(Part 2) Best products from r/camping

Decided to do the Foothills Trail so we could get some warmer weather being from Iowa. Did it in four nights, averaged about 20 miles per day. Ate 3,500 calories/day doing no cook to save weight not lose any body weight.

Gear:

• Miraposa GG 60L pack - worked great and fit all of my food. Back never got sore once.
  
  
• Cascadia Brooks 11 Trail Runners - Finally got a pair of trail runners that work for me. La Sportiva, Solomon, etc. all did not fit me. These things dried out like a champ and were light weight.
  
  
• Merino Minus 33 wool tops and bottoms. Worked amazingly. Kept me warm, dry, and stink free. However, the quality leaves something to be desired. Started fraying. I realize that wool isn't the strongest of materials, but these things won't last too long unfortunately.
  
  
• Okuma VS-605-20 Voyager Fishing Pole - Small, lightweight, inexpensive, great quality, collapsible, comes with a carrying case that fits perfectly in my pack.
  
  
• NEMO Hornet 1P - love everything about this tent, especially the weight. The zipper to the door can be a little bit of a pain to zip up if you don't have the right tension in the fabric, but other than that, it's awesome. A little extra headroom would be nice, but it's nothing that's been a problem.
  
  Trail:
  
  
• Such an amazing trail and well marked.
  
• Fairly difficult. There were almost no parts of the trail that were just flat. You were either going up or down.
  
• Beautiful views. My favorite parts were the top of the mountain at table rock and walking alongside the Chattooga for several miles.
  
• Fishing wasn't great. We didn't catch much, but it's hard to get good fishing in when you're hiking 20 miles/day.
  
  Things I would have done differently:
  
  
• Made sure my two hiking partners were ready to hike 20 miles/day prior to going. I think it was a bit more than they thought it would be, but we still had a blast.
  
  
• Bring less first aid stuff. If you get hurt, you can call someone. I don't really need band aids for scrapes. Ibuprofen is about all I need for muscle aches.
  
  
• Need advice on water filters. The Sawyer Mini worked great, but the flow rate is not up to speed for me. We estimated that we filtered about 15-20 gallons of water between the three of us. One friend had a water filter pump and I used the Sawyer. Most of our downtime was filtering water which kind of sucked. Is there something that works faster? It was hot so we were pounding the water.
  
  Shuttle:
  
  
• We used Heyward Douglas who operates on a volunteer basis. We each gave him a $20 bill. He was the nicest guy ever and gave us lots of good advice. Even called me after we were done to make sure we were safe and ask how we liked the trail. He picked us up at Oconee State Park and brought us to Table Rock State Park where we hiked back to our car.
  
  Snakes:
  
  
• We saw three different types of snakes (all non-venomous). My buddy has an intense phobia of them and almost peed his pants the first time we saw one.
  
  Pros of the trail:
  
  
• Well marked.
  
• Difficult.
  
• Decent cell phone reception.
  
• Waterfalls every mile.
  
• No problem with water sources for drinking due to the previous bullet.
  
• Plenty of trees for hammocking (which my friend did) and tying up a bear bag.
  
• I believe we were the only group we saw that was thru hiking.
  
• People were very nice! We love the south!
  
  Cons of the trail:
  
  
• Saw many day hikers.
  
• Guide books were kind of pricey (I have a guide book I'll send to someone if they cover the shipping).
  
• 20 miles/day were kinda hard on the knees.
  
• Last 15 miles of the trail to the west were pretty uneventful/not many views.
  
  Guidebook:
  
  
• I used 'Hiking South Carolina's Foothills Trail' by Scott Lynch. Worked great and it was really small.
  
  Footwear:
  
  
• I highly recommend trail runners... I was the only person from my group who didn't have any blisters.
  
  All gear I used was ultralight. Please ask questions regarding what gear I used and how I liked going no cook. If you plan on doing this trail anytime in the future, I highly recommend it. I did a lot of research on it and hiked it straight through, so I think I could help out a lot if you have any questions about planning a thru/day hike on it!
  

It's really not too hard to get started - just go where there's no buildings, and then stay there!

