Camping tips!

[Ksandra]

So I have been itching to go camping again since moving to Cali and the lack of trees here is a lack of trees. A couple of our friends have wanted to do it too, and so we finally set up a time to go to Sequoia in May for our adventure.

I used to go camping as a kid in like girl scouts and with my family (family though was with a camper rather than a tent). And so obviously I wasn't responsible for actually buying all the equipment or anything. And I know things have probably changed over the years (can't bring our own firewood anymore, wut?) I don't think my friends have ever gone camping at all but have always been excited as I have been when talking about.

It's actually going to be a decent size group. We have rented three spots and so far it seems like 13 people are going (6 people are allowed per site).

I want to know some tips people have, especially in regards to equipment. I don't want to go super fancy because who knows how often we'll get to go do this (my husband I guess did it once as a kid and hated it, so I've had to drag his feet about doing this. Hopefully, he'll enjoy it this time around but there are no guarantees). Is coleman still considered a decent brand? We have an air mattress from them but we had to get it replaced like twice for leaking. We may not use it for the trip as I found a trick to use those foam alphabet puzzle squares kids have and we already own those. IDK, thoughts?


As a note: the campsite is pretty standard in the sense of flush toilets, showers, etc. And even has metal food storage boxes at each site to protect from bears. So no need for like peeing in the woods advice kinda things.

[edit] I forgot to mention, my friend wants to rent the equipment instead of buying, but the site she found seems like we would end up paying the same price for just buying the stuff. I was thinking maybe finding a sporting goods second-hand shop. Anyone ever had any luck with that kind of thing?

[Xantavia]

Do the campsites also have a grill available to use? If not but they all have a firepit, you could always just bring the grate from a home grill and a couple of bricks to do your cooking over the fire. Aluminum foil also makes for great pouches to cook in. Throw in some stew type meat and veggies, fold up the edges, and toss directly onto the hot coals.

Best advice I ever learned from my dad and boy scouts was to make a list of everything you want to bring, then mark it off as you either put it in a bag or the car. Flashlights, sleeping bags, toiletries, changes of clothing, anything.

[AidenCarby]

Hobo dinners...yum, I remember those in summer camp. Best ever

[Ksandra]

Do the campsites also have a grill available to use? If not but they all have a firepit, you could always just bring the grate from a home grill and a couple of bricks to do your cooking over the fire.

Ya they just have firepits, and I guess you are allowed to purchase wood from the convenience store. It sounds like from reviews you can still collect kindling from around the area. So that's nice at least.

Aluminum foil also makes for great pouches to cook in. Throw in some stew type meat and veggies, fold up the edges, and toss directly onto the hot coals.

Good idea! I remember from girl scouts we did this thing where we stuffed bananas with chocolate and marshmallows then wrapped them in foil and threw them onto the coals/fire. I am going to totally do this again. :D

Best advice I ever learned from my dad and boy scouts was to make a list of everything you want to bring, then mark it off as you either put it in a bag or the car. Flashlights, sleeping bags, toiletries, changes of clothing, anything.

Definitely a good idea. Especially considering my daughter will probably still be in diapers lol.

[Minions]

Suggestions: Tent... if it says it fits 4-6 expect to fit 3 comfortably.... so I'd get 2 4-6 person tents for 6 people... unless you plan to all cuddle with each other. Make sure your tent(s) come with a rain fly and purchase sealant/patches. Sealant on seams will prevent any leaks if there is any botched stitching. Bring a tarp to lay on the ground under the tent. Make sure you clear all the twigs out from under where you plan to camp... nothing more uncomfortable than a stick poking you in the back all night.

Sleeping bags: Look at the rating on the sleeping bags. If you plan on camping sub 30 degrees (I've done this on a few occasions in a less "rated" sleeping bag, and it was not fun.... get a proper rated one. There are mummy ones (obviously for a single person) that are rated to go below freezing.

Coleman grill. Bring extra propane cylinders... more than you expect to use. Various grills to choose from, I picked one up from sports authority.
http://www.sportsauthority.com/famil...085044.2277090

Bring metal pans (for cooking), plastic utensils work great for eating, you can bring metal forks and knives if you prefer.

