Spring Camping Gear Checks Before Your First Trip

Every spring, somewhere around the second trip of the season, something that worked perfectly last autumn gives up. A gas hose that has gone stiff and cracked over winter. A swag that leaks along a seam. A lantern that will not hold a charge. None of it is a surprise, and all of it is preventable in about an hour in the driveway. Camping gear does not enjoy being stored. It sits in a shed or a garage through the colder months, getting cold, getting damp, and getting chewed on. A bit of attention before the season starts is the difference between a gear failure you fix at home and one you fix in the dark, in the rain, at a campsite three hours from the nearest shop. The Short Version Canvas, seams and zips first — the most expensive thing to get wrong and the easiest to check. Gas gear is a safety item, not a convenience one. Leak-test it every season. Batteries lose usable capacity in the cold, so charge everything before you leave rather than on the way. Replace the consumables — first-aid stock, water filter cartridges, tape — while you are thinking about it. Why Spring Is the Season to Do This Stored gear spends months in a temperature window that swings with the weather, which is exactly the condition that grows mould in canvas and perishes rubber. Rodents move in over winter and find canvas, straps and food residue irresistible. And the gear you have not looked at since April is the gear you will trust without thinking in October. Canvas: Swags, Tents and Awnings Unroll everything and put it up in the yard. Not folded, not half out — properly pitched, so you can see the whole surface in daylight. That is the only way to find the damage. Seams and re-proofing Look along every seam for tape that has started to lift or wrinkle. Delaminated seam tape is the most common cause of a leak in an otherwise sound tent, and it fails quietly while the tent is packed away. Re-seal the affected seams with a sealant matched to your fabric's coating — a standard sealant will not adhere properly to a silicone-coated fly, so check what your shelter actually uses before you buy. If water beads for a second or two and then soaks in, the durable water repellent has gone. That is a re-proofing job rather than a replacement. Do it on a dry, warm day and let it cure fully before packing. Mould and rodents Mould shows as grey or black speckling, usually along folds. Catch it early and it will wash out with a mild solution and a soft brush; leave it and it stains and weakens the fabric. Anything with a strong musty smell needs airing and cleaning before it goes back in the vehicle. While you are there, check for chewed corners, holes in mesh panels and nibbled straps — a mouse will happily eat a guy line. Gas: Hoses, Regulators and Cylinders This is the part worth taking seriously. Look over the whole hose for cracking, stiffness or a chalky surface. Gas hose carries a date stamp, and if it is past its working life, replace it — it is a cheap part protecting an expensive mistake. Reconnect everything and leak-test with soapy water at every joint: the cylinder connection, the regulator, both ends of the hose and the appliance inlet. Bubbles mean a leak. Check the test date stamped on the cylinder collar and get it retested or exchanged if it is out of date, then give the stove a run in the open air before you trust it. Batteries and Camp Lighting Cold weather reduces the usable capacity of every battery you own, and a battery that has sat for months will have self-discharged. Charge everything — the fridge, lanterns, head torches, the jump starter, the phone banks — the week before you go, not the morning of. Then check the charging side: the leads, plugs, connectors and any 12V sockets, because a loose connector that was fine in the shed can shake out on a corrugated road. Inspect every light for corrosion on the contacts and terminals. A clean, firm connection is most of what makes a camp light reliable. Sleeping Gear A sleeping bag loses loft when it has been compressed for months. Unroll it, air it, and if it smells or has been slept in heavily, wash it to the manufacturer's instructions and dry it thoroughly — a damp bag stored compressed will go mouldy. Check the mat as well: inflate it fully and leave it an hour. Valve leaks are the most common failure and the least obvious until you are lying on cold ground. Water and First Aid Water filters and purifiers need attention after a season in storage — flush the system, check the seals and o-rings, and replace the cartridge if it has done a lot of work or sat wet. For first aid, go through the kit properly: replace anything expired, restock what you used, and check the battery expiry on your PLB or EPIRB, because those dates creep up on you. Tools and the Small Stuff Pegs: straighten the bent ones, replace the brittle ones, and count them. Guy lines: check for fraying and for knots that have welded themselves tight. Poles and shock cord: assemble the full frame once; perished shock cord is much easier to replace at home. Zips: clean the teeth and apply a little lubricant, never grease. Tape and repair kit: restock it now, because it is no use to you empty. Real-World Tips Do the whole check on a dry, sunny day and repack the same afternoon. Nothing should go away damp. Photograph the contents of each kit before you seal it up — it saves unpacking later to answer "do we have the thing?". Keep a written list of what you replaced and when. Hose and battery dates matter more than you think. Run the stove once in the open, even if you are confident. Five minutes now beats a cold dinner. If something needs replacing, replace it before the trip rather than adding it to a list you will forget. Checking Your Camp Power Most of what fails on a spring trip is electrical — a flat battery, a corroded contact, a lead that has shaken loose. If you are going through your kit, it is worth doing the same to the power side: our 12V accessories range covers the charging gear, leads and connectors that keep camp lighting, fridges and phones running once the season starts. Over to You An hour in the driveway now saves the kind of gear failure that ruins a trip. Work through the list, replace what is tired, and pack it away properly. If you have a pre-season ritual of your own, we would like to hear it — tell us in the comments.