I like to find places that say "primitive" camping, which just means "less likely to be trashy people". I don't like to be at a campsite with 93 different tent sites, 92 of which are occupied by people playing music and drinking their bush beer at 3am and burning their styerfoam coolers. This may mean you get a campsite without restroom facilities, or with only a "vault toilet" (permanent porta-potty) - that's OK, you can go a day without a shower, it won't kill you. Be conscious that this is slightly more difficult for girls, if you have to pee in the woods, though.

Embrace the solitude; look up at the stars.

What kind of gear do you already have? You can get started super cheap if you're just doing some car camping and you don't want to get really involved in it.

There are a lot of posts and discussion all over the internet about how to shed weight so that you can go long-haul backpacking and do cool things way out in the wilderness, but cost scales like this with lightness. If you're just doing casual / first time / car camping, just go with some inexpensive gear until you decide, for you, what kind of camping you want to do.

For example, a three season sleeping bag will do you just fine for $23, for casual use. You may only get 20-30 uses out of it before you wear it out, but it's cheap. It's also good to have a sleeping pad; the old classic thermarest for $20 has worked just fine for people for 20 years, or an inexpensive inflatable pad at $25 makes a great choice. I usually don't bring a pillow, I usually wad up my clothes or jacket or both and use that as a pillow.

You typically want to have a tent that advertises (number of people actually sleeping +1) if you're doing simple / beginner camping, so for 2 people, get a 3-4 person tent. This is so you can fit all your gear in the tent. See if you can borrow one from a friend, or if you want your own, a 3 person tent or a 4 person tent will do just fine at $50.

It's a good idea to have some way to see in the dark, so bring a flashlight, or a mini lantern, or better yet, a head lamp is super useful.

You'll want to also remember to bring trash bags and toilet paper, in addition to the things you'd normally bring for an overnight trip (change of clothes, toothbrush, etc). Bring warmer clothes than you think you need, too - just in case. I can't count the number of times I've been camping, and thinking "Oh, it's only going to get down to 50 tonight", and because I'm far away from the city that the forecast was for, it actually gets down to 30 and I'm cold. Bring a jacket, bonus points for water-proof (in case it rains). Also, grab a small first aid kit (some bandaids, gauze, travel size hand sanitizer, neosporin, and a compression wrap should be able to handle most of what you'd need).

Bring water - especially if you don't know if there'll be potable water at the campsite. Just grab one of these things at the store is the easiest way. Bring a couple of disposable plates and some plastic cups.

Bring a folding chair! Don't bring anything that plays music! (annoys other campers).

For making food, I wouldn't bother with buying a stove or anything - just bring some charcoal and make a camp fire, and do "pocket dinners" or "hobo packs" - a great way to make a meal that is personalized to your tastes, and super easy. Grab some kielbasa or pre-cooked sausage, some onions, potatoes, brussel sprouts, bell peppers, mushrooms, whatever, make a big-ass sheet of aluminum foil by taking two big ass pieces of heavy duty foil and folding the edges together, dump the veggies in, wrap it up except for one end, put in about 1/4 to 1/2 cup of water, then just put it on the coals for 20 min, flipping halfway through, and then when ready, grab it with some tongs, put it on a paper plate, open it up, and eat right out of the foil. Makes clean up easy - just throw the whole thing away. For breakfast, poptarts or energy bars or bagles (toasted on the fire on a marshmallow fork!). My favorite camping breakfast, though, is hard-boiled eggs with bacon salt sprinkled on them. We boil the eggs ahead of time, but it does mean you'll have to fit them in a cooler.

At night, make sure all the food stuff is back in the car, or in a secure (bear-proof, which really mostly means racoon proof) location. Same thing with the trash - put it in the dump location, or put it in your trunk to pack it out. Before you go to bed, also fold up your camping chairs, and put them in the car, or under the picnic table, or whatever, so that they don't get the dew on them.

