Camper Laundry Solutions

  My Mum, an intrepid campermama – she spent 18 months travelling around the coast of Great Britain in her campervan a few years ago – faces many challenges when she packs up her camper for an extended jaunt, not the least of which is packing for varying climates while keeping an eye on the weight / space balance. This December, once again, she’s off to Spain and Portugal for some sunshine and wanted to share a recent discovery she’s made with other Campermamas.

 

“Sometimes you just have to do some washing when away camping – well I do, especially when we go away from the UK shores to sunnier Spain for 3 months of the winter!  Trying to keep weight down in our motorvan (camper van to your part of the world), is always an important issue when packing up and washing products are seen as weighty items.  Well I hope I have solved this problem.  I have found a ‘Laundry Egg’!! 

As the name implies it is shaped like an egg and contains some powerful cleaning pellets, which have no harsh chemicals, is hypoallergenic, eco-friendly, will last up to 54 washes and finally also important to us – it is very light in weight. 

More pellets can be purchased so it has a long life too.  If you want to check it out the company website is www.ecoegg.com.  Will let you know how it performs next year when we return back to the UK. 

Keep camping, Jackie”

I did some research and found that you can buy the Eco Egg on Amazon.com in the US and Fruugo in Canada for about $32. Whilst not as cheap as buying a bottle of Tide, the Eco Egg on Fruugal does last for 210 washes – which is only 15c a load! Approved by the Allergy UK and eco friendly, it’s kind to sensitive baby skins as well as the environment. Not bad for such a small package and it’s also lightweight, of course, making it a great choice for campsite laundromats as well home use!

 

 

5 Great Gifts for Campermamas!

With the Holidays approaching, here are 5 great gifts for Campermamas everywhere!

Cozy Vest

Not just for camping, the MEC Uplink hoodie is perfect for any chilly morning or cool evening! Blessed with flattering design lines and elasticated thread which helps it to hug the body, this vest offers the warmth of a puffy down vest, without the ‘Michelin’ bulk. Lightweight, this vest also packs up small, making it handy for stuffing into your purse, or pack, when you’re out and about. The Uplink is $99 and comes in this lovely ‘turkish blue’ or in classic black.

 Night Vision

The Petzl Tikka RXP Headlamp also made my list because I love headlamps! Not only are they wonderful for camping, you can also use them for night snowshoeing or running on dark mornings and evenings. Headlamps are lightweight (this one weighs 115g) and comfortable but this particular model has a nice design to help it stay in place when moving at a pace. The Tikka RXP is my choice because it uses a rechargable Lithium battery and comes with a USB cable whcih makes it easier to charge when you’re camping. (It will also take a standard battery if you’re out and don’t have access to power) It’s most impressive feature is that besides the constant light of most headlamps it also has a very cool light sensor, or ‘reactive mode’ that decides whether you need a wider beam for distance or a focused beam for close up. This sounds perfect for camping as I go from fishing out my toothbrush and toothpaste to trekking to the bathroom and often have wait for my eyes to adjust to the difference in the light so that I don’t trip over a tree en route! The Tikka also has a red light option so that you don’t have to blind yourself if you need to find your watch in the middle of the night!

It might seem pricey at $99 but it’s the gadget that you’ll really appreciate when camping and if you enjoy getting out and about all year round then the Tikka RXP is a great choice!

 

 Awesome Socks

Happy feet can make all the difference to an activity and these Darn Tough Micro Crew Cushion socks are sure to please! Made of sustainable, fine gauge merino wool that won’t itch, rub or cause hot spots; pulling these socks on is like wearing slippers (that don’t slouch or bunch at the toes!) I love the colours of this particular style as it functions as a technical hiking sock but looks just as good peeking out of my UGG boots around the camp fire! Merino wool is a great choice for camping as it’s warm, anti microbial (won’t stink) and it retains heat even when wet (wonderful for those moments when you reach your foot down into what you think is a dry boot but which turns out to be full of dew! This is a premium sock that comes with an unconditional lifetime guarantee so the $23 price tag is really quite reasonable. Beware though – these socks are addictive – one pair is never enough!

