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I know some of you use trailers, and that is nice for those places that you can drag them.

Let's talk about some of your camping gear.
I have a POP-TENT, INC. (photo) I wish I had bought a couple of them when I found them on ebay years ago. Sets up in seconds and sleeps two easily. We have been using Slumberjack sleeping bags for as long as I can remember. I just bought a couple Coleman bags that will zip together for this summers trip, as well as a couple of those self inflating pads. The ground has become a bit harder in the last few years. It is funny how that works, the body tends to get softer and the sleeping surfaces seem to get harder
We each have those canvas foldable chairs that go on extended trips. A tarp, two telescoping tent poles and some rope serve as a awning for shade.

I have an old Coleman gas stove that still travels with us for those areas where a cooking fire is not permitted.
A Coleman gas lantern is used for the big light.
I have an old pack that carries the "essentials" A great big US Army frying pan that can sit in the bonfire for cooking, one of those stackable pot combinations that has two pots with lids and a cup. Three SS plates , cups, forks , spoons, and knives. They may be dented or bent, but I like the durability and reuseability of them over paper and plastic.
The same pack has the dry seasonings, a telescoping fishing pole, big army knife with spoon and fork, metal match , wooden matches , paper towels and the other essentials.

I pack a seven day cooler (holds ice for seven days) and two five gallon water jugs, on the weekend desert trips.

Of course we have all talked about the vehicles needs and recovery gear. That goes above and beyond what you have for setting up camp

All I need is a can of coke and hershey bar

barch97 wrote:All I need is a can of coke and hershey bar

I guess I can toss that old metal match in the junk drawer I had no idea that I should start liking chocolates for a survival skill

hey it's a bread box!!!

j/k - love the veedubs.

I just pulled all my camping gear out Yesterday for the sirst time in a while,

I have a Eureka Apex 2 XT tent, great price for a good 3 season 2 person rig.

Use slumberjack bags as well - actually mine is made by slumberjack - found it at a pawnshop - was one of the ones that Marlboro offered to people who like to collect the "miles" on thier packs - is a 0 degree rated hollofil 2 bag, - was never used - bought it for $15 brand new in the bag it came in. took the Marlboro patch off and you can't tell the difference.

Old coleman cook stove if I'm car camping, MSR whisperlite international 600 if I'm hiking, or needing to carry my gear compact. Ancient dual mantle coleman camp lantern.

Various small charis and such - yeah I'm ready to go now--too bad it's Monday.

I finally found an "upgrade" for our tent. The POP-TENT INC. tent is already too small for the three of us, and I really like the instant set-up.
It turns out that Coleman had one called the QuickDraw. Although they had been discontinued I found one on ebay.
It is the QuickDraw Cascade. Listed as a four person tent. It is HUGE! I think you could sleep six people close and it is also tall. Easily allowing me to stand straight in the center.
Simply a wonderful feeling to find a tent of the same design that is larger.
We will test it soon as another shorter expedition is in the works

It is amazing that when I find something that works well and lasts a long time that they discontinue production

You forget the first rule of retail....

Never make a product that won't wear out - no one will ever buy another one.

I thought I'd add to this thread.

In the past I have carried a fullsized rounded nose shovel. This was when I had a fullsized bed on my truck and no family , so no need to fill the spaces. Things change. The vehicle and the family. Space becomes important.
I no longer have a full size bed, and don't think I want to pack a full size shovel.

I had one of the folding pick / shovels with a hard wood handle. For years I packed it when hiking in to campsites. I carried it in my truck until I broke the handle a year ago.
This is an example of that shovel- Folding pick shovel ,



I liked this shovel pretty well. It would be possible to dig a hole big enough to bury the spare, but it would be lots of work :shocked: It worked great for leveling a spot to set up the tent, stir the coals when putting the fire out and assorted camp duties.

I was unable to find one like it and replaced it with one of the "trifold" shovels. Example
This did the job of leveling a place for the tent, but no way would I attempt to dig a hole for burying the spare as an anchor point.

