Camping Tips

(Huck OTM)

Trail mix = like nuts and raisins and shit, right? Where are the nummy CARBS though eh?

cashews, dude.

KENDAL MINT CAKE.

There is an olde tea shoppe next door to the camp site too! I'm sure this will come in handy.

x-posed

Chairs?? (We are not driving anyway.)

And remember, don't sleep in your clothes. You'll regret it.

No bears in the UK, eh? Still, some light rope might come in handy.

I don't think Canadians should post to this thread - we're all, like: pepper spray, 30% deet solution, tarp x2, gps, crampons, a canoe. But packing everything in ziplock plastic bags is always good. I can't imagine camping without building a fire - won't they have a woodpile there? And why has no one said: booze!

A potholder is made of metal so being wet will not increase it's conductivity. Any kinds of fabric heat protection is potentially useless. (TBH I tend to just use my leatherman most of the time but it is not as convenient, but does have a million other uses)

OK but to reiterate for realz how many single-purpose items do you really want to climb mountains with?

I'm taking a firm stand against these contraptions, folks.

are you him?

no backpacker brings an oven mitt along, but a lightweight pot holder is a standard part of a camping cookset. some people would forgo it, but food and basic cooking tools are pretty important when you're walking all day in the middle of nowhere, and wetness is the enemy. i guess we should give up the single purpose of eating - food accounts for a lot of the weight in your backpack.

My list from tramping round wales last summer (admittedly with a bunch of kids would have been lighter if it were just me)

Tent (Macpac microlight)
Sleeping bag (Rab I forget which)
Thermarest
Shorts 1 pair
trousers one pair
baselayer trousers
Short sleeve base layer 2 off.
Long sleeve base layer 2 off.
midlayer top
waterproofs top and bottom
Underpants 4 pair
socks 3x 2 pair
sandals
hat (rain and sun)
sunglasses
Sunscreen (buckets of)
first aid kit (comprehensive)
MSR stove
Fuel bottle
Pan set with insulator
Leatherman
Sheath knife
head torch
watch
maps
compass
Camelbak
Bowl
song book

between us we had an axe, a saw some bigger cooking pots, matches, more fuel etc.

all hail the leatherman supertool!

amen

It is not surprising that most ilxors are unacquainted with the arcane lore of backcountry camping,as practised far from campgrounds and vehicles. It is an specialized hobby quite remote from the knowledge of the vast majority of Americans and Europeans.

Even the majority of people who have done it at some time are just tyros and novices compared to the true adepts. It takes a real nut like me to devote a large chunk of one's life and energy to this pastime.

(he wanders off muttering incoherently about gram scales and trekking poles)

So are you for or against POTHOLDERS? Help me out here!

I am ecumenical. Potholders are are respectable choice, for those who desire them, but I favor bales over potholders. Bales are light, compact and integral. They also facilitate hanging one's pot over a small woodfire in a situation where one's stove has failed.

Such are the arcana of backpacking.

bales heat up

Being remote from the heat source (base of the pot) and connected to the top of the pot only at two small points, they are somewhat analogous to the handle of a spoon, when the bowl of the spoon has something hot on it. Some heat is conducted to the handle or the bail, but not much.

However, if you are happy with a potholder, far be it from me to attempt a conversion.

Look guys, I'm just saying, make the croissants like I said. You all ignore me now, but you will hail me at 9AM on day two of camping!

I'm taking a firm stand against these (single-purpose) contraptions, folks.

-- quincie, Wednesday, April 23, 2008 7:10 AM (2 days ago)

OTM. wtf potholder? That's what calluses are for.

Also: scattered thunderstorms all weekend. Should be rad. though apparently we're down to like 10 planned miles...

I'm taking:
Hammock, tarp, associated rigging
sleeping bag
knife
matches
dice
whiskey

Got rained on something fierce, heard the coyotes at night, legs aren't speaking to me at the moment. Good times.

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3092/2451070216_91209c3161.jpg

"Ask before you hunt and fish on private land"

I have a bumper sticker that says this.

Sausages!

http://i31.tinypic.com/4fzifm.jpg
Sausages, Central Oregon Desert, May 5, 2007

bell pepper, onion, kielbasa, beer to cover; simmer til hungry; bun, mustard; de(mo)lish

Technique perfected in Southwestern Virginia, 1999-2002

I approve of these sausages.

