Getting up to speed on camping

Simon Yu · Jul 10, 2006

Recently I've come to the conclusion that I need to spend some time just getting away from things and given my location and schedule, spending some time camping is an attractive option. I've got some experience with camping in large groups for stuff like church activities, but having that many people including many kids means that 1) things have to be less rugged for convenience and safety and 2) I only dealt with preparations for some aspects of the trip instead of having a good look at the big picture.

Making the jump from that to a more down to earth experience is something I really have wanted to do and now I have the time but could use advice in doing so.

Off the top of my head, these are the big things I could use help with:

Tents. I've helped to set up and disassemble these, but I don't actually have one myself. Advice on what to look for and avoid is welcome. So is advice for keeping my sleeping area free of bugs.

Food. I'll be bringing along stuff to eat for these trips. I'm not really sure what yet. Advice on a convenient way to do this is welcome.

Fire. I've helped tend these but never had to start one or put one out by myself. I'm going to bring along a lighter for a quick way to start one, but I'm not so clear on how to set up the wood for it outside of looking for dry wood.

Water. I'm planning on bringing bottled water but stuff happens. I wouldn't mind advice on how to secure more water in the wilderness just in case or in preparation for future trips with less conveniences.

Any other areas I haven't thought of are of course welcome. I do have friends with more experience I'll get advice from as well, but I wanted to pick the collective brain here too.

Hang_them_later · Jul 10, 2006

Hello Simon Yu

Where are you going to camp? The equipment you need depends on the environment. Is it dry or is it a lot of drinkable water available. Is it cold or is it hot?
Do you bring a car or are you walking long distances? This will greatly affect your choice of camping equipment.

I have some experience of lightweight hiking in the northern highlands during spring, summer and autumn here in Sweden. Your environment may be totally different. I just explain what works for me.

Tents:
Im a small guy working in front of a computer almost every day so I dont want to carry heavy loads on my back. Therefore I need a lightweight tent.
If I bring my family I use a tent for tree persons, Hilleberg Nallo3 (2.4 kg) (4 lbs 10 oz).
If Im on my own I use Hilleberg Akto (1.5 kg) (2 lbs 14 oz)

These tents are double walled so you have good protection against bugs, flies, mosquitoes etc.

On the market there are many lightweight tents similar to these.
http://www.hilleberg.com/Home.htm

Fire:
For redundancy use at least three different types of fire lighting equipment. I use a bic lighter, matches and a Swedish fire steel.

Water:
I never carry water, it is too heavy for me. There are plenty of mountain streams with drinkable water I can use instead. I drink water when I see water but I dont put it in a bottle and carry it along with me. Depending on climate, temperature, terrain and physical activity you may consume something in the range of 2.5 litres to perhaps 10 litres of water per person per day. If you are staying outside for a couple of days the weight will simply be too much for you to carry.
If I walk trough an area with bad water or no running streams I usually boil the water and prepare tea or coffee instead of drinking it directly.
The only fluids I carry are fuel for the camp stove and scotch whisky

Food:
I eat dried meat, noodles, soups and freeze dried food. The rule is that I dont want to carry food containing water because of the weight.
For preparing food I use a simple Trangia camp stove to heat water.

Summary:
I try to keep the weight down.
I try to avoid carrying water.
I dont rely on just one method of starting a fire. I have at least three options.
I try to keep it simple.

I suppose I dont have to remind you of bringing a knife

Codger_64 · Jul 10, 2006

For just getting started, you can't beat the old Boy Scout manuals. They contain some good advice. Also read some magazines like Backpacker. Just don't get caught up in buying all the gadgets if you aren't going to get into long distance wilderness tripping.

Some of the cheap equipment from Wal-Mart is OK for occasional light use and learning, but a lot of it is meant for car-campling, not carrying. Check your area for an outdoor store. Sometimes the clerks who work there are hardcore packers and can stear you right on gear and food.

