Camping has changed a lot in the past few years; no longer is it all about sleeping in a thin sleeping bag on a thin foam mat with three other people in a small tent. Technology has improved to the point that you can now have a wonderful experience in the wild without having to give up too many of your creature comforts. If you are a student and need to get some study done or do your homework now then you will need to take a power source for your laptop with you.
Some people take things even further and create a home away from home; these people don’t just go camping, they go glamping. Here are a few of the things that you can take with you if you want to go glamping.
Tents
The technology of tents has improved greatly over the years. It has led to the types of tents which you can not only stand up in, but that have separate rooms for each person as well as a living area. You can also get some glamping tents for sale that are pushing the boundary of technology including an inflatable dome tent that is big enough to fit your whole family. Another big advance is how long it takes to put the tent up when you arrive. No longer will you be spending hours trying to fit all the poles together; now you can get a three-room tent with seven windows that can be put up in two minutes. As well as the tents themselves, you can also get additional parts that can be attached. One such attachment is a netted area that protects you from flies and mosquitoes. It allows you to sit in the sun and enjoy the day without getting bitten.
Cooking
There are many types of cooking equipment specially designed for cooking while camping. However, they are not completely ideal for the glamping lifestyle. If you want something a little more upmarket, then there are other sets you can buy. One type is a cast iron cooking set that includes a griddle, pot and frying pan. Although they won’t necessarily make the food taste any better, they will make the cooking process more glamorous. Some people have also been known to take ceramic cups and plates to use for their meals. Although there is nothing wrong in doing that, you need to make sure they are packed safely to prevent breakage. When it comes to stoves, you can now get a variety of different types that all perform the same function. You can get more expensive stoves that can be packed down to small case size for ease of packing. They usually come with a gas canister that can last for some time with normal use.
Staying Clean
Some places that you visit for camping vacations will have a dedicated shower block for you to keep clean and, of course, toilets. However, not everyone wants to use those shower blocks, plus, you might want to make camp somewhere that isn’t a camping site. For the people that want to stay clean, you can now get a portable luxury shower. All you need to do is connect it to your water hose and a propane tank. It can raise the water temperature by an impressive 35 degrees, so if the water that’s going in is at 55 degrees, that will take it up to around 90 degrees. If you have a shower, you are going to need somewhere to wash, so you can also get a separate shower cubicle that looks like a small tent. You can even get ones that also have a separate changing room, so you don’t have to change outside. Although the glamper will most likely bring their own shampoo and conditioner, it is still important to think about where your camping and look after the environment. For that reason, you can buy special multi-purpose liquid that is biodegradable so that it won’t harm the wildlife. It has the added benefit of having multiple uses; you can use it on the washing up and as a general cleaner.
Toilets
Just because you are in the middle of nature, doesn’t mean that you need to forgo the comforts of home. There are many types of a portable toilet on the market now, and most of them use a chemical system to stay clean and fresh. You may also want to use the same portable shower cubicle for some privacy, and a place to store it while it’s not in use. There are other types that use a bag system, but they are not as efficient as the others, plus you need to dispose of the bags afterwards.
Furniture
Although some glampers with plenty of space bring wooden chairs with them, there are ways to have some nice furniture in your tent that is a little more compact. For example, you can get inflatable sofas that also combine with a bed, so you can sit or lay outside or in the tents living area. They can also be practical as a way of accommodating additional friends or relatives that want to come along. You can also get specific inflatable daybeds that allow you to lay out in the sun and relax or watch the stars at night. One of the favorites of many campers is the folding chairs. They can be versatile, and some have additional features such as umbrellas and footrests. They are a particular favorite for people who like fishing, though they can also be used in the tent as comfortable chairs.
Beds
As mentioned earlier, the days of sleeping on a thin layer of foam are long gone. There are now more comfortable ways to spend the night in a tent. Inflatable mattresses have become the norm, not just with glampers but with regular campers as well. As they can be folded up into a compact unit, they take up little space in the car, and you can get single and double versions. Along with the mattresses, you can also get cozy double sleeping bags that will zip up to the neck like the single versions. Sleeping bags, in general, have also improved, not only are they warmer, but some also have a hood that allows you to sleep with just your face uncovered.
Lighting
With the improvement in LED technology, lights are now far more efficient than they used to be, which is good for the camper. It means that battery powered lights will last much longer than before, and there is less need to use your valuable propane as a light source. You can now get LED lights that you can hang in the tent that not only illuminate the area but also have a built-in fan to keep the tent cool. There are also folding solar panels that will recharge your phone, or lights quickly during the day for use at night. If you don’t want to have one big light, then you can always take some head torches with you so that you can move around at night without waking everyone up. Most modern LED lights, especially those for camping, are rechargeable, which means they can be left illuminated all night without having to keep lots of batteries with you.
Entertainment
For the serious glamper, there are things that you might want to take with you for entertainment while you’re sitting around in the evenings. There are now portable giant movie screens that you can put up in just a couple of minutes. With that and a small projector, you can have your very own cinema in the middle of the forest. To power the projector and also the main lighting, you can also get portable camping generators. They usually run off 4-stroke engines like those you find in a motor mower. They are a great idea if you have a lot of electricals that you want to power, and with today’s smartphones and tablets, it means you can still charge them at night when the sun goes down. While you are outside watching your movie, you may find yourself getting a little cold. If you are the type of person that can’t make campfires, then there are portable fire pits that you can use instead. They run off a propane tank and have lava rocks to not only give an authentic look but also help to radiate the heat. If you don’t want anything so specific, you can get portable propane heaters that you can run outside the tent. We also like an ethanol fire table as easy to use and very portable. Another handy invention we all know and love is also making a big impact on the camping scene: the Bluetooth speaker. As they are so small and can be easily recharged, they are the perfect accessory to take with you for some music.
There is no doubt that the world of camping has progressed a lot to the point where you can now do almost anything that you can do at home. Though there may be some purists that think this isn’t real camping, it is encouraging more people to travel outside of their usual comfort zone and explore the wilderness.