This one looked good as I decided that I would like to try a D-handled shovel and need a little more durability. Mini D-handle Shovel

Shovel arrived yesterday. As usual I can not leave anything alone, so the mods began this morning



First I used a cutting disc to serrate one side for cutting roots. Then I bobbed the point. I don't like a pointed tip, as it tends to deflect too easily on a rock. I also sharpened the edges.

The blade is formed .070 steel with an open back. The shaft is a wood core fiberglass wrap. "Bond" was printed on the shaft. The handle is plastic , perhaps ABS?.

It feels plenty sturdy, and the size is good. Small, but good.

I think I could bury an anchor point with this. It would take a while since the blade is small (6").

Overall it is now 26" long. The only other modification that I may do would be to weld a piece to enclose the back. This helps to strengthen the blade. I will wait to see how much flex it has first.

I have no need to bury my spare any time soon, so it may be quite a while before I really try this shovel out. I will use it the next time the need arises to move some terra
here it is next to my tire for scale-

Looks like a decent addition to your camping gear. I like the Glock E tool because of the root saw option. I have been very pleased with their handguns and knives

Had to dig fox holes with E-tools when I was in the Army...they get the job done but it takes a lot longer than I thought it ever would. The one thing I would suggest is either get the Glock model with the root saw or buy a small hatchet/camp axe...the serrations on the GI model do jack squat for chopping through roots or anyting else for that matter.

Sounds like we need to add a"Shovel Mods" forum now.

At times I think we all could use a shovel here

And some hip boots

I used to camp lightly. I would even back pack at times. However, in the last few years my camping gear has exploded. And I must say it has its still fun. It’s just a different kind of fun. Here is how I’m generally loaded now to go camping.



This is because I have built a yurt to camp in. A yurt is a Mongolian tent still used today. Here are some pic’s of it going up. Once assembled it is 16’ across, the roof is 6’ at the walls and 11’ at the peak. It has a normal door with a deadbolt to lock it, a screen door, door bell, a solar panel on the roof to run the 12 volt lights, and carpeting on the floor. It takes roughly 90 pounds of canvas to cover it. A queen size bed fits nicely in it with room for tables, hanging cloths and room to cook if the weather is bad. I know, some would say this really isn’t camping. When I watch other people crawl in and out of the nylon tent in the rain I have to agree. A yurt is definitely not camping.

daevans315 wrote:... I have built a yurt to camp in. ...

Wonderful!
That is a really nice way to go!
That is indeed an all weather solution.

I have been pondering an "outback" trailer. Perhaps I will steal ideas, and dream up a few of my own to build a nice camping trailer. Yours is an option I had not considered, thanks for sharing.

This really has been a very good shovel.



However, recently Oregon, or more specifically Malheur County has imposed fire restrictions.
Vehicles are required to carry a shovel with a minimum length of 26" and a blade width no less than 8".
My shovel meets the length requirement, but is 2" too narrow at the blade.
Something to keep in mind when shopping for a shovel.

Another item I have added to my gear is a tent fan. It is the Coleman Zephyr LED tent light and fan -



It offers a nice movement of air and pleasant white noise (blades slapping air) for sleeping. Although it does not pack well, it is a nice addition that will be taken on many trips yet to come.

I only own camping gear to smooth Mrs Hoff's ruffled feathers. Having "had to" camp In the federal government in civilian and military capacities, I could care less if, I ever have to erect a tent again! I possess one new in the box tent that is made for our crews. May the sucker rest in peace and never see the light of day.

My idea of camping is a Holiday Inn Express with the cable temporarily "down.".

A lot of things are not fun once you are required to do it. Maybe, Border Man can chime in here about his love of recreational hiking?

f9k9 wrote:I only own camping gear to smooth Mrs Hoff's ruffled feathers. Having "had to" camp In the federal government in civilian and military capacities, I could care less if, I ever have to erect a tent again! I possess one new in the box tent that is made for our crews. May the sucker rest in peace and never see the light of day.

My idea of camping is a Holiday Inn Express with the cable temporarily "down.".

