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  • Camping Tips

    I have camped most of my life. Everything from Boy Scouts and backpacking to trailer camping and car camping (what I mostly do now). I have learned some things along the way. I think it would be a good idea to make a list of tips for all to see to make our experience better. Also if you have ever googled camping tips or camping hacks you get a regurgitated list and many ideas are just plain dumb. So I say lets get a list together with useful tips.

    Welding gloves for use around the campfire (you can get them real cheap at Harbor Freight).

    2) Battery operated lanterns are the best way to go. The propane (or white gas) lanterns are loud, large, and attract to many bugs. A decent camp lantern can be had for $20. You can get several and still be less bulky. Also you don't need to light up your campsite like a football stadium. A little bit goes a long way.

    3) Multiple coolers instead of one giant cooler. This allows you to organize things better and keep the cold longer. Maybe have a beverage cooler and a food cooler. On long trips I do a long term "freezer" cooler with stuff I will use on the last 1/2 of trip. That way I never need to open the cooler until later saving the ice.

    4) Freeze plastic containers of ice (used milk cartons or fruit juice containers or gatorade bottles). Ice will keep longer and everything less soggy. I prefer not to use gallon containers. To bulky and it does not seem to cool as well as multiple 1/2 gallon containers. If and when it does melt you can drink the water and still put cubed ice inside.

    5) Preparing food ahead of time (before you leave) is a very understated thing to do. This can leave you with less dishes and more time for nothing

    6) I avoid plastic food storage containers. They are bulky and take up a lot of room. Plus you need to clean them and still store them until you get home. Plastic bags or disposable container are better.

    7) I use some cheap tie down straps to secure my tablecloth to the picnic table. One on each end prevents the table cloth from sliding or blowing away. (one again can be had for on the cheap at Harbor Freight). The size is greatly adjustable for any picnic table size.

    8) Expensive coolers….WHY? I know they look nice and are made better but do you really want to leave a $400 cooler laying around your campsite while you are out? They are proven to only keep things cooler for only a little bit longer. Not nearly enough to justify the price.

    9) The foam interlocking floor tiles for your tent floor. These things are bulky but hugely worth it to me. You can cut to size for any tent. Not only do they keep things softer for sleeping and kids playing but they also keep you warmer at night. They also extend the life of your tent floor.

    10) I have gone the extra mile to reduce “bags”. What I mean by this is everything has a bag. Not everything needs a bag. For example my camp chairs do not need a bag. My tent is in a large duffle and the tent poles do not have there own bag (only the tent stakes). The less bags the less things to unpack when setting up and repack when leaving. Plus less to store while camped. I do store things at home in there bags (that is where things usually get the brunt of damage ironically).

    11) Water container need not be to big. The five gallon containers are very heavy and bulky when full. Makes it hard to move and not everyone is strong enough to move it. Of course you do not need to fill it all the way up but they are bulky to transport if not using it to full capacity. I recommend the 2 gallon size. Unless you have a large group and go through lots of water quickly.

    Of course with any of these your mileage may vary.

  • #2
    Re: Camping Tips

    Appreciate the tips, CF. As for coolers, currently I use a styrofoam minner pail. Keeps a 6-pack plus enough food for a weekender (also any minners I catch).
    2018: Any way the wind blows; doesn't really matter to me....Too Meee....

    Comment


    • #3
      Re: Camping Tips

      Originally posted by Camp Fodder View Post
      I have camped most of my life. Everything from Boy Scouts and backpacking to trailer camping and car camping (what I mostly do now). I have learned some things along the way. I think it would be a good idea to make a list of tips for all to see to make our experience better. Also if you have ever googled camping tips or camping hacks you get a regurgitated list and many ideas are just plain dumb. So I say lets get a list together with useful tips.

      Welding gloves for use around the campfire (you can get them real cheap at Harbor Freight). Agreed 110%

      2) Battery operated lanterns are the best way to go. The propane (or white gas) lanterns are loud, large, and attract to many bugs. A decent camp lantern can be had for $20. You can get several and still be less bulky. Also you don't need to light up your campsite like a football stadium. A little bit goes a long way. Since space and safety in usage is a major consideration for me I opt for battery operated lights by SnowPeak. One style can can even draw electricity from a USB port.