And lastly, but very important, remember to read all of the state, local, and federal regulations about where you'll be camping. Some places won't let you have fires, some will let you have fires only in established fire rings, some make you sign a thing and print it out and bring it with you, etc. In California, we have to have a shovel and a bucket of water. Some places, you have to sign a wildlife / "crumb-clean" pledge, some places you have to pay in advance. Most places don't want you to bring firewood because of pest infestation risks, so plan to either gather firewood at the site or buy it from the rangers if they offer it. Some places will have restrictions on where you can park and how many cars are allowed, or how many people per site, etc. Some places allow dogs; most don't (?). A lot of places have specific regulations about alcohol, and some have regulations about smoking. Just be aware of all of this ahead of time.

Hope this helps! Dunno if it's what you're looking for, but ... well, there it is!

I would say go to an REI and poke around their clearance item bins. I found an REI Taj 3 tent for $40 last weekend. Granted, I'm sure I got REALLY lucky with that, but there were other options I'd been seriously looking at before I scored that deal:

Ledge Sports Tarantula 2 - Before finding the Taj 3, I was leaning towards getting this to use for a season or two before upgrading to something better. Looks to have a full rainfly and decent options, but I don't know how well built it really is.

Slumberjack 3P Trail tent - This was $80 a few months ago; for me it shows up as $109 now (Amazon does goofy stuff with pricing). But it's fiberglass poles, so for the price, I preferred....

Mountainsmith Morrison 2P - Aluminum poles, full fly, looks to have nice options like pockets (and IIRC, a gear loft) and zippered mesh windows, so this might have been my "upgrade" tent as some point, unless I decided to go "good" and get the....

Kelty Grand Mesa 3P tent - which is only 30% more dollars for 50% more space than the 2P version, has aluminum poles, and the good Kelty name brand.

Just my thoughts as someone who got a fair amount of advice elsewhere and look for a LOT of different options. Aluminum poles will definitely last you longer (fiberglass breaks), and the better materials will last longer as well. Oh, and I'd also recommend the book Camping's Top Secrets by Cliff Jacobson - I learned TONS of great things in there.

Sleeping bags depends on what temps you plan to camp in - there's some decent deals in the Outlet section of REI, but they aren't exactly cold-weather bags. But there's some 3-season ones that are $50 - $60 that should be good.

Hope that helps - I'm no expert, so if others chime in with poor experiences on anything I've listed, feel free to defer to their expertise. But that should help point you in some useful directions to consider.

I've spent hundreds of nights on the trail, including some long hikes and working on trail maintenance crews, but I still appreciate some books.

A common standby is The Complete Walker. It covers a lot of material and is pretty general.

I like Trail Life. I don't recommend trying to do things exactly the way Ray did. You'll probably have a bad time if you do. I think it's the best book around for trying to think creatively about how to reduce pack weight. He also has some very good things to say about campsite selection.

You asked for some book recommendations, and I've given you a couple, but you still need time to learn how to use your gear, and more importantly, how to use your body. It takes a while to learn how to manage your energy, manage your time so you can do lots of miles even if you walk slowly, stay warm in the rain, avoid sun burn, and more. You can actually get pretty familiar with your gear at home, and really should practice using all of your gear before you hit the trail, but I also realize that this is easy for me to say and do because I have the experience to know what I expect of my gear. At the very least you should learn how to set up your tent so that it's tight, and practice using all the guylines even if you think they're optional. Practice using your water treatment gear too, especially filters so that you aren't stuck miles down a trail with a brand new broken filter or even a good filter that you don't know how to use correctly.

Their own flashlight that can go around their neck. I use these and put a longer, breakaway lanyard on it. Teach them how to use it and what to do if they get lost.

Bucket, shovel, scavenger hunt with animal and plant identification, crayons and paper and do transfers over leaves and stems, smores, their own sleeping bag, pillow and blankie/stuffie from home, refillable water bottle. Their own air mattress or sleeping mat is awesome too. You can set it right next to theirs.

If the campground has paved roads, a scooter or bike is nice for them to have. Also look to see if there are any geocaches for kids around the campsite or start one (take a toy, leave a toy). I stock up on Dollar Store items.

