Jubilee Bank Holiday Weekend Camping

You will probably have heard about the Queen’s Diamond Jubilee celebrations, which luckily for most of us includes 2 bank holidays (4th and 5th June). Many people and communities will be celebrating in different ways, including street parties and bbq’s, others amongst us will use the long weekend to get out hiking and camping for a few days.

Of course here at Cheap Tents we will be doing our bit to join in the celebrations, as you will see next week. We’ll have some special offers for campers and walkers to really help your Jubilee Weekend go well.

With the spring now broken (hopefully), many of our readers will be dusting off their camping equipment and walking boots in preparation for both this weekend and the Jubilee Weekend. We know we are. Today we want to spend a bit of time ensuring your gear is ready to go and cared for, as are you. We’ve a selection of best selling products which can aid you and your family with this.

Tips for Caring for Your Tent

As anyone who camps on a regular basis will know, all tents will need a little care but that bit of care will help make your tent last for years. Here are our top tips for making sure your tent is ready for the campsite:

1. Pitch it at Home First
   We all know we need to do this with new tents, but if you’ve not been camping for 6 months or more it’s good to refresh your mind and you can check the fabric of the tent ensuring it’s in good condition. Pay careful attention and repair any holes in the tent. There is nothing worse than noticing a hole in the flysheet when you are on a mountainside, but just in case don’t forget your tent repair kit. Also don’t forget to check your tent pegs, guy lines and other tent accessories haven’t been removed by the house elves.
2. Clean Your Tent
   If this is the first chance you’ve had to get your tent out for a while, or if you can see some dirt patches you may want to do this step. Now preferably this should have been done when packing up your tent, but it’s not always possible and even when it is sometimes bits are missed, so make sure your tent is clean inside and out. You can clean your tent using a non-abrasive cloth or sponge and a non-detergent soap (such as Nikwax Tech Wash).Other than potentially damaging the fabric of your tent, we mention this because almost all household cleaners will be perfumed in someway and this can attract bugs and critters. Once cleaned rinse your tent thoroughly, pop your tent into a shaded corner and let it dry naturally and completely before packing it up.
3. Treat Your Tent
   Once you’ve cleaned your tent, the next step is to ensure the tent is still waterproof and UV-proof. Once again our Nikwax Solarproof  spray can help with this, its quick and easy to apply – but please only use it once the tent is 100% dry, otherwise it may not work as intended. Using the Nikwax spray can help increase the lifespan of your tent greatly.
4. Let’s Go Camping!
   Once the steps above are complete you are ready to go camping! That’s brilliant, we look forward to seeing your pictures. But don’t forget before you pack up your tent from cleaning, or from camping (anywhere) to ensure your tent is 100% dry before packing it away. If you are at a campsite and it’s not possible just pitch the tent as soon as possible again to dry it out, letting it stay damp will cause mildew and can damage the material. If you don’t have a chance to re-pitch simply hanging your tent over a few chairs so it is spread out and then leaving it to dry will do.

Caring for Your Walking Boots

Walking and Hiking are rated amongst the most accessible activities and exercise in the world. Unsurprisingly it is also said to be one of the most enjoyable recreational activities possible, and it’s easy to see why with views like those in this picture. Below are some top tips for looking after your walking boots all year round:

1. Wash Boots After Use
   It may sound like a simple task that you’ve probably forgotten before now, but it is important for your walking boots to have all muck removed as soon as you can. The reason for this is that leather boots have an enemy, it’s called Acid. With most of the soil within the UK being mildly acidic you can improve the lifespan of your boots and help keep the supple by giving them a quick clean.
2. Drying Out Your Walking Boots
   Although we’re currently experiencing great weather we all know it will rain at some point this summer, and most of us go walking in the winter too. When your boots get wet you can normally just clean them off and dry them, easy. But if your boots get soaked inside and out we advise you to fill the boots with old newspaper, clean the outside as normal and then set them to dry in a warm place without direct heat. Direct heat can cause damage to the leather.
3. Care for Your Walking Boots
   After cleaning comes care. By this we mean treating your walking boots using specialised boot cleaning and care products such as those waterproofing sprays and conditioning cream for leather. Using these products will increase the lifespan of your boots and ensure they perform as you’d expect.
4. Use Your Walking Boots
   It may sound obvious, especially given you are reading this section, but use your walking boots. Get out onto the hills and into the countryside, walk for miles and enjoy the views. Don’t pack your boots away, use them as often as you can. You can even wear them as your daily shoes. Walking Boots are made to be used, forgetting about them isn’t going to help them last for years, but using them may.

All done? Great it’s time to find a campsite or find a local hiking group. Once you’re out on the trail or at a campsite send us your pictures to blog@cheaptents.com

If you are going camping with your family during the Jubilee Weekend, you may also be interested in reading our Family Camping Checklist.