Camping gear for Eastern Europe
Tent, gas, light, mosquitoes and sleeping: what suits which region, and what does it cost?
Home › Camping › Camping gear for Eastern Europe
A practical guide for families with children traveling through Eastern Europe by car and tent. For each theme, we explain the types, with examples in three price categories from Dutch shops (Decathlon, Bever and Obelink). We only name products whose price we have checked ourselves. Prices checked on Oct. 2026, not binding. Prices and availability change; Always check in the shop itself. We get no compensation for these links (Dutch shops).
Go to: Tents for a family of 4 · Cooking on gas: which cartridge fits where? · Lighting · Mosquitoes and ticks · Sleeping: sleeping bag and mat · By region
Gear
Tents for a family of 4
With two children of 7 and 9 you want above all: two bedrooms or a large one, a place to sit together in the rain, and a tent that stands quickly after a long day of driving.
Tent types, prices with sources and recent tests: Choosing a tent → · New to camping? Camping for beginners →
Dome tent
Easy, cheap and freestanding (can still be moved). Disadvantage: often no living space and less stable in strong wind.
Tunnel tent
Plenty of space per kilo, with living space and separate sleeping cabins. Must be well-tightened; Put the narrow side in the wind.
Inflatable tent
Air hoses instead of rods: built in a few minutes, even alone. Heavier and more expensive; take pump and repair kit with you.
Roof tent
Sleeping above the floor, quickly opened and closed, convenient for round trips with many short stops. Expensive, heavy on the roof, and the car is fixed as soon as the tent is open.
Folding camper
A trailer that folds up to the tent with beds and often a kitchen. Comfortable and dry, but you ride with trailer (check toll, vignette class and speed limits per country). Folding caravans are usually bought. We do not give a price for this.
Always a footprint under your tent
- Protects the groundsheet of your tent from stones, thorns and wear.
- Your tent stays cleaner and drier underneath.
- An extra layer against damp and cold from the ground.
- Your tent lasts longer.
- Easier packing: you pack the dirty side separately.
- The tent remains beautiful, good for the resale value.
Tip: Choose or cut the base slightly smaller than the tent floor. If it stands over, rainwater runs between the layers and the tent stands in a puddle.
We camp ourselves with the Quechua Air Seconds 6.3 Fresh&Black: an inflatable tent for 6 people with 3 sleeping cabins. Attention: Decathlon sells a spare tent floor (the floor itself as a spare part, € 99.99 on 14 October 2026), no separate base. At Decathlon, look for the suitable base for your tent or take a stable tarpaulin that is slightly smaller than the tent floor. Groundsheet Air Seconds 6.3 F&B at Decathlon
Examples and prices
| Level | Product | Shop | Price | Why |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Budget | Quechua MH100 camping tent, 4 people (dome) | Decathlon | € 64,99 | Dome tent with 4.7 kg, a bedroom without living area. According to Decathlon to Wind Strength 5, Good for the first attempt or as an additional children’s tent. |
| Mid-range | Obelink Summer 4 Easy Air (inflatable tunnel tent) | Obelink | € 299 (list price € 349) | Inflatable tunnel tent for 4 people, polyester, 20 kg. One of the cheapest inflatable tents with living space. |
| Mid-range | Quechua Air Seconds 4.2 Fresh&Black (inflatable tent) | Decathlon | € 449,99 | 2 sleeping compartments, living area of 5.9 m² where you can stand upright, 18.5 kg. Darkening and cool fabric; according to Decathlon usable up to wind force 7. Pump not included. |
| Premium | Outwell Sacramento 4 Air (inflatable tunnel tent) | Obelink | € 879 (RIP € 1,199.95) | 2 darkened sleeping cabins, 210 cm high, 24.9 kg. According to Obelink only available in the store. |
| Premium | Quechua 500 Family Fresh&Black rooftop tent (4 people) | Decathlon | € 1.999,99 | Mattress 200 × 213 cm, the tent weighs 80 kg: your car needs at least 80 kg of dynamic roof load. Not on cars with a panoramic roof. |
Prices checked on Oct. 2026, not binding. Prices and availability change; Always look in the shop itself. We do not receive any compensation for these links (included shops).
Gear
Cooking on gas: which cartridge fits where?
There are three systems, and they do not fit together. Choose one and take enough cartridges: they are not available everywhere in Eastern Europe.
Screw valve (EN417)
Round cartridges with threads, usually a butane-propane mixture. Many brands of burners use them (Decathlon/Forclaz, Primus, MSR and others), so they are best interchangeable. Nevertheless, check if the burner and cartridge fit together; Decathlon, for example, reports that Coleman cartridges do not fit.
