Best outdoor equipment for family adventures
There’s some things that make all the difference to an outdoor experience, especially with a family – here’s our favourites!
Sit mat | Picnic blanket | Hiking baby carrier | Night lights | Head torch | Hammock, underblanket and tarp | Travel neck pillow
Sit mat
A sit mat is number 1 – who would have thought something so small could make such a difference?!
First of all, these aren’t cushions, they aren’t padded, so not really suitable for sitting on for hours and hours at an outdoor event.
What they are useful for is letting everyone sit in comfort on wet, stony, rocky or rabbit dropping covered ground!
We like these as there’s enough in a set for everyone to have their own colour and each one has its own pouch so you can keep your rucksack clean when you pack the mats away. They’re also available in packs of two.
These are ‘cheap and cheerful’ and there’s more expensive mats out there but these do the job.
This is the style that we have - these are more expensive and fold down flatter rather than in to a cube – they don’t have a carry pouch but they do fit nicely down the back section of a rucksack.
If you’re looking for a bit more padding or protection from the cold, then this is a really good option - it has a fleecy side, is thicker than some other sit mats, it has a band to keep it folded up and is still really portable.
Picnic blanket
For when you need something more than a sit mat, there’s a picnic blanket.
This one is:
- large 195 cm x 145 cm
- with a Velcro fastening
- a carry strap
- lovely bright colour
- is easy to fold up
- could be used in the tent
- is competitively priced
- by a UK family run company
Hiking baby carrier
We weren’t going to let having a young baby stop us being outdoors and one of our best purchases was a really good quality hiking baby carrier.
This is one thing we’d recommend spending as much on as you can – there’s a big difference in price range and a big difference in quality, features and comfort, which is most important if you’re carrying this on your back for many hours !
This carrier ticks so many boxes:
- suspended mesh back system – to keep your back cool
- incredibly adjustable – to keep you comfortable
- padded cockpit – to keep the little one comfortable
- ventilated side panel – so there’s some airflow and little one can still see out– not all carriers have this
- built in sunshade – please please don’t buy a carrier without a sunshade
- foot stirrups - to help little one balance - not all carriers have this
- Integrated & detachable rain cover – just in case the weather turns while you’re out
- strong built in stand – not all stands are created equal
- removeable and washable drool pad – no need to say more here
- toy attachment points – we found these useful
- lots of pockets for snacks, water or nappies
- section for carrying hydration reservoir
There’s also a version for wider fit range
and a bag/carry case to keep your carrier clean
This carrier is highly recommended – it is an investment but what a piece of kit it is!
Night lights
If you need some extra light in your tent/caravan/camping area, we definitely recommend these great lights - they have so many uses.
They are:
- lightweight
- small but powerful
- USB rechargeable
- droppable
- waterproof
- floatable
- have a magnetic bottom
- so so useful
There's a motion sensor version which is great for anyone who has to be up and about during the night.. but don't want the light on all of the time..
and a lanyard so that you can put your Obulb where you want it - hang it up, attach it to your rucksack, carry in your hands or over your shoulder
With so many options and colours available, it’s definitely worth visiting the Obulb site to make sure you pick the right one for you.
Head torch
While we’re on the subject of lights, we couldn’t believe how useful a head torch was until we used one and this is our family favourite.
It’s
- lightweight
- adjustable for child or adult
- has different light levels
- easy to angle beam
- Red light option to keep your night sight and prevents other people in the group from being dazzled
- USB rechargeable but will take AA batteries as well
- Reflective headband so that the user is clearly visible in the dark
- LOCK function prevents the lamp from being switched on
- Compatible with the fastening systems for attaching the lamp to all types of helmets or to a bicycle
This is a great head torch and we do fight over who’s going to use this – there’s so much packed in to such a tiny item – highly recommended!
There's lot of other options, so it might be worth checking out the PETZL store to see what else is available.
Hammock, underblanket and tarp
Need a hammock for your camp area? This one has great features:
- larger than other hammocks
- higher weight recommendation than other hammocks
- mosquito net
- hammock packs in to attached bag – no losing the bag on the campsite !
- the bag can be use to hold phone/bottle/torch when the hammock is in use
- quick set up
If you’re using a hammock to sleep in outdoors in cooler climes, we would definitely recommend an underblanket, so that you don’t wake up with a cold back!
We’d also suggest a tarpaulin, to protect you from rain or anything else that might fall from the sky!
Just make sure that you purchase one that covers all of your hammock otherwise you could wake up in a cold puddle!
This one is available in multiple sizes..
Travel neck pillow
We love a good travel pillow and this is the only we’ll use now – it isn’t the cheapest but for us, it’s the best and we even use it around the house when reading or sitting in one position for some time.
This is highly recommended by someone in the family who has neck problems - it's a constant companion !
We did have one of these pillows that was damaged after many years of use and immediately purchased another one – that’s how good they are.
Features:
- memory foam
- super side neck support so that head doesn’t wobble
- chin support
- flatter back section so that head isn’t pushed forward
- removeable washable cover
- pouch for mobile phone
- adjustable drawstrings to personalise fit
- available in different colours
There’s also a bag to carry it in – it is a bit of a squeeze to fit the pillow in the bag but it will fit!
The Cabeau is larger than most other travel pillows which is why it’s so supportive.
It's probably is too large for a small child though and these ones will be more suitable – we love that there’s a range of sizes available from young children up to XL adults.
There's also a great range of colours and designs (so that everyone knows which one is theirs) and it comes with a matching carry bag!
We hope these short reviews have helped you - we'll add more items as we try them - please let us know what else you'd like to see.
I’m an affiliate.
I hope you love the products and services I recommend on Just Pure Calm.
So you know, there is the possibility I will collect a commission should you make a purchase via any of my links. This will in no way affect the price you pay.
This also means that you could be taken to another website (such as Amazon or a product website) when you click a link - please don't be surprised by this.
I really appreciate your support and it helps me to continue with reviews and blogs.