Best bit of camping equipment for under £125?

[llayercake]

Genuine question to experienced tourists:
I was fortunate enough to be given £125 worth of vouchers for Cotswold Camping, I've already purchased most of my camping gear for my upcoming (first) trip. Never having toured before, I may well have missed out something which I could now buy, so; what is the best/most useful bit of kit you have purchased under £125?

[rualexander]

Thermarest Prolite Plus

[llayercake]

Ta

[al_yrpal]

B***s! to uncomfortable thermarests, they don't do it for me. I believe in maximum comfort. Inflated in 2 minutes max.

£14.99 buys a very comfy backpack airbed with built in inflator, Halfords I'm afraid.

An Exped Synmat 7 UL be superior because its lighter (500g), more durable, contains insulation underneath you, making you loose less heat. And you can get a thing that turns it into a comfy chair. Pity Cotswold don't seem to sell them

http://www.exped.com/EXPED/web/exped_ho ... endocument


Al

[alicej]

+ 1 for the Thermarest, mine is small enough to sit in the bottom of a pannier and I find it both comfy and warm. I'm almost always uncomfortable and freezing, so this is high praise from me indeed!

Having said that, you might be better off doing your first trip and then spending the vouchers, 'cos you'll have a much better idea of what you'd find useful after you've actually done a trip.

Best buy for under £1.25 - do you have a spork? Do take a spork with you. Very good investment.

[LowPlainsDrifter]

Not exactly a piece of camping kit but that is a small radio. Shortwave too. Then you can amuse yourself for hours sat on campsites or in the wilds. Especially if its raining and tucked up in your tent.

[andrew_s]

Thermarest Neoair

more comfy than the Prolites, and lighter too.

[nmnm]

Having said that, you might be better off doing your first trip and then spending the vouchers, 'cos you'll have a much better idea of what you'd find useful after you've actually done a trip.

This is wise advice. You'll find a use for the 125 soon enough! You're sure to get infatuated by some new air mat, super compact summer-only sleeping bag or 1 person tent.

[pedalsheep]

+1 for Neoair and +1 for spending your vouchers when you come back from your first trip - then you'll know what worked well and what worked rather less well.

[fimm]

I think you'll have change from your £125 if you decide to buy a thermarest, so if you do, get the gizmo that lets you turn it into a chair as well.

+1 to waiting till you come back from your trip before you spend your vouchers, though!

[alicej]

I think you'll have change from your £125 if you decide to buy a thermarest, so if you do, get the gizmo that lets you turn it into a chair as well.

Can you fit those inside a pannier?

[llayercake]

That is good advice! I might wait and see.........

[andrew_s]

I think you'll have change from your £125 if you decide to buy a thermarest, so if you do, get the gizmo that lets you turn it into a chair as well.

Can you fit those inside a pannier?

I do - it just rolls round the tent poles

[alicej]

I think you'll have change from your £125 if you decide to buy a thermarest, so if you do, get the gizmo that lets you turn it into a chair as well.

Can you fit those inside a pannier?

I do - it just rolls round the tent poles

Oh do they roll up? Ace, I think I'll keep an eye out for one of those myself...

[simonhill]

Without telling us what you have got it is a bit difficult to suggest anything. Nonetheless, I vote for the 'buy nothing now' school. If you were happy with what you had, why add more weight, although replacing with lighter/better is a different matter, I s'pose.

I do like the idea of a small radio - but then again, I've got one!