bodybrdng

I am going camping the first time. I have wanted to do this for a long time. Couple questions though. I know the basics, Tent, sleeping bag, air mattress, and other basics. What is a good brand of tent and other things? It will be my girl, the dog (yellow lab 90lbs), and myself. Any advice is greatly appriciated.

doojer

Woohoo! Camping is the best. The first time might be a bit more of a learning experience... but over time, it becomes pure luxury. I almost always prefer it to a hotel.

You've got an REI in Timonium-- I highly recommend the REI brand tents, sleeping bags, etc.. Coleman makes good stoves, lights and lanterns. They have Coleman stuff at REI, too.

For me, camping is very much about the food! Plan yourself some good meals that don't require to much work or cleanup. A lot of times, we make our meals before we go-- or at least assemble them in a way that they are really easy to cook. If you have a foodsaver, the foodsaver bags really come in handy for packing up food-- and you can boil them to reheat premade stew, chili, taco meat, etc...

sully151

I could talk about tents and gear all day, but i will try and keep it short.

A few questions to ask yourself (and tell us for the best advice)

1 Where are you going?

2 Typical weather conditions?

3 How often do you plan on camping? Is this a one time thing or will you and your girl and dog be doing this more?

4 How much do you want to Rough it (Ruff it if you are the dog)?

Tents vary in price from $40-400. You do get what you pay for in materials, warmth, weight, etc. Tents come in a season range 3 season tents are good all around and should keep you plenty warm. I like the REI tents and Sierra Designs tents. Consider a 4 person tent.

Sleeping bags are the same, you get what you pay for. Bags are measured in temperature EX. a 20 degree rated bag should keep you alive when the weather is 20, but might not keep you totally warm (that is what polypropolene long underwear is for) Down filled bags are lighter, pack smaller but they won't keep you warm if they get wet. Synthetic filled bags are a little heavier but will keep you warm when they get wet. Again REI sleeping bags are good all around with a good price. Go to the store and get into the bags, roll around, lay in your normal sleeping position and see how they feel.

If you are not backpacking and can carry a lot of gear Coleman does make good equipment for around camp (lanterns, stoves, ice chests etc.)

With this being your first trip, the girl's too I expect, comfort will be key!!! A tent you can stand up in, sleeping bags that zip together (if you want), clothing that will keep you warm or cool etc.

You might go to an REI or Adventure 16 and see if they rent gear. It would suck to spend a lot of money and end up hating camping. I might get my own sleeping bags though.

Man, I have gone on for a long time. Sorry, but I told you I could talk all day about it.

P.M. me if you have any questions.

Mark Doiron

I live to camp. And I own about a bajillion tents. My advice: Avoid cabin style tents. It seems great to have all of that room, but if you're just camping for the weekend, get a nice dome style tent. I recommend either REI or LL Bean tents. I've owned or seen used (work with a large Boy Scout troop) pretty much all of the other brands of inexpensive tents. They just don't last. When they break, you're out a pole or a snap or a fitting or whatever fails. They just aren't durable. Coleman is . . okay. But REI and LL Bean are very robust. Both may be ordered online. If you have four people, get a tent for six (Oops. Mistyped an "e" in that last word--if you want that, consider a separate tent for the kids. LOL.) Two people, a tent for three will be okay. Also: I hate sleeves for the poles. Some tents are made with plastic hooks that clip over the poles. Strongly recommended. Also, unless you're ultra-lightweight backpacking (something I also do), buy a footprint for the tent, or take a tarp to put between the tent and the ground. It will reduce wear on the tent floor.

Also, don't take lots of gear. You don't need the kitchen sink (Coleman makes one). Dutch oven cooking is great--best eating you'll ever have, and if you plan all of your meals for it, you can avoid taking a lot of other pots/pans and maybe even a stove (though you might want one for boiling water for coffee). If you can have open fires, don't bother with charcoal--learn what woods make good coals and use that for the Dutch oven.

I could go on forever. Camping is some of the best fun you'll ever have. Just remember: You want to spend your time exploring, hiking, swimming, or just being lazy. You don't want to spend it setting up, cleaning up, tearing down, repairing. Buy quality gear and it will pay dividends.

Cruiser

Your in MD,, will you be going up to PA or western MD? In other words bear country? If so,, most important! do not keep any food inside tent! they will leave you alone but if your tent reaks of tasty food they might get curious.. happens up here all the time.. if you will be in bear country, get a bear proof food container.. And have fun!

Mark Doiron

That's good advice. In fact, you should never have food items in a tent--ever. And you should avoid taking into the tent items that have been around food (coffee cup, clothing that has been soiled by food, etc). Not only bears, but all kind of curious critters will be interested, and some of them don't know how to unzipper the tent--but they'll still get in (and you'll be buying a new tent). Also, bears are attracted to more than food. Learn about this--plenty of resources on the web. Perfumes, soaps, batteries, medicines, toothpaste are all no-no's in and around the tent.

bodybrdng

I will be going to Flinstone, MD (western MD)

sully151

I don't know about the East coast, but most of the camp grounds out west have bear boxes where you can store your food, ice chest, utensils etc. You can store it in your car if you are close by but make sure it is covered and out of sight. Bears can read the word Coleman.