Made a killer stroganoff last time camping. Also a great pork and chicory beer stew too.

gong camping here at the weekend.

only for one night, we have tents and sleeping bags and guitars and several bottles of whiskey, is there anything important we're not thinking of?

what foods do people recommend bringing? no cooking equipment.

lol maybe i'll just read the thread tbf

Bring enough whiskey and breakfast becomes superfluous. You might consider an electric torch (what we yanks call a "flashlight"). This can facilitate an egress from the tent in the hours of darkness, should such become necessary.

a very good point, and one that has the ring of truth about it

torch was on the list, as i don't have a light for my kindle.

headtorch headtorch headtorch

Food: a medium or hard cheese, summer sausage, and some nice commercial bagels that won't turn to rock overnight. That's my favorite "Day 3 of no refrigeration" food.

http://www.treepee.com/

http://www.shepee.co.uk

that's the kind of concise rundown i need laurel cheers

you others, not so much tbh

ps there are no trees just fyi

pls to update for motorhome tour of poland

Just on the of chance we have an expert, like

how do I set up a tarpaulin? what knots do I need to learn to tie?

https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/736x/6c/73/0e/6c730eecfea6f146dba7c630b7aa6580.jpg

http://www.proknot.com/assets/images/tautline_hitch.jpg

You're taking a tarp because why again?

because there will be rain, and i don't want there to be tears.

But you do have a tent, right? The tarp is just for extra?

yes! the tarp goes over the tent.

this is the first time either of us have been camping as adults so it will be uh quite an adventure, but i think once the tent is set up properly we'll be fine. i just want to make sure i come prepared.

thank you for the knots!

Put the tent in a high place with lower ground all around it so you won't end up sitting in water if it rains. If you're not sure water won't collect underneath, put another tarp under the tent as a groundsheet. Fold it so it doesn't stick out from under the sides of the tent, you don't want the groundsheet to catch any rain.

^otm

If such a high spot completely surrounded by lower ground doesn't present itself, a less attractive but useful alternative is to pitch on a broad, slight slope without much higher ground above it, and slanted enough that any water that may run toward the tent does not collect there, but continues on its merry way. You do not want to pitch in a place where you are in a watercourse that funnels water toward your tent.

I have a tent bought in a camping sale about two years ago. Great tent but it now has a broken pole and a few missing inner clip (which hold the inner lining to the outside?). Try as I might, I can't seem to find spares for it anywhere. Maybe the model's been discontinued or something. Any ideas what I can do?

reevaluate the tent.

loool

I still have my sister's tent in my basement, should I return it or would it entice her to rejoin the debaucherous world of camping?

Resurrecting...

We - me (40yo dad), E (36yo mum), N (4yo daughter), and C (17mo son) - are going to camp this weekend as a dry-run for Green Man, where we are going in August.

Apart from one abandoned (after one night) trip to Cornwall (inclement weather) when N was about 2, we've not done this before (E and I camped for about 4 nights in Ibiza once when we were younger, but no kids, tiny tent, years ago = doesn't really count compared to life as it is now).

We are playing it safe by not going too far, and by camping near to where E's dad owns a restaurant (so we can eat out for free!), as we are V New to this.

We have a big new bell tent, inflatable sleeping matts, sleeping bags, and that's about it. We'll be in North Devon. Please give bespoke advice for our situation!

camp in your garden first

Garden's not big enough to put the tent up in, sadly. Bloody garage. This is the closest we can do to that though, I reckon.

Just expect to make mistakes, chiefly forgetting to bring some item that turns out to be greatly missed. It happens to all first time campers. Try imagining the phases of the day and various sorts of weather and make lists of what you think you may need. You'll still forget something, but fewer of them.

As I said in my first response to this thread, staying warm enough is urgent and key, while staying dry is only urgent and key to the degree is impedes staying warm enough. Small kids get cold, overheated, or dehydrated much quicker than adults, so if there is a chance of any of these happening keep a close eye on your tykes.

Being wet and cold in windy conditions is very bad and should be avoided at any cost. Strong shivering should be viewed as a red flag and dealt with immediately by any means at your disposal!

thread covers most things but some essentials: take torches, insect repellent, make sure you pick some nice dry ground and ensure your head is higher than your feet

Advice I have received thus far (from here, Facebook, and my office):

Camping tips!
• Freeze some bacon
• Freeze some milk
o Keep them in your coolbox
o Defrosted the next day!
• Box of white wine
o Remove bladder from box
o Freeze the bladder of wine
o Keep in the coolbox!
• Take leftovers to heat up on the first night
• Clear plastic box with all stuff in
o Pots and pans, torch etc
o One for each family member rather than a bag – easier to find stuff
• Don’t forget cooking oil
• Camping chairs
• Pillows – take real ones!
• Blankets
• Hat
• Hoodie
• Plastic wine glasses
• Washing up stuff – including a bowl
• Earplugs – bio ears, silicone
• Toilet paper
• Warm clothes
• Camping kettle
• Camping mugs
• Headtorch / Torch
• Barbecue
• Tinfoil
• Blankets – extra blankets for Green Man
• Dutch oven
• Washing line
• Insect repellent