As was mentioned, good recommendations depend on knowing more about your plans. Are you going to camp within walking distance of your car, or miles down a trail? Are you camping near potable water? Are you going to set up one camp and stay there for days? Are you in good physical shape and have a stash of money to spend on stuff?

In any case, go slowly and ease into it. Don't plan on doing the Appilachian trail with the wrong equipment and few skills, it will become a bad memory. With the right equipment and a few basic skills, it can be the best of times!

Codger

Coldwood · Jul 10, 2006

Considering your admitted lack of experience, I would look for a friend or acquaintance who has real camping experience and team up with them for short trips, using their gear to see what you need and what you like. The boy scout manual is certainly a good source of information, otherwise there are probably hundreds of books out there on camping and wilderness survival. Given the popularity of weekend seminars, there may be an organization out there that teaches backpacking for individuals. Check out your local camping outfitters. Up here we have Gander Mountain. Be warned that there is so much camping gear and gadgets out there so as to drive you crazy in making choices. Good luck. Don Craig, Saranac, NY

akennedy73 · Jul 10, 2006

Simon Yu said:
Tents. I've helped to set up and disassemble these, but I don't actually have one myself. Advice on what to look for and avoid is welcome. So is advice for keeping my sleeping area free of bugs.

If you (like most of us) are buying camping gear on a budget, I recommend http://www.sierratradingpost.com/ as a great place to get discounts on high-quality camping gear. See what they have to offer, research reviews of the particular product (or at least the manufacturer), and you'll be able to afford high quality gear. Always buy the best you can afford. It's cheaper than buying the same product twice when you finally realize an inferior product isn't up to the job.

In tents, I personally look for one with a rain canopy that goes all the way to the ground. Splash-back from a heavy rain is enough to get you quite wet inside. Although a rain canopy that goes all the way to the ground restricts ventilation (and increases the chance of condensation inside the tent) I think it's a good trade-off versus a wet sleeping bag.

Sierra Trading Post tents often come without a footprint but you can easily cut one out of a blue tarp.

Simon Yu said:
Food. I'll be bringing along stuff to eat for these trips. I'm not really sure what yet. Advice on a convenient way to do this is welcome.

Lots of backpackers use the freeze-dried dehydrated food like Mountain House or Backpacker's Pantry. Boil water, pour it into the package, close and wait five minutes, and eat it right out of the package. See: http://www.sierratradingpost.com/product.aspx?baseno=98219

They're lightweight and convenient - but really high in sodium. So, if sodium is a health issue, I'd recommend something else. Like oatmeal, pasta, energy bars, etc.

Simon Yu said:
Fire. I've helped tend these but never had to start one or put one out by myself. I'm going to bring along a lighter for a quick way to start one, but I'm not so clear on how to set up the wood for it outside of looking for dry wood.

What everyone else said - redundancy. Bic Lighter, matches, swedish firesteel. Building a fire is pretty easy - tinder surrounded by a teepee of small twigs. Emphasis on small - the inner portion of your teepee should be constructed out of twigs with the diameter of a matchstick and then graduating outward to larger twigs.

Dryer lint makes great fire-starting tinder and will easily catch the sparks thrown by a firesteel. Make sure you get lint from a load of cotton clothes - otherwise you'll be burning toxic synthetic fibers.

Simon Yu said:
Water. I'm planning on bringing bottled water but stuff happens. I wouldn't mind advice on how to secure more water in the wilderness just in case or in preparation for future trips with less conveniences.

