Gear Up For Camping Season: Get Serious

Is this the year you start camping seriously? When you head for the great outdoors every chance you get?

There’s extra incentive for camping in these tight economic times. Other than sponging off friends or relatives, there’s no cheaper way to enjoy time away from home than to camp out in a tent.

I can hear some of you saying “Whoa! What planet is this guy living on?!? Has he seen what camping gear costs?” Yes, some top-quality equipment can be absurdly expensive—and worth every penny. But it doesn’t have to be. More on this in a bit. . .

I get a kick out of the folks who drive a house-on-wheels-with-an-engine, to a paved parking spot with electric hookups and call it “camping.” Ditto for a trailer with all the amenities of home. There’s nothing wrong with it (if you can afford it), but if it has a TV and running water, it isn’t camping. When I talk about camping, I’m not even really including pop-up trailers or the big tents for car-camping. Again, there’s nothing wrong with it, except the fact that it ties you to developed campsites you can reach with a vehicle.

Camping, to me, means spending at least some of your time as far away from the sight and sound of other people and civilization as you can get. I want to be comfortable when I go camping, but I also want my camping gear to be portable. Sure it fits easily in the back of the Subaru wagon, but I can also carry everything I need for  comfort in my BOB trailer behind a solo or tandem bicycle, in a canoe or kayak, or on my own back in a backpack. Portable camping gear can really take you places.

Need another reason to get away from the roads? Many backwoods campsites are free. Most roadside camping spots aren’t.

There’s a wonderful stretch of camping weather coming up for the next month or so until the weather warms and the annoying hordes of blackflies and tourists come out. It’s really the perfect time of the year to sharpen your camping skills with some easy overnights (why settle for just one?), so you’re ready for the long summer and fall ahead.

If you are an experienced camper, it’s just a matter of getting the gear out, checking everything over and making a warm-up overnight Do it now, in April or early May, so you are really ready to jump in once the more traditional summer camping season begins.

If you are new to camping, the best place to begin is your own back yard or at a roadside camping area. There’s a learning curve in camping—very few people ever make it through their first few experiences without a story or two to laugh about later. You want to start someplace where it’s easy to retreat to  afe, warm and comfortable if (when) something goes wrong.

If you don’t have a backyard that’s big enough and private enough for camping, start, literally, in your living room, learning to set up and break down your gear, pack and unpack it efficiently. Practice starting your stove and preparing a meal, before hunger demands it.

Watch the weather and choose a dry spell for your first outing—rain makes camping more interesting and challenging unless you know what you are doing. But do it now. So you’re ready to get out  a lot when the summer comes. Life isn’t a spectator sport. Get out and enjoy!

Gear Up For Camping Season: The Bare Necessities

Human beings aren’t much different from other animals. We need water, food and shelter. Those are the essentials

When you think of it that way, a cheap tarp to keep the rain off, extra clothing and a warm blanket, some food you can eat without cooking, and a recycled bottle to carry water are all you really need.

I’ve camped that way in the past, and it’s how I got hooked on the sport. But I have to say, I prefer more comfort. For shelter, I like a lightweight, waterproof two-layer nylon tent with netting for ventilation and to keep the bugs out. I put a ground cloth (a piece of cheap plastic tarp) underneath the floor to minimize wear and tear.

Sleeping comfortably takes both a pad beneath you and a sleeping bag around you. Mummy style sleeping bags give you more warmth for less weight and bulk.

I believe warm food and morning tea are essentials for camping comfort. You can’t—or at least shouldn’t–always build a campfire, so a small backpacking stove is mandatory equipment.

And, unless you are content with car camping, you need a backpack, bike packs, canoe or kayak big enough to carry everything.

Of course there’s a lot more stuff you probably will eventually want to have. But these are the essentials to get you started and, hopefully, hooked on camping.

Gear Up For Camping Season: Borrow, Rent, or Buy Wisely

Now we get to the nitty-gritty. Price. It can cost a couple of thousand dollars to outfit yourself with a top quality tent, sleeping bag and pack, plus more for any accessories. Or, you can do it all for next to nothing. Ask around, chances are someone you know has gear you can borrow to get you started.

If you want good quality to start, but aren’t sure you want to buy, consider renting. EMS, and REI rent good equipment and will often apply the rental fee to later purchases.Finally, look around for used gear. Lots of people upgrade their equipment and their old gear is gathering dust. Check thrift and consign,net stores and on-line marketplaces.

Remember, the more you camp, the less your gear costs you per night out.