Set up: Amentity done (rented) & Takibi Fire & Grill (rented).
Laura was one of our solo campers and we all adored her. Having never camped, she knew it was something she wanted to experience but had never really known how.
This idea had all began in the 2020 lockdown with her husband, a keen outdoor chef, who began looking for a fire pit. An online search had led her to the Snow Peak site and our Takibi’s, an outdoor vision of what could be. Knowing that the world would one day open up again, Laura made a list of what she wanted to do when lockdown ended and one of them was visiting the Snow Peak St James Store, in London.
When she finally made it to our flagship store, she was worried about feeling overwhelmed and out of her depth but instead, she was offered a coffee and just told to sit down and relax for as long as she needed. She felt calm not being bombarded by the quick sell and took her time looking at the products and exploring the store. Our retail team are young, camping enthusiasts who want to share their passion and Laura knew that she could be honest with them about what she needed to start her outdoor adventure.
After receiving our newsletter, Laura signed up for the Snow Peak Way, ready for her family to experience what she had and enjoy a weekend of new activities. However, the week before the event, both of her daughters became unavailable due to individual sporting championships and so Laura ended up camping alone. She was determined to do it. She laughed when I told her she was brave to camp alone for the first time and said Snow Peak had made it so easy. She had hired a tent and a Takibi Fire & Grill and packed her bags.
Laura had been excited about the workshops, a key element to her going ahead with her adventure, knowing she’d be surrounded by like minded campers, all with something in common. She’d also felt supported by the team who were flexible and treated her with care. She describe it as, ‘Being out, by yourself but feeling surrounded and it being so calm’.
Renting the tent made everything so much easier for her, it’s been a learning experience - what you really need when you camp. Staff explained how to look after her tent and the basics for bettering the camping experience.
On the first night, there was rain. Laura didn’t know what the protocol was, should she stay? Our staff reassured her the tents were strong and waterproof and she’d be safe. She went to bed and woke up at 3am but was struggling sleeping on the floor, she’d been sleeping on her daughter’s sleep mat but it just wasn’t supporting her back properly. When she woke up she listened to the birds and knew she didn’t want go home. The next day, our Wholesale Experience Manager, Matthew, spoke to Laura and asked what he could do to make her experience better. He then swiftly organised our Snow Peak cot bed for Laura to sleep on for the next night, the closest thing to a real bed in the outdoors.
‘You know when you have something in mind and you say to yourself, this is what this should be, that’s exactly what it was’.
Over the weekend, Laura had her gardening knife sharpened at Niwaki, she had attended the sake workshop and even bought a bottle, despite not really being much of a drinker and eventually she was going home feeling enriched from the experience. Laura also managed to find something of great importance - a solid pair of gardening gloves for her allotment. Finally a pair that fit, was sturdy and beautifully made.
One of Laura’s main take aways was enjoying being in such an international crowd and being able to find commonality with a group of people she’d never met. At the time, Laura had been reading The Passenger, Japan, a collection of writings by various Japanese authors on social structures and modern life. It was partly due to her love of Japanese culture she she had found herself in her tent, at Embers but it was her spirited nature and ease that made her a known and loved across the site by staff and guests.
A pair of our well-loved Snow Peak Fire Side Gloves
If you’d like to camp like Laura, here’s the collection she used to keep warm and comfortable at night click here.
