camping Equipment refresh/refurbish/inventory

[noelectricplease]

Is anyone else doing this? Mine seems to last only 10 years and then it's time to redo. This year is peg year - they tend to disappear and don't like the skimpy ones. Need to do some repairs on tent. Little stuff, thank heavens. got a new stove too - never could find a replacement valve for the old one. Working on the "covers" for the coolers -thank this site for the idea ! I have to use multiple small coolers because a full size full cooler is too hard to lift now. Might just go overnite real soon. Can't stay away. Need a decent rope too. Grandchildren seem to use all the rope in play all winter. Need "chip" clips for foods and all the ones I have seen are cutesie and not sufficient.
By - the - way, has any one on here done fish fry at camp?

[NYCgrrl]

Re: camping Equipment refresh/refurbish/inventory

Ten years sounds to be about right for much camping gear. My 8+ y/o sleeping tent decided it finally needed major maintenance last Fall and I threw it in the campground garbage because :a) it was wet. b) I was frustrated by the fact that it rained everyday of that trip c) it was better than kicking anyone I was camping with at the time...Oops! my witchy side is showing again.

Yeah well I lived to regret not doing the fix but oh well.

I use at least 3 coolers for 1 week or more trips (fridge, freezer, and beverages) and they all seem to need nothing more than a Fantastik washdown in and out annually plus a winter of baking soda deodorizing. For shorter trips I just use a cutting board as a divider for the freezer/ fridge cooler and bring a smaller collapsible cooler for beverages.

My Coleman white gas stove manufactured close to the time I was born that I bought via CL is still working fine which might be atributed to the time I spend detailing it in and out every winter. Keeps me from staring at new equipment during the non camping time, LOL.

I go to my local Staples/stationary store for inexpensive binder clips/chip closers. They sell them by the dozen or more and are reasonable enough that I no longer squawk when other people use them for different stuff year round. If you can find them in a light colour the grands can personalize 'em with indelible magic markers. No problems w/ kiddos and rope because they've no interest in entering the storage space. On the other hand they run rampant with my ribbon collection.

I'm planning to do my version of a fish fry this summer. It all revolves around a 2" high sided CI skillet. Let me find the technique and run it by you.

[NYCgrrl]

Re: camping Equipment refresh/refurbish/inventory

OK..........I looked at my notes and I'll be doing a convoluted method of shallow fish frying that you prolly wouldn't be interested in:D.

Did find this easier method but not sure if I'd use margarine (prolly a veggie oil instead) :

http://www.wikihow.com/Shallow-Fry-Battered-Fish

I pre cook my home/steak fries at home and heat them up on my Weber so the CI skillet can keep cooking fish.


If you want to bring a Dutch oven with you it's easy to deep fry the fish and/or taters.

Oh and for the slaw I just buy the bag of pre cut slaw in the refrigerated section of the supermarket and add my dressing at the campground.

Need an actual recipe? Just say so.

[craigthor]

Re: camping Equipment refresh/refurbish/inventory

As for pegs the best one's I have found for our use are the Snow Peak Solid Stakes in what ever size suits your fancy, we use a combination of 20cm and 30cm for the tipi.

[NYCgrrl]

Re: camping Equipment refresh/refurbish/inventory

As for pegs the best one's I have found for our use are the Snow Peak Solid Stakes in what ever size suits your fancy, we use a combination of 20cm and 30cm for the tipi.

Currently, I'm loving my MSR Groundhogs. Used to think the Coleman reflective plastic stakes were the bomb but that was before the notches started breaking of when the stakes were removed from the ground. The man doesn't like the Groundhogs because we spent "too much time" tying reflective paracord on them last year (which I now realise was kinda useless.....the tying I mean since the existing cord dinna need to be reflective since the guyline was. Oops). Keep in mind I'm car camping in an area I know the ground of well.

[craigthor]

Re: camping Equipment refresh/refurbish/inventory

Currently, I'm loving my MSR Groundhogs. Used to think the Coleman reflective plastic stakes were the bomb but that was before the notches started breaking of when the stakes were removed from the ground. The man doesn't like the Groundhogs because we spent "too much time" tying reflective paracord on them last year (which I now realise was kinda useless.....the tying I mean since the existing cord dinna need to be reflective since the guyline was. Oops). Keep in mind I'm car camping in an area I know the ground of well.

Yeah on our first trip with the Groundhogs this spring I destroyed 3 stakes right out off the start. Lots of hard rocky limestone under a few inches of dirt out on the trout streams. We only car camp now as well and it is soo much more enjoyable that way.

[MacGyver]

Re: camping Equipment refresh/refurbish/inventory

As always, I speak from a car camper's perspective, but I've found that landscape spikes and fender washers from hardware stores are damn near indestructible - and dirt cheap to replace in the unlikely event that one gets damaged beyond usability. Available in 6, 8, 10 and 12 inch sizes.

[Bigdog57]

Re: camping Equipment refresh/refurbish/inventory

I like the larger plastic stakes here in Florida, as the ground is soft and slimmer stakes pull right out.
But up in Alabama and Georgia the ground is firmer and rockier, so I use slimmer metal stakes. I destroyed a few plastic stakes there the first time I camped.