I recommend Mountain Safety Research Water filter which integrate with Nalgene bottles. http://www.msrcorp.com/filters/miniworks_ex.asp

I also recommend their stoves - http://www.msrcorp.com/stoves/whisper_intl.asp

For cookware I recommend: GSI Outdoors 1.25 Quart Hard Anodized Boiler

It's almost as light as titanium and a heckuva lot cheaper. Plus they stack on each other so you can warm one pot of water while you get the other one boiling. Tea with food is so civilized.

http://www.campmor.com/webapp/wcs/s...6&storeId=226&catalogId=40000000226&langId=-1

By the way, my latest most favorite item of camping gear - Orikaso!!

http://www.orikaso.com/bowl.html

akennedy73 · Jul 10, 2006

Simon Yu said:
Any other areas I haven't thought of are of course welcome. I do have friends with more experience I'll get advice from as well, but I wanted to pick the collective brain here too.

Almost forgot - if you don't have one already, get a waterproof, breathable jacket. (and pants if you can afford it). Gore-tex is the well known name in waterproof, breathable laminate technology but since the patent ran out there's lots of options besided just Gore-tex to choose from.

And, generally wear synthetic materials (polypropylene, nylon, polyester, etc.) when camping. Wet cotton (from rain or perspiration) takes forever to dry and wet clothes are a great recipe for hypothermia - as some people say, Cotton Kills.

Wool is ok too.

akennedy73 · Jul 10, 2006

Hang_them_later said:
Water:
I never carry water, it is too heavy for me. There are plenty of mountain streams with drinkable water I can use instead.

Yes, there are plenty of mountain streams with drinkable water. And there are also plenty of mountain streams that an animal defecated nearby some of which may be infected by the giardia parasite. Drink the water and you'll get the parasite in your own intestines. And you'll get the unique experience of vomiting and having diarrhea at the same time! :barf:

So, sure there are plenty of mountain streams you can drink from - I've drank from some of them myself. But there are also plenty of beaver, bears, moose and other wildlife near those streams. Everyone has the right to make their own choices but be informed and understand that the risk is real and giardia is real unpleasant.

http://www.cdc.gov/Ncidod/dpd/parasites/giardiasis/factsht_giardia.htm

kresky · Jul 10, 2006

I'm not sure if you're planning on hiking long distances or just camping relatively near a road. I wouldn't recomend going out into the backcoutry by yourself if you aren't entirely confident in your ability to make fire, use a map and compass, and set up a shelter. Things that are merely inconvenient in civilization can be deadly outside of it.
Not to put you off from it, lots of people go into the wilderness all the time and have no problems. I'd just recomend doing a practice run or two camping near your car to make sure you have you skills sorted out. On a mountain in the dark in an unexpected squall is not a good time to discover you're not sure how to set up your tent.

Suicycoprowler · Jul 10, 2006

Coldwood said:
Considering your admitted lack of experience, I would look for a friend or acquaintance who has real camping experience and team up with them for short trips, using their gear to see what you need and what you like. The boy scout manual is certainly a good source of information, otherwise there are probably hundreds of books out there on camping and wilderness survival.

This is excellent overall advice. First get camping experience for short weekend trips before going on the longer and more rugged trips. Tent camping close to a car (in a state or county park for instance) is much different than backpacking, however you can hone your skills by car camping. A backpacking tent by nature needs to be lighter, and in order to be light they are usually just big enough to sleep inside. A family tent will be heavier but will be bigger and usually have enough room for gear inside. Columbia makes good tents, but they are pricey. Kelty is a good mid-range brand of tents and they make all kinds.

Building fires is rather simple, but becoming good at it takes practice. The basics of a good fire is that it needs heat, oxygen, and fuel to be going. To build a fire you need to start off small with tinder, and gradually build up to larger pieces. The wood needs to be close enough so that the heat is intensified, but far enough apart so oxygen can reach it. Additionally, it helps to have a fire poker to rearrange the fire as it burns.

Food for tent camping from a car can be much closer to what you'd make yourself at home. Food for backpacking needs to be a lot lighter. Many outdoor outfitters will sell meals ready to eat where you just add boiling water. Some are better than others. If you happen to do a backpacking/fishing trip, you can catch what you eat.

