Camping?

[nomoney]

I wouldn't spend an arm and a leg until you know you like it for sure. And the things you buy depends on how much you feel like carrying around and such. I'm a light camper and only pack what I can carry on my back (that was until I got my pop up camper ) . The burner on the propane bottle is not that unstable-and would be an inexpensive way to begin with-just takes forever to heat stuff up...but there's always the camp fire. I've never used an air mattress when camping in a tent...just too much to carry and worry about setting up to begin with and too much too deal with when leaving. Get a sleeping bag that is suited for at least 35-40 degrees preferably a mummy stuff bag; although more money to begin with-they are easy to pack up (no rolling and tying) and great for the different weather changes. Recently went hiking/camping the apalachean trail with mine and when the nights were 32 degrees and the mornings were 70; I was extremely comfortable in both .
You'll need at least one lantern and one flashlight (flashlight for bathroom trips)
some essentials you may not think of:
Toilet paper
hand sanitizer (easier then carrying around soap)
tub to wash dishes in
container of water (for bathing/brushing teeth/dishes/cooking)
bug spray
flashlight
extra socks!

we have a coleman tent; and love it-very dependable. you may want one that is a little bigger though.

 

[alex]

If you have never been camping I would borrow gear from someone or rent before you buy.

General rule of thumb with tents is subtract 1 person from the number they claim to hold. Usually a 4 person tent will just about hold 3 people and their gear - sleeping bag, backpack, etc. Also, you want a tent with a rainfly that covers as much of the tent at possible. Why? Because when it rains you want the rain to run off the fly to the ground not run from the fly down the side of your tent. Also, those big multi room tents are neat but think about where you want to camp. How much room does it take up? How easy is it to setup? Take down? Transport? How stable is it in the wind or rain? Two smaller dome tents might work better than one large multi room tent. Plus you can put the kids in one and you and your spouse have your own.

For sleeping bags deduct about 20 degrees from what is claimed on the box. EX: a 20 degree bag will probable be good down to 40 maybe 30 degrees but most likely not 20. Why? Because it all depends on the body used to test the bag by the manufacturer. Most manufacturers test bags by having a person get in it and then they gradually lower the temperature until that person feels cold. Since each of us is different the variance can be significant. However, a fleece bag can be used as a liner to help in colder temps without having to resort to having more than one bag.

An air mattress is good for late spring to early fall camping only. The air compresses (your mattress feels like it has deflated) in cold weather. I lilke the self-inflating ones that Target sells. You can manually inflate them to be softer but if is cold they are still pretty comfortable and they run about $40 compared to the expensive ones at REI and other places.

I agree on the gas lantern. You can get a "tree" that hooks into the 20lb propane tanks and then put the lantern on top and with a hose hook up a propane camp stove.

Another good place for camping gear is The Sportsmans Guide.

Good luck!

 

[mainman]

Thanks for the advice thus far, a few forumites have PM'd and offerd to loan camping gear just to see if we like it, before I drop the money. Not a bad idea at all, I might just take them up on it!

 

[Elle]

Thanks for the advice thus far, a few forumites have PM'd and offerd to loan camping gear just to see if we like it, before I drop the money. Not a bad idea at all, I might just take them up on it!

Another thing to try is to set the tent up in your yard, you and jr sleep out for the weekend, just to get a feel for it, no sense in dragging him miles away if he isn't going to like it.

 

[mainman]

Another thing to try is to set the tent up in your yard, you and jr sleep out for the weekend, just to get a feel for it, no sense in dragging him miles away if he isn't going to like it.

This is actually something I have considered. A coworker suggested Point Lookout for the weekend...

 

[Ponytail]

I bought a 5 person tent. The night before I was due to go camping, miss Daisy had a snack.

Back at Dicks, seeing that they were out of 5 person tents, I bought a 9 person tent and a queen size airmattress, noticing the sizes of both and that the Queen size is a perfect fit.

Arriving at the campsite at midnight is NOT recommended especially if camping on a HOT night IN July, and your intentions are not to piss off the neighbors while using your battery operated air pump to inflate your comfy air mattress.

That battery operated air pump, also works AWESOME to get a fire going in the morning. It sounds like a blow torch at 6am to unsuspecting campers, or so I'm told.



I haven't been invited to go camping since then though.

Anybody?

 

[Chasey_Lane]

I bought a 9 person tent and a queen size airmattress

You didn't plan on fitting 9 people on a queen mattress, did you?

 

[Kizzy]

The hubby and I have been camper shopping. We decided we want luxury camping accommodations and after doing the pop up camper thing for years. Tent camping is just way too much like Survivor for me.

 

[huntr1]

I bought a 5 person tent. The night before I was due to go camping, miss Daisy had a snack.

Hell, you shoulda called me. I only have 4 different tents.
Varying sizes and styles from A-frame 2 man up to a 4 room, plus front porch, 19'x19' dome tent. My favorite camping is backpacking (Jeremy's Run in Shanendoah is the BEST trail, esp. in eary spring and late fall), but with the entire family in tow, we do-drive-up-and-set-up-the-tent type camping.

