Adventures in Car Camping with no Car and a Miniscule Storage Space.

[NYCgrrl]

Every year I have to finagle to get the car I want to rent to hold all my gear.
Learned that a Toyota Sierra does a nice job for long trips and a Honda Element is fine for shorter trips. Alright I can go smaller than the Element but since it costs the same amount to rent as a Mazda3 Hatchback why bother?

Which leads me to my most recent purchase. Wanted a lamp that gives off lots of light for late night game playing and doesn't wash out the colour of the backgammon stones so that yer clueless as to who is beige and who is white. Yes I do realise that a bigger colour contrast would help but it is what it is and I'm NOT buying any stenkin' new backgammon stones via Ebay that cost more than the entire set.

Recalling this problem from camping trips past and keeping in mind my want for multi tasking tools I found this lamp at Snowpeak:

http://www.snowpeak.com/lighting/cam...p-lantern.html

'Cept I dinna like the price.

And then I saw this lamp and thought: why not????

http://www.hammacher.com/Product/Def...ting&catid=173

I just received the HS telescoping lamp today via UPS.

Wellllll it's not for camping. Not even glamping. The packing box is as big as a small plastic tub. The mantle of the lamp is at least 12" wide. It needs 8 "D" batteries to operate. I'm bringing it to my sister who lives in the 'burbs on Sunday since she's having a Fathers' day cookout. I'm sure it'll do wonders for her patio.

And I already ordered the Snowpeak version.

Moral of the story?

Sometimes cheap is dear.
Ordering in the middle of the night when you should be sleeping makes little sense.
Unless you really wanted to give your BIL a nicer than normal present.

The End:D.

[Jopopsy]

Re: Adventures in Car Camping with no Car and a Miniscule Storage Space.

I bought this: http://www.amazon.com/Rayovac-Sports...rtsman+lantern

I find it to be pretty darn good for the piddly amount of money it costs.

[sarahspins]

Re: Adventures in Car Camping with no Car and a Miniscule Storage Space.

+1 on the rayovac, I have two of them plus a third knock off version (the "lighting ever" brand also sold on amazon) and they are all great.. compact, bright, and the batteries last a LONG time. In addition to camping we use them often when the power goes out (which is just about every time it rains) and after 3 camping seasons and 3 thunderstorm seasons I don't think we've had to change the batteries in any of them.

We usually only take one of them camping, 3 would absolutely be overkill in any campsite.

[NYCgrrl]

Re: Adventures in Car Camping with no Car and a Miniscule Storage Space.

^^^^^

Now youse tell me!
Since I still have reward points useable for Amazon maybeeee I'll get a Rayovac too and do a side by side comparison w/ the SnowPeak this summer.

I'm reaching the point where I'm tired of buying the same equipement over and over again. So far I know I despise 2 styles of Cabela's lanterns and not that crazed about the Coleman that uses a 4 battery pack ( not sure if it's "D"s or "C"s). All had durability issues.

[swebob]

Re: Adventures in Car Camping with no Car and a Miniscule Storage Space.

Im gonna stick to flash lights and lanterns that take the same size batteries. I have lanterns thats take D size and flash lights that take 123's' AAA's and AA's.. I figure if i stick to all taking AA's it will cut down in weight and space.. Too big of a hassle having to buy 3 kinds of batteries..

[Jopopsy]

Re: Adventures in Car Camping with no Car and a Miniscule Storage Space.

I agree swebob. My Fenix flashlight takes AA's. I refuse to have to carry all these exotic batteries just in case.

[tplife]

Re: Adventures in Car Camping with no Car and a Miniscule Storage Space.

A look at my dozen+ collection of flashlights shows the Coast 123 battery flashlights are the most rugged and long-lasting, and the 123 line of batteries are the ones I buy the fewest of due to energy output and shelflife. I think this is why they are first choice for die-marker setups for banks. I would never have tried these had Fry's not run a special around 10 years ago. Now if Petzl would only make headlamp lights using the 123s or the "tactical" style lights adopt them! It's an extra bother taking another type of battery but the weight is nothing really since only one set is necessary in the Bugout Bag.

[sarahspins]

Re: Adventures in Car Camping with no Car and a Miniscule Storage Space.

"Howdy, your car is at the bottom of a canyon, please bring me another one"

Doesn't that only work if you buy the extra insurance?

[coloradowalt]

Re: Adventures in Car Camping with no Car and a Miniscule Storage Space.

I have this one: http://www.rei.com/product/807910/bl...-orbit-lantern Black Diamond makes several sizes of this model.

[NYCgrrl]

Re: Adventures in Car Camping with no Car and a Miniscule Storage Space.

Great info on lighting and keep it coming people! I'm learning more with your assistance.
Transitioning into backpacking/lesser equipment for my next stage so it's all good.

