RIAT Camping Packing Checklist

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If you're camping at RIAT for a full week, it can feel like you're packing half the house. The good news is that you don't need every item on this list.

If you're only camping for one night or a short weekend, keep things simple and concentrate on the basics. If you're staying for most of RIAT week, the extra comfort, cooking and power equipment starts to become much more useful.

* = Budget Essential

If you're trying to keep costs down, I would prioritise the items marked with a *. These are the basics I would want for a comfortable weekend.

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Tent & Pitch Setup

• • Tent suitable for your group*

• • Tent pegs*

• • Tent poles*

• • Guy lines*

• • Mallet*

• Tent footprint or groundsheet

• Event shelter or gazebo

• Windbreaks

• Extra tarpaulin

• Outdoor mat

• Camping rug

• Folding table

• • Camping chairs*

• Small side table

• Tent carpet

• Door mat

• Storage boxes

• Folding camping cupboard

• Shoe storage

• Washing line

• Clothes pegs

Weekend: Tent, chairs and a basic table may be all you need.

Full Week: An event shelter, windbreaks and organised storage can make camp much more comfortable.

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 Sleeping

A decent night's sleep makes a huge difference after spending all day walking around RIAT.

• • Sleeping bag*

• • Camping mat, airbed or camping bed*

• • Pillow*

• Blanket*

• Extra sleeping bag

• Raised camping bed

• Air mattress

• Airbed pump

• Spare airbed pump batteries

• Fitted sheet

• Duvet

• Mattress topper

• Eye mask

• Ear plugs

• Hot water bottle

• Travel blanket

• Bedside storage pocket

If you are staying for a full week, I personally prefer a raised camping bed where possible. It is easier getting in and out of bed and gives you useful storage underneath.

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Cooking Equipment

You don't need to build a full outdoor kitchen, particularly for a weekend.

• • Camping stove*

• • Gas canisters*

• • Lighter or matches*

• • Frying pan*

• • Saucepan*

• Cooking utensils*

• Spatula

• Wooden spoon

• Tongs

• Sharp knife*

• Chopping board

• Tin opener

• Bottle opener

• Kettle

• Plates*

• Bowls*

• • Cups*

• • Cutlery*

• Reusable food containers

• Kitchen roll*

• Aluminium foil

• Cling film

• Cooking oil

• Salt and pepper

• Condiments

• Washing-up bowl*

• • Washing-up liquid*

• • Sponge*

• Tea towels*

• Folding kitchen stand

• Camping kitchen cupboard

• Water container*

• Water carrier*

• Reusable water bottles

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Weekend: One stove, frying pan, saucepan and basic utensils should cover most meals.

Full Week: A kitchen stand, storage cupboard and dedicated preparation area can make cooking far easier.

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 BBQ Equipment

A BBQ evening can be one of the nicest parts of camping at RIAT, particularly with a larger group.

• BBQ

• Charcoal or suitable fuel

• Firelighter

• Long BBQ lighter

• BBQ tongs

• Cooking utensils

• Heat-resistant gloves

• Foil trays

• BBQ cleaning brush

• Kitchen roll

• Plates and cutlery

• Condiments

• Cooler for meat

• Food thermometer

• Rubbish bags

Always check the latest rules for your campsite before bringing or using a BBQ.

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 Food & Drink Storage

• • Cool box or cool bag*

• • Ice packs*

• Food containers

• Drinks cooler

• Dry-food storage box

• Reusable food bags

• Water carrier

• • Drinking water

• Bottled drinks*

• Tea

• Coffee

• Sugar

• Long-life milk

• Snacks

• Breakfast food

• Easy evening meals

• Show-day packed lunches

For a longer stay, I would consider having one cool box for food and another for drinks.

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Power

You can keep this extremely simple or build a larger solar setup depending on how long you're staying.

• • Power bank*

• • Phone charging cable*

• Spare charging cable*

• Multi-port USB charger

• Portable power station

• Solar generator

• Solar panel

• Jackery / EcoFlow / BLUETTI / Anker-style power station

• Camera battery charger

• Spare camera batteries

• USB extension cable

• 12V charging cable

• Power station charging cable

• Cable organiser

• Battery storage case

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Budget Weekend

A couple of good power banks may be all you need.

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Longer Stay

A portable power station around 240Wh–300Wh can be useful.

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Full Week / Family

Around 500Wh or larger gives you considerably more flexibility if several people are charging phones, cameras and lighting.

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 Lighting

RIAT camping fields can become surprisingly dark once the sun goes down.

• • Torch

• • Head torch

• • Rechargeable camping lantern

• Hanging tent light

• Kitchen light

• Small table lantern

• Solar lights

• Tent entrance light

• Spare batteries

• USB rechargeable lights

• Emergency torch

I would have at least one torch or head torch per person if possible.

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 Clothing

Even during summer, RIAT weather can change very quickly.

• • Underwear

• • Socks

• • T-shirts

• • Trousers or shorts

• Hoodie

• Jumper

• Fleece

• Warm evening layer

• Pyjamas

• Hat

• Sun hat

• Sunglasses

• Spare clothes

• Comfortable clothes for camp

• Clothes for travelling home

For a full week, bring more socks than you think you'll need. Wet feet have a remarkable ability to ruin everyone's enthusiasm.

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Shoes & Footwear

You will probably walk much further than you expect during RIAT.

• • Comfortable walking shoes or trainers*

• Walking boots

• Waterproof boots

• Wellington boots

• Camp shoes

• Sliders

• Spare trainers

• Spare socks

• Insoles

• Blister plasters

For a weekend, one good pair of comfortable waterproof footwear may be enough.

For a week, I would bring at least two different pairs so you're not stuck wearing wet shoes the following morning.

