Getting your camping gear ready for a new season

Cabin fever. It really feels like that by the time February rolls around. Snatched trips, short days and poor weather all conspire to CADS – Camping Absence Disappointment Syndrome. Whatever your style – backpacker, tourer, family – the green shoots of camping optimism can be encouraged by giving all your camping gear a good going over.

Those repair kits that came with tent and airbeds may now come into their own. Even better, it is probably a slack time at camping shops so cut along and see what bargains await. Upgrading, replacing damage or irresistible opportunity in new gear – pick your own rationale for splashing cash. In the meantime, dust off the plastic bags and boxes. Hang out that tent and air off the sleeping bags. Spring is just around the corner and all sites will soon be open.

Despite carefully checking, repairing, cleaning and packing away the tent last autumn (hmm…?), pull it out and go over it again, looking for holes, tears, mould, mildew, seam strains or any other signs of wear. Pitch it if you can even if the weather is iffy as any leaking seams and fabric can be treated more easily now rather than through the night on site later. Otherwise, do the best you can in the house. Repair or replace dodgy pegs, guylines, poles, buckles and elastics. If you have struggled with the bag your tent came with, consider replacing it with a more user-friendly option, or add extra stuff sacks for inners and groundsheet.

Air off sleeping bags for a couple of days and store them in their loose bags again. Take a close look at drawcords, zips and seams, repairing damage where you can. It might be time to wash the bags so follow the manufacturer’s advice. But remember, trying to dry them in the cold, wet winter months can be a major challenge.

Unpack your stove, check the burners to make sure they are undamaged and ensure all the fittings are tight. Tighten the jubilee clips on the gas hose and regulator and give everything another good clean for luck. If you use a petrol stove, give it a careful going over, testing all elements with a trial burn. It is a good idea to check how much fuel you have now rather than at the last minute before the first trip of the season. Pots and crockery will probably benefit from a good scrub as well as the stove storage bag.

Camp furniture such as wardrobe, kitchen, pantry, table and chairs should all be dusted off, wiped down and checked for damage and loose joints. Wiping down surfaces, fabrics and structures with a mild solution of bleach or a proprietary disinfectant helps with hygiene. Similarly, washing coolboxes and other food storage containers now sets the tone for standards throughout the spring and summer. Remember to leave the coolbox lid ajar when storing it – it will stop it developing that musty, mildew smell.

I also take the opportunity check my camp kitchen consumables. Stored scourers, J-cloths, washing-up liquid and any left over foodstuffs like jars of coffee, tea and pouched meals are checked, used, binned and replaced as necessary.

One of the most often overlooked items that needs a regular overhaul is the first aid kit. When my wife checked my backpacking kit, she commented that there were some items that were eight years out of date. Check the dates and condition of creams, salves, drops, tablets and so on, binning and replacing as appropriate.

Airbeds are usually used and abused without a second thought. Happily they need no particular maintenance but always keep the repair kit handy. A few years ago, I traipsed around North Wales in the springtime looking for a replacement airbed plug liberated by gremlins over the winter. After fruitless visits to five outdoor shops, it was a petrol station shop that came up trumps. Guess who is now obsessive about these vitally important camping items.

And this neatly leads me to my final check – the repair kit. Once you have finished your checks and completed that vital maintenance remember to replace the items used. Tapes, glues, seam sealant, peg rubbers, stove jet prickers, that airbed plug, spare guylines, batteries… these items all come in handy and you will miss them quickly enough if they are not on hand to deal with any emergency. Make a list as they are used and buy the replacements as soon as you can – yet another excuse to visit your local outdoors shop for a little wallet bashing…
 
TOP TIPS

• When it is all spread out, there is a fair amount of kit to dust off so get cracking and make the most of the whole season
• Over time, food spills can turn the handy pantry into a hygiene hazard; it pays to clean it regularly and overhaul it every now and then
• Stove bags can become a trap for grease and food fragments as well as a favourite café for mice
• If your gas regulator is damaged, replacing it is the only option. Tinkering with them is dangerous
• Airbeds can be the foundation of a good night’s sleep; pump yours up and check for leaks

Read more top camping tips here.

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