Tuesday, April 5, 2011

Camping is learning

I can taste the smoke and camp coffee now...

Thinking about it how about some ideas on camping and how that can help us...

What about all the new tent cities? Are you ready?

Camping, the most miserable is the most valuable, nothing like spending three days under a tarp with non stop rain, hail, and light snow in the spring up 8000 plus feet to make you understand the importance of warm and dry sleeping preparations.

How to get started?

Tent or tarp - the less the better, I am a big fan of the hammock tent, comfy and keeps you dry and off the ground. Get the smallest you think you can suffer with, that is the simplest to set up - the center pole teepee tents are great for multiple people (they are heavy) or a bivy tent. Also think about a bivy sack or bug net bag and tarp, once you give up the tent and go tarp or hammock you will never go back... I just converted to hammock, but I have been a tarp guy for years as my "go to" - I have a bivy tent but I don't use it as much as the the tarp.

Photobucket

You can make a tent or tarp or hammock tent! you do not have to buy one - in fact the best bivy tent I ever used was made by a friends wife as per her design for "needs" - smart gal.

Sleeping bag - the warmer the better - get a bag rated for 10 deg or lower than the COLDEST temp you think you will ever see! I will not get into the synthetic vs. down argument you need to research that yourself, it comes down to a few things, price, warmth, moisture, weight, and bulk - if you do not have a bag now - get one! Coleman mummy bags with synthetic fill it will be bulky and heavy but trust me you do not want to be wet and cold to try and sleep!

Sleeping bag liner - make one or buy a fleece bag liner (wal-mart, for less than 20) keeps the crud off the bag and helps ventilate the moisture out of the bag.

Water filter - trust me you do not want to get sick, a water filter is a must.

Cooking - This is an inexpensive hobo stove that saves fuel (lots more effective than an open fire) and is easy to make, I made one just from the photos and the video in less than 1 hour.

The charcoal chimney starter, simply cut a hole into the side to drop fuel into and punch a few holes at the top if it does not have them - instant camp stove.



Backpacks - this was covered here.

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