Bring matches or a source of ignition. I suggest also bringing a flint combo pack as it works in pretty much any an all situations and can be carried if/when you go out into the woods.
http://www.campingsurvival.com/maflsufistst.html

Bring a medical kit, and perhaps a miniature fire extinguisher. Make sure it includes all the essentials to clean wounds. Alcohol, Bandaids, antiseptic stuff. etc. Nothing like getting an infection when you decide to go backpacking.

If you are camping in a park, you can bring air mattresses. If there is no power at your camp site you will want a battery operated airpump. Sleeping on the ground without a mattress is not that bad, however if you do bring something (covers/wool blanket?) to insulate you from the ground. The ground can/will get extremely cold if you camp when it is cold out.

Tools:
Bring a good hatchet... one you are comfortable with. Keep in mind most national parks forbid you from "finding firewood" or chopping down trees. However often if you talk with the park ranger they will sell you firewood, or in some cases allow you to chop up downed trees (as they generally have to remove them eventually, and it might save them work). Bring a good knife, pretty essential. Bring a good propane lantern. You can use battery operated ones, however I've never had a good experience with them. If you use propane you can use the same cylinders you use for cooking, which allows you to carry more cylinders and use them as you need them. Bring a compass it can save your butt if you get lost. Bring a cell phone (for obvious reasons). If you break a leg and manage to have cell coverage it may save your life. I bring a battery backup (they sell them to charge phones/devices) I keep it stowed on me in case the battery runs out on my phone and need to charge. My Battery backup will charge my phone to full twice.... giving me 3 charges (3+ days) of battery life.

Clothes: Wear proper clothes/footwear. There is nothing like breaking an ankle because you decided to hike in sandals.

Supplies: If you plan to not fish, then you need to bring proper rations. If you go hiking up into the woods, bring enough food/water for a few days of being lost. Each person should have enough to cover a least 3 days... most people get lost with a single water bottle and a few snacks.... Bring gallon jugs of water at camp. A gallon/day/person should be enough. If you need to store food, a ice chest is a good place if it needs to be kept cold. There are many (more expensive) ice chests you can purchase which can keep food cold for 3-5 days before all the ice melts. Obviously this is affected by how many times you open the ice chest as this speeds up the melting process each time it is open. Any food you have should not be left out at any point. You do not want a bear coming in you camp and attacking you because it smells your lunch you left at camp. If you need to dispose of the food, then bury it in the ground away from your camp. If you want to keep your rations safe, hang them from a tree, this reduces the probability of a sneaky squirrel/other critter eating your food. I had a squirrel steal a couple donuts by eating a hole through a bag when I was getting out of the car.... and that was in only 5 minutes!

Don't forget your fishing equipment! Even if you do not have a fishing license most parks are excluded from that requirement. By paying for admission they allow you to fish even without an license. Be sure to check which fish are catch and release only, or protected. Many times you can each catch your own meal if you all fish!


Each of these categories basically covers what you want/could want. You can search other sites once you get an idea of what you are looking for.
http://www.sportsauthority.com/categ...044&cp=3077577

I'm sure I missed a ton of stuff... but that is some of it.

I'm not a boy scout or anything... this is just from camping a few times... I like to fish.

[BaneTheBrawler]

if you bought a new tent, i suggest open it up and read the instructions. you may need to treat it with sealant before it will actually block water. if you're going to make a regular thing of it, buying the equipment is a good idea, but if youre only going once its just preference.


also, the dont-move-firewood thing is because of pests. bugs get in the firewood, spread to areas they shouldn't be. its a pretty big problem. it'll probably be expensive to buy some there, so i'd suggest bringing a grill or something to cook with, and save the firewood for marshmallows and ghost stories.

[Zeb]

People actually do this on purpose? Let's go sleep outside on the hard ground, in the shitty weather, in a tent that does nothing, whilst being eaten alive by bugs that could carry off newborn babes. Oh, and for fun. We'll tell stories when it gets dark, cuz there ain't fuck all else to do.

/stop pullin my leg.

[synistar]

Since you say California, check http://www.rei.com/

All my coworkers who go backpacking pick up their gear from there. They also do rentals.

[Bail]

Good tips from minions. Especially the propane stove...good for coffee in the morning if you are a coffee person. Second the tent size as well, the wife and I have a 6 person and it fits our air mattress and gives us enough room to keep our bags without tripping over everything. We have a Coleman mattress as well, never had a problem with it. If you decide to get a new one make sure you get the right pump and enough batteries. Enjoy the trip as well! We go every year to a campground in Morro Bay. It's in the woods, right across the street is a small beach and it's close enough to walk to town....very relaxing time

[Acevalefor]

Les Stroud. All you need is a canteen, a knife, firestarter and a compass. Have your friend drop you off in BFE and tell them to expect you in two weeks.

