Summer Survival Kit

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Our resident blogger Lucy Young @_Oceancityliving shops for the essentials to make the most of the outdoors in August.

Aaaah, August: month of adventure. A time to explore, get outdoors and generally go wild. A time to squeeze every last drop out of summer before the nights draw in and we hunker down indoors again.

August spells spontaneity, freedom and dropping everything to run bare foot to the nearest beach, festival or campsite. So, it’s important not to be caught out with the wrong equipment: a few carefully chosen essentials means you’re ready for anything that August throws at you…whatever the weather.

This month I’ve shopped the city for some high summer heroes including gizmos and gadgets, essentials and extras to see you through the peak of the season. From festival field to picnics in the park, staycation day trips to nights under the stars, beach days, BBQs and beyond, let’s make the most of awesome August and the last days of summer.

Unfortunately, the Great British Summertime often brings four seasons in a day, especially in the West Country, so that means being prepared. It’s packing an anorak with your bikini, wellies with your sundress and sunscreen with your woolly hat. But instead of lugging around a suitcase full of stuff there are some great products out there that are lightweight, multipurpose and easy to pack.

Wet and Wild

If you’re heading out on the water, investing in a dry bag is a great way to stow all your essentials. Whether you’re kayaking, paddle boarding or just heading for a day at the beach, a dry bag is a brilliant versatile piece of kit to keep your belongings in. The waterproof, roll top bags are perfect for any outdoor pursuit and hold a surprising amount of stuff. I picked up a Red Paddle Co.10L bag from South West SUP at The Shack at Firestone Bay, just inside the Royal William Yard. Red Paddle are a Devon-based company and SW SUP also stock a number of their other products inside The Shack café, including Pro Change dry robes and reusable travel mugs.

To keep your keys and mobile phone dry, if you’re planning a swim or surf, a waterproof case is also a must-have. Two Seasons surf and skate shop, at the Old Town Street entrance to Drake Circus, sells Northcore cases which offer 100% protection from the elements and are waterproof to a depth of 10m, perfect if you don’t want to leave your valuables on the seashore or worse, the seabed.

And if you want to provide a soundtrack to your outdoor pursuits, a Bluetooth waterproof speaker is a great accessory. The Rok Pod wireless speaker from Boom Pods is rechargeable, shockproof and offers 5 hours of play, so you can listen to your playlist favourites out on the water or at the beach, even if it’s raining!

Talking of which, at this time of year carrying an anorak is a bit of a no-brainer. Much as we’d all like to bask in Mediterranean-like sunshine, August in the UK brings more than a little of the wet stuff. But rather than being weighed down carrying a big coat, I chuck a lightweight pac-a-mac in the back of my car. Not the most glamorous item of clothing I own, but better than looking like a drowned rat when the inevitable downpour happens. This year I found a cute pink number from Scandi-brand Kikkerland in TK Maxx. Affordable and practical, it’ll keep me dry in a shower without breaking the bank.

Beach Days

Hopefully there are still some sunny days on the horizon, so I refreshed my beach bag and its contents and now I’m ready to hit the sand and surf at a moment’s notice. Packing light for the beach is always preferable, especially if you have a long walk from the car park and are potentially loaded down with buckets and spades and young children in tow.

I picked up a huge cotton bag from Accessorize in Drake Circus which has plenty of space for all the essentials but has stylish, summery stripes that are smart enough to take you from beach to bar (with any luck). Rather than a bulky towel, I switched to a lightweight cotton hammam one which takes up less space and dries really quickly. TK Maxx usually have a great selection and Two Seasons have some fabulous fringed ones from surf company Slowtide.

Bottles of sun cream, whilst essential, are often heavy and take up a lot of space. My family was introduced to P20 a few years ago and we haven’t looked back. It’s highly waterproof, in a lightweight spray and lasts for up to 10 hours at a time. Plus, it’s suitable for all the family so you can switch up separate sun creams for just one product. Available in Boots and Primark, if it’s good enough for Aussie lifeguards, then it’ll do for South West summers!

Other two-in-one products that I carry are Boots No.7’s Protect and Perfect BB Facial Sun Protection which has a hint of a tint and a high SPF, UVA and UVB protection that offers a flawless finish and Dr Paw Paw’s tinted multipurpose soothing balm which is hydrating and nourishing for lips and cheeks available from Holland and Barrett. All we need now is some sunshine…

Picnic Power

Al fresco dining or buying food on the go can often result in buying more unnecessary plastic, but a few carefully chosen products can mean you’re prepared for picnics, play dates and day trips out and about.

Zero waste and sustainable refill shop Jar, on Looe Street, has a fabulous selection of plastic-free, reusable water bottles, flasks, lunchboxes and cutlery. A Slice of Green two-tiered, stainless steel lunch box; insulated Jedz bottle for hot or cold drinks; Bambu Grubware travel utensil kit and some fab metallic rainbow drinking straws and I’m sustainably set for any occasion. Camper van cocktail anyone?

Happy Camping

Whether it’s in a festival field or a cliff top campsite a lot of us enjoy getting back to the wild when the August weather allows. Sleeping under the stars can be a magical experience in the summer but a few easy-to-pack toiletries means you don’t have to completely rough it.

The Natural Spa Company’s On-the-Go travel wash kit has a cute little collection of miniature shampoo and conditioner bars and cleansing soaps complete with a washcloth in a handy tin. Jar also stock a brilliant all-in-one Travel Soap by the Friendly Soap company and its natural lemongrass, lavender, tea tree and peppermint fragrance makes it suitable for washing your face, body, hair… even your dishes! Plus, the natural aroma helps keep hungry mozzies away, so, happy camping.

Happy camping with eco-friendly mini toiletries and multipurpose productsAnd whilst you’re getting back to nature, you can continue to ditch single use plastic and replace it with sustainable bamboo. You can get everything from toothbrushes and hygienic holders to hairbrushes, combs, keep cups and picnic ware made from this great environmentally friendly and hardwearing material.

Pack a solar lantern to illuminate your tent or campervan (try Cotswold Outdoor, Mountain Warehouse or even Flying Tiger) and you’re good to go. August adventures, I’m ready for you!