 

 

Solar Power

 

If you’re camping, chances are you still have your phone with you – Aside from using the camera function it’s a great tool for checking weather reports, hiking trail maps and peace of mind safety! We are rather attached to them these days and plugging them in to an outlet in the washroom isn’t always an option.  Here’s the solution – the Eton Boost Solar 5000! At $105 you’ll get a gadget to power your gadgets over and over again and a great sustainable energy solution! The battery pack can charge a smartphone twice over and it can then be re-charged thanks to the solar panel! (The battery can also be charged via a USB port ) At only 6″ sq – this baby is compact and easy to stash so no problem finding a spot in the light to charge it up! At $105 it’s the gift that will keep giving – one that you’ll be grateful for when your tablet or smartphone dies and you’re only on day 2 of your getaway!

 

 

Layer up

Great layering pieces for camping share pretty much the same characteristics with running tops. You want a top that will breathe, dry quickly and which looks great worn on it’s own, as well as being comfortable to wear under a heavier sweater or fleece. My pick is the Oiselle Drop Top Mesh, for $78 you get style that you’ll feel happy showing off and the technical features you need to keep you warm, dry and comfortable – including thummies! This cute top will have many uses and makes a great gift as it’s sure to become a fav!

 

 

 

5 Ways to keep the camping chill off!

 

1. Is the most obvious – COZY UP TO YOUR CAMPFIRE!

This one is easy, fun and part of the stuff that camping memories are made of! Make sure you get your fire going in the early evening so that by the time you’re ready to roast those marshmallows the fire is giving off some heat from the base – easier to roast, as opposed to set fire to, those pillows of sugary goodness! (Personally I like them roasted until they don’t even remotely resemble a marshmallow anymore! I eat the outer crust off, then put it back into the fire for a second go! That’s double dipping – my style!)

2. HOT WATER BOTTLE

I’m British and hot water bottles are just something I grew up with! (Houses in England are harder to heat than North American ones, thanks to all the brick and serious lack of insulation!) I always take my hot water bottle with me when I go camping – it stays in the camper all the time in fact! Just boil some water when you’re thinking about going to bed, fill the bottle up to about 2/3, let out the air and screw the lid up tight (leaking hot water bottles when you’re camping is not something you want to be dealing with!) Pop the hottie into your bed so that while you’re brushing your teeth and packing things up for the night, your bed is warming up! (Tip, wrap your PJs in with the hot water bottle so that they’re nice and toasty when you put them on!)  Some Brits support kicking the hottie out when you get into bed but that’s always seemed like such a waste of heat to me and I have been known to cuddle the hottie well into a September night!

Cute hot water bottle covers can be found on Etsy!

3. A TOASTY LAYER

I have just been given a very cool birthday gift – the new MEC Uplink hoodie! Make of Primaloft insulation – it’s light, packable and warm. Feels like a cross between a sweater and a jacket, and balanced right between fashion and sporty outdoor, the Uplink will go well with everything from jeans to yoga pants in style. The outer shell is treated with a DWR (Durable Waterproof Repellancy) which will shed light rain and moisture but it’s slim fitting enough to fit under my rain jacket no problem. The elasticated stitching throughout, helps the Uplink move with you for increased comfort. The bonus for campermamas is that it folds up into a pouch – easy to pack and get your hands on when the evening chill sets in.

Birthday morning – probably about 25c at 8am so it didn’t stay on long but next trip I’ll be testing it out for sure!

The Uplink hoody packs up small!

 

4. WARM YOUR EXTREMITIES

A toque or beanie will help you feel warmer as a high percentage of your body heat escapes through your head. I know you’ve heard this before, but it really works. Put a beanie on and feel warmer almost immediately. I keep a pair of gloves in the camper (and pairs for the kids) for those damp, chill mornings when you wake up cold and have to wait for the kettle to boil so that you can get your popsicle fingers wrapped around a mug of tea! Something I’ve resorted to are those ‘Hand Warmers’ you can buy at Canadian Tire, Marks Work Wearhouse, drug stores or even the dollar store! The best ones I’ve used are ‘Little Hotties’ – they heat quickly and evenly and retain their heat for hours – at least 4. Best place to put them is inside your pockets, then you can warm your fingers up whenever you need to with the added bonus of keeping your thighs warm too! I used a different brand on day 2 of a photoshoot last December and we all agreed that Little Hotties rock! (The model slipped them inside her bra in between shots and said it worked like a charm, so there you go!) Keep them in the camper in case of emergency – they do the job!

Aside from being a super cute AND practical camping outfit as a whole – the beanie is key here!

5. CUDDLE!

Nothing wrong with old fashioned body warmth to warm you up so grab a blanket, gather the kids and your partner together and cuddle up by the fire!