Why still tent camping?

[Dust Devil]

Re: Why still tent camping?

I have much the same reasons as have already been listed. A couple of years ago I would have loved a popup. Even belong to a popup forum. But after reading about the advantages and disadvantages, problems with upkeep and repairs, etc., I've pretty much decided staying in a tent is fine for now. Things I like are the low cost, having my own pillows, blankets, sleeping bags, air mattress or foam mattress depending on weather, saving on the cost of motels/hotels, not having to worry about hauling a trailer with all that entails, better gas mileage, no speed limitation due to trailer tires (65 max), ability to set up wherever I like on the site. Things I don't like are uneven ground and still crawling about on the old knees. Setup is a lot simpler without needing to level a camper. I could probably tear down in less time except I'm a bit OCD and sweep the dirt off each fold as I fold the tent up, as well as the ground tarp I put under it. The other disadvantage is not being able to keep everything in a trailer, simplifying loading and unloading all our equipment. I need to keep a list now so I don't forget anything, as some things come from in the house and some from in the garage.

[hwc1954]

Re: Why still tent camping?

II could probably tear down in less time except I'm a bit OCD and sweep the dirt off each fold as I fold the tent up, as well as the ground tarp I put under it.

I have found that I'm better off just rolling up the tent and the groundcloth putting them in their stuff sacks, and into the duffle bag I use. Then, when I get home, take them out, drape them over the deck railing til they are perfectly dry. Shake off any sand. Wipe any remaining dirt. The footprint can actually get swished around in a bucket of water to dislodge any dirt before hanging it up to drip dry.

And then neatly fold them up on the living room floor.

Biggest advantage is that I know the tent is 100% dry before it gets stored.

[Dust Devil]

Re: Why still tent camping?

Biggest advantage is that I know the tent is 100% dry before it gets stored.

I've actually been extremely lucky, as in four or five years of camping, the wettest my tent has gotten was from a slight mist off the Pacific Ocean one morning while camping along Rte. 1. It's been bone dry everywhere else I've camped. So far I haven't needed to set up the tent and clean it out when I got home. Like I said, extremely lucky and I hope it stays that way! :D

[ContinualHarvest]

Re: Why still tent camping?

I just enjoy my tents. I want to build a teardrop trailer, but just to stow the coolers and cooking gear.
When I get "old", me an the Mrs. want to purchase an RV and drive around the continent. I'll still have a tent for some nights.

[actad]

Re: Why still tent camping?

Like ppine, I have a travel trailer instead of a pop-up. It is a little 14 ft. one that keeps us out of the weather and off the ground to sleep. I use it when DH and I go camping. and it has always fit in the spots where we camp. It also lets us camp in weather where tent camping would be uncomfortable for DH who has health issues - he can't take heat or cold and tent camping would only leave us with a 60-80 degree window. Plus, while he often tent camped in his 20's and 30's, he flat refuses to tent camp now.

That being said, when it is just me, I usually opt for the tent. Set up and tear down is about the same for tent and trailer,so that is not an issue.
What I like is that I can choose to take the car instead of the pickup if I wish. My mom is in an assisted living facility near a county campground. She can't get in and out of the pickup, but she can get in and out of a car. Camping in the tent gives me a much nicer experience than a motel and the ability to take her places. When I tent camp near my daughter, the grandkids absolutely love the tent - they think it is their personal space.

However, I always take my tent when I use the travel trailer. It can be a spare bedroom or a dry place to store gear out of sight. I have only found a few places where I can't have both on the site.

[Augie Dog]

Re: Why still tent camping?

Check this link out http://www.tnttt.com for alternative options of camping. I have a 25 ft. travel trailer I paid $20,000.00 for that I no longer can use because of a water leak rotting out the wood frame work of camper. RV's are notorious for poor quality workmanship and lose value very quickly. I currently use a 10 x 14 Spring Bar canvas tent that I love. I am either going to build a cargo trailer camper referenced in beginning of this post or purchase a hybrid travel trailer with the fold out bunks at ends of camper. Either way I will continue to tent camp and may just stay with it due to fuel costs. Good Luck!!

[markkee]

Re: Why still tent camping?

