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Simba
I plan on camping at Assateague Island for an extended weekend (3-4 days) and was wondering what the chances are I will see the wild horses. I friend of mine has camped there and she made is sound like they are running all over the place. So I was hoping I would see them. That is the main reason I want to go. Or are they a rare sight?
Answer
I think it depends a lot on what time of year and even day of the week that you go -- when it is more crowded with day tourists the horses will tend to shun the beach areas. I backpacked there many years ago in the very early Spring when it was still pretty chilly and few people were there. We hiked the 11 miles to the hiking only access camping area and stayed for 3 nights, exploring during the day. We spotted groups of horses several times by finding a dune where we could sit quietly for a while and watch for them. Bring binoculars to up your chance of spotting them.
The advise on bug spray is wise -- also try to bring a tent that pitches tautly and sheds wind well. The overnight winds there can be dreadful and will make your tent fly snap all night like a flag in a hurricane. In fact, if there is no rain predicted you are better off without a fly -- several people in our large group had the flies ripped completely off their tents overnight. I had an aerodynamic tent with an integral attached fly that went all the way to the ground -- I banked sand over the edge of it, pitched the tent with the ridgeline oriented to the wind and slept soundly. Be really sure to anchor the heck out of the tent. One of the guys in a dome tent had to chase his down the beach when he left the door open and the wind lifted it and blew it down the shore about 100 yards, with all his stuff spilling out of it. Regular tent stakes don't work in sand -- bring at least 4 small stuff sacks or even small plastic trash bags that you can fill with sand, tie off to your tent guy loops and bury in the sand as "dead man" anchors. You can also collect pieces of driftwood to tie to the guy lines (bring a hank of parachute cord for this.)
I think it depends a lot on what time of year and even day of the week that you go -- when it is more crowded with day tourists the horses will tend to shun the beach areas. I backpacked there many years ago in the very early Spring when it was still pretty chilly and few people were there. We hiked the 11 miles to the hiking only access camping area and stayed for 3 nights, exploring during the day. We spotted groups of horses several times by finding a dune where we could sit quietly for a while and watch for them. Bring binoculars to up your chance of spotting them.
The advise on bug spray is wise -- also try to bring a tent that pitches tautly and sheds wind well. The overnight winds there can be dreadful and will make your tent fly snap all night like a flag in a hurricane. In fact, if there is no rain predicted you are better off without a fly -- several people in our large group had the flies ripped completely off their tents overnight. I had an aerodynamic tent with an integral attached fly that went all the way to the ground -- I banked sand over the edge of it, pitched the tent with the ridgeline oriented to the wind and slept soundly. Be really sure to anchor the heck out of the tent. One of the guys in a dome tent had to chase his down the beach when he left the door open and the wind lifted it and blew it down the shore about 100 yards, with all his stuff spilling out of it. Regular tent stakes don't work in sand -- bring at least 4 small stuff sacks or even small plastic trash bags that you can fill with sand, tie off to your tent guy loops and bury in the sand as "dead man" anchors. You can also collect pieces of driftwood to tie to the guy lines (bring a hank of parachute cord for this.)
What qualities and features should I look for when shopping for a tent?
Mrs.Fine
I love to camp, but my poor old tent has worn out and it is time to purchase a new one. There are alot more features available now, and I want to know which ones are worth the extra money, and which ones just add more weight to my gear. It was a little overwhelming shopping at the Bass Pro shop last weekend.
Also, where is the best place to find a good deal on these tents? I only have a family of four, so an extra large tent is not needed. Just one that is relativley simple to set up.
Thanks for your input!
Answer
First, get a name brand tent. Almost everyone I know who has purchased a tent from a discount store has had problems with it very soon. Not only is this bad economics but can ruin a camping trip.
The tent that is right for you will depend on your own use and priorities. If you are car camping, you will likely accept weight and volume to have a comfortable tent. If you are bike touring, you probably want as small a tent as you can get.
