Posts Tagged ‘Outdoor Camping Gear’

Tent Maintenance For The Lazy

Saturday, December 26th, 2009
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Tent maintenance has as much to do with your state of mind as anything else. If you buy a really nice high quality tent and take care of it, It will last you a lifetime and you can pass it down to your grandyung’uns. If your state of mind objects to that, you can buy a really cheap tent and throw it away after your trip and buy another really cheap tent next time. You will enjoy your camping experience much, much more with the really nice tent.

Let’s look at what’s involved in taking care of your really nice tent. After spending some cash for a really nice tent, spend just a tad more and get a footprint for it. That’s sorta like a second floor or a floor to protect the floor. The idea is that the footprint will sacrifice itself so that you don’t damage your really nice tent. A footprint is not an expensive item to replace. A really nice tent is expensive to replace.

The first thing to do with your camping tent is to set it up an examine all the pieces. Make sure you have all the tent stakes and plenty of line. You will want extra of both these items. Do not store your tent in a hot attic. Long term heat will break down the best of tents. So will moisture, dirt, debris, and UV. Creepy crawlers and critters can ruin your tent while in storage, so take precautions. Stored properly, your tent should be in excellent condition for your next excursion. Just to be sure, set it up and check it out a couple of days before the next use.

Always set your tent up on flat, smooth ground, free of rocks, roots, or any thing that could possibly damage the floor. You’ll be a lot more comfortable too. Look up as well as down. Falling limbs can ruin your whole day. Sap is not as disastrous, but it is hard to remove and can wreak havoc with the fabric if ignored.

While set up in your flat smooth ideal camping spot, free of all hazards, be sure to keep debris out of the tent. Leave boots or shoes outside. Be sure to check footwear for visitors when putting them back on. A whisk broom and small dust pan come in handy at this stage. Keep seam seal and a waterproofing spray handy in case you notice any seepage or leakage.

It is not always practical or even possible to break camp with a dry tent, but just as soon as possible upon your return home you should address the problem of drying your tent. If you store it wet, dealers such as camp-in-tents.com will be glad to see you when you next open it up.

This may seem like an awful lot of fuss to keep up a tent, but it is easier done than written about. If you are just lazy like I am, consider inviting a friend along who has a serious obsessive compulsive disorder. You’ll have an immaculate tent and probably get a car wash too.

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Camping Gear Review: How To Get Hot Water

Tuesday, May 5th, 2009

It’s really not that surprising that I love outdoor camping as much as I do.  Although I grew up in a nice suburban neighborhood, my favorite movie as a child was The Adventures of the Wilderness Family.  Now, most of you probably have never even heard of The Adventures of the Wilderness Family, but the story centers around the Robinson family who’s tired of living in the city and moves to the wilderness of the mountains – in a spot so remote it has to be accessed by plane.  They get stuck there for the winter when the weather turns bad and have to make the most of their primitive, rustic dwellings.  OK, so the acting wasn’t great, but at seven I thought it was wonderful.

That should have clued me in that I was a nature lover.  What 7 year-old wants to move up on a mountain with grizzly bears and mountain lions as neighbors?

The humor in the whole situation is that I really don’t enjoy primitive outdoor camping for more than a few days.  By primitive I mean no electric or water.  I have to have a hot shower, at least every other day, and I feel the need to know what’s going on in the world at least once in a while.  However, whether or not we take the primitive route, there are few pieces of outdoor camping gear that I feel the need to take along to keep the trip from being miserable.  In this post I’m focusing on that need I have for a hot water — not just for a shower, but also for washing dishes.  Have you ever tried to clean a greasy pan in cold water?  It’s near impossible to get the grease off.

The best solution, but of course most expensive, would be a Portable Tankless (runs off propane) Water Heater.  One of these can give you hot water for up to 18 hours — but, will run you somewhere between $119 and $149.

(more…)

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