Water is important, but is very heavy to carry, so you will need to find water wherever you can if you are backpacking. I'd recommend getting disenfectant tablets so that you do not get sick from any disease in the water. It doesn't taste the greatest, but at least it is safe.

You will find that you need other equipment in order to enjoy camping. Again if you are backpacking, you need to limit luxury items as you will be able to feel the weight of each ounce you carry.

Good luck had have fun.

pict · Jul 10, 2006

Simon,

Welcome to the wilderness. If you're up to doing some reading there are reams of info in the BF archives. Do a keyword search using the search feature for , tents, water, firemaking, firestarters, etc and you will come up with all sorts of stuff that has been kicked around here. Mac

sodak · Jul 10, 2006

Some good advice here. Check out www.equipped.org also. Do your research, and make notes on your first few trips of what works, what doesn't, what you were short, etc. Then you can learn from experience.

Thomas Linton · Jul 10, 2006

Simon Yu said:
. . .
Tents. I've helped to set up and disassemble these, but I don't actually have one myself. Advice on what to look for and avoid is welcome. So is advice for keeping my sleeping area free of bugs.

Sporting goods are like furniture and jewelry in this sense: there is a tremendous range of prices, and the seller bragging about low prices may actually offer the highest price -- even above MSR. So after you decide which of the many available tents fits your needs (in terms of size, weight, seasons, price range), shop around. Do a Google search. Sierra Traders, mentioned above, is a good place to look, as are the specials at Campmor. All else being equal, Eureka is a good value brand.

Try to check out some tents when they are set up to get a realistic idea about what the dimensions mean to you.

Google is also a good way to find reviews of gear by users. (Example: Eureka +tent + review or reviews)

As in most things, value is the objective. The cheapest is often relatively worthless.

Food. I'll be bringing along stuff to eat for these trips. I'm not really sure what yet. Advice on a convenient way to do this is welcome.

A great divide here. Are you backpacking or car camping? If the second, an insulated box of some sort (I find foam boxes on the curb, the leftovers from steaks shipped as gifts at Christmas. A friend makes his from nested cardboard boxes. And yes, I have Coleman and Thermos "coolers.") and some ice (or refreezable "ice" units) allow taking perishables for weekend outings. That means virtually no limit for menu.

If you're backpacking, books and magazines and the Internet have zillions (more than 1000's) of suggestions. The supermarket can supply all you need without recourse to expensive botique stuff.

Fire. I've helped tend these but never had to start one or put one out by myself. I'm going to bring along a lighter for a quick way to start one, but I'm not so clear on how to set up the wood for it outside of looking for dry wood.

Check out books and Internet (Scout handboooks are good as suggested.) The basic notion is that the match/butane lighter/hit spark heats the really tiny stuff (AKA "tinder"), which heats the tiny stuff, which heats the small stuff heats the larger stuff. At about 452F you get flammable gas. Presto! Fire. Putting out? Water until cool to the touch.

Water. I'm planning on bringing bottled water but stuff happens. I wouldn't mind advice on how to secure more water in the wilderness just in case or in preparation for future trips with less conveniences.

Comes down to commercial filters, chemicals, or boiling. The most common chemicals (chlorine/iodine), used as directed, kill almost all the badies. The filters (Check reviews.) get them all but generally weigh more than the chemicals. Boiling kills them all but takes time and fuel. Some really expensive chemicals get them all.

Good sleep in important. That means a cot and/or sleeping pad plus adequate insulation (sleeping bag/blanket). Maybe a pillow is critical for you.

Proper clothing/footwear for the climate and conditions is critical.

You will need light. A Coleman lantern plus a good LED flashlight should fill the bill.

A table and folding chair prevent squatting in the dirt. An old card table may serve.