      3) Multiple coolers instead of one giant cooler. This allows you to organize things better and keep the cold longer. Maybe have a beverage cooler and a food cooler. On long trips I do a long term "freezer" cooler with stuff I will use on the last 1/2 of trip. That way I never need to open the cooler until later saving the ice. On long trips (1 week or more) I also opt for 3 coolers. 2 of them are about 50 qts and used for freezer and refrigerator. The drink cooler is probably about 35 qts.

      4) Freeze plastic containers of ice (used milk cartons or fruit juice containers or gatorade bottles). Ice will keep longer and everything less soggy. I prefer not to use gallon containers. To bulky and it does not seem to cool as well as multiple 1/2 gallon containers. If and when it does melt you can drink the water and still put cubed ice inside. My fav plastic containers for block ice are the 1/2 gal Ocenspray juice bottles since they are almost a perfect rectangle and have no extruding handle.

      5) Preparing food ahead of time (before you leave) is a very understated thing to do. This can leave you with less dishes and more time for nothing. Hulloooooo.

      6) I avoid plastic food storage containers. They are bulky and take up a lot of room. Plus you need to clean them and still store them until you get home. Plastic bags or disposable container are better. For me, some dishes are better in plastic containers whilst others are best in one use foil containers for my sight. Other items that are served on multiple occasions (like side dishes) tend to be stored in ZipLoc bags for me. I also find that all containers of whatever material fit best with little air space when they are rectangular or square in shape.

      7) I use some cheap tie down straps to secure my tablecloth to the picnic table. One on each end prevents the table cloth from sliding or blowing away. (one again can be had for on the cheap at Harbor Freight). The size is greatly adjustable for any picnic table size. Bookbinders are useful at the campsite whether used to hang items to dry, secure a tablecloth or keep napkins from flying away. Lots more uses for em as well. Still for the cost and lightweight I tend to use Coughlan's tablecloth clamps... more adjustable than the Coleman variety.

      8) Expensive coolers….WHY? I know they look nice and are made better but do you really want to leave a $400 cooler laying around your campsite while you are out? They are proven to only keep things cooler for only a little bit longer. Not nearly enough to justify the price. Someday I might just get one of those expensive coolers and put it through it's paces. Saving cost of constant ice runs might just be the ticket.

      9) The foam interlocking floor tiles for your tent floor. These things are bulky but hugely worth it to me. You can cut to size for any tent. Not only do they keep things softer for sleeping and kids playing but they also keep you warmer at night. They also extend the life of your tent floor.Again, conserving space is a big consideration for me so a foldable plastic rug takes up less space in the car as well as storage locker.

      10) I have gone the extra mile to reduce “bags”. What I mean by this is everything has a bag. Not everything needs a bag. For example my camp chairs do not need a bag. My tent is in a large duffle and the tent poles do not have there own bag (only the tent stakes). The less bags the less things to unpack when setting up and repack when leaving. Plus less to store while camped. I do store things at home in there bags (that is where things usually get the brunt of damage ironically). I still keep my bags since I can more readily sneak a bagged chair under a seat w/o snagging onto anything. The trick is to remember to remove it in a rental car, LOL

      11) Water container need not be to big. The five gallon containers are very heavy and bulky when full. Makes it hard to move and not everyone is strong enough to move it. Of course you do not need to fill it all the way up but they are bulky to transport if not using it to full capacity. I recommend the 2 gallon size. Unless you have a large group and go through lots of water quickly. Wise thunk IMO as well

      Of course with any of these your mileage may vary.
      Great list!
      2017:

      July 3 to July 16- annual kiddo trip
      Aug 2 to Aug 14- adult trip to recover from kiddos' outing. Bring on the Campari!