A lot of things are not fun once you are required to do it. Maybe, Border Man can chime in here about his love of recreational hiking?

I spent the majority of the time I was with the 101st ABN (11-B10/C2) in the field, which I referred to as " camping made not fun." It sucked at times but it didnt ruin camping for me, I still love it. But you are right...doing it because you have to, not fun..doing it because you want to, well it doesnt get much better than that.

I have been using a couple of the Stearns self inflating sleeping pads for our camping. They are a four compartment pad. The attached pillow/head pad must be inflated manually.
They are 21" wide and 75" long. They have served us well and have never needed repair. I like the triple compartment self inflators. They air up quickly and allow different pressures for shoulders, hips and legs. They roll up into a nice small package.

I recently found out that there are double wide self inflating pads available. Trail-Gear had an excellent price
These pads take a much longer time to inflate. They are a single compartment with soft foam interior. I like the brass valve for inflation. The pads are wider and longer. The single measures 78"x25" and the double is 78"x57".

The double pad is two compartments. This would allow it to be folded lengthwise for a double thick sleeping pad. That is something I had not considered before making the purchase.

Right now I am still basking in the glory of being treated so well by the Trail-Gear Inc. customer support. My impressions of the product may be biased right now, but I really like them so far.

Sleeping comfort is one of my "special things". I allow it to take up more space and weight. Comfort while sleeping is a luxury item and not subject to the same size and weight limits I set for other gear, within reason. The new pads appear to be about 25% larger when bagged.

I have not packed these yet, nor have I slept on them. I will say the extra three inches of width will be nice, as will having a double wide pad. I wasn't crazy about the inflated head pad on the Stearns. The Trail-Gear pad looks to be a wonderful improvement. All pads came with a repair kit, straps and a storage bag.

I store my pads and bags opened up and laid out. This limits the crushing of foam and fibers to the time packed and transported.

At this point I would say that the Trail-Gear sleeping pads are a very good "bang for the buck" if you have the room, get the double wide pad. It would be nice to have the option of wider or thicker if needed. Even for a single adult.

have to agree with you on the sleeping pads hj , they are a godsend, i have 2 singles and a double from mountain equipment co-op , along with 2 mec -15 sleeping bags and 2 us issue arctic bags for the cold stuff. i am usually sleeping in my trailer with full appliances so pretty posh, but still do lots of backpacking in the rockies with a 4 season mec tent. MSR wisperlite stove (these things are great, but expensive) , i also pack 2 kayaks equipped with fish/depth finders, gps navigation, rod holders, and anchor, etc. makes for a fully loaded crewcab when i throw the mountain bikes in too, i have a pic of a partially loaded crew in my user pics. any winter campers looking for something new? i am cutting the floor of my camping trailer out and making a removable panel so that i can park the trailer on the ice this winter and spend a few days fishing on the lake without ever leaving the trailer (except to pee) , should stay warm inside with a forced air furnace and will be able to sit at the eating table and drop a hook in the water.

I'd like to see the pictures of that install. Over the past couple years, I've been doing a lot of ice fishing at the near by lakes, and my parents gave me their older 20' camper, (oven, microwave, full bathroom, AC/Heat, etc)---They went and bought a 25'er. Yes, I've hauled the 20'er with the CC even before I installed the electric brake, sway bars, WDH, or add-a-leaf systems through the WV hills. I'd take some longer ice fishing trips if I could possibly get the whole rig out there.

We camped on them last night. Just a backyard sleep out, but a nice quick test of the pads.

I do like the double. At no time did I find myself off the pad during the night. The material is slick enough to be brushed clean easily, yet not so slick that the bag slides around on it.
My wife prefers the single chamber design to our old pads.
I did inflate the pad a little more by blowing into the open valve. This made them a little firmer. I let some air out so that the double would fold in half without stressing the seams. Once laid out I should have added a little more air to my side before bed time. Mine was perhaps a little soft. Not enough that I wanted to add more during the night, but just something I noticed the next morning as it felt like my hip was bottoming out the cushion. My wife and son were happy with theirs just the way they were.

