Five important camping accessories you never want to leave at home

Does anything crush the soul more than setting up your tent on a beautiful hillside or campsite, only to realise you’ve forgotten something? No, no it does not.

Sometimes it’s not a big deal and you can continue your trip without it, but other times it can turn your exciting outdoor adventure into a mini nightmare. Especially if you’re in the middle of nowhere.

To avoid this from happening, we asked Jim De'Ath, Director at Valley & Peak, to share the most important camping accessories you never want to leave at home (aside from the obvious, your actual tent, sleeping bag, camp bed, etc).

These are his top five recommendations so that you can have a memorable trip, for the right reasons.

1. Head torch

A flashlight and camping lantern are also must-have camping accessories, but a head torch is golden. “How else are you going to avoid those guyropes in the night or find your essentials at the bottom of your backpack?” says Jim. “Setting up a tent in the dark is challenging at the best of times, so best not to forget this essential.”

2. Power bank

Unless you’re planning to have a completely off-the-grid experience you definitely aren’t going to want to leave this one behind. “Being stuck without charge for phones, GPS or any other electrical item can be a real pain whether you're at a campsite or on a distant hillside somewhere,” says Jim. “Having an ultralight power charger with you can make all the difference.” Also, don’t forget to charge it!

Checkout our top power banks

3. Repair kit

“In times where you might rip, tear or accidentally stretch material on your tent, backpack or waterproof, a repair kit that contains some tape, sewing kits or extra patches of material is essential,” says Jim. Even if you’ve checked everything over prior to your trip, it’s better to be safe than sorry, even if you never use it.

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4. Ear plugs

Ear plugs probably aren’t something at the top of your camping checklist, but Jim makes a very valid point: “If your camp buddy snores or if it's a windy night, then ear plugs are a must. Remember, the birds will also wake up before you, so if you want to grab a few more hours' kip, they’re a good option.”

5. Piezo igniter

If you’ve got a gas hob or want to keep warm by the light of a fire, then you’re going to need something to get it going. Matches are a cheap option, but what if they get wet? “This is an almost weatherproof source of ignition,” says Jim. “There's nothing worse than finding your matches have got wet and you can't light that all-important fire.”