Sorta new to tent camping

[awesomeame]

It's been about 20yrs (in childhood) since I did any camping, and I hated it then. Now with the new technologies out, the guys at work (and more importantly, a certain girl :cool: ) have convinced me to give it another go.

So, I've been out shopping. So far I have:

-MEC wanderer 2 tent
-MEC Kelvin 3.8 sleeping pad
-MEC mirage -5 sleeping bag
-Primus omnifuel camp stove w/fuel
-Primus litech pot/fry pan
-Optimus titanium utensils
-Gerber sport axe
-Bic lighters x2
-Fenix Tactical 220 Lumen headlamp

What I know I still need:

-footprint for tent
-container for water
-maintenance kit for stove

What am I forgetting?? (minus clothes/toilettries/food) Any other GEAR I should be buying??? This year yet it's just going to be drive-to/in sites....no expeditions at this time.

Any input helpful, thanks!

Matt

[familycamper]

Re: Sorta new to tent camping

Get an extra poly tarp that you can hang between a couple of trees for a canopy to sit under in case it rains or the sun is beaming down on you. It's better than being confined to a tent if it rains a little. For the cost/weight, it's indispensable.

[tplife]

Re: Sorta new to tent camping

A Model 288 Coleman white gas lantern with reflector and case is a good tool to build a campsite around...I've bought two new off Ebay for about $25.00. Reflectors and telescoping stands are available through Coleman, Campmor, etc. Something about the hissing sound of a Coleman Lantern says...Camping! :cool:

[shawnbebout]

Re: Sorta new to tent camping

(and more importantly, a certain girl :cool: )

Any input helpful, thanks!

Matt

I can tell you right now, that sentence right there is gonna be more expensive than any of your camping equipment.

[awesomeame]

Re: Sorta new to tent camping

^^haha shawn!

Thanks for the great ideas, I'll be sure to pick up a few of those items before I head out!

Matt

[Bigdog57]

Re: Sorta new to tent camping

If you are doing any real hiking, a light-weight 'silnylon' tarp is better, though pricey. But MUCH lighterr to carry! A good fixed-blade knife (not the huge Rambo style!) makes a very useful tool around camp. A good water filter, and purification tablets. Then water is no problem! You won't have to carry that heavy stuff so much.

A small digital camera! Pics are always great to show! :cool:

A good compass and map of the area, and maybe a smallish GPS for an auxillary nav instrument.

[EnglishTeacha]

Re: Sorta new to tent camping

Wow...fancy set up for a newbie! Must be some girl!

I second a tarp and rope. Rope always comes in handy. Oh, and duct tape.
And, my husband thought I was silly for packing a couple candles in our gear...till our propane lantern died a horrible death after our first night out. So now I have some tea light candles and a couple small Mason jars to put them in for a "candle lantern." Candles don't generally experience catastrophic failure. (and the propane lantern has been replaced by a small oil lantern. Ecofriendly and reminds me of a pirate ship!)

[GlitterHiker]

Re: Sorta new to tent camping

I re-read the post and it sounds like the girl invited / talked you into the camping trip. Therefore, i recommend buying a little surprise treat for her that you can pull out in the evening - such as chocolate, or something for a foot massage; and I second the idea of several tea lights - they create nice ambience in the tent. They have LED tea lights, so you don't have to worry about knocking any over.

[awesomeame]

Re: Sorta new to tent camping

Well I did get out camping this past weekend. It was just me, giving the gear a try. The MEC Kelvin 3.8 sleeping pad deflated on me over night resulting in a still sore back. And the MEC guide tarp 12x16 was too heavy and awkward for one person...so I returned them both yesterday.

Candles and chocolate = good idea :D

Overall the trip was a success and I did actually enjoy myself. Got to do some mountain biking, canoeing and swimming too :D I think I'm hooked..

Matt

[immortal_ben]

Re: Sorta new to tent camping

Check out a Big Agnes inflatable pad. I love mine to death.

[BigDaveyL]

Re: Sorta new to tent camping

I second the tarp suggestion.

I use them under my tents to keep them clean and the bottom dry.

I've fashioned an addtional canopy in about 15-20 minutes out of tarps and rope. Keeps the sun out as well as provides an additional barrier against rain.

[surmisez]

Re: Sorta new to tent camping

Of all our camping gear, I'd say the tarps are extremely important. When the temps are in the 90's, and you don't have full shade from trees, a good sized tarp can shade your tent and keep it cool -- which is very important for sleeping.

Then you've got the other extreme with rain. We encountered some of the worst rain storms ever this summer. While we had to go home because the noise was deafening, and we were tired from lack of sleep due to noise, our gear was bone dry. Countless tent campers had catastrophic tent failure from the wicked downpours and non-stop rain.

While you can seal your tent against rain, not sure how it would hold up after 3+ days of non-stop downpours.

Just my 2 cents… :cool:

Welcome to camping, it's a fabulous way to get away from life and recharge your spirit.

Ps. Two additional thoughts:
1. The three P's: Prior Proper Planning will ensure that your trips always have bright spots (i.e. tarps kept gear dry).
2. It's always better to have something and not need it, than need it and not have it.

[BigDaveyL]

Re: Sorta new to tent camping

I put all my gear into big Rubermaid bins, all organized into smaller boxes within those bins. I probably pack too much as well. But I live well when camping!

[chromatica]

Re: Sorta new to tent camping

Look for a Thermarest self-inflating mattress pad. The specific model is Base Camp and look for the XL size. It is 84" long and 31" wide - wide enough to keep your hands from falling away from your sides.

[nbostic]

Re: Sorta new to tent camping

Since this is a car camping expedition, I'd add some kind of speaker for my iPod/iPhone/MP3 player I know camp is usually happy when I bust that out. Battery powered LED xmas lights are always a crowd pleaser too. Most of my car camping is in groups of 30+ now and I'm the infrastructure guy, so I have a whole bank of deep cycle RV batteries with inverters and a few hundred feet of lights. Might be overkill for most