I have thought about pulling a small trailer with either my Subaru or Ford van. I start adding up the cost, the storage, etc and I seem to default to the tent option. I made some simple platform beds for our van when we feel lazy. However, when we are staying at a campsite for extended period of time, I always prefer the tent. My rule of thumb is to have a tent that can be set up in less than 10 minutes. The REI Base Camp 4 fits this bill. I set it up without a rain fly on most nights in California because it rarely rains in the summer. I like seeing the stars.

[MacGyver]

Re: Why still tent camping?

Two of the guys I've been camping with for years bought trailers. Now, with our annual winter trip coming up, they're not going. After 35+ years of camping together, we've lost two of our friends to the weather. Kind of amazes me since both trailers have heat and most of the tents don't, but that hits on another reason not to get a trailer. I did it when I was younger and more prone to risk taking, but pulling a trailer up and down mountains on snow and ice covered roads doesn't exactly appeal to me now.

[markkee]

Re: Why still tent camping?

I did it when I was younger and more prone to risk taking, but pulling a trailer up and down mountains on snow and ice covered roads doesn't exactly appeal to me now.

I agree. I think packing a tent is less of a risk. If I really need to start pulling a trailer, I think I would rather buy a small RV for the season and sell it.

[MacGyver]

Re: Why still tent camping?

I wish video cameras in the 80's hadn't been the size of small cooler and way too unwieldy for camping trips. I would have had video of some of the crazy stuff we were doing back then. Nothing like dragging a pop up through snow so deep, the front of it was actually plowing snow.

[markkee]

Re: Why still tent camping?

I wish video cameras in the 80's hadn't been the size of small cooler and way too unwieldy for camping trips. I would have had video of some of the crazy stuff we were doing back then. Nothing like dragging a pop up through snow so deep, the front of it was actually plowing snow.

Did you also own a cell phone the size of a brick? Remember the old flashlights with the huge batteries?

Do you have any old photos of your camping trips? You can scan them and post your crazy stuff.

My parents used to pack 6 bicycles, lawn chairs, bbq grills, inner tubes for floating, and even an old b&w tv in their 4 person Terry travel trailer. There was never room for us to sleep inside because they hauled so much junk.

Us kids would always camp in the tent as mom and dad were "busy" most nights. Funny that they thought they were getting away with something. We were outside laughing and always pretended to not notice when they asked us how we slept. We never bothered to ask them if they had a good sleep.

[MacGyver]

Re: Why still tent camping?

The biggest phone I had was the Motorola 550 flip phone - the one with the wedge shaped batteries. I remember telling everyone who wanted to use it had to pay me for the airtime because it was almost a dollar a minute when roaming. No one hesitated in paying because they all wanted to call home to tell them how cool it was to be "in the middle of nowhere and on a phone". And, yes, I had both a 6 volt flashlight and a 6 volt lantern, neither of which was very bright or lasted too long.

The only picture I have that shows how crazy we got is pretty tame. We carried so much junk I had to get things off the table. This is the kind of stuff that earned me the nick I'm using on here.



There's one holdover from those days. Just to the upper left of the wooden rack, you'll see a yellow piece of something. That's a 12 volt inflator on the end of a piece of conduit. In our group it's called Electric Hickman, in honor of a guy who used to come with us. He had lungs that would whip up a fire like no one else. When he stopped coming, I came up with his substitiute.

I never had the luxury of harassing my parents in the woods. As I always told my father, his idea of roughing it was "being 3 doors down from the ice machine at a Days Inn". He was by no means the outdoor type. So, I always used to ask if I was adopted and he always swore I was switched at birth. My first camping trip was about a month after I got my license at the age of 16. Been hooked every since.

[markkee]

Re: Why still tent camping?

Wow! That is one nice set up. When TSHTF, you are ready. I like the old blue Boy Scout cook box. We used one just like it on scout trips.

[NYCgrrl]

Re: Why still tent camping?

Why do I tent camp.....gosh that's easy for me to answer: no place to store a pop up/RV:p
It's actually an effort to store the tenting gear and the fact that I'm trying to acquire gear for 2 different types of camping ain't helping me, LOL.

I enjoy all sorts of accommodations and spent a goodly part of a September camping trip admiring a nearby tear drop. May never get it but hey a grrl needs a dream.