Active Camping

The Highlander Rockall Dome 4 Man Double Skin Tent in Digital Grey is perfect for Oxegen Festival!

Oxegen Festival 2011 is here and boy is it going to be a good one! Held at Punchestown Racecourse in Ireland, this 3 day festival has an unbelievable lineup guaranteed to make your mouth water. Oxegen Festival started in 2004 and has grown from strength to strength every single year.

Some of the acts set to take the stage this weekend include the amazing Foo Fighters, Arctic Monkeys, The Black Eyed Peas, Coldplay, Beyonce, The Strokes, Swedish House Mafia, The Script, Tinie Tempah, Dead Mau5, Paolo Nutini, Pendulum and so many more.

My favourite tent for Oxegen in Ireland is most definitely the Highlander Rockall Dome 4 Man Double Skin Tent in Digital Grey; this 4 man tent is so quick and easy to pitch whilst the double skin style offers excellent protection from the elements and condensation. The Rockall 4 Man easily sleeps 4 people but is equally perfect for 2 or 3 people to sleep in comfort. The Highlander Rockall Dome 4 Man Double Skin Tent is priced at £59.99 which is excellent value for this lightweight tent.

If you are heading to Oxegen Festival have a great time, and if you get any snaps be sure to send them to us via email or facebook!

The Gelert Rocky 3 Man Easy Pitch Tent is Blue Jay is our pick for Hop Farm Festival 2011!

If you have got tickets for Hop Farm Festival this weekend you are in for a treat. From Friday 1st – Sunday 3rd July 2011, Paddock Wood in Tonbridge will be over taken with festival goers heading to the 4th Hop Farm Festival hosted by Vince Power.

Bands set to take the stage at Hop Farm include Eagles, Morrissey and Prince supported by Tinie Tempah, Iggy and the Stooges, Bryan Ferry, Brandon Flowers, Lou Reed and many more – an extra day has even been added to the festival for 2011 to accomodate this fantastic lineup.

With camping playing a big part at any festival, you’ll need to choose your festival camping gear very wisely. My pick of the Active Camping Tents has got to be the Gelert Rocky 3 Man Easy Pitch Tent in Blue Jay. This Gelert Tent is easy to pitch (I have even had a go myself!) and comes in two colours; Blue Jay or Raspberry. The Rocky 3 from Gelert is a 3 man tent which sleeps 3 people with ease but is even more comfortable for 2 people. This tent has a separate porch area for storing muddy wellies or kit, has a double skin to reduce condensation and has plenty of ventilation. The Rocky 3 is easy to pack away and is very lightweight, all of this for just £49.99 (RRP £59.99).

Outwell Easy Camp Eclipse 400 4 Man Tent from activecamping.com - our pick for Glastonbury Festival 2011

If  I asked you to name just one summer festival, the chances are that the first one to pop in to your head would be Glastonbury. Glastonbury Festival started out in 1970 and has since become an important date in the diary for June. Glasto is held at Worthy Farm, Pilton in Somerset from Wednesday 22nd – Sunday 26th June 2011 and is set to attract more than 140,000 visitors through the gates.

The music for Glastonbury 2011 certainly won’t disappoint with headlining acts including: U2, Coldplay, Beyonce, Tinie Tempah, Plan B, Morrisey, Biffy Clyro, Two Door Cinema Club, Mumford and Sons, The Wombats, The Chemical Brothers, Queens of the Stone Age, Kaiser Chiefs, Jessie J, Friendly Fires and White Lies to name just a handful! For the full Glastonbury 2011 Lineup click here.

One of the biggest parts of Glastonbury Festival is the camping – thousands of tents fill the site in Somerset and it’s very important to have the right camping equipment with you. My pick of the tents for Glasto 2011 has got to be the Outwell Easy Camp Eclipse 400 4 Man Tent from activecamping.com! This double skin tent sleeps 4 people and has a spacious living area with both front and side entrances. The Easy Camp Eclipse 400 is a popular choice in our collection of 4 Man Tents priced at just £72.99 (RRP £79.99) and is also very easy to pitch.