I am 6' and 200 lbs. The length is really good and the width as well.

I think they are a very good value. From what little research I have done they are 1/3 to 1/2 or less than the cost of other pads.

Being an Eagle Scout I have camped in everything from a makeshift lean-to out in the woods to fancy tents and cabins with showers over the years. I have used lots of different things related to camping. However, a couple of months ago I purchased my most unusual piece of camping equipment.

Our church group is going camping, so it looks like I am going to get a chance to try it out this weekend. Mine is still in the box, but here are some pics of some similar ones from other AV forum members to give you the idea:





Looks pretty crazy. Should be a fun experience. Has a custom fit air mattress also. I will take some pics of my own when it is actually set up.

Tom

My personal favorite camping cooking utensil is my Cabela's Cast-Iron Tri-Leg Dutch Oven.
I've cooked everything from wings, roasts, ribs, pizza, cobblers and KW's famous Guinness Beef stew in it. Every hunting trip the crew huddles around in silence while I prepare one of my dishes....anxiously waiting for that lid to come off

Start a thread with your secret recipes. I am way to far away to pop into camp for a sample. I can almost smell the ambrosia from the description though.

I have always been a pan and pot cooker. I may need to invest in a dutch oven.

RaleighBlaZeR2 wrote:...a couple of months ago I purchased my most unusual piece of camping equipment...Should be a fun experience. Has a custom fit air mattress also. I will take some pics of my own...

Please do. A truck tent looks like a neat off the ground solution. Have fun!

My family has been using the Energizer headlamps. They are a three LED lamp. Two white , or one red.
They were purchased at our local "Wallyworld" for around $10 each.



I would recommend them. Compact, adjustable, good light, low cost.
I keep three in the truck all the time. They come in handy for everything from automotive repairs to home repairs. I have used them several times while crawling under the house.

To save me a little leg work, were they in the sporting goods section?

f9k9 wrote:To save me a little leg work, were they in the sporting goods section?

Yes. With the flashlights across from the sleeping bags

Great for hands free light while dining. They make great camp lights. The light is not so harsh as to be annoying.

I have a Streamlight Trident headlamp with three LEDs and a xenon bulb. It uses three AAA batteries, and the only complaint I have with it is the ratcheting feature. Its nice to have an adjustable feature, but after using a few times, the ratchet is a little loose and is hard to keep in the position you want.

A couple new additions to my "Bugout Bag".

The Airfoil kite has no sticks and fits in a small package with string.



The kite is made of rip stop material and may be useful as a signaling device for aircraft. The rip-stop fabric and string can be useful in other ways as well.

The next is a UV meter. $20 at Target stores this Oregon Scientific UV meter is a handy gadget. It has a countdown timer, user settable for skin types. It also has time and temperature. Pretty handy for the price I think it is a good addition.



A couple more things were added on this trip. A set of Bushnell Waterproof 10x42 binoculars. I can't believe I left home with out binoculars and a notepad.

HenryJ wrote:............ and a notepad.

Waterproof one or just something in a ziploc?

f9k9 wrote:

HenryJ wrote:............ and a notepad.

Waterproof one or just something in a ziploc?

Both good ideas!

HenryJ wrote:..................Both good ideas!

The waterproof notebooks are somewhat new but, the plastic bags have been around since 'Nam! Most of my experience was with reduced writing capabilities induced from sweat and the high humidity.

Rite-in-the-Rain books have been around for quite a while now.
I have some from the federal surplus that I use as log books for the caches.
I just ordered a few more notebooks since I am now out.
Lots of choices for covers. Some with useful printed material (emergency response, fire, EMS, tactical, industry, etc.) on the covers.

Desert tan works for me.

HenryJ wrote:.........Desert tan works for me.

Bottom line is what works We have both seen this type of advancements in surviving "emergencies" that has come "light years" from just 10 yrs ago.

Our PS3 counterparts may have a lot more current info on the topic

How about a topic on survival oriented things to pack? hMMMMMM. Rather recent products include GPS, hydration systems.....am sure you get the point, Brule.

