Camping newbie

[ScoutTN]

Sort of. I haven't camped in 20 years and I did wilderness camping and hiking rather than the campground sort. But now we have a daughter in AHG and in a year or two ds will be in Cub scouts, so we are in for lots of camping as a family. 3x a year for sure.

 

I'm sure they'll give us a packing list, but I want the Hive's opinion. What gear do we really need? What is worth getting good quality and where can we cut corners? Mostly two night trips. Sometimes they cook as a troop, sometimes as families. TN fall and spring here, so no extreme weather. We can borrow stuff this time around, but I would like to begin acquiring things we will use a lot. We have sleeping bags.

[Susan in TN]

A good tent (or two).  For 5 people, you'll want an 8 person tent.  Dh and ds (the major backpacking scouts) HATE large tents and would rather have 2 smaller ones.  Don't forget the rain fly and ground tarp.

Get good sleeping mats and/or compact cots.

Flashlights that you can hang around your neck.

A good lantern to hang in your tent.

Glow sticks/necklaces for your kids to wear at night.  It gets really dark out camping and besides being fun for the kids to have, it helps you to be able to see them.  They also make good nightlights.

Camp chairs.

Large water jugs/dispenser to hold drinking water or washing water.

 

For cooking equipment, having good, long-handled/telescoping roasting forks will go a long way if you are allowed to have a campfire.  Buy more than you think you need and put your name or identifying label on them.  You can use them for the typical hot dogs and marshmallows, but also to roast veggies, make campfire biscuits, and all sorts of things.  A good sturdy pot for cooking and heating/boiling water with a carrying handle and lid.  A ladle.  A campfire adjustable grill or propane stove. OveGloves or other "fire-resistant" gloves for handling roasting sticks, cooking gear, and firewood around the campfire.

 

That's about all I can come up with right now.  You are so smart to be making a list now - I often see good (sometimes brand new) camping gear for sale cheap on Craigslist and at yard sales.

 

[ThatHomeschoolDad]

If there's an REI near you, they rent tents and (i think) other equipment. Renting before you buy means you can road test a tent and then buy one you know works for you.

[ScoutTN]

A good tent (or two). For 5 people, you'll want an 8 person tent. Dh and ds (the major backpacking scouts) HATE large tents and would rather have 2 smaller ones. Don't forget the rain fly and ground tarp.

Get good sleeping mats and/or compact cots.

Flashlights that you can hang around your neck.

A good lantern to hang in your tent.

Glow sticks/necklaces for your kids to wear at night. It gets really dark out camping and besides being fun for the kids to have, it helps you to be able to see them. They also make good nightlights.

Camp chairs.

Large water jugs/dispenser to hold drinking water or washing water.

 

For cooking equipment, having good, long-handled/telescoping roasting forks will go a long way if you are allowed to have a campfire. Buy more than you think you need and put your name or identifying label on them. You can use them for the typical hot dogs and marshmallows, but also to roast veggies, make campfire biscuits, and all sorts of things. A good sturdy pot for cooking and heating/boiling water with a carrying handle and lid. A ladle. A campfire adjustable grill or propane stove. OveGloves or other "fire-resistant" gloves for handling roasting sticks, cooking gear, and firewood around the campfire.

 

That's about all I can come up with right now. You are so smart to be making a list now - I often see good (sometimes brand new) camping gear for sale cheap on Craigslist and at yard sales.

 

 

Why do they prefer smaller tents? Dh has said the same thing.

Thanks for the great list!

Do tents come with a rain fly and ground cover or are the usually separate?

[Susan in TN]

Why do they prefer smaller tents? Dh has said the same thing.

Thanks for the great list!

Do tents come with a rain fly and ground cover or are the usually separate?

I believe His exact words were "big tents are useless". I think he feels that they are more trouble to set up, take down, and haul around than what they are worth. Smaller 4-5 person tents are usually designed to go up and down in a minute or two. I just HAVE to believe that there is a large tent out there that is easy to put up and take down without having to match weirdly sized polls that eventually trap you in a strangle hold of death. (Have you ever read Three Men in a Boat to Say Nothing of the Dog by Jerome K. Jerome? Do give it a try.)

 

Ground covers are usually purchased separately. Some tents will have exact footprints to match, but a good tarp works just as well. Most tents come with a rain fly but double check first.

