Camping tips
07-14-2009, 05:49 AM
#1
JK Enthusiast
Thread Starter
Camping tips
(Pasting this here as per a suggestion from another thread, feel free to move/delete as needed. Thanks!)
My dad started taking me camping when I was a little kid, and I've been doing it ever since, for play as well as work. I put this together to help my sister and friends get started with tent camping, because I realize if you've never done it before it can be a little intimidating. So, here are my camping tips in a nutshell. I hope it helps you and yours get outdoors.
Camping with your car (or Jeep) is a fun, easy, family-friendly thing anyone can do with just a little preparation and planning. There are many different definitions of "camping", but the one I use describes using a tent, with all your food and gear carried in your vehicle. RV's and trailers are fine if you want to take your home with you, but you'll be missing a great deal of what the outdoors has to offer if you bring the indoors out there with you. There's nothing like sleeping under the stars, or in a comfortable tent, for a few days.
We in the USA are fortunate to have plenty of room to get out and play. It gets a little crowded on the east coast and near heavily-populated areas, but with a half-day's drive, you can generally get away from all the crowds, cars, pavement, noise, and pollution. A great place to start is at your local land management offices (i.e., State Parks, U.S. Forest Service, Bureau of Land Management, National Park Service, etc.). Chances are, there is public land near you that is open 24/7 for you to enjoy, so long as you follow the rules designed to protect and preserve it. Go to the office, ask questions, get maps, get informed, and get moving!
Keep It Simple
Most people take WAY too much stuff, and make too big of a deal about gear. All you really need are the survival basics: food, clothing, shelter. In camping lexicon, that means: food, clothing, and shelter! I like the time-honored outdoor saying, "If you don't use it at least once a day, you don't need it."
Also, remember that one of the points of roughing it for a few days is to make you appreciate the conveniences and amenities of modern, civilized life. You won't die if you don't get to shower every day! In fact, you might be surprised at how much you enjoy getting back to basics for awhile. Leave the iPods, Blackberries, boom boxes, and Game Boys at home. Turn the cell phone off. Give your internal clock a chance to reset. Sit down in the sun with a good book for a day, go for a walk, talk around the campfire, sleep in. It's truly amazing how nice it feels to get away from electricity (the curse/blessing of the modern age) for awhile.
The more you go camping, the easier and more rewarding it becomes. That means the first few trips are likely going to be the most daunting, but hang in there! Pretty soon, you'll have your own checklist going and be a camping wiz. There are also plenty of excellent resources on the web and at your local library. But to help get things off on the right track, consider the following as my .02 cents worth:
Camping Checklist for a Typical Weekend Getaway/Jeep Trip:
Tent and tarp
Sleeping Bag
Sleeping Pad
Camp Stove
Extra fuel for stove
Flashlight
Extra batteries
Saucepan with lid
2 small bowls
Something to boil water in
Mug
Utensils
Can opener
Matches
Rain gear
Hat
Leather gloves
Change of clothing
Baby wipes
Sanitary hand gel
Paper towels
Plastic garbage bags
1/8" utility cord
Pocket knife
Camp chair
A good book
Paper and pen (great time to write that letter!)
First aid kit
Warm jacket (yes, even in summer in Arizona)
Small cooler
Water jugs
Small daypack
Sunscreen
Insect repellant
Lip balm
Leatherman-type belt tool
Food
Toilet paper- in a ziploc bag or coffee can!
Note: this list does not include those items that should already be in your Jeep (i.e., recovery gear, shovel, saw, etc.)
If you have kids, also consider bringing snap-type light sticks, glow-in-the-dark stuff, a favorite book, outdoorsy toys (no electrical gadgets), wool blankets and wool clothing (much safer than fleece around open flames), and plenty of marshmallows! (They are KIDS!)
