Gearing up for a camping trip is one thing, but the focus of this article is avoiding the scenario where folks have to go out and buy gear for each and every trip they make.  Getting geared up might require some significant initial expense, but in the long run it will require far less if the acquisition of the gear is focused on the types of outings you will be making and the gear you acquire is of appropriate quality for the purposes at hand.  This article will address the focusing in process, but will feature discussion of gear for the casual camper.  The acquisition of gear for what I would call and expedition will be saved for a future article.

In the first article in this series, Camping Part I-The Low Cost Travel Alternative, we discussed the reality that camping means different things to different people.  I stated that some folks do not consider their experience to be genuine unless they are deep in the wilderness.  Others were fine with a campsite in a busy group campground facility replete with facilities such as showers, electricity, a campground store, and maybe even a snack bar.  This is a matter of personal preference that is purely up to individuals and families who are taking up this wonderful activity.  However, defining the type of camping you will be doing is essential when obtaining the required gear for your trips.

First let me make a personal definition so that the reader will be on the same page with me as I make suggestions in this area.  I will talk about what I call Car Camping.  Essentially this means that you will be traveling via motorized vehicle to a site where you are within easy walking distance of a campsite.  There is no need to transport gear via backpack and far less restrictions on quantity of gear in terms of weight or space.  The operative restrictions will be dictated by space in the vehicle and perhaps by choice of not wishing to deal with excessive gear.  As mentioned previously, I will be focusing on one type of camping gear in this article, and it is of this Car Camping variety.

 

Before proceeding, let me say that if the reader is led to believe that this type of camping limits the camper to busy large campgrounds, nothing could be further from the truth.  Nationwide there are very secluded campgrounds where a camper can enjoy all nature has to offer.  On a recent trip for example, we traveled from the Midwestern state where we reside, to the Bighorn Mountains of Wyoming.  The first campground we visited had a total of eight sites and at the height of the camping season no more than three were occupied on any night except on the Friday and Saturday we were there.  Within a couple of hours of our establishing camp, we had a cow and calf moose browsing on vegetation within one hundred yards of our site.

 CHOOSING A TENT

So dispelling that idea, let us make the transition to discussing what you will need to bring.  First, a checklist is an absolute requirement.  At the bottom of the article find links to resources where with a bit of perusing the reader can find a very thorough checklist as well as many other valuable tidbits of knowledge, such as how to build a campfire.  As you go through the checklist, start with the essentials.  One of the first essentials for camping is likely a tent.

 CAMPING GEAR CHECKLIST

Tents come in more shapes, material types, and quality levels than could possibly be covered adequately here.  In the resources below there are some very in depth discussions of tents at the budget end of the spectrum as well as the higher end.  Here are some basics to think about.  First, what seasons will the tent be used.  In actuality we use three-season tents (meaning designed for all seasons but winter) all year-round.  However, we are using these tents in a region where the temperature rarely is lower than 15 degrees F, even at night in the winter.  We compensate by using very warm sleeping bags.  If all you will be using the tent for is summer camping, a three-season tent is highly adequate.

Choosing a tent should also factor in space requirements.  There are options available from solo tents (designed for one person) to very large family sized tents.  In the family sized category, tents tend to come in two structure types.  The traditional style is a cabin-style tent.  These tents usually have aluminum exterior poles, squared corners, and a sloping roof.  Typically a rain fly is not included with these style tents.  Coming into increasing popularity now are dome-style tents.  These tents, as the name applies have a dome shaped roof, but also usually have fiberglass poles (lighter but more prone to breakage), and normally come with a rain fly.  If you choose a cabin-style tent that does not come with a rain fly, I recommend that you either fashion one with a plastic tarp, or if one is available as an option, that you go ahead and buy it.