As you can see my "Bug-out Bag" is a Hydration pack. It carries 2 liters of water and all the other essentials. It has granola bars, flashlight (self contained Solar rechargeable), Blastmatch, Vaseline cotton balls, swiss army "tinker" knife, big folding lock blade knife, binoculars, gloves, bandana, compass, kite, bug spray, sunscreen, first aid kit (bandaids, neosporin, asprin), saline gel, parachute cord. The 2-way ham radio and GPS are in the pockets. I never leave without my pathfinder watch and a big Dorfman Pacific hat. If the walk is long I grad the collapsible walking poles.
I think that about covers it

As I find new needs I adjust.

Home Made Outdoor gear
I ordered a "White Box Stove" on ebay. I wanted to support a good idea and a well built stove. Nice lightweight back up stove.
EDIT: It arrived quickly and is very nice. Lights easily and works great. I threw it and a bottle of heat in the emergency tub. You never know when something like this will come in handy.

Here is a site with more stoves :Mini Bull Design
This is a great video on building an alcohol stove: Como hacer un fogon de emergencia. I am going to build one of these and give it a try. Need to pick up some Heet I am told good Tequila works well, although there was some uproar about that as a use.

EDIT: I built a couple. The first I used a drill bit for the holes. It worked great. Very little preheating and it bloomed. You do need a stand for the pot and some sort of wind break.
The second one I tried the push pin. This one took lots of heating to light. I used 70% Isopropyl which works, but is not the best.

It finally made it out of the box(after almost 3 yrs.) this past August when I attended the ZR2.com meet at the SuperLift Off Road Park in AR. A bear to assemble the first time after dark but, easy after that.

This puts back the "torch" in flashlights: Torch Flashlight

Engadget wrote:The Torch flashlight: why illuminate when you can incinerate?

Run time : Fifteen minutes Not one you want to forget left on sitting on the seat

HenryJ wrote:I am going to invest in a charcoal "fireplace" that is recommended by the "tread lightly" bunch. That will serve as a "cooking fire". Snow Peak Fireplace

Shipping was VERY fast It arrived today. Three days from order to arrival!

I see why it is so expensive. It is a very nice quality stainless steel assembly. Lots of work involved in the build. Welded, formed, etc. I can definitely see $100 worth of effort. The cast iron insert is easily as nice too. The folding fireplace came with a carry bag, and I stitched up a bag to pad the iron grille.

Can't wait to try it out. It should be perfect for my Calvary frying pan.

My biggest prompt for this was the ability to have a fire to sit around when campfires are not allowed. Charcoal briquettes are easily packed and will offer heat for hours. This folds flat and will fit nicely under my toolbox.

More after a test burn. That may be late spring though.

Added a new piece to my gear:
TrailBlazer Buck Saw



Good quality. Compact and light weight. In the past I have carried a chainsaw , or relied upon only an axe. This will allow quick cutting of large logs for fire wood, or clearing a trail if the need arises.

One of these dayem days I will make believers out of a few of you on how welll this tool works



National Trails Partnership

Swedish Safety Brush Axe (Sandvik): Also known as a Sandvik, the Swedish Safety Brush Axe is a machete-like tool with a short, replaceable blade. Because of the shorter blade and longer handle (27 inch overall length), the tool may be safer than a machete. Its shorter handle and lighter weight make it faster, easier to control, and safer than an axe or brush hook. The thin, flat, replaceable steel blade cuts easily through springy hardwood stems.

Safety tip: A sharp tool is a safe tool. Replace the blade when dull or when it becomes badly nicked.

Books might not be at the top of everyones list, but knowledge is power.

This site has some good reading: http://www.survivaltopics.com/
The section on survival knives spurred a quest for a new replacement of my long lost Buck #119. My wife decided to make that one an early birthday present.

I picked up a copy of the SAS Survival Handbook. Much of it is common sense basics, but I can see it as a useful tool. Especially when the mind is not sharp.

I am waiting on my copy of the VDEG, Vehicle Dependent Expedition Guide.