TheCampingGuy.com Blog | Camping Tips

As spring is in the air and it starts to warm up, I start to think about camping.  How about you?  So, I went into the garage and opened the cabinets where I keep all my camping gear and started to go through it.  What do I need to replace?  What needs to be replenished?  Take out the sleeping bags and air them out.  You know….all that stuff you know you should do but never get around to it.  Well I had the “itch” so that’s what I do to scratch it.

I also start to think of where and when I’m going camping. In my mind, with the economy the way it is, camping is still the cheapest way to take your family on a vacation.  And with all the tips and tricks on TheCampingGuy website and blog to refer to, you will have a fun time without breaking the bank.

So I thought I would put together a small checklist of things you can do to prepare for the ’09 camping season!

1.    Check to make sure everything works - stove, lantern, fresh batteries in flashlights, refill propane tanks, buy more propane canisters, etc.

2.    Make sure you’ve got all your cooking gear in shape.  Is everything clean or did you forget to clean that pot of spaghetti before you put your cook kit into storage?  Check everything that’s in your cook kit or make one by going here.

3.    Check the tent for rips, check poles, pent pegs.  If you need to do some repairs, here’s a repair kit that I use.  If you’re ambitious, this is a good time to apply some seam sealer to the tent.  Check out how - right here.  This will also give you a chance to set up the tent, air it out, and sweep it out. Then you know you’re tent is ready.

4.    Replenish your basics like: matches, propane, soap, paper towels, aluminum foil, firewood, fire starters, water filters, paper cups, plates, etc.

After this you’ve got most of the preparation complete and you’re ready to start the season.  So go ahead, sit back and dream about the places you’re going to camping to this year.

Happy Camping!!

As technology continues to change and advance, so does the world of camping and with it, camping furniture. From modern gadgets and tools to innovative materials, camping conveniences are improving every day. This is great news for campers with disabilities, aches and pains or those who just prefer to be pampered a little, because camping furniture has become especially comfortable. Here’s what The Camping Guy has discovered about camping furniture:

Camping Chairs
When selecting a camping chair, be sure to avoid the most inexpensive models. They often bend after moderate use and tip back very easily. Coleman, Eddie Bauer and Crazy Creek are trustworthy brands. Crazy Creek has a comfortable long back air chair, which is unique. The seat and back are attached so that the weight of your seat supports the back. There are all types of camping chairs from upright with a footrest to camping chairs that let you lounge and have cup holders! Just like at home, watchin’ the game.

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To me, the most comfortable time of year is absolutely Autumn. It’s that time when the air goes through so many changes and does so much for us. It dances with leaves, contributes to beautiful sunsets and begins cooling things off for us in the States. All these memorable things are what makes fall an excellent time to camp.

Here’s some quick tips for camping in the cool, beautiful weather:

• Firstly, pack layered clothing. Fall can be fickle, so starting off with a t-shirt and add from there is a great way to remain comfortable while camping. Don’t forget sweaters and light jackets or coats.

• Be prepared for any type of terrain. Fall can be dry but is known also for a random shower. Pack both tennis shoes and boots so that your hiking experience is safe.

• Take several thin blankets with you. You would be surprised at how warm most Autumn nights can be in a tent. This way you can lay on top of your sleeping bag if it’s too hot and get inside it if it gets cold.

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Fire roasted, glazed, baked or breaded. However you like it, the best camping food starts with the right ingredients and the best camping cookware. And the stove is the most important part. So, whether you’re camping light…backpack camping or car camping with family or friends, here’s some sure-fire (pardon the pun) stoves to get you cooking!

The Micro Backpack Stove made by Coleman is a great investment to your outdoor cooking if you camp lightly. Coleman has been making camping stoves since 1942 and holds the best reputation for their camping products. The Micro backpack stove is small and lightweight but still powerful enough to cook any stovetop meal. The top regulator and bottom (propane canister) can be unscrewed and packed separately. Remember this is for one-pot cooking, but it gives off great heat to boil water or stew quickly!

If you’re cooking for a whole family, the Coleman EvenTemp 3 Burner Stove is the most popular in camping stoves. This new 3-burner design gets rid of the cold spots that occur when using a 2-burner stove and gives you even heat that’s great for pancakes, bacon, and omelets…you name it! It has two 11,500 BTU burners on the ends and a 5,000 BTU burner in the middle for all types of range cooking as well as side panels to block wind. The InstaStart push button ignition system takes all the hassle out of lighting your stove. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve dropped a match onto the burner trying to get it going.

I hope this helps with your camping cookware needs. Let me know your experiences with other camp stoves, what’s your favorite, etc. But above all enjoy the food! It always tastes better when you’re camping!!