 CAMPING PLACES PAGE

The materials available for tents are also highly varied.  The three main material types are canvas, nylon, and polyester.  I suggest either nylon or polyester for the following reasons.  First, canvas requires significant maintenance beyond that required for the synthetic materials.  It must be waterproofed prior to use and is prone to mold and mildew.  It is also much heavier.  Second, nylon and polyester are now quite durable as manufacturers have improved their design with rip-stop threads.  The choice between nylon and polyester to a great degree comes down to polyester having a better resistance to UV degradation.  If your tent will be used sporadically, the nylon will do just fine.  In the area of materials, one other consideration is zipper quality.  This is one place where tents often first start to exhibit problems.  All I can really suggest on this is that the buyer runs the zipper up and down a few times prior to purchase and get a feel for its quality.  Then, once the tent is put into use, treat the zippers with care and do not overstretch them when erecting the tent.

 STATE PARKS DIRECTORY

Along with the tent, one very inexpensive piece of insurance is a ground cloth tarp to place under the tent.  This makes quite a difference in wet weather, and even when dew conditions are present.  The tarp should extent six inches to a foot beyond the footprint of the tent.  This ground cloth also creates a place in front of the tent door for removal of footwear prior to entering the tent. 

 FAMILY-OUTDOOR STORE GEAR SOURCE

Sleeping bags, second to the tent itself, are perhaps the second most critical piece of gear.  Clearly, as was discussed with tents, the seasons of use will largely dictate the type of bags required.  For car camping purposes, very warm bags can be purchased at very reasonable prices.  Coleman has zero-rated bags that can be had at last check under $50.  Now here’s one aspect that often gets left out of the sleeping bag purchase decision process: You must get a bag that fits you.  I am six feet four inches tall.  My family bought me a zero rated bag some time ago that was too short and not wide enough.  It doesn’t matter how warm the bag is if it does not cover you.  Another critical element to warmth and comfort is a sleeping pad.  I consider this to be a portion of the sleeping bag purchase.  Whether you buy a self-inflating pad or an enormous inflatable air mattress, make sure you have something between you and the tent floor. 

 FAMILY-OUTDOOR BOOKSTORE

The final area I will discuss here is cooking apparatus.  I suggest never going out on a trip with the idea that your only option is cooking over a campfire.  There’s little better in my mind than quality food prepared in this manner, but often conditions simply do not allow for this to be done.  A great alternative is a propane cook stove.  The two I own and use are a single burner model and a three burner model.  Both were purchased at a very reasonable cost.  I use the single burner when it is just my sons and I on a weekend combination camping and hunting or fishing trip.  We typically bring food that can be heated up in one pot and eaten.  When it is a longer trip or my wife is along, the three burner stove comes out and the cooking gets a bit more elaborate.  The three burner stove comes with flaps that fold up on the sides to break the wind, which is a pretty nice feature.  These stoves will operate in wind or rain and provide cooking heat almost instantly.

 HOW TO SHARPEN AN AXE

As far as additional equipment goes, again, consult the checklist and make note of the items you feel are essential.  Some of these items will be cook and eating ware, an axe or hatchet, lantern, rope, camp chairs, first aid kit, maps, food and water, dish cleaning basin, outdoor gear such as fishing poles, etc.  Once you have made a thorough list, now is the time to start acquiring what you do not have.

 MONTH-LONG TRIP WEST

One of my favorite methods of getting the gear I need is through online auction services including EBay.  I also have acquired gear locally through Craigs List.  What I cannot get from these sources, I either buy through an online retailer or through a local retailer.  A perusal of the resources below will lead the reader to some options as far as purchase of these items.  As a matter of due diligence, I believe that the user of sites such as EBay should do two things to protect themselves.  One is look carefully at the seller rating.  The other is to use Pay Pal which offers some additional protection to the buyer.

 FAMILY-OUTDOOR FISHING RESOURCES

As you collect these items, keep in mind that a few extra dollars spent now may save you many in the long run.  Additionally, care for the items you put together and they will obviously last much longer.  For example, one practice I have adopted is that I always hand our tents after a trip for several days in our basement.  The extra drying time seems to extent their life significantly.

 FAMILY-OUTDOOR HUNTING RESOURCES

We wish you and your family all the best in your outdoor experience and that these simple tips have aided you in your planning.