Q. Hi! Originally my fiancee and I were going to get a hotel room on a beach that's about an hour and a half away from where we'll be living for our honeymoon (next march) but my hubby-to-be can't swim and is terrified of the ocean and I don't reallly LOVE it either. So after much thought and consideration I decided I'd like to go camping. I brought the idea up to my fiancee and he LOVED the idea. We both agree that being in the wilderness, just one tent, one sleeping bag, the stars and I will be so nice and romantic. Here's the issue: neither of us has been camping. When I was a kid I used to sleep in a tent in my dad's backyard but that's the extent of my wilderness expereince... and his is when he was kicked out for two days as a teenager and slept in the park... so basically we have NONE. What tips can anyone give us? What type of tent and sleeping bag should we get? What should we bring along? We'll be living in South Texas (McAllen) so where should we GO camping... like a specific camping ground or just where ever the trails take us? ANY help (especially tips that'll save us money!!) are VERY much appreciated.
I will be picking a best answer so if you put time into your answer don't worry, I'll take note of it :)
I will be picking a best answer so if you put time into your answer don't worry, I'll take note of it :)
Answer
My first and foremost bit of advice would be to try some shorter camping trips first and gain some personal experience. Then, as Trish suggests, consider a location where you can drive to a site, rather than having to hike long distances. As a newer camper, the extra safety and convenience of having your vehicle nearby will likely be a welcome benefit.
Your basics are tent, sleeping bag, mattress, kitchen gear, food and water storage, bathroom/hygiene, clothing, first aid and comfort. Trying to deal with each of these in sufficient detail to be useful would make a good book or website. I generally try to avoid just posting links without any details, but in this case Yahoo! won't even let me get half way through without telling me my post is too long. So I suggest you spend a few evenings reviewing the wealth of knowledge on REI's "Expert Advice" website:
http://www.rei.com/expertadvice/camping#tab_2
I'll forewarn you that gearing-up for your first camping trip can be quite expensive, but try to avoid going out and buying everything you can think of for your first trip. As I said above, take a few shorter trips and build up what you need over time. Don't be tempted to cheap-out on important things like your tent or mattress, as this can lead to a miserable experience. As long as you're not backpacking, don't concern yourself with ultralight (and ultra-expensive) gear. Get a good 4-person dome tent with plenty of ventilation and good storm fly coverage from a quality brand, such as Eureka, NorthFace, Coleman or Kelty. Two sleeping bags that can zip together will be more useful in the long run than one double bag. Watch your temperature ratings on the sleeping bags: unless you expect to camp in very cold weather, 40-degree is a good rating (you can always bring some blankets to extend if necessary, or leave it open or even sleep on top in hot weather). A mattress is important for warmth and comfort. For two people either get a good quality inflatable mattress and pump, or two thick, large self-inflating mattresses (you can buy or make straps to hold them together).
Be prepared for rain and unexpected cold weather. An extra tarp, a dining canopy, easy-up or screen room is recommended. Mosquito coils or bug lanterns help keep the bugs away better than citronella candles and don't stink like oil lanterns. Consider items like food storage, seating, bathroom needs (if no bathroom will be convenient), fresh water storage and purification (if necessary), cutting firewood, etc.
Let me end now before Yahoo cuts me short again. But spend the time on REI's site and then go out on some practice trips. Congratulations on your nuptials and I hope your honeymoon camping experience is every bit as pleasant and romantic as you envision.
My first and foremost bit of advice would be to try some shorter camping trips first and gain some personal experience. Then, as Trish suggests, consider a location where you can drive to a site, rather than having to hike long distances. As a newer camper, the extra safety and convenience of having your vehicle nearby will likely be a welcome benefit.
Your basics are tent, sleeping bag, mattress, kitchen gear, food and water storage, bathroom/hygiene, clothing, first aid and comfort. Trying to deal with each of these in sufficient detail to be useful would make a good book or website. I generally try to avoid just posting links without any details, but in this case Yahoo! won't even let me get half way through without telling me my post is too long. So I suggest you spend a few evenings reviewing the wealth of knowledge on REI's "Expert Advice" website:
http://www.rei.com/expertadvice/camping#tab_2
I'll forewarn you that gearing-up for your first camping trip can be quite expensive, but try to avoid going out and buying everything you can think of for your first trip. As I said above, take a few shorter trips and build up what you need over time. Don't be tempted to cheap-out on important things like your tent or mattress, as this can lead to a miserable experience. As long as you're not backpacking, don't concern yourself with ultralight (and ultra-expensive) gear. Get a good 4-person dome tent with plenty of ventilation and good storm fly coverage from a quality brand, such as Eureka, NorthFace, Coleman or Kelty. Two sleeping bags that can zip together will be more useful in the long run than one double bag. Watch your temperature ratings on the sleeping bags: unless you expect to camp in very cold weather, 40-degree is a good rating (you can always bring some blankets to extend if necessary, or leave it open or even sleep on top in hot weather). A mattress is important for warmth and comfort. For two people either get a good quality inflatable mattress and pump, or two thick, large self-inflating mattresses (you can buy or make straps to hold them together).
Be prepared for rain and unexpected cold weather. An extra tarp, a dining canopy, easy-up or screen room is recommended. Mosquito coils or bug lanterns help keep the bugs away better than citronella candles and don't stink like oil lanterns. Consider items like food storage, seating, bathroom needs (if no bathroom will be convenient), fresh water storage and purification (if necessary), cutting firewood, etc.
