Review: Vango Starwalker Junior Dragon Sleeping Bag - Camping Fun For Kids

Readers of this blog will know that, being ever-so-slightly 'outdoors averse', I am making a real effort to love all things camping, and, er, outdoorsy.

The Husband and kids, on the other hand, adore being outside and my days of demanding high thread count sheets and a mini bar are looking increasingly numbered.

I cannot claim to be quite ready to audition for the next series of Bear Gryll's "Mission Survive" but for the sake of Caitlin and Ieuan, I am willing to at least contemplate a lifestyle that doesn't necessarily include a hotel inspector.

In preparation for this year's sojourn into the great outdoors, we were given the opportunity to try the winner of "Best Family Product" in the Outdoor Industry Awards 2016 - the Vango Starwalker Junior Sleeping Bag.  This is a big year for Vango as they are also celebrating their 50th anniversary.

The Vango Starwalker Junior is a versatile sleeping bag, which gives children freedom of movement with the option to zip off sections at the legs and shoulders.

It comes in two designs, the dragon or the panda and, because the bottom zips off, the kids can easily run around the campsite in it to keep warm or, in Ieuan's case just because he enjoys being a dragon.

The Starwalker Junior is made from 210T microfibre polyester with single hole siliconised hollow fibre insulation to increase durability.

The Vango Starwalker Junior Sleeping Bag in the Dragon Design

It has a hood for additional warmth and a large front zipper so the kids can get easily in and out.  It has a 9 Tog rating and is suitable for children up to 150cm tall.

The sleeping bag can be carried as a rucksack so that you can get the kids to help carry their own stuff.

The Vango Starwalker Junior Sleeping Bag in the Panda Design

We got Ieuan to test it out for us on terrain which would make Bear Grylls proud (the beach at The Knap, Barry) and once into it, we had difficulty persuading him to take it off.  You can see from the photos that he was still wearing it at tea time and he is currently campaigning to take it bed with him.

It has some lovely little design touches, such as a dragon's tail and a dragon's face on the rucksack. We found the sleeping bag to be well made with sturdy zips and stitching.

The removable bottom section will be a great help on those occasions when there are frequent toilet trips and your child could certainly wear it on chilly evenings - perhaps for a bit of star-gazing.

We will certainly be taking it with us on our next camping trip.

The Vango Starwalker Junior Sleeping Bag retails at £47.50 and is available from www.vango.co.uk.

You can also find Vango on Facebook or Twitter.
 

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Planning Tips For Your Next Family Camping Trip

A family camping trip can be the best way for your family to bond and strengthen relationships. But for that to happen, you first have to make sure that the whole thing goes as smoothly as possible. Here are some top family camping trips to help you out.

Make Sure the Tent is Fit for Purpose 

The tent is where you will be spending your time at night, and it’s where you’ll get shelter when the rain starts to fall. For that reason, you need to make sure that it is up to the task before you go on your trip. There’s nothing worse than getting to where you want to camp and finding that your old tent has a hole in the top. You should always put up the tent in the garden to test it before you leave.

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Have a Plan to Keep Everyone Entertained 

Keeping the entire family entertained when you go away on a family camping trip is no small task. It’s not something that can be done unless you have a real plan in place. You can only manage to make the trip go smoothly if everyone is entertained; there’s nothing worse than bored children! Think about what you are going to fill your days with. And you can also prepare some small games and activities to keep them busy and distracted. It could save the trip from disaster.

Take Backup Clothes 

You never know what the weather or the environment is going to throw your way when you go on a camping trip. And your trip might be ruined if you run out of clean clothes after the first day! You should always take more clothes than you think you will need. It’s better to be safe than sorry. It’s also important to make sure that you have the right clothes for the climate and the environment. If it’s going to be muddy, make sure you take the right footwear. Having the wrong footwear can be disastrous.

Take An Ice Chest 

You’re going to want to keep your food and drinks cold when you get there. The only way to do this is to take an ice chest with you when you leave. You can find ice packs for coolers on the internet. This allows you to eat good food, and that’s not always easy when you are camping. You could even take some things that you and the kids can roast over the campfire. I’d recommend buying some marshmallows and toasting them over the fire. This is a great idea for anyone who wants to keep their kids entertained in the evening.

Clean Up As You Go 

When you’re spending time in a natural landscape, it’s important to treat the landscape with care and respect. That means cleaning up as you go along. To do this, make sure that you take bin bags that you can take with you when you leave. And cleaning up as you go along is the best way to do the job. That way, the campsite and your tent won’t become too messy and hard to keep under control. It will also mean that you don’t have to do too much cleaning up at the end.

*collaborative post

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