What’s the chief thing you look for when choosing kit?
I mostly care about how small it packs, with comfort and durability as a joint second priority. I generally go by the rule that you ‘buy once, buy well’, so the fact my kit ends up quite expensive is something I can justify by the fact all the brands I have chosen offer a lifetime warranty.
Favourite piece of camping kit?
My sleeping bag is such a luxury I actually get really excited about using it. It doesn’t rustle loudly, it’s soft to the touch, and it’s really comfortable. No regrets about that one.
Advice for a good night’s sleep?
Drink a shot of Sour Cherry Concentrate before bed, take ear plugs, choose clothing that allows you to regulate your temperature easily through the night (eg. hoodies are harder to take off than a zip-up top).
Any unexpected luxury items?
Not sure they’re unexpected, but my insulated leggings are certainly a luxury. They’re from Patagonia and they’re slightly too big for me, so they feel like cosy PJ pants. Other items would be the Sour Cherry juice, the little pillow, and on shorter trips I take my stuffed carrot that I’ve had for years… he’s like a comfort blanket. My therapist said there’s nothing wrong with this.
Favourite camp breakfast
Strong coffee with crunchy biscuits. Ginger biscuits, biscotti, anything that breaks the morning silence with my own deafening crunches.
Bad camping kit choices
I’ve not made a bad kit choice as yet, but I’ve made plenty of bad location choices. Waking up with my face in direct sunlight or sleeping in an uneven patch of ground that causes one half of me to go numb are the most common.