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Waterproofs & Weather Gear

Do not trust a sunny forecast several days before RIAT.

• • Waterproof jacket*

• Waterproof trousers

• Poncho

• Umbrella for camp use

• Waterproof boots

• Wellington boots

• Waterproof bag cover

• Dry bags

• Waterproof phone pouch

• Spare towels

• Tent waterproofing spray

Also prepare for the opposite.

• • Sun cream*

• • Sun hat*

• • Sunglasses*

• Cooling towel

• Refillable water bottle*

RIAT can give you rain, wind, sunshine and heat during the same trip.

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Personal Items

• • Toothbrush

• • Toothpaste

• • Deodorant

• • Soap or shower gel

• Shampoo

• Conditioner

• • Toilet roll

• • Wet wipes

• • Hand sanitiser

• Towels

• Microfibre towel

• Hairbrush

• Razor

• Mirror

• Shower bag

• Flip-flops for showers

• Laundry bag

• Personal medication

• Contact lenses

• Glasses

• Feminine hygiene products

• Lip balm

• Moisturiser

• Insect repellent

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First Aid

I would always keep a small first-aid kit somewhere easy to reach.

• • Plasters

• • Blister plasters

• • Antiseptic wipes

• Bandages

• Medical tape

• Pain relief

• Antihistamines

• After-sun

• Bite cream

• Burn treatment

• Small scissors

• Personal medication

• Prescription medication

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Camp Repair & Spare Parts Bag

I strongly recommend keeping these together in a separate repair bag.

• • Spare tent pegs

• • Spare guy lines

• • Cable ties

• • Gaffer tape

• • Tent repair patches

• Spare tent clips

• Tent pole repair sleeve

• Spare buckles

• Bungee cords

• Paracord

• Small screwdriver

• Pliers

• Adjustable spanner

• Multi-tool

• Scissors

• Superglue

• Electrical tape

• Waterproof repair tape

• Sewing kit

• Work gloves

• Spare batteries

• Spare lighter

• Spare gas canister

You might not touch this bag all week. But when something breaks at 9pm, you'll suddenly be very pleased you packed it.

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 Electronics

• • Mobile phone*

• • Phone charger*

• • Power bank*

• Camera

• Camera charger

• Spare camera batteries

• Memory cards

• Tablet

• Smartwatch charger

• Earphones

• Bluetooth speaker

• USB cables

• Car charger

• Portable radio

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Photography Equipment

If you're planning on photographing RIAT:

• Camera body

• Telephoto lens

• Wider lens for static aircraft

• Spare batteries

• Battery charger

• Memory cards

• Camera bag

• Rain cover

• Lens cloth

• Lens cleaning kit

• Power bank

• Monopod if required

• Small folding stool where permitted

 

​ Tickets, Documents & Important Information

I would keep these together in a small waterproof document wallet.

• • RIAT tickets*

• • Campsite booking confirmation*

• • Camping tickets*

• • Parking tickets*

• • Printed booking confirmation*

• Printed campsite address

• Printed RIAT information

• Park & View tickets

• Shuttle or transport tickets

• Travel confirmations

• Emergency contact details

• Campsite contact number

• Vehicle breakdown details

• Insurance details

• Driving licence

• Bank card

• Small amount of cash

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Even if everything is stored on your phone, I would still print important tickets and confirmations.

Phone batteries fail, signals disappear and emails have an extraordinary talent for hiding when 20 cars are waiting behind you at campsite check-in.

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Comfort & Camp Life

These aren't essential, but they can make a full week much nicer.

• • Camping chair

• Folding table

• Reclining chair

• Footrest

• Event shelter

• Windbreaks

• Camping rug

• Small table

• Bluetooth speaker

• Cards

• Board games

• Football

• Books

• Portable fan

• Blanket

• Cooler

• Drinks table

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Camping With Children

If you're bringing children, you may also want:

• Child's sleeping bag

• Travel cot

• Children's camping bed

• Ear defenders

• Favourite blanket

• Toys

• Colouring books

• Games

• Snacks

• Drinks

• Spare clothes

• Waterproofs

• Sun hat

• Sun cream

• Night light

• Glow sticks

• Wet wipes

What Do You Actually Need?

One Night

If you're only staying one night, don't feel that you need to bring everything listed above.

I would concentrate on:

• • Tent

• • Sleeping bag

• • Mattress or camping mat

• • Chair

• • Torch

• • Power bank

• • Basic food and water

• • Toiletries

• • Comfortable clothes

• • Waterproof jacket

• • RIAT and campsite tickets

Keep it simple.

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Weekend Camping

For a typical RIAT weekend, add:

• Cooking stove

• Cool box

• Basic cooking equipment

• Extra clothes

• Better lighting

• Extra power banks

• Small table

• Basic repair kit

• Food for several meals

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Full RIAT Week

If you're camping for most of the week, this is where I would start adding:

• Event shelter

• Windbreaks

• Raised camping beds

• Proper kitchen setup

• Larger cool box

• Food storage

• Portable power station

• Solar panel

• Multiple camping lights

• More clothes and footwear

• Larger repair kit

• Extra gas and cooking supplies

• Better campsite storage

The longer you're staying, the more worthwhile these comfort items become.

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My Advice

Don't look at this checklist and think you need to buy everything before your first RIAT camping trip.

Start with the essentials marked with a *.

If you're camping for a weekend, you can have a perfectly enjoyable RIAT with a decent tent, comfortable bed, chair, food, warm clothes, waterproofs, lighting and a few power banks.

If you enjoy it and decide to camp again, you can gradually improve your setup each year.

That's exactly how many of the best RIAT camping setups are built. Not in one enormous shopping trip, but by finding out what actually works for you.