Outdoors Advice
1. You get what you pay for. Buy quality if you can for the items that matter the most: shelter and sleeping. That cheap tent may look okay, until the storm hits. And that fluffy sleeping bag rated at 5 degrees may be great, until you get it wet.
2. Do your homework. Ask knowledgeable people for suggestions. Research products online. Know what you are buying, and that it will do what you expect it to do. Shopping for outdoor gear is actually a lot of fun.
3. Know your gear. Once you've bought it, take it home and use it. Learn how it works in a comfortable setting before you need it when things aren't going as planned.
4. Function over form. As with any other kind of industry, the outdoors market is thick with all kinds of gadgets and doo-dads and overcomplicated, overbuilt, and overpriced gear that you do not need but which is very tempting. There's also some excellent stuff hidden in all that junk, but it will take time to learn how to recognize it. Until then, the general rule of thumb is to keep it basic and functional. It usually comes down to asking how much comfort and convenience you really need. People have been living outdoors for a really really long time; it will come back to you!
5. Leave it at Home. Another common camper error is the tendency to fill every available nook and cranny space in the car with food of all descriptions. People usually take way too much food. A much better approach is to plan your meals and take only what you need, plus a little extra. If you bring too much of anything, make it water. If you don't use it at least once a day, you probably don't need it.
6. Watch the Weather. You are going outside; weather actually matters! Watch the forecasts, prepare accordingly, and always make sure you have a "Plan B" should things become sketchy.
7. Be a Good Neighbor. Popular campgrounds, especially close to urban areas, tend to be VERY populated, especially over holidays and weekends. All those people make a small town, and just because you are outdoors doesn't mean the rules of civility no longer apply. Try to respect others, be considerate, and remember that most of those people are trying to get AWAY from civilization.
8. Doggies. Most popular camping destinations are not the best place to bring your dogs. Many parks and campgrounds either prohibit pets entirely, or require that they be leashed at all times. If you do decide to take your dog, please be a responsible dog owner, pick up the waste, keep them leashed, and remember that not everyone else shares your enthusiasm for pets. Especially don't let your dog run around into other people's campsites (a recipe for bad relations), or chase after wildlife (I've seen dogs nearly get stomped to death by so-called "tame" deer.)
Have fun, be safe, do it again!
(Note: Someone posted something about taking an RV or staying in a cabin, then deleted their post, but that's what inspired the next post in this thread...)
My dad started taking me camping when I was a little kid, and I've been doing it ever since, for play as well as work. I put this together to help my sister and friends get started with tent camping, because I realize if you've never done it before it can be a little intimidating. So, here are my camping tips in a nutshell. I hope it helps you and yours get outdoors.
Camping with your car (or Jeep) is a fun, easy, family-friendly thing anyone can do with just a little preparation and planning. There are many different definitions of "camping", but the one I use describes using a tent, with all your food and gear carried in your vehicle. RV's and trailers are fine if you want to take your home with you, but you'll be missing a great deal of what the outdoors has to offer if you bring the indoors out there with you. There's nothing like sleeping under the stars, or in a comfortable tent, for a few days.
We in the USA are fortunate to have plenty of room to get out and play. It gets a little crowded on the east coast and near heavily-populated areas, but with a half-day's drive, you can generally get away from all the crowds, cars, pavement, noise, and pollution. A great place to start is at your local land management offices (i.e., State Parks, U.S. Forest Service, Bureau of Land Management, National Park Service, etc.). Chances are, there is public land near you that is open 24/7 for you to enjoy, so long as you follow the rules designed to protect and preserve it. Go to the office, ask questions, get maps, get informed, and get moving!
Keep It Simple
Most people take WAY too much stuff, and make too big of a deal about gear. All you really need are the survival basics: food, clothing, shelter. In camping lexicon, that means: food, clothing, and shelter! I like the time-honored outdoor saying, "If you don't use it at least once a day, you don't need it."