Squirt gun, LEGO, dominoes, crazy 8's or other cards for Go Fish, and lots of kid friendly snacks.

You can cook small pizzas in a frying pan adding a lid for final cheese melt or on a grill with foil over it. Bring dough, premade sauce and cheese to make their own pizza.

Sunscreen, benedryl gel for bug bites and bug spray. A hat. Sweats, more clothes than you think you need, gloves and slippers. I always bring rubber soled slippers camping. It's great to get out of your hiking boots or tennis shoes and easy to slip on for late night potty trips.

Get solar garden lights ($1 Walmart or Dollar Store) and place all around camp. I also get these lights to clip on the zippers of the tent and their jackets. I leave them on all night. It helps find the zipper for middle of the night bathroom trips for me and helps me find the kid in the dark as well as giving them security.

Have them help make meals and put drinks and snacks in their own cooler so it doesn't spoil main food. I also bring cup a noodles, spaghetti o's, and mac and cheese for easy meals.

Help them find their own hiking stick and bring sandpaper so they can smooth it. Teach them how to properly use a buck knife, clean up after themselves and others, build a fire.

Wet wipes/baby wipes. They're invaluable for cleaning up kids.

Future children, eh? Hee hee hee. Things get wild out in the woods ;)

We just upgraded our (car camping) gear. We went with two Rugged Exposure Woodsman sleeping bags that can zip together (they're on sale right now too!), a Klymit Double V sleeping pad, and our insulation pads. The sleeping bags are HEAVY but feel like real comforters, the flannel is just that extra bump of luxury. We're going camping tomorrow and I can't wait!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

OP, as for the cold and damp issue, what temps are you camping in? I used to wake up in the middle of the night while camping because my head and feet were too cold. I'd recommend insulating yourself against the ground (it'll leech away all your heat as you sleep) and wearing a beanie and socks to bed if you think that could be the issue.

The moisture could be from cold sweat or just condensation. Someone mentioned not touching the walls of the tent as this will draw the dampness in, and I agree. If the moisture comes from the fact that you're camping somewhere humid, I'm not really sure what to do. You need to make sure that the hot moist air generated from breathing while you sleep is able to escape the tent. Make sure you position your tent on dry ground and leave the rainfly off or the windows vented.

There is no 100% effective way to escape the moisture as far as I know. Unless you have two kids who can sleep against the walls of the tent while you sleep nice and dry in the middle (thanks mom).

Tents are rated at half their comfort capacity. A 2 person tent is actually a 1 person tent, unless you wanna cuddle. A 4 person tent is for two people, etc.

Now, you want a tent that fits 2 people, a queen airbed, and has room for a chair or two. That would require at least a 6 person tent and I'm assuming you want standing room, so that would be what's called a cabin tent. So, what you're in the market for is a 6-10 person cabin tent.

There's plenty of options under $200.

Well, you're in luck. One of the best 9 person cabin tents in the world is on sale. $184 shipped with their promo code.

Bonus:

I have this queen airbed and it's more comfortable than my bed at home.

Being it's an airbed, you'll need some sort of insulation between you and the bed in cold weather. I suggest going to walmart and getting an extra thick/plush mattress pad for $30.

If the campground has power, get a small electric room heater that has a built in fan and you'll be nice and comfortable inside at night.

I have that tent and I really love it! Maybe think about those foam squares that connect together on the floor to protect their little feet from the rocks underneath the tent? I would totally get a screened in tent for over the picnic table, but only if you go yearly. Idk if it's buggy by you but I couldn't imagine having crying kids with mosquitoe bites!



I have this air mattress and cot combo:



Coleman 2000020270 Cot Queen https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00AU6AVLW/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_QTQ7CbKYRV0ZB



I absolutely love it. Never deflates like the others do. I mean it does maybe an inch or two but never enough to feel the cot underneath. Just pump firm before bed and you're set. Battery powered pump that's separate from the mattress. My partner (200lbs) and I (160lbs) sleep on it with no issues. You could use the cot and the mattress separately if you guys ended up not being able to fit the four of you. Good luck! :)

Ooo I like this question. Here's my list of unconventional must-haves.

