With the long weekend coming up many of you will be readying your sleeping bags and tents for a camping trip.
There are so many stunning spots to go camping all over the country and there's no better way to get out of the city and make some memories with family or some mates.
Getting organised, however, is less fun. There's always the fear you're forgetting something essential or you don't have the right equipment or you haven't found the right spot.
Camping expert Jono Collins, founder of NZ Camping Adventures, shares his tips with Jesse Mulligan.
Photo: Courtesy of Off The Beaten Track
Talking tents
When it comes to tents, keep it simple Jono, says.
“We see campgrounds and campsites filled with really big elaborate setups when it comes to tents.
“And whilst that is great, and people enjoy having all that space, and access the different rooms in the tent, we know is that can come with some complications at pack up time and set up time.”
Ensuite tents can be useful, he says, they can be used for a portable toilet, an outdoor shower or even a handy changing room.
“These things are pretty quick to put up and you can actually stand up in there get changed, it’s great for the kids for putting the togs on.”
Cost needn’t be a barrier to getting into the camping lifestyle, he says.
For a family, mum dad and a child or three people to four people, you can really shop around that $150 to $300 price bracket.
“That's hopefully a pretty good starting price point for most people.”
The art of chilly bins
There’s an art to making the most of chilly bins, Jono says.
“Chilly bins aren't just down to the quality of the chilli bin, there are some fantastic ones available in New Zealand, which is great.
“But it also comes down to how you pack that chilly bin, and how you use the chilly bin.”
A full chilly bin will stay cooler, he says. And prepping your chilli bin before you go camping by pre-cooling is a good idea.
“Putting ice in it, or a milk bottle full of water that's frozen, chuck that in the night before and cool your chilly bin down before you pull that out and swap it out with food.”
Layering is important too, he says.
“For us it's ice packs, just layering it through, just understanding that heat rises, cold drops.”
Most people fill the bottom of the chilly bin with ice and chuck everything else on top, he says.
Delicate perishable often end up on top, which is not the coolest part of the bin, he says.
And just like a fridge at home, think before you crack the lid, he says.
“Grab that bottle of milk or some ham or whatever it is that you want, and make that quick decision.
“That's how you're gonna get the longest life out of your ice.”
There are any number of ways of cooking in the outdoors, he’s a fan of the open fire, he told Jesse Mulligan.
Sweet dreams
Technology has made getting a good sleep possible too, he says.
“There's great technology advancements in self- inflating mattresses that have foam inside them.
“So, you're cushioned with foam as well as air.”
And take a pillow from home, he says, some luxuries are worth it.
“It's one of the things I look forward to when I'm camping, actually that time when it's time to go to bed. I have a fantastic sleep, so you know it's got to be good otherwise you're gonna wake up in the morning be pretty grumpy.”
Make a checklist
“We’re a very, very spontaneous family, Chloe, my fiance and I, it'll be 6 o'clock on a Friday, and I'll be heading home and I'll ring her and say, look, let's go.
“So, the key to that is having a prepared list, know what we what we need to take, having that prepared, stacked on a shelf ready to go.”
Things that bite
There’s an array of products on the market from electronic deterrents to topical repellents.
As a fan of the open fire, Jono says smoke is his friend.
“Smoke is a great barrier for insects, mosquitoes and things like that. So I actually always stand in the smoke itself make sure it goes pretty much hits me and then I find that works best for me.”
He’s tight-lipped on his favourite spot to camp, however.
“For me it is somewhere where it truly feels like an adventure, where I get to see something that perhaps I won't see again, or I haven't seen before.”