[Vida Winter]

I agree about the two smaller tents. Large tents are difficult to put up and take down.

 

Thermarest sleeping pads are a good investment, consisting of a foam pad that can be inflated with a few puffs of air - more comfortable than most sleeping pads and they roll up tightly. Headlamps for hands-free lighting. As mentioned above, tarp(s). I would add a roll of good synthetic cord (clothesline + many uses), baby wipes, duct tape, pocket knife, can opener, cooler and dry food container (preferably with zipper or latch opening - otherwise the wildlife may help themselves to your food), lantern, small game(s) for evening play (we like Yahtzee), first aid kit, sunscreen & bug repellent, dish soap, lightweight cloth bags or stuff sacks to keep things organized. Each person should bring a pillow - pj's and other laundry can be stashed in the pillowcase. Hats.Toilet paper.

[KrissiK]

Thermarest to sleep on, for sure! Good camp stove. Lantern.  We generally just go overnight, so our food is minimal (hotdogs over the campfire, s'mores type of things) but one thing I always do for breakfast is pancakes. Get the Bisquick mix that you just add water to the bottle and shake, then pour on the griddle. My griddle is big enough to cover both burners, so I make my bacon at the same time as the pancakes and the bacon grease kind of fries up with the pancakes and it is....oh boy! Really good! Have fun!

[fdrinca]

OK, this isn't strictly a "need," but long marshmallow skewers, or you might have an experience like we did last year, when our youngest found great stick to use for marshmallow roasting...a big stick from a poison oak plant. They're great at spotting PO, except for when the leaves fall off. Never again are we hunting for sticks to roast - I'll bring my own. 

[AnneBlessedx4]

I keep a list on my computer and update it whenever we think of something to add.  I print it off when we are packing, then take it w us to add things to it.

 

We use an air mattress too, but have a battery operated air pump.   Love it. We have head lamps, lanterns, kids lanterns, etc.  LOTS of food.  Some card or dice games.  Extra clothes, including shoes. 

[bakpak]

Raincoats

[elfgivas]

Why do they prefer smaller tents? Dh has said the same thing.

Thanks for the great list!

Do tents come with a rain fly and ground cover or are the usually separate?

 

if you have ever seen a large tent in the wind, you wouldn't ask.  and its hard to get a light weight large tent.  two tents can be carried by two people.

 

we go with dome tents with at least three poles, preferably four, and latches to attach to poles, not sleeves.  (max. size 4 person) 

 

if you can get an rei credit card, you get points for every dollar you spend.  then at the end of the year, you have free points to buy things.

 

we haven't paid money for camping gear in years.  we put everything we can on the card, including phone bills, etc, to maximize what we have to spend.

 

i would spend money on good quality gear in the following order:

tent

sleeping bag (down)

back pack (our preference is for the light weight no frame packs.)

good quality foamy.

good pair of long johns.

 

everything else is just fun ;)

 

enjoy!

ann

[City Mouse]

My DH can put up our 6-8 person REI something tent by himself and it came in a nice backpack bag that even my overweight and out of shape self can carry without a problem, but you need a really, really good tent (thinking $350+) not a Walmart tent.

We have made it through severe rainstorms dry in our tent when other people have leaking/falling down tents.

 

You can skimp on most other things.

I prefer an air mattress over thermarest pads for family camping, but thermarest is worth every penny when backpacking. Little kids are usually okay with the cheep foam pads. Cheep sleeping bags can be supplemented with blankets you already have. I still use a sleeping bag that I bought on clearance when I was 16. It is not the lightest, but I don't backpack anymore.

 

WheN we did cub scouts, meals were a group thing so individual stoves, pans, cooking utensils were not needed. We only had to bring plates, cups, flatware for our family. You can buy fancy sets, but plastic dishes and mismatched flatware from a thrift store work great.

[aggieamy]

A pop-up camper is what I consider a necessity when camping.  :)  DH and I used to do a lot of tent camping but we've been caught in the rain too many times and we love fixing big meals and having a bunch of people with us.  Hence the camper.

 

I believe His exact words were "big tents are useless". I think he feels that they are more trouble to set up, take down, and haul around than what they are worth. Smaller 4-5 person tents are usually designed to go up and down in a minute or two. I just HAVE to believe that there is a large tent out there that is easy to put up and take down without having to match weirdly sized polls that eventually trap you in a strangle hold of death. (Have you ever read Three Men in a Boat to Say Nothing of the Dog by Jerome K. Jerome? Do give it a try.)