Also, remember that one of the points of roughing it for a few days is to make you appreciate the conveniences and amenities of modern, civilized life. You won't die if you don't get to shower every day! In fact, you might be surprised at how much you enjoy getting back to basics for awhile. Leave the iPods, Blackberries, boom boxes, and Game Boys at home. Turn the cell phone off. Give your internal clock a chance to reset. Sit down in the sun with a good book for a day, go for a walk, talk around the campfire, sleep in. It's truly amazing how nice it feels to get away from electricity (the curse/blessing of the modern age) for awhile.
The more you go camping, the easier and more rewarding it becomes. That means the first few trips are likely going to be the most daunting, but hang in there! Pretty soon, you'll have your own checklist going and be a camping wiz. There are also plenty of excellent resources on the web and at your local library. But to help get things off on the right track, consider the following as my .02 cents worth:
Camping Checklist for a Typical Weekend Getaway/Jeep Trip:
Tent and tarp
Sleeping Bag
Sleeping Pad
Camp Stove
Extra fuel for stove
Flashlight
Extra batteries
Saucepan with lid
2 small bowls
Something to boil water in
Mug
Utensils
Can opener
Matches
Rain gear
Hat
Leather gloves
Change of clothing
Baby wipes
Sanitary hand gel
Paper towels
Plastic garbage bags
1/8" utility cord
Pocket knife
Camp chair
A good book
Paper and pen (great time to write that letter!)
First aid kit
Warm jacket (yes, even in summer in Arizona)
Small cooler
Water jugs
Small daypack
Sunscreen
Insect repellant
Lip balm
Leatherman-type belt tool
Food
Toilet paper- in a ziploc bag or coffee can!
Note: this list does not include those items that should already be in your Jeep (i.e., recovery gear, shovel, saw, etc.)
If you have kids, also consider bringing snap-type light sticks, glow-in-the-dark stuff, a favorite book, outdoorsy toys (no electrical gadgets), wool blankets and wool clothing (much safer than fleece around open flames), and plenty of marshmallows! (They are KIDS!)
Outdoors Advice
1. You get what you pay for. Buy quality if you can for the items that matter the most: shelter and sleeping. That cheap tent may look okay, until the storm hits. And that fluffy sleeping bag rated at 5 degrees may be great, until you get it wet.
2. Do your homework. Ask knowledgeable people for suggestions. Research products online. Know what you are buying, and that it will do what you expect it to do. Shopping for outdoor gear is actually a lot of fun.
3. Know your gear. Once you've bought it, take it home and use it. Learn how it works in a comfortable setting before you need it when things aren't going as planned.
4. Function over form. As with any other kind of industry, the outdoors market is thick with all kinds of gadgets and doo-dads and overcomplicated, overbuilt, and overpriced gear that you do not need but which is very tempting. There's also some excellent stuff hidden in all that junk, but it will take time to learn how to recognize it. Until then, the general rule of thumb is to keep it basic and functional. It usually comes down to asking how much comfort and convenience you really need. People have been living outdoors for a really really long time; it will come back to you!
5. Leave it at Home. Another common camper error is the tendency to fill every available nook and cranny space in the car with food of all descriptions. People usually take way too much food. A much better approach is to plan your meals and take only what you need, plus a little extra. If you bring too much of anything, make it water. If you don't use it at least once a day, you probably don't need it.
6. Watch the Weather. You are going outside; weather actually matters! Watch the forecasts, prepare accordingly, and always make sure you have a "Plan B" should things become sketchy.
7. Be a Good Neighbor. Popular campgrounds, especially close to urban areas, tend to be VERY populated, especially over holidays and weekends. All those people make a small town, and just because you are outdoors doesn't mean the rules of civility no longer apply. Try to respect others, be considerate, and remember that most of those people are trying to get AWAY from civilization.