• A tube of chewable pepto bismol tablets
  
• Ginger Gravol (I eat healthy at home, and eat a good amount of junk food camping, so GI stuff is crucial).
  
• Sound Grenade—for scaring off bears
  
• Super long tongs for over-the-fire cooking
  
• Traeger woodpellets & a smoker tube for my camping barbecue
  
• WD-40
  
• Duct Tape
  
• Aeropress and a french press (didn't get the FP on Amazon tho)
  
• Power pack. Best thing ever for charging devices in a tent. But also peace of mind for boosting a vehicle, if needed. It can also blow up tires, and other inflatables. Like this one here.
  
• Niteize Go Anywhere Lite to clip to my dog's collar.
  
• Rubber gardening gloves. For gathering sappy wood, or gripping wet logs.
  
• Welding glove(s). For pulling a 600 degree cast iron pan/pot out of the fire.
  
• Milwaukee flood light. Well worth the money.
  
• Stainless steel wine glasses
  
• Torch head and a propane canister. Great for starting a fire when it's wet outside, or still lightly raining.

I don't have the exact tent as the one you have listed under edit 2. But I have one very similar

Coleman WeatherMaster 10-Person Tent https://www.amazon.com/dp/B001TS8Q94/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_0Xc9yb7V1YWX4

It's a nice tent, roomy, I can fit 2 queen size beds easily and have plenty of room in the middle. I love the door, makes it easy with kids around to keep the bugs out. However the tent is a pain to put up, you really need 2 people to do it.

I just picked up this 6 person tent. I shied away from the instant tents, I saw a number of bad reviews on these things saying they collapsed in high winds. Figured a normal pole tent wouldnt have that problem and all the reviews were pretty good on this one. I'm 6'2" and I can stand up straight in the center and walk with a slight hunch all around the perimeter.

Coleman Sundome 6-Person Tent https://www.amazon.com/dp/B004J2GUP4/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_Idd9ybACKV4FT

Edit: Just wanted to add the 6 person tent went up pretty easily 2 poles and a rain fly with a smaller pole and your done. Got it up in less than 10 minutes on my first try with a little help from my small kids. Probably would have had it up quicker without their "help"...

Personally, I grew up with my father rising with the sun to start the coffee percolating. For me, when I started building my own camping gear years ago, a percolator was just the logical (and nostalgic) choice. However, about 7 years ago my wife, then my fiance, saw a camping stove-top drip pot. It worked well for about two trips, and then something went on the inside and it stopped working all together. Back to the percolator we went. About 3 years ago, my buddy introduced me to French press coffee in general. As a huge coffee drinker, who drinks coffee black, I was always looking for the strongest, boldest cup of coffee and how to make it. I picked up two French presses, one for home, one for the camping box. My wife and I are both happy making coffee either way, and alternate as the mood dictates while camping.
That being said, percolating coffee, and using the French press, are what my wife likes to call a "fine art"with timing and how long you wait before pouring the first cup. An art that she insists I am horrible at, since she doesn't like her coffee to be a highly caffeinated mud as I do.

Hope this long, rambling answer helps! Happy Camping!

I was able to get this tent for $35 free shipping on special two weeks ago. I used it last weekend on another island camping trip and it worked very well, great mild-hot weather tent. It seems to be about $44 right now, but still a good deal for it. It is one of the easiest tents I have ever put up and it folds up nice in a carry bag.

I bought myself a military modular sleep system and it is the best camping thing I ever bought.

The sleep system consists of 3 parts: 30 degree (F) sleeping bag, -10 degree (F) sleeping bag, and goretex bivy cover

Whats great is it is modular so you can tailor it to your environment, camping in the summer? leave the -10 degree bag at home. camping in literally arctic weather? bring them all and combine it! (good for -50 degree weather).
The 3 parts all have separate zippers and snap together nicely.

My favorite part is the waterproof goretex bag (100% waterproof and breathable). Last time I went camping it rained and I woke up sleeping in a big puddle, the sleeping bags (and I :D) were completely bone dry.

