Camping Accessories
Camping Accessory Information
Archive for October, 2009
In a previous article I commented about buying camping gear for children that isn’t real expensive. Stansport sleeping bags work well for youth and the youth at heart. The Scout sleeping bag is rated down to 35 degrees which is as cold as most people will camp in with children. If you child takes it on a sleepover and it gets ruined the sleeping bag can be disposed of without running the budget.
Get a good air mattress for them as well. It doesn’t have to be real expensive as your child weighs less and that will help keep the air mattress from loosing air. The drawback is you will have to check the air mattress to make sure it has enough air every day.
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To have a good night sleep while using camping accessories requires a good camping air mattress along with a decent sleeping bag. After years of observation, I found that parents tend to error in one of two directions when buying camping accessories for children. They either try to get by without getting quality camping gear or they buy the same quality they get for themselves.
Those that don’t buy any camping gear or if they do buy some it is of low quality, risk their kids not being happy and ruining the entire trip for everyone. The other extreme money is wasted on expensive gear that is ruined when the gear isn’t taken care of. The trick is to buy gear that works well but is cheap enough to be disposed of when it becomes damaged or soiled beyond repair. Let’s face it; kids are not going to take care of something until they get older. You can do it, but is it worth it?
Another type of camp lighting that is common is flashlights or sometimes headlamps. Headlamps are nice when you need to carry something or hold a child hand. Streamlight makes a ClipMate LED light that combines some of the advantages of a flashlight and a headlamp. You can clip the light to something to position the light where you want it or hold it in your hand as you walk down a path.
The battery will last for 40 hours giving plenty of time for your camping trip. The light is visible for one mile which makes it nice if you just need to mark your camp site for the younger campers to get back. Of course that means younger campers of all ages.
Over the years I have seen many different attempts at camp lighting. From the traditional Coleman or propane fueled lanterns to lights strung around the camp and plugged into electricity. Some camps give the impression that Christmas is around the corner. Camping lanterns now have LED lights and are battery operated.
There are many advantages to the LED lanterns. The cost for batteries is less than fuel for lanterns and the risk of fire is eliminated. You don’t have to have mantels available when they break. One big advantage is they are safe to hang in the tent. Just remember that light reflected from inside the tent reduces privacy of the tent occupants.
Choosing a camping hammock does depend a little on how you plan to use it. Many people when in Mexico buy a hammock from one of the flea markets. They are ok in your backyard but taking them on vacation isn’t as easy as one that folds up a lot smaller. An Eagles Nest Hammock works well on vacation.
The reason I prefer an Eagles Nest Hammock is it will roll into the space of a grapefruit. With today’s luggage requirements that is a big factor. I like the double just because it might be fun to snuggle but if you plan to spend the night have a separate hammock for everyone. Put your food in a bag and raise it into a tree. That might not be necessary but if it is and you didn’t the results could be not real pleasant.
On trip last winter to Hawaii I walked to several remote beaches just to see what was there. There was beautiful scenery at everyone but also at many of them I saw people who pitched a camping hammock between two trees and obliviously had spent the night there. As a senior citizen spending the night in a hammock may not appeal to me but it would have a couple of decades ago.
A good friend of mine who is several decades younger did spend his Hawaii vacation on the beach. Not everywhere does that work but in Hawaii it does. I know he saved thousands of dollars that way over spending the time in a hotel. That is one way to vacation for less money.
The Happy Camper’s Mode of Transportation
Wednesday, October 28, 2009
posted by Family-Camper 11:37 AM
If you’re anything like me, the fresh air inherent to the great outdoors just smells and tastes like possibility. Once out in nature, I feel that I can do anything in the world – with the obvious exception of tying myself to a desk or turning on a computer. Lounging around the camp site and fishing in a relaxed manner from the shore are fine and dandy for a while, but eventually I like to get out and start living.
That’s why I always load the family van with inflatable kayaks before even leaving the driveway. My twin daughters share one boat and my wife and I the other, with each taking turns doing the bulk of the rowing and navigation. Over the years we’ve perfected our kayaking technique to such an extent that I’m even considering buying a professional-level fiberglass model. Still, for convenience and portability there’s no topping an inflatable boat.
Eureka has been in business over 100 years and the items that they sell show their experience. A good Eureka sleeping bag for the college crowd is the Sandstone. It is rated to 15 degrees but is still reasonable priced. When they take it to sleep outside they will be warm yet not out classing anyone.
The Sandstone is a durable sleeping bag and will stand cleaning better than some. It allows for some body movement which is nice for a variety of sleeping conditions. Encourage them to keep it in a bag so it won’t get dirty carrying it around.
When children go off to college we want to give them Christmas gifts that are practical but still appreciated. Think about some camping accessories such as sleeping bags. I know that you have spent thousands of dollars getting them heated in door sleeping quarters so – why a sleeping bag?
The reason is they still like sleepovers. The difference is the sleepovers are not at someone’s house but at their apartment or a campground and there isn’t always a bed to sleep on. Many times they will sleep outside just to prove they can. Remember that is what college is all about, bonding with friends, not just studying. I wouldn’t get anything special just a basic sleeping bag.
A Cold Steel walking staff works well for urban walking. The City Stick has a little class and is light enough to carry a long distance. It works great on shopping trips where a little space is nice, yet not so big that it is difficult to get around.
Whatever we need to do to increase the amount of exercise we get is worth the effort. Since many people don’t get out in the rural areas enough the need to find place to walk in the city is needed. A walking stick makes it easier to get going.