The new guy

[22crew]

As stated, i'm the new guy. As like most people on here, went camping when i was younger with my parents and then did the whole "growing up" thing. You know, girls and partying were more important at the time lol. Well now i'm married with three kids, ages 6,4, and 2 and it's pretty dang hard to stay up past 9 o'clock now, so the partying has run its course. The wife and i want to get into camping. The only thing we have is a truck right now as far as gear goes. Still looking at tents and everything else. Seems Amazon has a lot of camping stuff, and we have a Wal Mart 5 minutes away ( a killer to my bank account, wifey). Any tips for a newbie. Live in the Hamnpton Roads area of VA. Found a park about 20 minutes for our first time out in case we need to cut it short. Any help would be appreciated, thanks.

22crew

[renodesertfox]

Howdy 22crew,
Welcome to the camping boards! We hope your stay is a long, happy and fruitful one. Wow, Hampton Roads, does that natural huge harbor stay free of ice? Hey, it seems you have the basic idea of camping down good...first time out, not to far from home. Wal-mart an excellent choice for beginning camping gear. Amazon is an amazing place and you can access Amazon right here through http://www.campingforums.com. Going through the link here gives a little dividend back to the URL. My advice is to keep it simple the first time you go out and look around at what other people are using to make theri experience enjoyable; it could further on up the road make your camping lifestyle enjoyable too, or not. Time, patience and tenderness works wonders & with camping too! Thanks for joining!

[jpurdy]

22crew,

Welcome to the forum. I see you have done most of the hard work just creating a plan. I agree that Walmart is a good place to get started.
like Vegasdesertfox says keeping it simple is best way to start. Checking out other campers not only lets you see what they use, but it also lets you see what might be a mistake for you and your family. Let us know how the first trip goes.
John

[rxcamping]

First time out

I like you had not camped in years and took my son for the first time last sumer. I had a 2 man dome that was 18 years old and in good shape along with a sleeping bag rated for below 0 weather. I bought an 8$ sleeping bag for my four year old , a ground tarp and a bag of charcoal. I already had a cooler. Off we went and we had a great time. The only thing I wish I would have had was a cot because 18 years has made a difference in how my body handles the ground.

So the one thing I would reccomend is a foam pad, cot, or air mattress. Keep the meals simple the first time out maybe cook one of the meals over the campfire and have the rest be peel and eat type things like sandwiches etc.

Like the others said go and watch others and see what gear you want/need. Walmart and Ebay are where I buy 90% of my gear.

[Christn2000]

You got the right basics down, start out slowly. and with the simple stuff. Tent, sleeping bag, cooking gear, a pack. Walmart is a good place to start, since you don't need to spend a lot of money. Size of pack will be important- don't get a tiny one, get a pack that will easily hold tent & sleeping bag with plenty room inside for other stuff. Better to have one a little large than too small. Welcome back to the wonderful world of camping.

[tplife]

I'll add my welcome and also recommend WalMart for the beginning camper. You can get the gear you need to try out or hobby and see if it's to your liking. Friends who can loan gear and companies like REI who rent gear are also great. Once you "jump in" you can abandon WalMart for Ebay auctions and buy high-end gear that will last a lifteime and not need replacement every few years like entry-level gear sold at WalMart. Do yourself a favor however and stick with self-inflating sleeping pads by companies like ThermaRest or the knockoff versions. Cots and air mattresses invite a poor nights' sleep at best and a case of hypothermia at worst. Your health and comfort should be first, use gear that suits the expected climate. :D

[richardvg03]

Welcome to the forums new guy... now grab me some coffee! Just kidding! I don't like coffee... grab me a sweet tea!

[frank6160]

Welcome to the group. You will find lots of info here. You are started in the right direction. Get you a tent, lantern and bedding for starters. Air mattresses work well for me but I don't camp in temps much below 40. You can "borrow" most everything else from home till you decide whats for you. One rule I have found is you don't have to buy the most expensive gear! I have a lot of gear I bough at reasonable price that works as well as the gear with the big name or store on it!

[tplife]

Welcome to the group. You will find lots of info here. You are started in the right direction. Get you a tent, lantern and bedding for starters. Air mattresses work well for me but I don't camp in temps much below 40. You can "borrow" most everything else from home till you decide whats for you. One rule I have found is you don't have to buy the most expensive gear! I have a lot of gear I bough at reasonable price that works as well as the gear with the big name or store on it!

Best of luck, most hypothermia occurs at temperatures between 30 and 50-degrees F. :eek:

[Bigdog57]

22crew, sign on in and become a fully fledged 'campateer'! And then, go out and test your gear yourself, find out what really DOES work for YOU. We all have different preferences and needs.

[ontariocamper]

Like everyone else on here says, get the basics together and keep it simple for the first run, BUT............don't go cheap on something you will rely on.
A lighter for the campfire....or a can opener.............or a flashlight.
Nothing will spoil your trip more than being irritated at some piece of equipment that you cheaped on, that now when you need it, will not perform.

[Christn2000]

Ontariocamper has good point about price. Wallyworld is okay for some things-I shop there-but sometimes somewhere else is better, even if the price is a little higher. My 2 centavos.