Don't forget your tent for the Isle of Wight Festival 2011!

This weekend is the 13th Isle of Wight Festival located at Seaclose Park, Newport held from Friday 10th June – Sunday 12th June 2011. With an amazing lineup for Isle of Wight 2011 which is set to blow your socks off, you’ll certainly be missing out if you haven’t got tickets. The acts taking the stage this weekend include Kings of Leon, Foo Fighters, Kasabian, Pulp, Kaiser Chiefs, We are Scientists, The Script, Plan B, Pixie Lott and Two Door Cinema Club.

The weather forecast for Isle of Wight Festival is not looking great with rain expected over the weekend, so be prepared with wellies and waterproof clothing and don’t forgot to double check all your camping equipment is up to scratch. If you are looking for a new festival tent, my pick of the tent range for Isle of Wight is this Gelert Tent; the Gelert Quick Pitch SS Compack 2 Man Tent in Illusion priced at £35.99 (RRP £39.99).

The Gelert Quick Pitch SS Compact 2 Man Tent in Liberty Rock from Active Camping

Have you seen the newest addition to the Gelert Quick Pitch Tent family? The Gelert Quick Pitch SS Compact Tent is new for 2011! This 2 Man Tent from Gelert Camping is a new and improved version of the classic Gelert Quick Pitch Tent, but now features a smaller pack size with longer carry handles making it easier to carry, transport and store plus it also has a slightly different shape making sleeping under the stars even better!

This Gelert Tent is the perfect festival tent and with Isle of Wight, Download, Beach Break Live and Glastonbury just around the corner, why not treat yourself to a new tent for the ultimate festival experience? The Gelert Quick Pitch SS Compact Tent is a pop up tent and literally takes seconds to pitch – simply remove from the bag, release the strap and watch your tent self erect.

The Gelert Quick Pitch SS Compact 2 Man Tent is available in Liberty Rock and Illusion, priced at just £35.99 (RRP £39.99) from Active Camping, www.activecamping.com!

The Gelert Hebog Classic Double Sleeping Bag with Hood from Active Camping

Check out the Gelert Hebog Classic Double Sleeping Bag. This Double Sleeping Bag is brilliant for a night under the stars whether you are a couple sharing or just want a bit of extra space for yourself.

If you are a planning a weekend away, heading to a festival this summer or are having a camping holiday with the family then you have come to the right place; here at Active Camping we carefully select our range of camping products to ensure each item is up to the job, including this Gelert Sleeping Bag.

This Gelert Double Sleeping Bag is very lightweight and packs down in to its own stuff sac for simple storage and transport, has a soft lining to ensure a comfy nights sleep and is ideally suited to Spring/Summer use with its 200g of filling. The Gelert Hebog Classic Double Sleeping Bag is available in Navy/Royal from activecamping.com priced at £39.99 (RRP £44.99).

The Gelert Vector 6 Man Family Tent from Active Camping

The latest addition to our family tents range is the brilliant Gelert Vector 6 Man Family Tent. This spacious tent has plenty of room for living as well as 2 generously sized bedroom areas. Gelert Tents are renowned for their excellent quality, durability, easy pitching and well thought out designs, plus this 6 man tent is very well priced to suit a family on a budget.

The Gelert Vector 6 Tent is ideally suited for a family camping holiday or a group of friends planning a weekend away, this Gelert tent is incredibly versatile and is suitable  for a variety of uses. The Gelert Vector 6 Man Tent has a spacious living area with windows, 2 separate bedroom areas, a fully sewn in ground sheet which makes pitching simple, plenty of ventilation and is also double skinned to keep the elements out with a hydrostatic head of 2000mm and fully taped seams.