Campingaz CV (click valve)
Cartridges such as the CV 470 Plus with its own Campingaz click valve. Only fit on Campingaz devices with this system.
Butane spray can (CP250, suitcase stove)
The elongated cans for suitcase cookers such as the Camp Bistro. Cheap, but butane: According to ANWB, butane does not vaporize below 0 degrees, so it works poorly in the mountains on cold mornings.
Gas bottle (caravan, camper, two-burner)
Who cooks with a larger bottle, should check for each country, whether filling or exchange is possible. The ANWB (based on the ADAC) states: Slovenia fills Dutch bottles and tanks easily; in the Czech Republic, bottles and tanks can be filled; in the Baltics, filling with euro adapters works; Poland and Hungary use the same bottles as Germany; There are significantly fewer filling stations in Croatia. According to ACSI, exchanges in Romania are only possible to a limited extent. Take a European adapter set.
Examples and prices
| Level | Product | Shop | Price | Why |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Budget | Campingaz Camp Bistro 3 (1 burner, on CP250 butane cartridge) | Obelink | € 24,95 | The well-known suitcase cooker: The cartridge is inserted laterally. Runs with butane (CP250), so less well in the cold. Cartridges extra. |
| Budget | Forclaz MT100 stove (screw valve EN417) | Decathlon | € 24,99 | Small burner for screw cartridges (butane-propane mixture, EN417). 2200 watts, piezo ignition. According to Decathlon not usable with Coleman cartridges. |
| Budget | Forclaz screw gas cartridge 450 g (EN417) | Decathlon | € 9,99 | Largest screw cartridge of decathlon, butane-propane mixture. Do not refill; drop empty at the recyclables yard. |
| Mid-range | Campingaz CV 470 Plus (click valve, 450 g) | Bever | € 11,49 | Cartridge with the Campingaz click valve (CV/Easy Clic). Only fits on Campingaz devices with this system, not on a screw torch. |
| Premium | Campingaz Camping Kitchen 2 (2 burners, on gas bottle) | Obelink | € 57.50 (list price € 79.99) | Two-flame family bost (2 × 2000 W) with hose connection for propane or butane from the gas cylinder. hose and pressure regulator extra. |
Prices checked on Oct. 2026, not binding. Prices and availability change; Always look in the shop itself. We do not receive any compensation for these links (included shops).
Gear
Lighting
Expect one headlamp per person and one lantern for the table. USB-C charging is convenient: in the car or with power bank.
Head torch
Hands free for dishes or the way to the toilet. Red light does not blind anyone in the tent.
Lantern
Warm light above the table or in the living room. A removable battery serves as a power bank.
Solar and USB
Small solar lamps charge during the day and are beautiful night lights for the children. On cloudy days they charge less.
Examples and prices
| Level | Product | Shop | Price | Why |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Budget | MPowerd Luci Lux (inflatable solar lamp) | Bever | € 8,99 | Flat inflatable lamp charging in the sun during the day; Beautiful as a nightlight in the children’s tent. Attention: The price fluctuates (elsewhere we also saw € 24.95). |
| Mid-range | Forclaz HL500 V3 headlamp (300 lumens, USB-C) | Decathlon | € 29,99 | Charger, red light, key lock. According to Decathlon for children only under supervision. |
| Mid-range | Petzl Tikka headlamp | Bever | € 34,95 | A simple head torch from a well-known brand, battery-powered. |
| Premium | Quechua BL400 rechargeable camping lamp (400 lumens) | Decathlon | € 59,99 | lantern with warm light and red light; The removable battery also serves as a power bank. Charges via USB-C, also in the car or by solar panel. |
Prices checked on Oct. 2026, not binding. Prices and availability change; Always look in the shop itself. We do not receive any compensation for these links (included shops).
Gear
Mosquitoes and ticks
The Dutch LCR recommends funds with DEET or icaridin. First apply sunscreen, then DEET. For children, their own rules apply, how often per day: see LCR brochure. After each hike, make a tick check, even behind the ears, in the groins and knees.
Tick-borne encephalitis (TBE)
FSME is a brain inflammation that ticks can transmit in forest areas in large parts of Europe. According to the LCI Directive, the incidence in 2022 was highest in Lithuania, Estonia and the Czech Republic (ECDC figures). There is a vaccination; Ask your family doctor or a vaccination site, especially if you’re hiking a lot in the forest.