Cons are it is a bit pricey (kind of offset by long lasting durability), and it is heavy by sleeping bag standards (10 pounds for the whole thing)
If you have one, you don't technically need a tent, but everyone needs their own

Edit: Link

Double Edit: Also got this ruck which I absolutely love for its gigantic capacity and the fact that it and the sleep system were made for each other. Con being that it is also heavy (12 pounds), so with the sleep system it is pushing 22 pounds, and fully loaded for my last trip was right at 65 pounds. most of the weight was water though. Bring lots of water

My husband is 6'7" and loves to primitive camp. He got the Mountainsmith 2 man 3 season tent on Amazon and loves it. The two of us are able to share it though he really got it for himself for when he does solo trips. It weighs about 4 lbs 11 oz.


Mountainsmith Morrison 2 Person 3 Season Tent (Citron Green) https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00452C2IC/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_bzvgybC7Z4HWP


We have yet to find a sleeping bag he's 100% satisfied with so feel free to share if you find one!

If you're going to be using it for a bed, you might want to look into something like this:

http://www.amazon.com/Intex-Comfort-Elevated-Dura-Beam-Airbed/dp/B00G7H793G/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1451178974&sr=8-2&keywords=double+high+air+mattress

No idea on how it'd hold up with that much use though, but I've used one for camping and the occasional indoor use and it's been pretty nice. Plus, it's huge.

I love this one. I've been to multiple festivals with it and it's great!

LED 2 in 1 Handheld Flashlight and Area Light
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00B0EZWEE/ref=cm_sw_r_awd_c1F.ub0H7GMHE
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00B0EZWEE/ref=cm_sw_r_awd_c1F.ub0H7GMHE

Coleman tents are fairly decent for the price range, although i think the smallest they do is a 2 man tent ( http://amzn.to/2gCzpIR ), however a 2 man tent would be ideal for 1 person if you want a bit of breathing room/ space for your bag/other equipment.

on the other hand, if you are looking for something super compact and lightweight for backpacking there are fairly decent too: http://amzn.to/2gQoJE8

> I'm not looking to "hike" more than a mile or so just yet. Car camping is more or less what I'm interested in.

That's an in-between space that makes it a little difficult. If you're setting up in a campground not far from you vehicle, I definitely like a stand up tent with a carpet rolled out on the floor for comfort. Shikibuton pads for sleeping on. Big giant warm rectangular sleeping bags. Propane heater. A little table. A couple of comfy chairs. Bring plenty of water. Big Walmart cooler of beer of course.

That's too much stuff to carry on your back of course. Years ago I knew people who would attend big festival events with camping. Parking was very far away from the camping area, so they would use big wheel carts like this to haul their stuff to the camping area. You could do that. I think carts are OK everywhere but federal Wilderness Areas.

For backpacking, where I'm hiking several miles, I like to keep it fast and light. This list is very cheap and has all you need. It won't be as comfortable as big car camping gear though.

You are better off focusing on bundling up and getting a nice sleeping bag.

You can go with a Mr Heater Little Buddy, but you have to accept the risk of possibly dying. The propane heaters also give off a ton of moisture so you're going to wake up to a rain forest in your car.

If you want to go upscale you can get a Webasto parking heater. Popular in places where you want to pre-heat your car before you get in. Expensive.

I bought this awesome setup

You can spend more and get it new or buy a used set for cheaper. I picked up a used-like new set and it was in fantastic shape.

It comes with a cool weather bag and a cold weather bag that can be put together to make a really cold weather bag. The bivy cover is supposed to serve as a shelter. Comes with a real nice compression stuff sack too.

I also have the Klymit Static V and can't recommend it enough. It's light and packable, has a 4.4 r-value, inflates in <15 breaths, and is genuinely comfortable.

You can also get great deals on them if you look. I think I paid $40 for mine, which ain't too shabby.

Thanks, I've looked at a few cots, including stuff like this:

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00AU6AVLW

I have looked at canned food, especially soups etc, but as you said, it gets bulky. But at least with the boat I can store a good amount of of supplies on-board.