Let me end now before Yahoo cuts me short again. But spend the time on REI's site and then go out on some practice trips. Congratulations on your nuptials and I hope your honeymoon camping experience is every bit as pleasant and romantic as you envision.
How do I buy gear that uses less space for car camping?
MthrNature
In the past I've done a lot of car camping. However, even in a full size 4 door sedan, I am using up all kinds of space with clothing, gear, ice chests, etc...so much so that with 2 people, the trunk and back seats are fully occupied.
I'm in a position right now to order a new set of camping gear. How should I go about it so that the gear all fits into the large trunk of my full size car? I envision being able to provide for 4 people in my trunk with food and gear, and still have the seats to transport them.
I'm not a poet or an English major, so if I need to add details, please let me know.
Thanks!
Answer
The first thing is to try to reduce the amount of gear and clothing you bring with you. While you need fresh socks and underwear every day, pants and shirts can usually go two days between changes. Exchange bulky clothing such as denim and flannel for more compact chinos or synthetics. Trim out unnecessary items from your toiletries kit. If you have a properly-rated sleeping bag you won't need to bring blankets. Leave your pillows at home and stuff your pillowcase with your extra clothing. Minimize your cooking gear down to the bare essentials.
After you eliminate or swap all you can to save weight, then you can look at replacing items with gear that's more compact.
The first easy swap is to get rid of those cotton bath and dish towels and switch to synthetic pack towels.
Things like lanterns and bug lamps can take up a lot of room. If you have huge gas or oil lanterns, consider replacing them with more compact (and longer running) LED lanterns. Instead of bug lamps or citronella candles bring mosquito coils. Replacing folding tables and chairs with roll-up tables and bag chairs will save space.
Also look at the size of your coolers and how you pack them into the trunk. Sometimes going with a different cooler design will allow you to pack your car more efficiently without sacrificing cooler capacity. And if you're bringing more than two coolers, (one for beverages, which gets used most often, and one for food), you've got too many.
Do you bring both a stove and a grill? Maybe you can consolidate by using a Coleman Grill/Stove unit (just don't use the grill side for pots and pans, it _CAN_ melt; don't ask how I know). You can also get a griddle accessory for this unit, which might replace your frying pan entirely.
Next look at your sleeping bag. Although they can be a bit expensive, you can find sleeping bags that compress down to 1/4 the size of a cheap unit. 9" x 15" pack size is easily obtainable without spending over $100 per bag. Then look at what's going under your sleeping bag. Is it a huge cot or mattress? You might be able to save a bunch of space by switching to a more compact-folding cot or self-inflating mattress.
Then look at your shelter(s). How much room could you save if you went with a smaller tent design? Is it worth the trade-off in space? Maybe you could find a tent with similar floor space that packs into a smaller footprint. Do you also bring along an easy-up, screen room or gazebo to shelter your kitchen/dining/sitting area?
Finally, if the above doesn't solve your packing problems, or the cost exceeds your budget, you can always add additional storage space by using a removable roof-top basket and/or waterproof cargo bag to handle additional gear. Just be careful to adequately secure everything before heading out on your trip.
.
The first thing is to try to reduce the amount of gear and clothing you bring with you. While you need fresh socks and underwear every day, pants and shirts can usually go two days between changes. Exchange bulky clothing such as denim and flannel for more compact chinos or synthetics. Trim out unnecessary items from your toiletries kit. If you have a properly-rated sleeping bag you won't need to bring blankets. Leave your pillows at home and stuff your pillowcase with your extra clothing. Minimize your cooking gear down to the bare essentials.
After you eliminate or swap all you can to save weight, then you can look at replacing items with gear that's more compact.
The first easy swap is to get rid of those cotton bath and dish towels and switch to synthetic pack towels.
Things like lanterns and bug lamps can take up a lot of room. If you have huge gas or oil lanterns, consider replacing them with more compact (and longer running) LED lanterns. Instead of bug lamps or citronella candles bring mosquito coils. Replacing folding tables and chairs with roll-up tables and bag chairs will save space.
Also look at the size of your coolers and how you pack them into the trunk. Sometimes going with a different cooler design will allow you to pack your car more efficiently without sacrificing cooler capacity. And if you're bringing more than two coolers, (one for beverages, which gets used most often, and one for food), you've got too many.
Do you bring both a stove and a grill? Maybe you can consolidate by using a Coleman Grill/Stove unit (just don't use the grill side for pots and pans, it _CAN_ melt; don't ask how I know). You can also get a griddle accessory for this unit, which might replace your frying pan entirely.
Next look at your sleeping bag. Although they can be a bit expensive, you can find sleeping bags that compress down to 1/4 the size of a cheap unit. 9" x 15" pack size is easily obtainable without spending over $100 per bag. Then look at what's going under your sleeping bag. Is it a huge cot or mattress? You might be able to save a bunch of space by switching to a more compact-folding cot or self-inflating mattress.
Then look at your shelter(s). How much room could you save if you went with a smaller tent design? Is it worth the trade-off in space? Maybe you could find a tent with similar floor space that packs into a smaller footprint. Do you also bring along an easy-up, screen room or gazebo to shelter your kitchen/dining/sitting area?
Finally, if the above doesn't solve your packing problems, or the cost exceeds your budget, you can always add additional storage space by using a removable roof-top basket and/or waterproof cargo bag to handle additional gear. Just be careful to adequately secure everything before heading out on your trip.
.
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