[a65hoosier]

Re: camping Equipment refresh/refurbish/inventory

10 years is a pretty good run for a piece of camping equipment depending on what it is, it's overall yearly usage amount, and maybe more importantly...how carefully it is used and how well it is maintained and stored away. I tend to do any fixes right away. Of course, some equipment can easily have a lifespan longer than 10 years. I have never lost a piece of camping equipment or left it behind....from my Boy Scout days, we still do a campsite walk-thru before leaving, catching anything that might have been left out on the ground (gah!) and picking up any trash/wrappers that missed the garbage or we find on-site. Except for the flattened grass where our tent was pitched, you'd never know we camped on the site the previous nights.

Some equipment I replace...not because it broke, but because my camping style has changed over the years and/or modern technology has improved the function/weight of a particular piece of gear. I still keep the older gear and loan it out to friends/family when needed. They know I will help them out. I also seem to be the guy when it comes to helping outfit the extended family for our annual camping family reunion. I've accumulated quite a bit of gear over 25+ years of camping-my shelves are full. Most of it I've bought, but I do have friends that have donated camping equipment to me...I get the "You're the camper and I thought you could use this." lol...some of it I do use, some of it goes on the "loan out" shelves.

My big Coleman white gas stove dates to 1952 (I have a second, smaller Coleman white gas model dated 1972). I haven't owned the older one the entire time (that's a bit before my birth), but the previous owner obviously meticulously maintained it. The one from 1972 I bought about 10 years ago...it was never used...I bought it new in the box from an estate sale. I follow the same routine as NYCgrrl with regular cleaning/maintenance and an annual take apart in the winter, fuel drain, oil the pump leather, etc. and do a wash & wax on the case. Both run strong-both built like tanks. For the annual reunion, I'll bring both white gas models plus a Coleman 2 burner propane stove we got as a wedding present-back in 1990 (that one has had a regulator replaced).

We still use a Coleman cooler that we bought new in 1995. Still works fine/looks great, but it has become our 2nd "go-to" cooler (beverages) since we upgraded to a Coleman Extreme a few years back. Insulation improvements from those employed 20 years ago dictated that upgrade. All coolers are cleaned and fully dried after every use. We put a sprinkling of baked powder in them for storage. I'm still waiting for my Dad to pass along the Coleman steel sided cooler we used camping when I was a kid back in the early 70's. He still uses it every summer and is not yet ready to pass it down. I drool nostalgically over it every time I visit and see it on his garage shelf. We joke about inheritance-"Nah, Dad, spend every dollar you've earned and saved-I don't want it. I just really want that cooler." lol Will I use it? Sure...just like I use from time to time my grandfather's Coleman white gas lanterns, my wife's grandmother's aluminum pots, my mom's CI skillet, etc. It's like we're taking a little part of them along with us on our campouts.

I just recently retired a tent that had given us almost 20 years of service. The rainfly finally deteriorated due to old age-discontinued model so no replacements were available-and having one custom built wasn't cost effective. Fiberglass poles and all nylon loops, etc. are fine. We were always careful in pitching it, used tarps underneath to protect the floor, found shady campsites whenever possible, cleaned & dried it every time after a trip, and stored it in a cool, dry environment. I think that was pretty good lifespan for a tent. I did not want to say goodbye, but it was time. Of course, I've had a couple of tents not even make it to 5 years old (same care, same treatment, same usage)...I consider those "junk" and believe I wasted my $$$ (my mistake-which bugs me).

Sleeping bags are aired out after every campout. We use liners to keep the inside clean and minimize the number of washings required (liners are easy to wash-bags are not and it is hard on the insulation). They are stored unrolled/uncompressed to maintain the loft of the insulation. Same thing for our Therm-a-rest self inflating pads-they are stored valve open and unrolled to maintain maximum expansion of the foam inside.

Speaking of stakes: Last year I purchased MSR groundhogs. So far, they have lived up to their tough reputation. However, I still have a very large quantity of heavy 10" nail type stakes that I use in areas that I know I are rocky. I've pounded those things into tree roots, rocks, etc and have never really bent one seriously, but they are soooo heavy to carry any distance.

Most equipment will last a long time if you are careful in using it, take the time to keep it clean and dry, provide maintenance when required, and store it properly and in a good environment (rodents will destroy fabrics, just as easily as mold/mildew will-keep it safe from those critters).

Have fun campers...choose your gear wisely, take good care of it and it will take good care of you.

Brian

[NYCgrrl]

Re: camping Equipment refresh/refurbish/inventory

I'm always pleasantly surprised that there are still some companies that stand by their products longterm.

When I took down my Kelty SunShade last year I found that one of the fiberglass poles was shredded to pieces due to high winds. Contacted the company this winter and with no prompting from me they agreed to send me another pole. No need for me to pay the shipping costs or inflated handling costs. Al I needed to do was send them an email w/ photo that detailed the damage done.

On the other hand, I'm done with Cabela's. Two of the plastic pieces that held my air mattress stand together broke and I wanted to buy new ones. I knew my warranty had passed so made it clear I wasn't trying to have them honor it; just needed a place to buy the parts or even the name of the part. What a hassle. They no longer carried the stand or had a record of me buying it. Ultimately I was accused of buying the bed in the second hand market (CL or Ebay) at best or just stealing it at worst. After buying several store brand lanterns with faulty on/off switches I decided it was time to vote with my pocketbook and stop buying from them. You cannot insult me, continually sell me flimsy goods and expect my patronage.

[MacGyver]

Re: camping Equipment refresh/refurbish/inventory

I like the larger plastic stakes here in Florida, as the ground is soft and slimmer stakes pull right out.

I pass these at Home Depot all the time and wish I could use them. They look plenty tough for soft or sandy soil but would snap in a second in the rock-ridden ground we have here.