Outdoor gear for Camping
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Sleeping
The Rab Ridge Raider Bivi
Check out my REVIEW
The Rab Ridge Raider bivi is expensive but well made, breathable, spacious and will shelter you from the elements, for me, it has proved to be a great choice of bivi. If you want a bivi for multi day, wild-camping trips in less than perfect weather conditions, to go camping in mountains, or for solo expeditions by bike, foot or kayak in more remote locations, this bivi is really worth considering.
Aeros Ultralight Pillow by Sea to Summit
Having a comfortable head and neck is important for a good night’s sleep. For years, when camping I made a pillow out of my clothes, sometimes this worked, sometimes lumpy uneven bits made sleeping difficult and sometimes I’d wake with a cricked neck. I had tried a number of inflatable camping pillows but some were too slippery others were crinkly and I just didn’t find any of them comfortable.
A friend recommended this Sea to Summit pillow. So I tried it and at first I didn’t get on with that either. But I had been inflating it fully and with just a little less air inside I found that it turns into a very comfortable pillow. It weighs next to nothing and packs down really tiny, great if you are carrying all your kit for miles.
Personal Hygene
Tangle Teezer Hairbrush
Ok, so why am I adding my hairbrush into my list of camping gear?
Well, because if you have long hair, or hair that tangles easily, you’ll know that a night under canvas, a day’s caving or kayaking or just a windy walk can leave you with a real tangle to untangle.
I saw this brush on Dragon’s Den, they were reviewing the most successful businesses that the Dragon’s didn’t invest in, but wished they had. Its creator, Shaun Pulfrey, a hair colourist, had recognised the need for a hairbrush that didn’t tug and damage hair. He came up with the idea of a two-tiered flexible tooth system. The brush has long flexible teeth and shorter, slightly stiffer teeth, which between them detangle hair brilliantly.
There are a range of different brushes, I chose the ‘Fine & Fragile’ because that’s what my hair is.
- It detangles my hair quickly and painlessly without damaging it. Yay 🙂
- It’s lightweight
What I don’t like:
- The teeth are soft and vulnerable to squashing. It really needs a cover to clip over the front of the brush to protect the teeth, but they don’t make one. So you’ll need to put it into some form of case before packing it into your rucksack or stuffing it in a pocket.
Hydration
CamelBak Podium Water Bottle - 620ml / 21oz
Over the years I’ve got through a large number of water bottles and hydration packs. This is my favourite water bottle, it’s great for cycling but works equally well for hiking and camping too.
For walking, hiking and camping
It’s durable, delivers a consistent and high flow when needed. It has a twist lock mechanism on the top, when closed it’s properly waterproof and doesn’t leak. When camping or walking I can put it in the side pocket of my pack and not worry about it leaking, even if I lean against it – providing I’ve locked it.
For cycling
It provides a really great flow of water, or whatever my chosen drink, just squeeze gently. It fits well in my bike cage and when I leave the top unlocked, while on the bike, it’s easy to grab a drink anytime without getting distracted by having to pull up on the mouthpiece. It’s self sealing so doesn’t spill while I’m mountain biking. After the bike ride, lock it closed and it’s properly waterproof.
What I like about this water bottle
Consistent high flow of drinking fluid, available distraction free while cycling,.
Waterproof when locked.
Easy to clean
No plastic taste
100% free of BPA, BPS and BPF
What I don’t like
The twist lock lever on the top of the bottle feels too stiff and is a little awkward to open and close.
