Camping gear to buy after you arrive in the UAE

If you are moving to the UAE, or flying in for a few weeks of winter camping, you already own gear you trust. The real question is what goes in the suitcase. Some things cannot fly, some are not worth their weight in baggage fees, and some home kit does not suit sand, wind and sun. Here is how we would split it.

What cannot fly, and what can with conditions

Two different rules are often mixed up. Gas canisters and liquid stove fuel are dangerous goods: do not pack them in any bag. A stove, or a fuel bottle, that has held liquid fuel is a separate case. Under the IATA dangerous goods table it can go in checked baggage only, with the airline’s approval, and only when the tank or bottle is completely drained (IATA). Stove maker MSR adds that it must be cleaned so that no fuel vapour or residue is left.

Each airline decides whether to approve, and its rules may differ from this baseline. Check your carrier’s dangerous goods rules before you pack, ask for approval in advance if you need it, and plan to buy fuel after you land. Apply the same caution to anything else that burns, is pressurised or sprays.

What to bring from home

Bring the personal things that fit you and are hard to replace quickly. A sleeping bag and an inflatable pad often pack smaller than people expect.

Some home kit is worth leaving behind even if it fits. Not every tent that works at home suits sand and this climate: thin wire pegs do not hold in sand, an all-mesh inner lets fine sand blow through in a desert wind, and a tall, light tent can struggle in the evening wind. Check yours against our guide to pitching a tent on sand before you decide to bring it.

What to buy here: furniture

Camp furniture is the clearest case. Chairs are heavy and awkward to fly with, but UAE camping is mostly by car, in groups, for whole evenings, so you will sit a lot. The Lowdown Chair has a steel frame and a low, slightly reclined seat, and packs into a roll-tote. The Essential Chair has adjustable armrests and an insulated drink holder. For two, the Low Loveseat is a low two-person seat on a steel frame. On soft sand, a low, wide chair usually sits more steadily than a tall, narrow one.

What to buy here: tents, beds and shade

A family tent, a cot, a sunshade: none of these fits a baggage allowance, and all of them are central to camping here. Most trips are a short drive from home, so weight barely matters and comfort matters a lot. The Wireless 4P sets up fast with Quick Corners and has two doors and two vestibules, so sandy shoes stay outside. The Kush Airbed is about 15 cm thick with a USB-rechargeable pump; the Lowdown Cot lifts you off the ground and pairs with a sleeping pad for warmth.

Shade is the item visitors forget most often. At home a tarp is for rain; here it decides whether you can sit outside at noon. Our guide to shade covers tarps, awnings and free-standing shelters.

What to buy here: the small things home kits lack

Sand anchors are the main one: thin pegs do not hold in dunes. Another is a way to organise a car camp. The Car-Go-Box has three colour-coded storage pods in a structured folding case, which keeps a boot full of kit sorted between trips.

A simple split

Do not pack:

• Gas canisters and liquid stove fuel, in any bag.
• A used stove or fuel bottle, unless it is fully drained and cleaned, goes in checked baggage and your airline has approved it.
• Anything else that burns, is pressurised or sprays, until you have checked the airline’s list.

Bring:

• Boots and hiking shoes you have already broken in.
• Your own sleeping bag and pad, if they pack small; check the bag against UAE mountain nights.
• A headlamp, a first-aid kit you know, sun clothing and good sunglasses.
• A small backpacking tent, if it is light, suits sand and you plan to hike in.

Buy here:

• Fuel, after you land.
• Chairs, a family tent, a cot or airbed.
• Shade and sand anchors.
• Before you buy, read what is different about camping in the UAE so the list matches local conditions.