Mosquito net
The LCI recommends a network impregnated with permethrin. Most tents already have mosquito grids; A net is especially practical in huts and caravans.
Clothing
Long sleeves, long trousers and closed shoes in forest and tall grass; Put pants in the socks. If possible, stay on the paths (Council of RIVM).
Examples and prices
| Level | Product | Shop | Price | Why |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Budget | Care Plus Anti-Insect Family (icaridin) | Bever | € 14,95 | Icaridin-based agents. According to LCI, not all icaridin products are suitable for children under 13: Read package leaflet. |
| Mid-range | Care Plus Anti-Insect DEET 40% spray, 200 ml | Bever | € 23,50 | Acts against mosquitoes and ticks. In children, stick to the LCR application instructions (how often per day, what percentage). |
| Mid-range | Care Plus Bell mosquito net, 2 persons, not impregnated | Bever | € 44,95 | A bell-shaped net to hang up, for example in a cottage or above the bed in the caravan. |
| Premium | Care Plus Bell 2P mosquito net, impregnated | Bever | € 59,95 | Impregnated version. The LCI recommends a mosquito net impregnated with permethrin. |
Prices checked on Oct. 2026, not binding. Prices and availability change; Always look in the shop itself. We do not receive any compensation for these links (included shops).
Gear
Sleeping: sleeping bag and mat
Choose the sleeping bag according to the comfort temperature, not the limit. A good mat isolates from the cold floor and is just as important. Children lose a lot of heat over their heads: A hat helps on cold nights.
Summer on the coast
A thin sleeping bag or a blanket model that you can unzip is enough.
Mountains and the Baltic states
Even in summer the nights can be cool. Take a sleeping bag with a lower comfort temperature or an additional blanket or fleece inlet.
Examples and prices
| Level | Product | Shop | Price | Why |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Budget | Quechua MH100 children's sleeping bag that grows with the child, 10 °C | Decathlon | € 14.99 (was € 19.99) | For children from 115 to 155 cm, comfort temperature 10 °C. Enough for summer nights on the coast, too thin for cold mountain nights. |
| Mid-range | Quechua Arpenaz 0° sleeping bag (adult) | Decathlon | € 59,99 | Ceiling sleeper, comfort temperature 0 °C, limit −9 °C, 2.2 kg. Two identical sleeping bags can be connected. |
Prices checked on Oct. 2026, not binding. Prices and availability change; Always look in the shop itself. We do not receive any compensation for these links (included shops).
By region
Which gear for which region?
A rough classification; Conditions change according to season and altitude. Look at the weather report shortly before leaving.
| Region | Countries | What to take into account | Gear |
|---|---|---|---|
| Baltic states | Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland | Cool nights, even in summer. Many mosquitoes on lakes and moors. ticks in forests; Lithuania and Estonia had the highest incidence of FSME (LCI) in 2022. | Discuss warmer sleeping bags, DEET or icaridin, tick check, if necessary, FSME vaccination. Gas bottles: filling with Euro adapter (ANWB). |
| Balkan coast | Croatia, Montenegro, Albania, Bulgaria | Heat and strong sun in July and August. Wind; on the Croatian coast, the Bora (a strong, cold fall wind) can come up suddenly. | tent with good ventilation and cool darkening material; Sunsails. Use stable herring and all guy lines. Thin sleeping bags. |
| Carpathians and mountains | Slovenia, Slovakia, Romania, Czechia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Kosovo, North Macedonia, Montenegro, Bulgaria | Cold nights and fast thunderstorms. Ticks in forests (Czech Republic, Slovenia and Slovakia are known FSME areas). In the Romanian Carpathians and Slovakia live brown bears. | Warm sleeping bag, propane-containing gas (not pure butane). Bear area: according to WWF Romania no food, no cosmetics and toothpaste in the tent, take rubbish, prefer to a fenced campsite. |
| Hungarian lowlands and rivers | Hungary, Serbia, Moldova, Romania | Warm summers; mosquitoes near water, such as around Lake Balaton and along the Tisza. | Mosquito net or tent with good grid, mosquito protection for the evening, sun sail. Gas bottles: in Hungary the same grey bottles as in Germany (ANWB). |
Sources
Where does this come from?
- ANWB Camping: gas supply in Europe
- RIVM: tick-borne encephalitis
- LCI guideline on tick-borne encephalitis
- LCI: mosquito protection measures
- LCR: travel advice for travellers
- WWF Romania: avoiding conflicts with bears when camping
This is general information, not medical advice. Ask about vaccinations and products for children your doctor.