, I now mostly depend upon on-line identification tools.

There are several reasons for this. It's less to carry. On-line tools have improved greatly in recent years. Euqopean bird books in English seem to be rather UK oriented, and I don't know the Norwegian names for as many birds. Walking in the forest, I often end up carrying an English bird book & a Norwegian one, and I have been known to carry 3; one with photos, one with drawings, and one in Norwegian :shock:
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