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It always warms my heart to see great numbers of people using our local and state parks to get outdoors and go camping. According to Reserve USA an online service that reviews camping trends, facilities and takes reservations nationwide, they believe that the increased expense of long distance car travel is keeping families closer to home during the summer months, making outdoor activities like family picnics and camping trips the preferred choice. And I thought it was all the great tips, tricks and advice that I was giving on TheCampingGuy.

Regardless of the reason don’t hesitate to go camping. Here’s 5 good reasons:

1. The TV, video games and computer need to rest too. Leave them at home and enjoy the outdoors. I dare you!

2. It’s sooo affordable. The amount you would spend on a hotel for a couple of nights can get all the equipment you will need….and you get to reuse it. Don’t know what to bring, follow these links:

How to choose the right tent
How to choose the right sleeping bag
What stove to use
Checklist of things to bring
Want more?

3. When was the last time you were far enough away from the city lights to see the stars? I mean all the stars, like a dark sheet with millions of pinholes.

4. Your senses wake up. The smell of bacon frying and the wood burning in the campfire fill your nose with rich aromas. I even believe that food tastes better when you’re camping.

5. Capture some memories. Ones that will remain with your family forever. I can still fondly remember the campouts I went on when I was a boy. Why not give that to your kids too?

So what are you waiting for? Go Camping!

This is a very cool DIY (do it yourself) project that I thought I would share with everyone. Great for using around the campsite to power any 12Volt device you have such as an air mattress pump, LED lamp, DVD player, etc. One of the advantages is that it’s built using a small cooler so it’s easy to carry and looks like the rest of your camping gear.

The inventor takes you through all the steps to build it. Gives you a list of all the pieces, where to get them and approximately how much each items costs. It’s fairly straightforward. After you assemble it and let the sun do it’s magic, any 12Volt (v) device can then be hooked up to it.

A 12V lamp can come in handy around the campsite. You can plug in any device that plugs into your car’s cigarette lighter, now called auxiliary power adapters. The inventor also includes some accessories that he’s plugged into it! And there’s an e-mail address if you have questions.

Check it out at: http://www.instructables.com/id/EKJZG6CQR1EYMW0Q9Z/

A number of my friends take their kids to the desert in December to go dirt biking and they complain about the cold camping. Well, here are a number of tips that I’ve used when cold weather camping that will make your campout more enjoyable.

The obvious first tip is to bring warm clothes. So why am I mentioning this? So, you’ll bring the right clothes! Bring gloves, ski jackets, wool hats, wool socks, long underwear, turtleneck shirts, sweat pants, sweaters and lots of extra clothes that you can layer. Unlike summer camping where you can get away with a couple of t-shirts and a pair of shorts. Plan to over pack during cold weather. As the old adage goes, “It’s easier to put on clothes you have than clothes you don’t have!”

Shelter - Find a place to shelter your tent from winds. I know it may be hard to do this in a desert, but try to make camp on the edge of a dry lakebed, not in the middle. If the wind seems to be coming from a particular direction, park your vehicle to block the wind.

During the day you keep warm by being active - hiking, dirt biking, etc. At night when it gets colder and sleep beacons you is when you need to be prepared.

Bedding - Make sure you bring lots of warm bedding. I usually take a 0° F rated sleeping bag, a sleeping pad, an extra blanket and a summer rated sleeping bag. Make sure you have lots of padding between your sleeping bag and the ground of your tent. If you don’t, the cold ground will suck all the heat out of your body while you sleep! Burrrrr!

Sleeping - Before you go to bed, put on your long underwear, wool socks and a wool hat. Your body loses lots of heat through an exposed head. If you wake up cold, put the extra blanket or summer sleeping bag on top of you or another layer of clothes such as: sweat pants and a sweat shirt. If you get too warm, vent your sleeping bag by opening the zipper, or vent yourself by taking off your wool hat or a layer of clothing. The key is to keep warm, but not to sweat. Perspiration will make you wet and cold. If this happens, peel off your wet clothes and put some dry clothes on and start again. Now aren’t you glad you brought lots of clothes!

Warmth - A couple of tricks I use are to build a fire at night so everyone can sit around, chat and get toasty before going to bed. But, also while the fire is burning, put a pot of water on the fire, bring it not quite to a boil, pour it into a canteen or heavy-duty water bottle and take it to bed with you to warm the sleeping bag! Additionally, it’s always good to have some hot beverage like cocoa or tea prior to bed to put something warm in your body. But, you better rid yourself of the fluids before you go to bed. Nothing is worse than waking up in the middle of a cold night to the “call of nature”.

Hopefully you will find these tips useful and feel comfortable enough to camp when the weather is cold. Try it! It’s quite a sense of accomplishment.