Percolator or dripper - This one. I talked to a Coleman customer service person but had no luck. It's just a 90* fitting that directs the water down to the filter basket. At this point I'll just see what can fit it from the hardware store, just have to be careful to get something rated for hot water. If I think about it later I'll post a pic.

I have also heard great things about the $18 stove on Amazon from BRS

I've been using this in my Coleman 8-person Instatent for just under 2 years now. I do spring and fall camping (low around high 30s/low 40s) and it has worked great. It'll go thru 1 of those little coleman tanks in about 6 hours, so I have to have one on standby if you want heat from bedtime to wake-up time. This particular tent is not air-tight, so even with everything zipped up and fastened shut, air can still slip in (ventilation.)

We have this: works great, but it is huge.

Coleman Camping Coffeemaker https://www.amazon.com/dp/B001K7IDVU/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_OzcozbZW67TBA

Otherwise we use the French press, it's a pain to clean all the time for 2 cups of coffee.

Or coffee tea bags, light weight, but expensive if you like to drink a lot of coffee.

We usually just resort to the French press.

Here is what I think is the best stove for backpacking and it is $12.

https://www.amazon.com/BRS-Ultralight-Camping-Outdoor-Cooking/dp/B00NNMF70U


Add a fuel canister to that, a cheap pot, a mini bic lighter and a spoon and your kitchen is complete.


Rent the Big3 from REI (sleeping bag, tent, pack). Buy the Sawyer Mini water filter for $25 and use Smartwater bottles to store water. Take your existing clothes (no cotton) and use your existing shoes.

This organizer is the best investment ever for car camping, and quick picnics. Unroll it and hang it from the roof rails, pop up a canopy, unfold chairs and a table, bring out the cooler and the grill/stove, and you are on your way to deluxe picnicking.

I have ours packed with plates, utensils, a skillet, spices, napkins, bug-off stuff, firestarters, dish soap and scrubbie, and trash bags. It comes with a permanently attached bottle opener, and a long cord for attaching a roll of paper towels. We call it the "magic kitchen" because whatever we need is always there, visible and accessible.

have you ever used those tent warmers? e.g. something like this?

http://www.amazon.com/Mr-Heater-F215100-3800-BTU-Indoor-Safe/dp/B001CFRF7I/ref=br_lf_m_1001559521_1_3_ttl?ie=UTF8&s=home-garden&pf_rd_p=1886020042&pf_rd_s=center-3&pf_rd_t=1401&pf_rd_i=1001559521&pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_r=001WGCW137VXZNZR36C5

I have one of these I've used a few times. Super lightweight and gets the job done. http://www.amazon.com/UCO-Grilliput-Portable-Camping-9-Inch/dp/B000980JMW/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1462917629&sr=8-2&keywords=portable+camping+grill

http://www.amazon.com/10-x-Camouflage-Tarp/dp/B000AS2H7G POW $12 INSTA WATER PROOF.. but seriously, i wouldnt bother trying to fix a 15 year old poorly rated tent when you could get a new one for $50 that is better: http://www.amazon.com/Coleman-Sundome-2-Person-7-Feet-5-Feet/dp/B004J2KDH0/ref=sr_1_1?s=outdoor-recreation&ie=UTF8&qid=1342674424&sr=1-1

I'm an ultralighter and have been keeping an eye on this...

http://www.amazon.com/BRS-Ultralight-Camping-Outdoor-Cooking/dp/B00NNMF70U

Lightest in the world (less than 1oz) titanium stove, and only ~$16. Reviews on it sound pretty decent.

The Mountainsmith Morrison 2 person and Mountainsmith Genesee 4 person are both lightweight and economical. Most of the top rated back packing tents are over $250, but these are rated well.

https://www.amazon.com/Intex-Comfort-Elevated-Dura-Beam-Airbed/dp/B00G7H793G

I sleep on air mattresses nightly because it makes my back happy. I bought the one above December '15 and it's still working great. The beds that auto-inflate will lose more air than beds you have to blow up yourself but I still only have to add air every 1-2 weeks.

