just getting started

[bowelder]

my children are now old enough to really get started camping. I'm starting from scratch. I have to purchase ALL necessary gear to get started. I've been searching and reading on the internet about gear. I know that i'll need a 4 person tent. I will surely spend the money to get a good quality one. Any suggestions would be welcome.

My main question right now is, what do 4 people sleep on when all camping together in a 4 person tent?

I have a queen air mattress, but it is not big enough. Should i look into buying the roll up mats for the whole family or should i look at a bigger air mattress?

[Bigdog57]

You'll get some answers from the peanut gallery on the mattress/pad question (which I will skip for now) but I would suggest using a six-man tent for four campers - you will appreciate the extra space. If space and weight are not a premium, a two-room tent might be even better.

[tplife]

BigDog is right-on about recommending a 6-man tent. This will provide space for 4 with move around/store stuff room that a 4-man won't. I'd try to stay with a tent no larger than a 10X10 footprint so your tent won't be larger than its pole design for wind and rain integrity. If you stick with tents that have a full or almost-full length rainfly, you're likely to enjoy dry camping and have some room fore and aft. If you need more room that that, 2 smaller tents would work just as well. If you plan on doing your camping in the warmest summer months, air mattresses are better than nothing. If you are thinking about camping when temperatures moderate between 30 and 50-degrees F, you're better off buying self-inflating sleeping pads by ThermaRest or one of the knockoffs. Air mattresses, like cots, are not intended for use in unheated enclosures. If you don't need to get your tent and gear right away, some time spent on Ebay would be time well spent indeed. I've bought 3 tents and 2 sleeping bags and 2 white gas lanterns there new-in-the-box for 60% off retail.

[Rob22315]

My experience is a queen sized air mattress won't hold more than three people unless the kids are still really small.

With kids, my preference is for the wife and I to use a two person bag setup - we use one bag zippered across two pads with a special sheet made to secure the bag to the pads. The one we have isn't made any more but I just saw something similar in the new Cabela's catalog - a sleeping bag set up to hold two. This will take just enough floor space for two people. The kids get their own pad/bag each to sleep on. There's still enough room for some gear.

The queen sized air mattress takes up too much floor space for three people leaving everything else bunched in around it but won't hold 4 so the fourth person and the gear has to fit in awkwardly around the small floor area not hogged by the mattress.

[bowelder]

keep it coming guys. I'm trying to get a necessities list together. What are some of the things you would not go camping without, and when and why do you use them?

the more i can hear from you guys the more prepared i'll be when i go. I know that the first few times with the wife and kids needs to be "fun" camping with electricity and in a park with activities. once i get them hooked, i'll move more towards primitive.

I guess what i'm saying is, help me with a short list of necessary items for car/tent camping with family


thanks

[renodesertfox]

Here a list to get you started, the why of each item listed is for you to figure out when you decide not to take something! Everyone camps differently, what is good for one may not be good for the other, but this is just a starter list! You'd be surprised at what I take camping with us! Good luck!

The Basic Camping Gear Checklist (for a weekend outing):

• Sleeping bag
• Sleeping mattress(pad)
• Tent
• Food
• Water
• Pocketknife
• First aid kit
• Flashlight
• 50-foot lengths of rope or nylon parachute cord (in bear country)
• Waterproof matches and a butane cigarette lighter
• Camp stove
• Appropriate clothes
• Insect repellent
• Sunscreen
• Topographical map of area
• Compass
• Whistle
• Toilet paper
• Hammer
• 4" long nails
• Vise grips
• pliers
• screwdrivers
• wood saw
• Headlamps

General Camp Clothing Checklist

• Chamois shirt
• Hat, bandana, or duck-billed cap
• Head netting (can be included as part of cap, above)
• Hiking boots
• Synthetic, wool, or silk long underwear
• Quick-drying synthetic pants
• Rainwear
• Running shoes or sandals
• Shorts (lightweight synthetics can double as bathing suit)
• T-shirts
• Waterproof utility bag for clothes
• Windproof jacket
• Hiking socks

