Camping equipment: the list of essentials for sleeping outdoors

Do you need to recharge your batteries by yourself? First option: you can go for minimalist camping equipment, for your own little "nature retreat". In that case, you'll need 7 essentials.

1- A 1- or 2-person camping tent, depending on the space you require to store your belongings. For a single person, we offer several options of inflatable or pole tents. Do you prefer a two-person tent? We recommend our 2 Seconds Fresh & Black tent, or the 2 Seconds Easy model, to combine ease of assembly and a lie-in!

2- A 1-person mattress, to inflate with a pump or in self-inflating version! If you like to spread out diagonally on your mattress, you can of course go for a larger model. But be careful, check the dimensions of your tent are suitable for it to fit inside! And also think about the space your backpack or suitcase can take up in the tent in addition to yourself.

3- A single-person sleeping bag, to keep you warm overnight.

4- A 1-person cooking set and stove if you're planning to cook up a storm! Don't forget to take a water bottle, even at camp, so you don't have to go back and forth to a drinking water point for every drink!

5- A first-aid kit (also essential for hiking and trekking) and eco-friendly toilet paper (in case the campsite toilets get robbed of their rolls or if you prefer to "do number twos in the great outdoors").

6- A headlamp to move around outside at night (#UrgentNeed).

7- A hammock, the perfect accessory to sling between two trees without having to carry a camping chair.

Second option: you prefer to camp in comfort. Here, we recommend you take the previous list and add a few camping accessories.

• A camp bed to keep you away from the cold, damp ground.

• A camping pillow, suitable and compact.

• A cooler box to keep your food and drinks cool during the day. However, you won't be able to store your food on a long-term basis. So consider taking a few freeze-dried meals of your choice if you’re staying for several days.

• A camping lamp to read books or enjoy your evening outside before going to bed.

• A camping bedside table to keep your small items off the ground.

• A solar shower if you decide to camp far from civilisation and want to maintain a degree of Hygiene.

• An organic shower gel that doubles as shampoo, dishwashing and washing-up liquid, so you don't have to carry around too much and avoid dumping harmful products into the environment.

• A chair and Folding table for a comfortable picnic.

At Decathlon, we offer new equipment adapted to your camping, hiking and trekking outings, at different sale prices. You can find it in our Decathlon stores and on our website. Do you prefer second-hand to camp at a low price and care for the environment? You're probably already familiar with a whole host of websites for selling and buying goods between private individuals. So, we’ve also decided to get involved, to give you another guarantee : that of checking the products and reconditioning them if necessary, before putting them on sale, at very beneficial prices!