Camping hell

[BearInTheWoods]

This is the main reason I think there should be a ban on cheap crap camping equipment. Its just a waste, it takes the same resources to make a tent that could last 10 or 20 years. These cheap things not fit for purpose just encourage a throw away society.

Yes and no. I went to Glastonbury when I was very young, it was still a collection of hippies, crusties and general malcontents listening to a bit of music in a field. Not so long ago I went again, on advice I took a grotty Millets tent rather than my VauDe (made in Germany, bought 20 years ago for £320 and still so waterproof that it shrugs off Nikwax waterproof dressing), I returned to it to find that someone had used it as a lavatory. Great pile like a cowboy's campfire on the grotty cheap Millets sleeping bag I'd also had the sagacity to purchase.

I left, never to return.

 

[sandbender]

It has been many many years since I was last at Reading, I didn't camp, sleeping was something to be done on the bus to Notting Hill when the festival finished.

Glad to see the kids are still having fun though.

 

[bigroomboy]

Yes and no. I went to Glastonbury when I was very young, it was still a collection of hippies, crusties and general malcontents listening to a bit of music in a field. Not so long ago I went again, on advice I took a grotty Millets tent rather than my VauDe (made in Germany, bought 20 years ago for £320 and still so waterproof that it shrugs off Nikwax waterproof dressing), I returned to it to find that someone had used it as a lavatory. Great pile like a cowboy's campfire on the grotty cheap Millets sleeping bag I'd also had the sagacity to purchase.

I left, never to return.

I know what you are saying but that again just points to the type of people who don't give a *poo* (excuse the pun) it shouldn't have to be that way. And there can be no serious environmental aspect to the festivals when there is so much waste for only a long week end.

If people had to pay a bit more for the stuff the took to these things then I doubt they would be so quick to abandon and vandalise equipment. I'm not saying it must be high end but there is a level where its not fit for purpose and I have seen that often enough just on general camp sites.

Sent from my Nexus 4 using Tapatalk 4

 

[BearInTheWoods]

Thing is, even modern grotty camping gear is probably still ten times better than the stuff our Dads had access to. We think about saving 250g. here or there when they used to carry canvas pup tents strapped to old-style webbing haversacks from the Army and Navy shop.

We're a bunch of big Jessies compared to the WWII generation.

 

[Robbi]

Yes and no. I went to Glastonbury when I was very young, it was still a collection of hippies, crusties and general malcontents listening to a bit of music in a field. Not so long ago I went again, on advice I took a grotty Millets tent rather than my VauDe (made in Germany, bought 20 years ago for £320 and still so waterproof that it shrugs off Nikwax waterproof dressing), I returned to it to find that someone had used it as a lavatory. Great pile like a cowboy's campfire on the grotty cheap Millets sleeping bag I'd also had the sagacity to purchase.

I left, never to return.

I would have to hurt somebody very badly for that.

 

[BearInTheWoods]

I would have to hurt somebody very badly for that.

Had I known the identity of the Phantom Curler, I might have had some harsh words to say.

 

[Idleknight]

Its pretty sick and it comes down to the people. I don't do any of the big festivals anymore. I do 2 smaller fests and people are responsible, the events have a nice feeling to them. I did big fests years ago and was put off by people's attitudes.

 

[Hammock Hamster]

It would probably a massive H&S nightmare... I have seen sites like this at various events I have gone to, fire risk and death and destruction spring to mind when you see how close they cram them all in, wouldn't take much to have a real disaster on their hands, even refugee camps are better organised... But as long as the youngsters enjoy themselves it's OK

I went to the Download Festival back in 2005/2006'ish mainly to see iron maiden live again which was pretty similar the problem was the "metallers" attitude on the last night went from enthusiastic enjoyment to full on anarchy with several tents (in fairness mainly their own) set alight which due to the packed nature spread quite rapidly.
We were a long way from that side of things but saw the mess the following day along with what I imagine several thousand pounds worth of damage to portable lighting gear, generators, portaloo's etc... Definitely getting old but don't remember that sort of thing going on when I was going to festivals!

 

[demographic]

You lot call yourself resourceful but can't see all the free tents there at the end.
Hell send them off to refugee camps, sell em on ebay, make gear from them, give em to mates.

Yeah the place is a dump, but there's a fair bit of gear if you ratch hard enough.