Seriously though, I don't do campgrounds and only bring in what I can carry on my back. If I am with the family we usually find a place that we don't have to hike into since small children and such. Our provisions are: An 8-man tent, sleeping bags + foam mat, coleman two-burner stove, 2 pans, a lightweight folding table, food for 2 cooked meals per day + 1 or 2 cold meals, extra socks and the knife, canteen, firestarter, compass from above.

Minions' suggestions are good but are way overboard. Take them and scale it back a lot.

[Clash Perez]

If you're camping and it's not in a trailer, prepare yourself (and your husband) to sleep poorly on an unusually uncomfortable surface. It's just going to happen. Think of it as part of The Experience. The air mattress you mentioned may help, but if it leaks and deflates in the middle of the night it's as good as sleeping on the ground.

Consider bringing your pillows from home. When hiking I'll normally stuff a fleece jacket in the sleeping bag's stuff sack, which isn't much better than just using a rock. If you're car camping there's no reason to be quite that miserable. That way your husband and kids will at least have the pillows they're accustomed to using, even if it's along with hard and lumpy bedding.

Make sure to pitch your tents before dusk. It gets pretty miserable stumbling around in the dark with an unfamiliar apparatus, only to find you didn't see the stone that's now resting between lumbar segments. Also consider doing a practice-pitch at home if you've never used the tent before. If your tent comes with these pieces of crap, consider buying some third-party tent pegs. Even the cheapish plastic ones are worlds better.

I don't think anyone has mentioned Cintronella candles. Anything to keep the mosquitoes away will keep the family happier.

Gotta run now. I'll come back and add to the thread if I think of more/have time.

[Grey Jorildyn]

My tip is don't go camping. JG agrees.

[Ksandra]

My tip is don't go camping. JG agrees.

holy shit rofl this is my husband and I in a nutshell.

Ty for the tips guys! I do have a propane two burner stove that I wouldn't have thought to grab so definitely putting that on the list. Cintronella candles is a great idea also! Oddly enough that JG skit reminded me of those like plastic chinese lantern chains, maybe I'll get some of those too for nighttime.

[Mellema]

I've always preferred white gas over propane. It's cheaper, more efficient, can be used in cold weather, and it's lighter. I have a coleman 2 burner that is over 40 years old and still works great and for back country I have a light weight primus. For lanterns I would stay away from any gas operated ones. With LEDs and new battery technology it just isn't worth the risk to use gas lanterns any more.

[Elesirdur]

Beyond the basic cooking hardware you'll need, here are a few other things you will want;

* Hatchet or an axe for splitting firewood. In my experience camping in the Canada (and some in the US), most Provincial/State campsite sell firewood on premises. It's worth checking the campsite website to see if they sell firewood, otherwise you'll have to buy from a gas station or hardware store. (Don't use those duraflame quick-start logs, they stink and throw off some nasty chemicals you do not want to be cooking with)
* Tarp for putting under the tent. Even if you're on a dry campsite, it's always worth it to put a tarp down under the tent for an extra moisture barrier. Also helps keep the tent in good shape and a bit cleaner for easy storage.
* Length of rope. The cheap nylon stuff from the hardware store has lots of good uses, from making a sling to carry firewood to hanging a tarp or clothesline.
* A big, collapsible water jug with a spigot. Something in the 5 gal range is great for "car camping" trips where you're at a campsite with fresh water. Fill it up and set it on a table or chair, and just keep drinking from it, or using it for cooking, cleaning, and washing. Makes life a lot easier so you're not having to make frequent trips to the water source.

[TummieGaruda]

As stated Hobo meals are the way to go. Just pre-pack cut veggies, chicken or stewing meat and some spices. This way everyone can make their own at the campsite and pick what they want in their meal. Some people might be against veggies in their hobo meal, but the veggies moisture content helps the meat cook better. Also expect a swing in temperatures as in May it will probably be quite warm in the day but get down to the 30's at night (gotta love California).

