Let's Talk Outdoor Camping Tips, Tricks, Hacks

[SUPAREE]

I keep gloves in the Jeep too. But typically only use them in recovery type scenarios.

I also carry a sawzaw with 12 in blades that cut wood and metal. It is great for cutting up firewood and clearing trails. I used to carry a chain saw, but the sawzaw does not require fuel or bar oil. Plus the sawzaw runs longer on a battery. I also say don't skimp on camp chairs. Buy something that is comfortable yet easy to pack.

I do not spend big money on camp lights. I buy cheap LED lights that are rechargeable. If I lose them, no big deal. If I break them, no big deal.

For cooking, If I only bring one thing, I bring a Skottle. You can cook for many people, and cook just about anything. You can fry with it, bake with it and grill with it or use it like a skillet.

You can cook parts of the meal, then push the food to the outside of the shuttle and finish cooking other things in the middle. The food on the outside edge will stay warm while you finish off cooking other stuff.

You are the must for camping. Lol

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[SUPAREE]

I use a Dollar store windshield sunshade to line my chair while sitting by the fire on chilly nights, reflects a lot of heat back into the body.

Cool. I am not good at coocking. But this one, I think I can try it on my next camping.

 

[Dyolfknip74]

Cool. I am not good at coocking. But this one, I think I can try it on my next camping.

Youre not good at what?

 

[WreckEm711]

Way late to the party on this, and some of it is very fundamental, but I try not to take the fundamentals for granted when someone may read these things just getting into it and not know what's fundamental until they've learned the hard way:

• Always pre-chill ice chests.
• Freeze some (not all) water bottles before putting them in the ice chest to aid with cooling, and as they melt you have more water.
• As the incomparable wibornz mentioned, landscape screws or an equivalent drill-in anchor option are far superior to tent stakes, just take your drill and it makes setup really quick with significantly more stability in windy conditions.
• Get/make yourself an insulated pouch for freeze dried meals. Helps them rehydrate much more completely and keeps them nice and warm while eating when it's chilly out.
• Get a cheap clip on rechargeable fan to go with your propane heater. Mr Buddy heaters heat really well but it all goes straight up. With the fan circulating the heat you can keep your heater on a MUCH lower setting to maintain comfort in the tent and preserve propane.
• It doesn't matter how experienced you are, make a dang checklist for your gear and supplies and check it carefully. I inevitably forget something important when I think I've got it all figured out and don't need it anymore.
• Electric handwarmers are great in pockets on hikes and for pre-heating the footwell of a sleeping bag before bed. Never been a fan of boiling water for a bottle, not risking leakage and a wet bag in life threatening temps. (As a bonus, they make good emergency phone chargers!)
• Get wool everything. Doesn't just have to be for the cold, they make lighter wool gear for warm months too. Great for moisture wicking and odor prevention over multi-day stretches.
• Buy multipurpose gear so that you don't have to worry about packing and dealing with a million pieces of equipment. The less crap you have to worry about, the more you can focus on the experience itself.
• Don't forget to consider the elevation of where you're sleeping compared to the surrounding area when it comes to temperatures. Valleys and low-lying areas get MUCH colder than weather service temps for the area indicate, and I've seen unprepared campers on several trips leave cold and unhappy in the middle of the night as a result.
• Bring a hatchet to make kindling. In many state parks you're not allowed to harvest firewood or bring outside wood, and you're at the mercy of using the massive logs they sell at the ranger's stations which can be too big to get a fire started.

That's all I can think of for now!

OH WAIT! If you've got littles, get them into it early. Some kids you can just throw out there and they take to it, but others need to be eased in to make it a positive first experience they look forward to repeating.

• Set up a tent in their room so they get used to the idea of sleeping in it with you.
• Then, move it to the backyard so they get used to sleeping outside.
• Then, move it to the great outdoors and make lifelong memories.

 

[flick2614]

OH WAIT! If you've got littles, get them into it early. Some kids you can just throw out there and they take to it, but others need to be eased in to make it a positive first experience they look forward to repeating.

• Set up a tent in their room so they get used to the idea of sleeping in it with you.
• Then, move it to the backyard so they get used to sleeping outside.
• Then, move it to the great outdoors and make lifelong memories.

Love the kiddo advice. I was thrown a sleeping bag and told to find a comfy spot in the dirt. Somehow it was always my turn on bear watch.

 

[wibornz]

Love the kiddo advice. I was thrown a sleeping bag and told to find a comfy spot in the dirt. Somehow it was always my turn on bear watch.

You spelled bear bait wrong.

 

[wibornz]

I pre cool my Jeep fridge prior to loading it. I also put frozen water bottles in my fridge. It reduces the engird consumption of the fridge.

I always use a fire starter so I can get bigger pieces of wood to burn sooner. Easy to pack and work great.



I also use a Wolfbox Super Power Turbofan to feed oxygen to the base of the fire.

I use it to blow out the dust from the Jeep, and camper. I also use it to clean snow off our vehicles instead of using a broom.

 

[Heimkehr]

If you've got littles, get them into it early. Some kids you can just throw out there and they take to it, but others need to be eased in to make it a positive first experience they look forward to repeating.

• Set up a tent in their room so they get used to the idea of sleeping in it with you.
• Then, move it to the backyard so they get used to sleeping outside.
• Then, move it to the great outdoors and make lifelong memories.

+10.

A few years ago, at one of our annual camp-and-ride weekends, we convinced a couple with unprepared young children of the wisdom of their packing up early and leaving. After briefing them on how a second night of lost sleep would go for not just us but also them, they got the message.

 

[WreckEm711]

+10.

A few years ago, at one of our annual camp-and-ride weekends, we convinced a couple with unprepared young children of the wisdom of their packing up early and leaving. After briefing them on how a second night of lost sleep would go for not just us but also them, they got the message.

GREAT point on needing to be willing to bail early with kids if things aren't going well. We did this two trips in a row early on not because things were going poorly, but because she just didn't have multi-day trips in her yet because all of the hiking and stuff tuckered her out, so she wasn't ready for the second night and third day until later.

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