People are hauling hotel-grade mattresses, air fryers and hot tubs on camping trips to ensure a slice of luxury in the great outdoors, a study has found.
Argos research shows campers are prioritising home comforts over survival gear, with 72% ditching the back-to-basics mentality and going all-in on 'campmaxxing'.
Driven by 'sensommer' and heatwaves
The Argos study found the sudden urge for outdoor adventure is heavily driven by 'sensommer', the Scandinavian concept of 'late summer'. Two-fifths are embracing the mindset to stretch out the holiday season before autumn set in.
Half said recent heatwaves have inspired them to book a late-summer or autumn camping trip in the UK and many intend to splash out more than ever upgrading their pitch, preparing to spend more than £100 doing so.
Sales surge and luxury upgrades
Argos camping category sales over the past five weeks are up almost 10% year-on-year and the retailer said it has seen a 60% surge in sales of camping chairs compared to the same five weeks of summer last year.
Campers are embracing a more elevated take on the great outdoors, with 20% curating home-away-from-home comforts, 19% creating firepit-filled outdoor spaces, 17% taking high-end camping gear and 15% packing premium kitchen appliances. Holidaymakers plan to bring everything from a full dining table and chairs to mini fridges and gourmet portable BBQs.
Top 10 essentials for a luxury camping trip
The study listed the top 10 essentials for a luxury camping trip: al fresco dining sets (full dining table and chairs) (21%), on-pitch mini fridges (21%), cooling fans (21%), gourmet portable BBQs (19%), surround-sound speakers (15%), hotel-grade mattresses (15%), inflatable sofa and/or chairs (15%), ambient fairy lights (13%), outdoor rugs (12%), and open-air TV or projector cinema screens (11%).