      Comment


      • #4
        Re: Camping Tips

        everyones camping will vary
        my background is mostly minimal solo camping,
        only recently have i been revamping to more group type camping

        for lanterns i have been switching to solar powered, no more lugging around my heavy 4d battery powered lantern,
        big fan of solar powered,
        coolers i have little experience with, except for a couple i have for road trips
        if $400 cooler works, good for them, so far i have not seen a cracked yeti or a yeti with broken hinges, havent seen a broken expensive cooler in the trash
        $400 is out of my budget, but for others could be well worth it i wont judge
        for ice, proper cooler packing helps, seperate cooler for heavily used items like beer, soda, water, etc,,, that gets lots of use, not a big deal if you run out of ice and end up with warm drinks, big deal if your meats/foods warm up
        also put ice on top of cooler, warm air rises, cold air drops,
        storage containers, good tight lids!!!, regardless of what is used, bags, double bag it,
        for foam squares in the tent, i have switched to using underlayment pad under the tent instead of inside the tent, works as a pad, also as a ground cloth, eliminates the need for a ground cloth,
        i have additional woodflooring underlayment with r2 value that i will be cutting to size for all my tents,
        water container depends on location, if water source is far, both have pros and cons, larger container means fewer trips , also a cart for hauling water to/from camp is helpful,
        if your bringing a loaded water container in the car it should be of good quality , reusing store bought water 2 gallon containers do not transport well and will most likely leak

        Comment


        • #5
          Re: Camping Tips

          Warning; old geezer opinions follow...

          Welding gloves ; OK if you have the room, old leather winter gloves also work (if you don't mind a bit of heat damage).

          Battery powered lanterns; if you must have a lantern they are OK, I use LED bulbs run by a deep discharge battery (think the LED lantern is still in long term storage (shed), though).
          Bugs are normally not a problem at altitude (~10K feet)

          Multiple coolers: tried it and they can be a bit better than one low quality cooler, and I can see several mid to high quality coolers being better than one giant cooler (if it is too heavy for me to lift, loaded (I don't buy it).
          ...Just checked the 30 Qt. Pelican cooler; It still has ice cubes in it from 6 days ago... I am sold on high quality coolers! (but not on rubber latches).

          If you want long lasting ice get it by the block (cubes melt much faster).

          Make your won ice (works if you have the freezer space)...

          Plastic is better than glass.

          Prep food ahead of time; Agreed (even partial prep/prepackaging ingredients helps).

          Tie down table cloths (What table? What cloth? I thought we were camping...).

          Expensive coolers maybe not; I am sold on high quality coolers though.

          Interlocking foam floor tiles; tried it too bulky, for me I use a roll of carpet to cover the exposed tent floor.

          Bag appropriately; Agreed... use Velcro straps for some things like carpet and foam mattress pads.

          5 gallon/20 liter, Water (and gasoline containers); 5 gallons at a time is heavy but they can extend your off road range and out door time (especially in the desert)... for quickie, non-desert, weekenders I use a 10 liter plastic or metal water containers and don't bring extra gasoline.

          There are so many camping variations that one list cannot fit everyone all the time, use what works best for you! (Feel free to ignore geezer opinions; no harm done).

          Enjoy!
          Last edited by Happy Joe; 06-07-2017, 11:40 AM.
          2006 Jeep Rubicon, TJ; 4.11 gears, 31" tires, 4:1 transfer case, lockers in both axles
          For DD & "civilized" camping; 2003 Ford explorer sport, 4wd; ARB & torsen diffs, 4.10 gears, 32" MTs.
          Ground tents work best for me, so far.
          Experience along with properly set up 4WD will get you to & through places (on existing, approved 4WD trails) that 4WD, alone, can't get to.

          Comment


          • #6
            Re: Camping Tips

            Well, my list is very simple:

            Take the clipper. 40gallons fresh water; seats; nice flooring; no ice needed; no special containers for food; room to store everything (including extra batteries for the lanterns).
            “One could not be a successful scientist without realizing that, in contrast to the popular conception supported by newspapers and mothers of scientists, a goodly number of scientists are not only narrow-minded and dull, but also just stupid.” - James D. Watson

            Comment


            • #7
              Re: Camping Tips

              Originally posted by Camp Fodder View Post
              I have camped most of my life. Everything from Boy Scouts and backpacking to trailer camping and car camping (what I mostly do now). I have learned some things along the way. I think it would be a good idea to make a list of tips for all to see to make our experience better. Also if you have ever googled camping tips or camping hacks you get a regurgitated list and many ideas are just plain dumb. So I say lets get a list together with useful tips.