Heads up! Just received my SnowPeak lamp and it's well designed and giving me light to type by at this moment.
Gonna pull out my backgammon set in a little bit and see how accurate the lighting is then.
Decided not to buy the hanging stake that comes as an accessory to the light as I've already a few hanging crooks from a window treatment that dinna go right, LOL.

HS has it right on the car insurance,sarahspins. 2 years back I had the "honour" of working thru the insurance claim process at AMEX and it was a pleasure. The man had an issue getting into a tight spaced indoor garage to return a car. The rental company wanted to cancel our reservation for further car rental during the process and AMEX smoothed it all over. Gotta love 'em even though they acted wonky towards small businesses, nationwide, in October 2008.

[tplife]

Re: Adventures in Car Camping with no Car and a Miniscule Storage Space.

AMEX is still processing their card-paid rental car insurance claims in a reasonable manner - the additional insurance sold is a pack to make the rentals big money. Blew the hatch glass out of our Kia minivan due to clearance issues by El Junque in the Carribbean last Xmas and they paid the deductible, AAA paid what was over the deductible, no big deal, just a couple of forms to fill out and email back. Got a nice replacement Dodge mini right off the factory floor to boot for the rest of the trip!

[Mike]

Re: Adventures in Car Camping with no Car and a Miniscule Storage Space.

I wouldn't get any light that uses four D size batteries. These days, there are so many lighter, brighter, better LED options.

Just tossing this one out there, but how much light spectrum do the gas lamps put out? Would it be enough for you to play cards and backgammon? There are some small mantle lantern available. One being Coleman, of course. I have one (among the mirad of other lanters I own). The propane bottles are a little heavy and clunky, but they put out a lot of light and last forever. One bottle of propane costs about the same as two D cell batteries

[NYCgrrl]

Re: Adventures in Car Camping with no Car and a Miniscule Storage Space.

Reading rose's "Getting out" thread inspired me to get back in the packing and organising groove.

The last time I expect to be even partially relaxed will be 3 days before we leave. My D/R is filling up with camping gear as I type. I check it for missing pieces, batteries, holes and the like, then line it up on the left side of the rm when it's in tiptop condition. Much larger pile currently on the right side of the rm which of course is all the stuff I haven't looked at yet, LOL.
Thennnn when I finish repacking all the gear back into the storage rm it has to go since it's closer to the front entrance. On Sunday, all the little grrlies will be here and that's when I'll have run out of time. Gotta check their bags for "forbidden" goods: snacks, movies and that portable DVR that one parent is convinced, I say convinced, that her darling can't live without. She sends it every year and every year it stays in my house until we get back:D. The snacks just get moved to the kitchen gear cuz everyone should know "The Law" by now: No eating/drinking in the tent and no shoes.


Avis drove me up a wall with unreasonable to me requirements so I'm going back to renting with Zipcar for the entire trip. More expensive money wise but cheaper as far as mental hassles go.

This morning I organised the chest freezer so I could fit 10 liquid filled juice bottles in it. Some of the bottles will have water in 'em,others ice tea, lemonade and ginger ale concentrates.They'll function as ice blocks as well as drinks and I still need 2 more bottles as I put one in each corner of my coolers. Those blue ice packs go into the center of each chest. Which reminds me that I need to round up all the blue packs and stick em in the freezer.

Have finished editing the storage unit I keep tableware in and found what I hope is a perfect paper napkin holder that won't allow 'em to fly all over the camp when the wind blows. It's a s/s letter holder from the stationary store! I wuv items that have dual purposes on and off the campsite, LOL.

Still need to edit excessive condiments and spices out. I'm kinda susceptible to taking everything I see at the last moment in the house. On the bright side I held on to every empty spice bottle thru out the past year soooo moving big bottle contents into the smaller ones should make life easier and give me culinary license.

[NYCgrrl]

Re: Adventures in Car Camping with no Car and a Miniscule Storage Space.

I wouldn't get any light that uses four D size batteries. These days, there are so many lighter, brighter, better LED options.

Just tossing this one out there, but how much light spectrum do the gas lamps put out? Would it be enough for you to play cards and backgammon? There are some small mantle lantern available. One being Coleman, of course. I have one (among the mirad of other lanters I own). The propane bottles are a little heavy and clunky, but they put out a lot of light and last forever. One bottle of propane costs about the same as two D cell batteries

I have to do a trade off between introducing a new fuel source (propane) into the mix and the expense of batteries. I try to keep all my battery operated gear to "D"s and "C's so I've no need to carry other types. I decided a while back that I wasn't going to use white gas lamps because I'm the only one who knows how to operate and maintain 'em. The lil grrlies will have to learn this at another time in their lives and the man is perfectly happy just flipping a switch the same way he does at home:D. Errrrr I make all the house repairs on this end. He thinks that when a tool box is open the super steps out.......And he grew up in a house. And I grew up in apartments mostly. Strange....

In the interest of not having to store more camping gear the Snowpeak lamp should work well for me since I can also use it in the house as a desk light. It has a UBS port that allows me to use it battery-less.