Pick up a Gelert Vector 6 Man Family Tent in Riviera/Charcoal from Active Camping today, priced at just £219.99 (RRP £249.99).

Gelert Camping Equipment from Gelert Camping

The 2011 camping season is now well under-way and here at Active Camping we saw our product range hugely increase, especially in our family camping equipment collection. Gelert Camping is one of our biggest suppliers and our offering of Gelert Camping Equipment has grown since 2010.

Visit activecamping.com for our range of Gelert Camping Gear including 2 man tents, 3 man tents, 6 man tents, quick pitch tents, pop up tents, family tents and festival tents – click here for our full range of Gelert Tents. We have also extended our collection of Gelert Sleeping Bags with the addition of Children’s Sleeping Bags, Sleeping Bag Liners and some new Self Inflating Mats.

Other new additions to the Gelert Camping range at activecamping.com are our Camping Tables and Chairs and Gelert Camping Cooking Equipment. Visit our website for all the latest camping gear or why not pop along to our shop in Barnack near Stamford, Lincolnshire – for more information visit our Active Camping Contact Us page

Come and have a look at our new camping range in our shop at Barnack, as well as loads of tents up outside!

This weekend why not head down to Barnack Country Clothes and wellieboots.com in Barnack, near Stamford in Lincolnshire for the Opening Weekend of Active Camping (www.activecamping.com). Active Camping was launched by Barnack Country Clothes and wellieboots.com following requests from our festival customers who said they would love to buy their festival camping gear at the same time as their festival wellies and waterproof clothing; so in 2010, the website www.activecamping.com was launched! 2011 sees the introduction of a bigger range including more products for family camping, as well as the addition of the Active Camping collection in our shop!

Visit our Open Weekend on Saturday 14th and Sunday 15th May from 10am ’til 4pm to see an array of pitched tents, our full camping range displayed in our shop plus plenty of advice! We’ll also be offering our guests 10% off all camping products throughout the weekend and some light refreshments too! So pop down and say hello and see what Active Camping has to offer.

Camping Stoves and Cooking Equipment from Active Camping - Cooking doesn't get easier than this

About two weeks ago we supplied one of the Active Camping team with a few accessories to take on his D of E Silver expedition. Toby, a key member of our support team, was about to leave for a 46 mile trek in the hills of North Yorkshire armed with Gelert mess tins, a pack of Super Noodles and instructions to file a product review on his return.

Toby says: “The first positive thing to say is that the mess tins take up no space in your rucksack whatsoever simply because you can pack all manner of small items of kit inside the tins. My first aid kit, utensils and dried food sachets neatly slotted in the tins saving space and keeping them from getting jumbled with all my other stuff. We kept the cooking on our trek as simple as possible. This was so easy; water and noodles in the mess tin, heat, drain and eat. Job done! Definitely on my kit list for the next trip.’

The Didriksons 1913 Women's Tigris Waterproof Set in Arctic - stylish, practical and versatile.

It’s important that when asked for an opinion on a product we sell, that we know what we’re talking about, so using the products out in the field gives us vital first-hand experience to help us help you chose clothing and equipment to best suit your needs. We now know that the Didriksons 1913 Women’s Tigris Waterproof Set in Arctic is perfect for any woman likely to want to reach for a two-piece, lightweight, fully waterproof suit at short notice. That means that if you’re off to a festival and want some waterproof clothing to pack small into the bottom of your rucksack, the Tigris set is ideal.

For a weekend camping trip this will double up as the perfect outfit to slip into should you wake up to a wet morning or an emergency over-suit for a days walk. The Didriksons 1913 Women’s Tigris Waterproof Set in Arctic is available from activecamping.com in sizes UK 8 – 16 for just £41.99; an absolute bargain! The Didriksons 1913 Tigris Waterproof Sets are also available in other colours; Dark Violet and Black Circles. We also stock the Didriksons 1913 Tigris Sets for men, in Black or Dark Green.