Packing light is a good call, but like I said before, comfort will be key with the girl (if this was your idea). You can go too far in both directions, Too much gear and not enough.

Dutch Ovens are fun to cook in and there are tons of books and internet sites on the subject. A small propane camp stove is nice as well for Oatmeal in the morning, boiling water when you don't have a fire going etc.

Make sure your tent has a full rainfly (one that covers the whole tent, not just the top half.

http://www.rei.com/category/4500001_Tents+and+Shelters


I sent you a PM last night let me know if you didn't get it.

only_in_my_jeep

First off there is "camping" and then there is CAMPING Are you staying at a campground with water, electric, a camp store, and a host of activities and such offered or out in the woods somewhere with nothing but what you have with you?

For both start out with at least a 4 person dome tent (two people a dog and gear). The tent needs to be good quality with vents to let out daytime (and here in the south) nighttime heat but except for the roof vent you need to be able to close them to keep in the heat a bit (keep in mind this is warm/comfortable weather camping cold/winter is a whole new tent choice). Any tent should come with a full rain fly for keeping out rain (and to some extent keeping in heat for colder climates). On an overnight trip this is usually enough but for a long weekend to week long trip I also take a large tarp and some tent poles. I make a cover for the whole camp stringing it from trees and using the tpoles and stakes to support it. This way I can leave the fly off the tent for full ventalation and not worry about rain (here in the south it rains every afternoon and is hot and muggy so you want the tent vented as much as possible. It also keeps leaves, pine needles, and many bugs from getting into whatever I am cooking if using a camp stove although I would not build a fire under the tarp.

Sleeping bag choice is a top priority. Choose one that will keep you warm is as cold a temperature as you expect to encounter. Make sure you either get a double bag or two that will zip together as it is the lady and you so why not have fun camping just like home? In warm weather you can sleep on top of the bag or just bring a flat sheet from home. One other thing (assuming you are not packing in and planning to drive up to the site in the jeep) get an air matress coleman makes some good ones. Trust me this is importiant as even sleeping in a soft sleeping bag on sand gets old quick.

You do not need to buy camp cookware especially if you have a propane (or even gas) campstove as what you have at home works in the wild for a couple of weekend trips. More than that or cooking over a fire you need dedicated cookware. Cast iron can not be beat if you plan to use it a bit and will keep it oiled/seasoned well if not stainless (never aluminum) is not a bad choice. Make sure you use a heavy thick pan and don't mind it blackening on bottom from the fire. Stay away from plastic handles and even wood will burn however metal handles get too hot to touch barehanded (welding gloves required for on fire cooking). There are ones with a wire wrap handle if you can find them however that gets expensive.

COOLER large enough to hold all the "fresh" food you intend to cary. Hard frozen food with a block of dry ice will last up to 5 days (or more) in some of todays coolers with minimal opening. If ice is available on demand (at the camp store or gas station down the road) then you can forgo the dry ice and hard freezing for fresher stuff and replinishing ice. A drain on the cooler to let water out without having to dump it is necessary. Do not buy one without a drain. As far as drinks if you can swing it another cooler (can be smaller but if you will not have access to ice stuffing it with a days worth of drinks replacing as you use them and as much ice as possible will make it last longer if you use a large cooler) just for drinks is better than opening up the food cooler several times a day. The enemy of keeping stuff cool and fresh in a cooler is constiantly opening and closing it.

Depending on how and where you camp this list can vary. Folding chairs (at least 2 but it seems one will break at the wrong time if all you have is 2), folding table (for food prep and if you lack a picnic table at a campground maybe another for a dinner table), lantern (or other nightime light source), flashlight (one per person with fresh batteries), heavy string or light rope (very handy from clotheslines to hanging food), cutting board (unless you pre cut and prep everything), salt pepper and spices, and a whole host of odds and ends. I can go on but there is no need for two people on a weekend trip to pack it all (even from this list) but some things I would not do without if room and type/location allow even if it was just the wife and I.

Now all of this may sound like a lot but it did not take me long (with a wife and kids) to realize that if everyone is as comfortable and things are as easy as possible folks will be happier on a camping trip. There is still a lot to be said for taking an ax/machette(good ones), tarp, rope/heavy string, and a little jerky out and roughing it but once ladies or kids are involved you need to consider creature comforts as well.

Mark Doiron

These are all excellent brands. I recommend REI or LL Bean because they focus on the new car camper with much of their gear. The other brands tend to be for the more serious. My personal favorite tent right now: MSR Hubba Hubba. A three-person, $400 tent. You can get away with far less tent. Here it is in Redwood National Park. While everyone else was camped in full campgrounds that holiday weekend, my son and I hiked in two miles and camped just past some of the very tallest trees in the world. We didn't see another soul during our entire stay. Needless to say, there was no Dutch oven cooking at that particular bivouac. LOL.