 

[aps45819]

The hubby and I have been camper shopping. We decided we want luxury camping accommodations and after doing the pop up camper thing for years. Tent camping is just way too much like Survivor for me.

My sister and BIL just about live in their 40' motorhome. They travel around from RV show to RV show selling Blue Ox trailer hitches. Those are the ones you use to hook a car to the back of your motor home. They spend about 10 months a year on the road. Theirs has slide outs for both the living room and bedroom, leather furniture. Very nice.

 

[Kizzy]

My sister and BIL just about live in their 40' motorhome. They travel around from RV show to RV show selling Blue Ox trailer hitches. Those are the ones you use to hook a car to the back of your motor home. They spend about 10 months a year on the road. Theirs has slide outs for both the living room and bedroom, leather furniture. Very nice.

Leather seats No, not that luxury. We are currently looking at 30-32 foot pull along travel trailers. My DH has found one in Upper Marlboro we are going to go and look at this week, and it has a slide out.

 

[kom526]

Another good source of camping equipment.

Always great prices too!

 

[kom526]

Leather seats No, not that luxury. We are currently looking at 30-32 foot pull along travel trailers. My DH has found one in Upper Marlboro we are going to go and look at this week, and it has a slide out.

Economy RV just opened a dealership in Mechanicsville. It is where Moore's Furniture used to be. Just south of Rt5 and New Market Turner Rd intersection.

 

[bbubblyb]

Point Lookout has 6 cozy little cabins with a nice porch with beds (not very comfortable but I'm sure better than the ground) and electric (for $50 a night). They have a fire ring and a picnic table and the bath house is just a few steps away. I had never been camping either and decided a cabin was the best way to test the waters I thought. I did go to Walmart and buy some things for the night. I bought a battery operated coleman lantern and it put out a lot of light. I swear it ended up seeming like we took half the house with us. We even took our own wood just in case there wasn't any laying around. We found that we could have just taken a bag of charcoal if we wanted but it was fun actually making a real fire. It seemed like a lot of work for me (the organizer) but for the kids and hubby I think they all had a great time. I would definitely do it again. Not sure if I could deal with the whole tent idea especially since it rained all night and in a tent we would have been soaked. But it was a good experience I thought. We went 2 weeks ago and the weather was cool but nice. The little cabins even have an ac though we didn't test to see how well it worked. I think the best thing about the whole night for everyone was roasting hotdogs and marshmellos. The kids loved finding pinecones to throw in the fire too. Anyway I'm sure whatever you decide you will have a good time.

 

[Kizzy]

Economy RV just opened a dealership in Mechanicsville. It is where Moore's Furniture used to be. Just south of Rt5 and New Market Turner Rd intersection.

We have been there and looked at a few newer ones. Right now, we are working on a deal with a private owner. I was showing a forum member the pictures and the details the other night. This couple, no children, bought a 28 foot Rockwood with a slide out, and now, he is being sent to another state for a promotion. They are desperate to sell it, and it was only used 1 time. They have had a giant cover on it since the day they bought it and only took it off that one time to camp. It is sweet, and the deal they are willing to make is just UFB.


MM,

We have a pop up and you are always welcome to it. I will warn you, that the guys use it to hunt in every year, so I don't know how clean it really is. They say it is clean, but you know how that is.

We've gotten several offers on the pop up, but we are not selling it. The guys hunt in the mountains, so the pop up is clearly ideal for that purpose.

It is just with this new camper, that could be here next week, and the pop up and the boat, I think our nearly 2 acre lot is going to fill up fast.

 

[Ponytail]

Mainman, you are more than welcome to my camping stuff as well. I have the BIG dome tent, and more camping equipment than you'll ever need...pots/pans/coffee pot for open fire use, Coleman Stove, Tupperware plates and bowls, silverware... you name it, I've got it. Lord knows that I ain't using the stuff. Hell, I'll even lend you a dog to take with you to help keep the kids busy.

 

[mainman]

Hell, I'll even lend you a dog to take with you to help keep the kids busy.

Thanks bro!






Oh btw,
does the dog like peanutbutter?

 

[huntr1]

I have the BIG dome tent, and more camping equipment than you'll ever need...pots/pans/coffee pot for open fire use, Coleman Stove, Tupperware plates and bowls, silverware... you name it, I've got it. Lord knows that I ain't using the stuff.

Wanna donate any of it to a local Cub Scout Pack for a tax write off? This goes for anybody that has camping gear they are not using.

 

[Ponytail]

Thanks bro!






Oh btw,
does the dog like peanutbutter?

She LOVES the stuff. But please, don't feed her any for at least 24 hours prior to returning.

 

[Ponytail]

Wanna donate any of it to a local Cub Scout Pack for a tax write off? This goes for anybody that has camping gear they are not using.

I'll use it someday. The way the work is progressing on my house (lack of), I may be using my camping stuff daily later this summer.