Is this the perfect tent for tent for a short family break? We think so.

There’s a buzz around the Active Camping office this morning and it’s a direct result of a week of beautiful weather. What’s more, the courier has just arrived with a delivery from Gelert Camping bringing yet more of this season’s new kit and that’s prompted a dash for the calendar to book some days testing the new camping range while the weather’s still nice. Top of everybody’s list is the new Gelert Easy Pitch Tornado 5 Man Tent, an ideal tent for a family break this Easter, or for the 4 day Bank Holiday break – thanks Will and Kate!

This is a real gem; Gelert has produced a tent that’s perfect for the family or a group of friends taking a short break at festivals or over a long weekend. The big sleeping area gives loads of comfortable living space and the porch area offers lots of storage. Looks like we’re going to have to draw lots to see who gets to use it this Easter!

Here’s something for all you gadget freaks – it’s quite possibly the worlds smallest, most stylish and most portable grill and it’ll set you a good couple of notches above anyone else on your festival field or campsite.

A slim and sleek tube when packed away it slides easily down the side of a rucksack. When erected it’s the source of a magical breakfast. Genius.

With the Grilliput and a handful of barbeque charcoal, a whole world of culinary possibilities will be yours; start the day with a hearty breakfast (there is no better morning smell than cooking bacon wafting across a campsite), a midday barbeque, grilled fish for supper (catch ‘em during the day then grill ‘em in the evening!) We’re collecting campsite recipes so if you have a favourite recipe for the grill, please email it to us at info@activecamping.com.

To really do the job properly, get the Grilliput fire bowl. Drop the charcoal in the bowl to contain the fire and get maximum heat output. Just like the Grilliput grill, fiendishly smart thinking enables the bowl to pack down to the minimum for easy carrying. If only we were all so clever!

Quite possibly the sexiest barbeque accessory in the world.

The brand new Hunter Original Hoxton Wellie Boots - funky patterned Hunter Wellies from activecamping.com

Hunter Wellies are available in a huge variety of colours these days but, with the exception of the Hunter RHS collection, we haven’t seen Hunter Original Wellies in a funky welly pattern before!! You can pick up Hunter Wellington Boots in almost every colour of the rainbow and now patterned ones too with these Hunter Original Hoxton Wellington Boots!

The Hunter Hoxton Wellies are available from activecamping.com in sizes 3 – 8 (UK) in this Purple and Multicoloured design, priced at £71.99 (RRP £79). All the usual features we know and love from Hunter Wellies are on offer; the vulcanised natural rubber construction, the legendary Hunter fit, built on an orthopaedic last, a calendered natural rubber sole, anti-bacterial nylon lining, cushioned footbed, an adjustable side buckle and their elegant design and style.

So with the festival season fast approaching, it’s time to pick out a pair of festival wellies and perhaps the Hunter Original Hoxton Wellington Boots could be the ones for you! Look out for them at Wireless Festival, Beach Break Live, Oxegen Festival and V-Festival!

Camp in style with the Gelert Camping Chair in Albarino Print from Active Camping www.activecamping.com

With the camping season and summer festivals on their way, its time to start digging out your camping gear, and why not treat yourself to one or two new bits and bobs to make your camping trip even more enjoyable?

The first item on my list is a brilliant way to treat yourself; camp in style with this Gelert Camping Chair in Albarino Print, a fun design which will ensure your camping chair stands out from the crowd! This Gelert Camping Chair is brilliant for relaxing at the end of a day at festivals and on your campsite. Gather round a camp fire, barbeque or chill out under the night sky in comfort with this funky camping chair from Gelert Camping, but don’t forget to make use of the drinks holder! The Albarino Print Gelert Camping Chair can be put up or folded down in seconds with ease and comes with its own carry case too.

The Gelert Camping Chair – Albarino Print is available from Active Camping at www.activecamping.com for just £11.99 (RRP £12.99). Why not visit our shop? Click here to find out more!