tent and sleeping bag recommendation

Texas_toothpick said:
I been using the Catoma Limbo 2. It's plenty large enough for me, momma and kiddo. (A 3 yr old) or me and any gear I take. My buddy has been suing a Coleman Maxx for several years.

Catoma Limbo 2 on the left, Coleman Maxx on the right. Both are pretty budget friendly, and not bad on pack weight. As for bags I don't see super cold weather so a cheapo bag does fine for me.
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Thanks--I'll look into them.
 
Don't know much about tents, if looking for a 3 season 4 man the kelty Yellowstone is good for money I believe, new for $115 shipped some places. Have used it plenty, keeps rain/bugs out, says it's 10 lbs but feels lighter than that. Got a real good deal on it on ebay, bought a different kelty model (can't remember which) that was around $200 new at auction around $120. As said they sent me the wrong one so I said give me a partial refund and I won't send it back on your dime so got it for around $60, needed a tent that next day so figured I give it a try since all parts looked there, took me a bit too figure out wrong model.:p Can't think of any cons. I use no name sleeping bags. In cali doubt you will need heavy duty bags.
 
Thanks Ulf; I bet you bring the infi too! Not sure if hanging a Busse on my belt is permitted... I'll definitely ask about that.
 
Aias said:
Lodd stated the obvious, and did so in a manner to suggest that parents don't know what they are doing. I didn't ask for an editorial on parents, not did I ask if I should ask the Cubmaster or not about gear. I asked about tents, sleeping bags, and gear.

Your points regarding clarification are well made and well taken, as was your advice. As for Lodd, I don't care to follow-up on that any further. I didn't see the excellence in his advice.
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You are currently getting non-specific advice because gear selection depends on a) where and how you're travelling and b) what gear the group has in common.

If you know these things, I recommend you clarify so we can give you better advice.

If you aren't sure, then Lodd was right. You should clarify with the troop master.

Two things about BladeForums. Its international in reach. Lodd is Dutch so you may be misreading his tone due to the fact he's not a native English speaker. His English is prolly better than your Dutch. Would be shame to miss his good advice due to that.

Second, there is a dedicated Outdoors forum. I recommend you ask the mods to move your thread there to get more eyes with the experience you seek.
 
Hey Pinnah,

Thanks for being so helpful... you're a real pal. I once thought this was a great forum--more and more, not. The general info was just fine--I can fine-tune things from there. Each camp ground is different, so scenarios change. Let me figure out that end, all I asked is for some tent advice. I'm very well traveled and understand things of an international nature. I don't need your editorials either. But thanks for setting me straight. How the hell do you know what my language skills are? And what do you care what has passed between Lodd and I? Who are you the polite police? The hurt feelings monitor? I tried to be cool with you, but that was not enough.

For all of you that offered your thoughts on the topic, thanks. Everything else was unnecessary.
 
I'd look into the Walmart offerings first and see if there's anything that suits your needs and before you spend a load of cash only to find out your kid doesn't like camping. You can always upgrade later.

The more the temperature drops the premium gear becomes worth every penny---spent 3 nights at Yellowstone this summer and froze my behind off---I brought only light summer gear and clothes thinking how cold can it be in the middle of July? There was rain frozen into ice on my tent one morning---if I go back, I'll be bringing my winter stuff.

Depending on where you're going--plan accordingly.
 
I can't offer a lot except I was a Scout once. Probably the most important part since you probably won't see less than 40 degrees in the desert is the ground pad. It needs to be insulating from the ground to stay warm. I wouldn't buy an expensive down bag and would go with synthetic fill too.

The tent will only be needed to block the wind and therefore buy something that is light and small enough to carry with a rain fly that is within your budget. Most of the tents are decent these days but if you buy from a good outfit like REI they will stand behind their stuff. Make sure you practice setting up the tent at least once before you go.

I don't have any specific brand recomendations, but if you go to, say an REI, they will help you pick out the right gear.
 
