Honest gear reviews for the great outdoors
Practical, no-nonsense writing about camping gear — buying guides, hands-on reviews and trip planning, built from real experience rather than spec sheets.
ProCamping is a small, independently-run site for anyone who camps, hikes or backpacks in the UK — whether that's a first family trip to a campsite with a shower block, or a solo multi-day hike wild camping in Scotland. We started in 2012 writing straightforward reviews of the gear we actually used, and we've kept that same approach ever since: no sponsored puff pieces, no generic advice copied from a US site and reworded for a British audience, just specific, honest writing about what a piece of gear is actually like to use and who it genuinely suits.
Today the site covers three things in depth: gear reviews of specific products (tents, sleeping bags, stoves, boots, and more), buying and how-to guides that explain the criteria that actually matter rather than just naming products, and UK-specific trip planning — wild camping law, National Trails, campsite selection, and the practical realities of camping in British weather.
Hands-on gear reviews
Real pros, cons and a clear verdict on who each product actually suits — not just a spec sheet rewritten as prose.
Practical buying guides
The criteria that actually matter when choosing gear — hydrostatic head, fill power, temperature ratings — explained plainly.
UK trip planning
Wild camping law, National Trails, campsite selection and the practical realities of camping in British weather.
Guides
All guides →Backpacking Gear List
The ten essentials to pack before any backpacking trip, from map and compass to shelter and waterproofs.
What is a Sleeping Bag Liner?
What a liner actually does, and the three good reasons to use one.
Sleeping Bag Season & Temperature Ratings
Upper limit, comfort, lower limit, extreme — and what the 1 to 5 season system actually means.
Our Favourite Outdoor Magazines
Subscriptions worth having, from Trail to The Great Outdoors.
How An Annual Membership Helps A Holiday
Whether a National Trust or English Heritage membership pays for itself if you travel a lot.
Wild Camping Law in the UK
Where you can (and can't) legally wild camp — Scotland, England & Wales, and Dartmoor.
Down vs Synthetic Sleeping Bags
Which fill should you buy? A full breakdown of warmth, weight, cost and care.
How to Choose a Backpacking Tent
Freestanding vs trekking-pole, hydrostatic head, weight and pitching style, explained.
Family Camping Checklist
What to pack for a first family campsite trip, and how to keep the kids entertained.
How to Choose the Right UK Campsite
What to check for, when to book, and how to pick the right site for your trip.
Geocaching for Beginners
A camper's guide to GPS treasure hunting — how it works, ratings, and etiquette.
Planning a LEJOG Cycling Trip
Route options, timing, and camping along the way on a Land's End to John o'Groats ride.
Best UK Long-Distance Trails
Six National Trails for multi-day backpacking, with real distances and wild camping notes.
Backpacking Meal Planning
Calorie needs, lightweight food, and water purification for multi-day trips.
Gear Reviews
All reviews →Alpkit Double Dozer Sleeping Mat
A double-bed-sized sleeping mat for basecamp comfort, not for hiking.
Ordnance Survey Explorer Mobile Maps
How OS started bundling a free mobile download with their printed Explorer maps.
Ordnance Survey Locate
The free app that turns your phone's GPS into an OS grid reference.
The Camping Survey 2014
What 2,831 British campers told Go Outdoors about their camping habits.
Trangia Stove Review
The classic Swedish storm cooker — near-unbreakable, windproof, and cheap to run.
Jetboil Flash Review
Fast boil times in an integrated canister system — how it compares to the Trangia.
LifeStraw Personal Water Filter Review
How the hollow-fibre membrane works, what it does and doesn't filter out, and who it suits.
Frequently asked questions
Is ProCamping affiliated with any gear brands?
No. ProCamping is an independent, reader-supported site. We are not owned by, or affiliated with, any outdoor gear manufacturer. Some pages contain Amazon Associate links, and we disclose this clearly on every page that has one and in the footer of every page.
Do you get sent free products to review?
No. Every review on this site is based on gear we or the original author actually bought and used, or — for older archive-era posts — genuinely researched and written about at the time. We do not accept free products in exchange for a positive review.
How is ProCamping different from other camping sites?
We keep the writing practical and specific rather than generic — real pros and cons, honest verdicts on who a product actually suits, and UK-specific detail (wild camping law, UK trails, UK weather) rather than US-centric advice reworded for a British audience.
How do you make money?
Through the Amazon Associates programme — if you click through to Amazon from a review and buy something, we may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. See our privacy policy for full details.
About this site
ProCamping has been writing about camping gear and the outdoors since 2012 — read more about this site.