Ground covers are usually purchased separately. Some tents will have exact footprints to match, but a good tarp works just as well. Most tents come with a rain fly but double check first.

 

A must read before any camping trip!  Particularly if you happen to be going camping with a few London dandies.  

[EndOfOrdinary]

We are a family of long distance backpackers. Two years ago my seven year old and I walked fromMexico to Canada on the Pacific Crest Trail. Most all of our clothing has come from Goodwill. You don't need anything fancy. You only need to consider keeping kids warm, relatively dry, and not rubbed raw. Other than that, they will just have fun.

 

Of the stuff you need new, undies are the most important. Target's Champion line is great for beginning and cheap. UnderArmour do kids and adults quite well and the compression stuff you can purchase a good three to five sizes big and have the kids grow into them. Nike Pro is still the best we have found. You want the stretch, polyester kind with flat seams. Also you want them to have a wide waist band and come down to at least mid thigh while rising above the waist in the rear. This is for boys and girls regardless of what they normally wear.

 

Cotton pulls heat away from the body 32 times faster than no clothing at all. It is actually better to be naked in a rainstorm than wearing cotton. Cotton against the skin not only makes you cold, but it chafes. Chaffed, raw thighs and intimates suck! Sweating creates salt which stings on raw skin. Polyester stays warm when dry, wicks moisture, and dries super quickly. It also washes cleaner and doesn't hold odor like cotton. The mid thigh thing is for modesty as well as riding up. The rear rise is so that the backpack doesn't rub you raw in the small of your back as you walk and your shirt rises.

 

A HogBack by Henry Shires of TarpTent is the Cadillac of 4+ person family tents. It sets up in less than three minutes, can hold all your gear, and I guarantee you it weighs less than carrying two tents (it is almost the lightest thing on the market.). It comfortably held my 6'4" husband, our 50 lb Doberman, our 220 lb Mastiff, my 7 year old, and me, along with all our gear. It's footprint is large, we have taken it across the country on foot and through extreme wind storms without issue.

[Susan in TN]

A HogBack by Henry Shires of TarpTent is the Cadillac of 4+ person family tents. It sets up in less than three minutes, can hold all your gear, and I guarantee you it weighs less than carrying two tents (it is almost the lightest thing on the market.). It comfortably held my 6'4" husband, our 50 lb Doberman, our 220 lb Mastiff, my 7 year old, and me, along with all our gear. It's footprint is large, we have taken it across the country on foot and through extreme wind storms without issue.

That thing is awesome!

[momto10blessings]

We are a family of long distance backpackers. Two years ago my seven year old and I walked fromMexico to Canada on the Pacific Crest Trail. ue.

Are you kidding? That's awesome!

[momto10blessings]

I will add that we always bring 3 or 4 smaller tents and my boys ages 6 and up can set them up by themselves. We always bring old rugs to put in front of the tent doors to wipe feet and leave shoes plus a dustpan/broom to clean out tents.

[EndOfOrdinary]

Are you kidding? That's awesome!

 

We are doing the Appalachian Trail in two years and hope to walk across many countries in Europe before he is 21.  My husband is a public school teacher, so normally I go solo with my son.  My husband will meet up with us when he can.  It is some of the best time I have had with my son.

[ScoutTN]

Thanks for the suggestions! I have serious disc troubles so we won't be doing any real backpacking, just campground camping. A short, easy day hike means hours of sciatica and leg cramps that night for me. Your descriptions and lists have helped me to picture things better. I am a planner and have to think things through well ahead.

Since AHG plans all the activities, all I really have to do is manage our eating and sleeping arrangements. This is a regional camporee with 300+ people there. I suspect that the fall trips with just Dd's troop will be more fun for me.

[Susan in TN]

Thanks for the suggestions! I have serious disc troubles so we won't be doing any real backpacking, just campground camping. A short, easy day hike means hours of sciatica and leg cramps that night for me. Your descriptions and lists have helped me to picture things better. I am a planner and have to think things through well ahead.

.

With back problems, I would also bring a chair or stool to sit on in the tent - can be helpful in getting dressed.

[ScoutTN]

Yes, that is a good idea!