Here's a few things to consider:
Self supporting - The more self supporting a tent is, the less you have to rely on stakes, but the more likely it is to have more poles and more weight. A classic pup-tent for example is simple, has only basic center poles, but needs good ground to steak it down.
Ventilation - Very important if you will be in warm weather especially. I find that having cross ventilation (two opposite doors for example) give much better ventilation than the percent of the tent body that is netting. ( I find that if the netting is completely surrounded by the fly, you won't get much wind movement anyways)
Mosquito netting - get the smaller no seeum netting. It's helpful if you can adjust this and the door rainflies without having to open the tent door (thus letting all the bugs in)
Zipper - get one with a substantial zipper on the doors. This is a point of failure on many bargain brand tents.
In my outdoor program I purchase Eureka Timberline Tents which are the mainstays of many outdoor programs. I think they are one of the best values you will find in a tent. They are well built, have good zippers, have excellent cross ventilation and are easy to set up with poles that are unlikely to break. You can adjust the ventilation from inside the tent. They are great for most general needs, but would not be my choice for activities where light weight is needed such as bike touring or light-weight backpacking. They will make more noise than a dome tent in a wind. A good source is Campmore. They also stock spare parts such as poles should you ever need them. Personally, I find myself using this tent most of the time unless I'm in the wind or snow I use a Eureka dome tent, and if I want to go light, I use a small
Sierra Designs hoop tent instead.
Help preserve your tent by shaking or sweeping out all the debris each morning when you take it down. This will make the floor last much longer. If you are not overly concerned about weight, cut a plastic ground cloth to fit, which you can always leave out if you don't want it. (Campmore sells these very cheaply to fit the timberline)
P.S. - the Timberline has a 4-person version, but it is room for sleeping only. If you are car camping for long periods of time, you may want something more roomy for a family of four.
First, get a name brand tent. Almost everyone I know who has purchased a tent from a discount store has had problems with it very soon. Not only is this bad economics but can ruin a camping trip.
The tent that is right for you will depend on your own use and priorities. If you are car camping, you will likely accept weight and volume to have a comfortable tent. If you are bike touring, you probably want as small a tent as you can get.
Here's a few things to consider:
Self supporting - The more self supporting a tent is, the less you have to rely on stakes, but the more likely it is to have more poles and more weight. A classic pup-tent for example is simple, has only basic center poles, but needs good ground to steak it down.
Ventilation - Very important if you will be in warm weather especially. I find that having cross ventilation (two opposite doors for example) give much better ventilation than the percent of the tent body that is netting. ( I find that if the netting is completely surrounded by the fly, you won't get much wind movement anyways)
Mosquito netting - get the smaller no seeum netting. It's helpful if you can adjust this and the door rainflies without having to open the tent door (thus letting all the bugs in)
Zipper - get one with a substantial zipper on the doors. This is a point of failure on many bargain brand tents.
In my outdoor program I purchase Eureka Timberline Tents which are the mainstays of many outdoor programs. I think they are one of the best values you will find in a tent. They are well built, have good zippers, have excellent cross ventilation and are easy to set up with poles that are unlikely to break. You can adjust the ventilation from inside the tent. They are great for most general needs, but would not be my choice for activities where light weight is needed such as bike touring or light-weight backpacking. They will make more noise than a dome tent in a wind. A good source is Campmore. They also stock spare parts such as poles should you ever need them. Personally, I find myself using this tent most of the time unless I'm in the wind or snow I use a Eureka dome tent, and if I want to go light, I use a small
Sierra Designs hoop tent instead.
Help preserve your tent by shaking or sweeping out all the debris each morning when you take it down. This will make the floor last much longer. If you are not overly concerned about weight, cut a plastic ground cloth to fit, which you can always leave out if you don't want it. (Campmore sells these very cheaply to fit the timberline)
P.S. - the Timberline has a 4-person version, but it is room for sleeping only. If you are car camping for long periods of time, you may want something more roomy for a family of four.
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