8. Doggies. Most popular camping destinations are not the best place to bring your dogs. Many parks and campgrounds either prohibit pets entirely, or require that they be leashed at all times. If you do decide to take your dog, please be a responsible dog owner, pick up the waste, keep them leashed, and remember that not everyone else shares your enthusiasm for pets. Especially don't let your dog run around into other people's campsites (a recipe for bad relations), or chase after wildlife (I've seen dogs nearly get stomped to death by so-called "tame" deer.)
Have fun, be safe, do it again!
(Note: Someone posted something about taking an RV or staying in a cabin, then deleted their post, but that's what inspired the next post in this thread...)
Last edited by dustdriver; 01-25-2012 at 07:43 AM. Reason: updates and explanation for the next reply
07-16-2009, 05:37 PM
#3
JK Enthusiast
Thread Starter
Good advice. My wife and I have been camping in various ways for 35 years. We have carried the gear on our backs, paddled it in canoes, peddled it on bikes, and this fall we will take our first Jeep camping trip on the White Rim Trail in Utah. We are foregoing the tent and will sleep in the Jeep.
I understand the RV thing if that is what it takes to get you out there; it's just not the same as tent camping, though- gives a completely different experience, as you know. But between taking an RV and not going outdoors at all, fine take the RV (just leave my tent campgrounds alone!).
07-20-2009, 11:54 AM
#4
If you got younger kids....throw some of that gear in a Rubbermaid container....container makes a great tub for the kids if you are tenting and they getting a little dirty! Just boil some water on the gas stove and add fresh cold water to the rubber maid. They think it's awesome & let them play in the dirt and sand....they will be clean before bed!
Last edited by RevyJKU08; 04-17-2014 at 10:28 AM.
07-27-2009, 10:28 AM
#6
JK Freak
When you hang your food or trash up so critters can't get to it please remember that a black bear may look only 2 feet tall when on all fours but when they stand up they are over 6 feet tall (some).
So hang it 8 - 10 feet, 5 feet just will not keep a black bear out of it.
Putting a heavy picanick table on a cooler may keep a racoon out of a cooler but not a black bear, the tend to just roll the table over and have a nice meal.
We've had some bears in the parks of northern Minnesota having lunch on the humans, and the only thing they tip are the tables.
So hang it 8 - 10 feet, 5 feet just will not keep a black bear out of it.
Putting a heavy picanick table on a cooler may keep a racoon out of a cooler but not a black bear, the tend to just roll the table over and have a nice meal.
We've had some bears in the parks of northern Minnesota having lunch on the humans, and the only thing they tip are the tables.
07-27-2009, 10:33 AM
#7
JK Freak
If you have little kids (up to 10) put bells on their shoes, the critters will love the advance warning system and when you don't hear the bell you know they have escaped!
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08-11-2009, 06:16 AM
#8
JK Newbie
Join Date: Jan 2009
Location: Victorville, CA
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Great write up!
I'm gonna show it to the wife!
I'm trying to slowly introduce her to tent camping. I took her up to Big Bear, CA for her first overnight tent camping trip a couple of weeks ago. She said it was "O.K."
So, we'll see what happens?
I'm gonna show it to the wife!
I'm trying to slowly introduce her to tent camping. I took her up to Big Bear, CA for her first overnight tent camping trip a couple of weeks ago. She said it was "O.K."
So, we'll see what happens?
08-12-2009, 07:33 AM
#9
JK Enthusiast
08-12-2009, 03:54 PM
#10
JK Enthusiast
Thread Starter
Glad some are finding this useful, and thanks for the feedback.
As for bears, they are generally not a problem where I live, but by all means, if you are in known bear country especially, KEEP YOUR CAMP CLEAN. Put away ALL your food, do your dishes away from camp, and secure your food in your vehicle or hang it high. Also, never bring any kind of food or drink with you into your tent! In all my years camping I've never had a bad bear experience, but these practices will also keep away the far more pesky critters, like mice, skunks, raccoons, etc.
Last edited by dustdriver; 08-12-2009 at 03:58 PM.