For 2 adults and a kid car camping, I'd look for just about any 6 person tent from a major retailer. Coleman is probably a good starting point - I'd shy away from Ozark Trails, or other "store brand" types.

http://smile.amazon.com/Coleman-Sundome-6-Person-Green-10-Feet/dp/B004J2GUP4/ref=sr_1_6?s=outdoor-recreation&ie=UTF8&qid=1397628106&sr=1-6&keywords=coleman+tent

Here's one for about $100, just the first one I saw on Amazon. (It looks like if you buy any amazon gear for $100 or more, you get 20 back, didn't know that was going on...)

You can spend a lot more than that if you want, but you don't need to.

Not exactly a lantern, but I'm a big fan of Energizer's flash/area light.

I would suggest a used Military Modular Sleep System 4 Piece with Goretex Bivy Cover and Carry Sack in very good condition. Sure it is 8lb but it will last you forever and you can use the first layer in the summer and add them as you need them and can get your weight down to 2.2lbs using the lightest sack.

Biolite is like the heaviest, most complicated and expensive stove on the market and for all the reviews (search reddit for reviews) it is a very niche product. I could never see myself owning one. I think it's niche is if you're going to be sitting in 1 place for a long time, with no access to sunlight and needing to recharge your phone every 2 days.


What are your needs for a stove. What conditions will you be using it in? Very cold weather or just warmer weather?


Here is a very inexpensive and ultralight canister style stove to give you an idea of what is possible: https://www.amazon.com/BRS-Outdoor-Camping-Portable-Ultralight/dp/B00NNMF70U

Link to the tent, if anyone is interested.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B004J2GUP4/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o03_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

Maybe try a telescopic pole or something like this : http://www.amazon.com/Okuma-VS-605-20-Voyager-Spinning-Travel/dp/B000MQTJW2/ref=sr_1_11?ie=UTF8&qid=1370294388&sr=8-11&keywords=telescopic+fishing+pole

Coleman Sundome 6 person tent:
https://www.amazon.com/dp/B004J2GUP4

Should give you plenty of room. We user the 4 person version in our Scout Troop (2 Scouts per tent) and they hold up remarkably well.

Right? It sounds like a really bad idea to have a propane heater in a tent but you’d be surprised how many websites recommend it. This amazon one has a lot of recommendations but I’d be way too scared to try that.

Mine was the insulated Klymit Static V and my girlfriend's was the TNH Outdoors pad that was on sale on Amazon. Here are some links
https://www.amazon.com/Klymit-Insulated-Static-Sleeping-Pad/dp/B00ANRW7DI?th=1

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01LEUYJN8/ref=oh_aui_detailpage_o00_s00?ie=UTF8&psc=1

This grill from UCO/Amazon is similar, check it out

http://www.amazon.com/UCO-Grilliput-Portable-Camping-Grill/dp/B000980JMW

Never tried one but thought about picking this up:

Coleman 2000020270 Cot Queen https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00AU6AVLW/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_mayTCb17G7YY6

Sure! My truck has an outlet in the bed that makes inflating\deflating it a breeze.

pop up ice fishing shanty:

http://www.amazon.com/CBI-Fishing-Portable-Shelter-Folding/dp/B006BCKE52

there are lots of similar models, search for 'hub' or 'pop up' ice shanty

plus a mr. heater little buddy:

http://www.amazon.com/Mr-Heater-F215100-3800-BTU-Indoor-Safe/dp/B001CFRF7I

Coleman sundome

I have a bunch of them - MSR pocket rocket, Kovea Titanium stove, 2 cheap ones off Amazon. Only difference is the name brand ones feel more solid. If I could buy and try another, it would be the BRS stove, http://www.amazon.com/BRS-Ultralight-Camping-Outdoor-Cooking/dp/B00NNMF70U


I also use the Kovea LPG adaptor so I can use propane cans with these stoves when car camping: http://www.amazon.com/Kovea-LPG-Adaptor-Small-Silver/dp/B00CFPISZW


Get one without an igniter, as they all go bad sooner or later. Just bring a lighter to light the gas.