Check threads here on personal survival kits (PSK's) for items you should not be without in the woods.

longbow50 · Jul 10, 2006

As was mentioned already, get yourself a Boy Scouts manual and read it a few times. Before heading into the wilderness with your new gear, practice with it. If you have a BBQ like the weber kettle, or smokey joe, practice making small fires. Fires are actually pretty easy to make. People burn down forests every year and have no clue how to light a fire, so learn and practice fire safety. If you aren't proficient with edged tools like knife or axe for outdoors type of chores, think safety first.

akabu · Jul 10, 2006

http://www.seascouts.ca/library/nonfict.htm
http://tions.net/CA256EA900408BD5/vwWWW/outdoor~03~000
http://www.equipped.com/psp/psp_survival_instructions_0204.pdf
http://digital.library.upenn.edu/books/
http://www.swampshack.com/
http://www.backpacking.net/makegear.html
http://www.animatedknots.com/
http://www.csun.edu/~mjurey/penny.html# doh! beer yummm

http://zenstoves.net/LinksGeneral-DIY.htm
http://www.hikingandbackpacking.com/
http://therucksack.tripod.com/
http://slackpacker.com/
http://www.wildwoodsurvival.com/index.html
http://poisonivy.aesir.com/
http://www.high-altitude-medicine.com/water.html
http://www.wildmed.com/wma_faid.html
http://www.adventuremedicalkits.com/
http://www.map-reading.com/intro.php
http://www.freezerbagcooking.com/index.htm
http://www.huntingfootage.com/showphoto.php?photo=377&cat=523
http://www.imrisk.com/
http://www.recreation.gov/

Ebbtide · Jul 11, 2006

I'll probably get alot of flak for this, but WTH.
Simon, go to a campground for your first couple of efforts.
Get to know your equipment and work on your skills.
When you and your tent can weather a thunderstorm downpour and remain dry, and you can consistantly start a fire, built with all natural materials with one paper match...you'll be getting there.
In the campground you should have plenty of water and a dry warm place (your car) to go incase that you mess up.
You will get a feel for your gear, see what works and what doesn't, before you are miles from the rest of the world.
Just because you are in the campground it doesn't mean you have to bring the boom box, lawn chairs and badmitten set.

Just my 2¢
YMMV

Kismet · Jul 11, 2006

Go to your backyard.

Borrow a small tent/bag/ground protection from someone.

Bring chili, crackers, tea/coffee, and bug goop.

One pan. One cup. One bottle of water.

Don't go back in the house until the next morning.

Evaluate.

What did you miss most? Could you sleep? What did you use for light?

repeat as necessary until you are ready to spend money.

Be well and safe.

Coldwood · Jul 11, 2006

Another thing, regarding dried food for backpacking. Cook some up in your home kitchen first to see how you like it before taking it into the woods. You may want to try another brand, or add spices. And there are a lot of common things you can find in the grocery store: candy, small boxes of raisins and other dried fruit and trail mix, beef jerky, Lipton soup mix, small bread rolls, tea and coffee bags. Even small amounts of vegetables. Don't get discouraged, camping is really a lot of fun

) Half the fun is using your ingenuity to see what you can get by with.

Simon Yu · Jul 12, 2006

Thanks for all the advice all. The plan is to just start with campgrounds in the state and not get too far away from my car, at most spending two nights both to account for relative inexperience and my schedule.

Geographically, the climate is temperate though it can get humid during the summer here. Things get cooler if you go out west in the state and the land becomes more hilly and mountainous, but I'm planning on sticking to the flatter regions of the state.

I'll be doing some reading and see if other questions come to mind. Thanks again.

A.W.U.K. · Jul 12, 2006

If you need a pillow to sleep, just take a pillowcase and put your spare clothes inside!

You can purify water, or boil it to make tea. Or if you find a tiny stream you can follow it uphill to the spring. Or if you're on a site, go to the tap...

When you put the tent up stretch the groundsheet out well and get the tent fairly taught, no wrinkles or sagging - though you probably know how to do that if you've camped with someone else. Still good to practice with a new tent in your garden though!

Andy