For the firepits you may want to double check about collecting kindling from the surrounding areas as some camping grounds may prohibit this based on the season. Also, it is always a lot cheaper to buy firewood before going up to the camping area but you will need to check which kind of firewood they will allow.

If you plan to fish, pick up a license. You can get a daily license or one for the whole year. The first time my gf and I went camping we regretted not bringing our fishing poles and getting a license as our campsite was near a lake.

[djzombie]

People actually do this on purpose? Let's go sleep outside on the hard ground, in the shitty weather, in a tent that does nothing, whilst being eaten alive by bugs that could carry off newborn babes. Oh, and for fun. We'll tell stories when it gets dark, cuz there ain't fuck all else to do.

/stop pullin my leg.

yea campin is fun for some people. i personally love enjoying nature, getting a kayak or raft down the river is probably some of the most fun i've had camping.

if you want a challenge go camping in the Adirondacks in the winter. trying to find dry fire wood under two feet of snow is a fun time.

tips:
1.) dont camp on/near trails. if you're hiking trails looking for a spot to setup camp you'll want to setup camp at least a 1/4 to 1/2 mile from any trails, that way any traffic(bikes, motorized vehicles, foot traffic) doesn't disturb you.
2.) you can cook corn and potatoes by wrapping them in tin foil and tossing them in the fire.
3.) bring extra clothes. you'll love not having to wear your dirty or wet clothes when you're trying to relax at night by the fire.
4.) get a sleeping bag temperature rated appropriately for your area. some areas get extremely cold at night.
5.) bring something to entertain yourselves. otherwise you're going to find yourselves staring at each other wondering why you went camping.
6.) firewood and ice - you'll forget one of these.

[Ghost_Wheel22]

Rooting around for dry wood under deep snow is a pain but unless you need a fire its much easier to warm and dry in snow vs rain. My camping knowledge is more for going out 30 miles in wilderness for a week and everything I need is simple and efficient as I can make so my advice is kinda useless here. But for basic coverage you'll want/need:

50-100' of cordage or rope
/good/ maps of the area you'll be staying in.
tents don't account for "stuff" besides people so plan on a 4 person tent to fit 3 etc.
tarps for the tents, moisture barrier and very minor insulation from cold ground
sleeping pads if you hate hard and lumpy ground, also insulation from cold ground
sleeping bags suited for the season. Bring a 70° fleece outside and you're gonna have a bad time.
pillows or bring a large sweater to make a makeshift pillow
appropriate clothing, overstock on socks, and a beanie
trash bags for both trash, clothes, and whatever stuff. Especially if it rains.
cooking gear. Can be simple as a coffee kettle/cups, a mediocre pan, and wash set.
recreational stuff. Hiking gear, frisbees, football, lube, whatever
$50-100 in petty cash in case the nearest gas/store is still in the 80s and doesn't want to take your card
good coffee
water bladder for drinking water and a bucket or tub for washing things
first aid kit

The hobo dinners are actually a really easy and cool group idea. You can prep up hunks of meat and veggies at home and bring inside tupperware.

If you're staying in a National Forest then you are not allowed to forage for firewood and will probably have to buy the firewood from the camp host, which is rather spendy. Get caught breaking off sticks and chopping logs will get you tossed out and probably fined.

[Acevalefor]

If you're staying in a National Forest then you are not allowed to forage for firewood and will probably have to buy the firewood from the camp host, which is rather spendy. Get caught breaking off sticks and chopping logs will get you tossed out and probably fined.

I was told by the Forest Service officer that cutting down anything still standing is prohibited as is cutting anything with a powered saw. Other than that, anything dead on the ground is fair game. I am in the northwest though, so there are massive amounts of scrub and windfall all over here. Maybe it's a regional thing? Time to research it before this summer. I do not camp in campgrounds either so that could also be a managed campground thing.

[Ksandra]

I really appreciate all the tips guys!

And ya, the website says you can't bring your own firewood you have to buy it from the convenience store. But it does say you are allowed to collect kindling on the floor.

This will also be car camping so at least I can store all non-smelly stuff in the car.

Which reminds me, anything you know of people tend to forget to put in the bear box? I read you should put even things like soap and shampoo in it since the bears can smell that in your car Oo;

I think when I went camping growing up we did it in areas with no bears or something because I never remember having to worry about that stuff.

Luckily the reviews of the site say the boxes are huge and there shouldn't be an issue fitting everything in them.