              Welding gloves for use around the campfire (you can get them real cheap at Harbor Freight).
              We use Ove Gloves,light weight and takes up less space.

              2) Battery operated lanterns are the best way to go. The propane (or white gas) lanterns are loud, large, and attract to many bugs. A decent camp lantern can be had for $20. You can get several and still be less bulky. Also you don't need to light up your campsite like a football stadium. A little bit goes a long way
              To conserve space we use small rechargeable solar lanterns and head lamps.

              3) Multiple coolers instead of one giant cooler. This allows you to organize things better and keep the cold longer. Maybe have a beverage cooler and a food cooler. On long trips I do a long term "freezer" cooler with stuff I will use on the last 1/2 of trip. That way I never need to open the cooler until later saving the ice.
              I can't see spending a mint in a cooler, we have one small cooler for drinks and have started making our own freeze dried meals and using shelf stable foods. This gives more time for fun and relaxing and conserves space, we can go longer without needing ice.

              4) Freeze plastic containers of ice (used milk cartons or fruit juice containers or gatorade bottles). Ice will keep longer and everything less soggy. I prefer not to use gallon containers. To bulky and it does not seem to cool as well as multiple 1/2 gallon containers. If and when it does melt you can drink the water and still put cubed ice inside.
              Agree

              5) Preparing food ahead of time (before you leave) is a very understated thing to do. This can leave you with less dishes and more time for nothing
              So true, less fuss and more time to enjoy the outdoors.

              6) I avoid plastic food storage containers. They are bulky and take up a lot of room. Plus you need to clean them and still store them until you get home. Plastic bags or disposable container are better.
              I use BPA free bags for food storage.i

              7) I use some cheap tie down straps to secure my tablecloth to the picnic table. One on each end prevents the table cloth from sliding or blowing away. (one again can be had for on the cheap at Harbor Freight). The size is greatly adjustable for any picnic table size.
              I started using bungee traps if using a table cloth. Most of the time I use extra large bandannas as place mats. They take up almost no room.

              8) Expensive coolers….WHY? I know they look nice and are made better but do you really want to leave a $400 cooler laying around your campsite while you are out? They are proven to only keep things cooler for only a little bit longer. Not nearly enough to justify the price.

              9) The foam interlocking floor tiles for your tent floor. These things are bulky but hugely worth it to me. You can cut to size for any tent. Not only do they keep things softer for sleeping and kids playing but they also keep you warmer at night. They also extend the life of your tent floor.
              Nothing on the floor of the tent unless the dog is with us. Then we have a light weight rug to protect the tent from her nails. We don't spent much time in the tent so I don't see taking anything not really needed. I do have a rug made from shade cloth for outside the tent.

              10) I have gone the extra mile to reduce “bags”. What I mean by this is everything has a bag. Not everything needs a bag. For example my camp chairs do not need a bag. My tent is in a large duffle and the tent poles do not have there own bag (only the tent stakes). The less bags the less things to unpack when setting up and repack when leaving. Plus less to store while camped. I do store things at home in there bags (that is where things usually get the brunt of damage ironically)
              I use bags. They all go in the tent bag when using the stuff that goes in the an in the car.

              11) Water container need not be to big. The five gallon containers are very heavy and bulky when full. Makes it hard to move and not everyone is strong enough to move it. Of course you do not need to fill it all the way up but they are bulky to transport if not using it to full capacity. I recommend the 2 gallon size. Unless you have a large group and go through lots of water quickly.
              I also like the smaller water jugs. They fit in the car better and are much easier to carry.


              Of course with any of these your mileage may vary.
              We have a small car so reducing stuff and spending minimal time setting up and tearing down is priority for us.

              Comment


              • #8
                Re: Camping Tips

                Very insightful tips for an amateur camper like me. Thanks for sharing!

                Comment

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