Personal Effects Checklist

• Backpack
• Compass
• Extra flashlight batteries
• Extra pair of glasses or contact lenses (with solutions)
• Full-size knife
• Garbage bags
• Matches
• Self-sealing sandwich bags
• Sunglasses
• Water container (canteen)
• Water purifier

Kitchen Checklist

• Biodegradable dishwashing detergent (optional)
• Extra stove fuel
• Fireplace grill
• Food
• Pots and pans
• Spatula
• Water carrier

Personal Hygiene Checklist

• Comb or hairbrush
• Dental floss
• Gardening trowel (for burying waste if privies are not available)
• Towelettes
• Nail clipper
• Shaving supplies
• Soap
• Toilet paper
• Towel
• Washcloth
• This will just get you started! Welcome to the great world of campin! Other campateers and yourself can add or subtract as ya see fit! Remember pard: Every campout is just practice for the next one. Start your own list, don't think you're smarter than not making a list. Try not making a list and see who gets the blame for not bringing what-ever! :eek:

[Bigdog57]

I would add - plenty of zip-lock bags. WallyMart has packages of various sizes, up to big enough for jackets, blankets, etc. They are HEAVY duty.
One thing I learned early on motorcycle camping is, NO nylon bag is rain-proof! If you don't want it wet, zip-lock it!
Also, several spare tent stakes (the plastic type can and will break), and if possible, spare tent poles. Wally's carries spare fiberglass poles that will fit a variety of tents. They also often have the aluminum poles for larger cabin tents. I have had a pole break.
Some steel wire and JB Weld (the five-minute "QuikWeld" is best) can save a broken pole too, til you get back home and replace it. Been there, done that!

[Rob22315]

One item not usually on the 'must have' lists but is a must have with kids - get one of the spring loaded clothes hampers for around $10 or $12 at Walmart. One that folds flat when empty is perfect. With our kids, we got tired of the constant mounds of dirty clothing that didn't belong back in the packs with the clean clothes. Having the hamper gave everyone a place to throw dirty stuff so it wasn't laying about. Throw the full hamper in the back of the car for processing once you return home. Storing and packing are easy because it folds flat.

[John B]

How to Pick a Good Tent

I wrote an article about picking a tent and published it on the net and on my blog (http://campsforless.blogspot.com) . There are a few things to look for but read the article it is short and sweet and to the point. Whichever tent you choose, have a great time camping and enjoy the outdoors.

[Eaglebait Ranch]

You'll get some answers from the peanut gallery on the mattress/pad question (which I will skip for now) but I would suggest using a six-man tent for four campers - you will appreciate the extra space. If space and weight are not a premium, a two-room tent might be even better.

I totally agree here. You will need lots of room considering you and the family will be using it.

[richardvg03]

Foam matts from walmart and a sleeping bag

[cocamper]

Recommendations

Definitely go with the larger tent, your kids are going to grow after all! I also agree with the earlier comment on finding a tent with a rain fly that goes all the way down to the ground, nothing will ruin a trip (or the kids interest in doing another trip) than a night in a wet sleeping bag.

I think there have been plenty of good suggestions for gear. But something I would recommend is grabbing some of the medium sized plastic storage bins for storing it all. You can keep them labeled and broken out by categories. That way, when it comes time to head out, all you have to do is grab the pre-loaded bins, throw in your vehicle and head out the door knowing you haven't left anything behind. This makes it easy to pick up and go on a whim too.

Ok, maybe one more item after all. If you don't want the JB weld for pole repairs, they sell tent repair kits that have short sleeves that slide over poles and can be used to support a pole that might break in a spot. On my first trip out with my youngest I didn't realize a pole was broken until I was setting up late at night. Fortunately, as I was taking the tent back down and breaking the bad news to my son, our neighbor in the next site came over to offer us some left over hamburgers and corn and, once we got talking, offered to let me borrow one of these sleeves that he had. We ended up taking our firewood over to their site and having a great evening with some new friends. I immediately purchased several of these. A couple for me, and a few to hopefully be able to give up to someone else to save their trip like ours was. Camaraderie like this is what I like best about camping and the people that enjoy it. Hope your family has a great time!