Just to add. I live in the Bay Area Nor Cal. Unless you are going to high altitude in the Fall or early Spring or expect to encounter heavy rain a light 3 season tent will work. If you buy a tent with a rain fly for extra rain protection you might be able to leave the fly in the car or at home. If this is for Cub Scouts and not Boy Scouts it will be a very easy trip... Asking the Scout Master is the right thing to do. Normally a Leader will print out (or email) a list of everything needed for the trip and the expected weather.

You will want to get your boy a pair of boots or shoes that have high sides to protect the ankles. Good non-cotton socks are important. He may need long johns if it expected to be cold at night. He'll need an appropriate jacket or shell preferably with a hood. If he is a Cub Scout he will not need to worry about cooking, they are too young to deal with heat. He will need a water bottle or canteen. If he is a Webelo they might be slightly more demanding. If he is a Boy Scout he will need more gear....including a pack, a mess kit, a knife, etc.

Parents checking with the leadership is totally expected and encouraged.
 
Since you asked about other gear too.

The MSR Pocketrocket is an amazing little stove---its mainly if you are using the pre-packaged freeze dried meals---which actually taste pretty good when you're tired and hungry----little to no cleanup other than your spork and the package the meal came in.

I also have a slick little Coleman lantern that uses the same fuel canisters--so you can have light at night without taking a bunch of fuel and burning up the batteries in your headlamp----not sure if they still make them but something to look into.

Another honorable mention is the Fiskers hatchet--less than $25 at Walmart----good for cutting firewood and the back is good for pounding in tent stakes.
 
omaha-beenglockin said:
I'd look into the Walmart offerings first and see if there's anything that suits your needs and before you spend a load of cash only to find out your kid doesn't like camping. You can always upgrade later.

The more the temperature drops the premium gear becomes worth every penny---spent 3 nights at Yellowstone this summer and froze my behind off---I brought only light summer gear and clothes thinking how cold can it be in the middle of July? There was rain frozen into ice on my tent one morning---if I go back, I'll be bringing my winter stuff.

Depending on where you're going--plan accordingly.
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When I was a kid we started out using used stuff or borrowed from friends. A sleeping bag and pad is a good investment however.
 
I've had excellent luck (so far) with an Eagle's Camp backpacking tent from Cabela's, which I think cost me $50 if that. I've had it out on two camping trips and am about to take it on a third, and its full-coverage rain fly did a great job through two pretty significant storms with only the factory waterproofing. I am going to apply some waterproofing spray before my upcoming trip, so as not to tempt fate too much. The model I use was advertised as a two-person tent, which is wishful thinking for two adults, but you and your Cub Scout should fit fine if you aren't going to need a lot of space for gear.

Of course, Eagle's Camp does offer bigger models, and I actually may give their one-man bivy tent a try this time around. But for your purposes, consider the possibility of spending more time in the tent than planned if the weather doesn't play nice, in which case a three- or four-person tent may be more practical, if a bit heavier. If you get more info about where specifically you'll be camping, you may want to include a tarp to protect the tent floor from rough ground, and sleeping pads of some kind.
 
Colin Fletcher's The Complete Walker is one of the best books on camping and hiking you can find. Your library may have a copy.
 
When I was in scouts, we did a lot of car camping- so weight/size wasn't so much of an issue and comfort/space tended to trump compact/lightweight... A lot of scout troops have used the Eureka Timberline tent for decades- it's great for car camping (not too expensive, durable, sturdy, but not so great for backpacking). An adult can not stand up in one though... As I got older and started backpacking on my own, then my gear started getting smaller/lighter (and more expensive). Depends on what kind of program your local pack (and troop as your kids get older) runs though...

I have found that backpacker magazines annual "gear guide" is a great resource for the lighter weight stuff and even some car camping gear. The people at REI are hit or miss (sometimes you get a very knowledgeable person, sometimes not). If you're car camping though, then even Walmart level gear will probably suffice since the car is never more than a couple hundred yards away in the event of any emergencies... It's just like knives- skill always trumps gear!

Not sure if the hostility is warranted... This place can get to be tiresome with all the rule/procedure "pointer-outers" and holier than though behavior from some members at times, but I didn't get that from any posters in this thread. There's always "personality" in these threads, but seems like everyone genuinely wants you/your kids have a good time (what it's supposed to be about).
 
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