Getting started with camping

[vanguard]

I've seen Scott's checklist, which is great but pretty darn large. Does anybody know of a "getting started guide" camping in general?

How would you get started? Should I get Burke's video? The Boy Scout Handbook? I imagine I could spend a small fortune on camping gear but I'm trying to avoid spending a large fortune by buying it twice.

How do you get started?

[flyingwil]

I am soory but I have to ask, what type of camping are you interested in getting started? Car Camping? Backpacking and camping? Expedition Camping (combines both car and Backpacking but for long perios of time)?

Once we know that we will be able to better answer your :camping: question.

Also what is your experience with camping?



Wil

[DaktariEd]

Hi, Vanguard,
Not knowing much about you (ok...try...know nothing about you!) it's hard to know what to suggest.

I got started camping with my dad when I was too young to walk.
I am also a Boy Scout; an Eagle scout to be exact...so I have a lot of camping experience. :D

And therefore, I am a little biased that the Boy Scout Handbook (at least the version I am afamiliar with) has good information.

A better book is the Boy Scout Field Guide if that is still in print.

Still there is nothing like just getting out there and doing it. Maybe find a friend who has some experience and hang out with him/her for a trip or two...probably to an established campground once or twice first. :camping:

My theory on new things has always been to read a little, then plow ahead, on my own if I have to. Worked pretty well so far! :victory:

I'm sure others will chime in here...I'll see if I can find a few links for you, too...later....

Ed

[Ursidae69]

The best thing to do if you are new to camping is to buy some cheap gear, the minimum, and try it out, see if you like it. If you do, you'll spend the rest of your life buying better gear and more gear. If the weather is good, I actually prefer to camp over a hotel anyday. Start off with a sleeping bag, pad, tent, lantern, shovel, cook stove, cooler, flashlight, and go from there. Also it's good to go with other folks. The first time you have coyotes or javelina running by your tent you won't freak out as much if you have friends with you. I rarely set up my tent anymore, just sleep on a cot under the stars. It's always fun when you wake up to "something" nearby! :hehe:

On Edit: You don't have javelina in NC, but other critters abound. The critters in the woods, big and small, are the best reason to camp IMHO.

[asteffes]

REI is an excellent place to rent the large items you may need - tent, sleeping bag, pack, stove, etc. Start with inexpensive gear and buy nicer stuff as your experience teaches you what works well for you.

The Boy Scout Handbook is an excellent guide! I lived by mine for years! :)

[Nullifier]

Well the basic are common sense. Tent Sleeping bag and sleeping pad. NC. has some big temperature differences summer to winter so you will need some versatile gear. Personally I'm a sierra designs man. I like there tents and bags. They have womens and mens specific bags and a line that is convertible, meaning you can add layers to it for winter camping. If you are vehicle camping you can afford youself the wieght and space of a paco pad. It is make by jack's plastic welding in CO. and is the most comfortable sleeping pad I have seen yet. Heavy due to the outer material, it is available up to 4" thick. Great for sleeping on rocky terrain. If you are planning to back pack however you will not want these. Pick up some compact unit from thermarest.

As far as cooking, it is perfectly fine to start with coleman stoves. Although not light, these units are reliable for any type of camping. I still have 2 of them in my hurricane survival kit LOL!

If you are car camping then you can bring utensils, and pans from home. If you are planning some back pack trips you will need to get a mess kit as well. Ither essentials are first aid kit, headlamps. One of my favorite accesories, is a Cook's Custom Sewing lightwieght tarp. It is a 10'X10' tarp that is ultralight, ultra strong and will stuff into a nalgene bottle. I use it as a quick shelter fir a storm or a cooking shelter in camp. It also makes for a nice "under the stars" just incase shelter.

Basically put your money into your tent and sleeping bags. These are the most important pieces. If you can afford a "top of the line tent", I recomend looking at Kelty. Good over all bang for the buck. Just make sure your tent is factory seam sealed. Most are now a days but the added time you will spend seam sealing it on your own far outways the few extra dollars it will cost you to get one already done at the factory.

[cruiseroutfit]

REI is an excellent place to rent the large items you may need - tent, sleeping bag, pack, stove, etc. Start with inexpensive gear and buy nicer stuff as your experience teaches you what works well for you....

Hate to hijack & rant... but avoid REI like the plague if you truly enjoy motorized recreation. The are a major supporter of groups like SUWA, etc. that are against motorized recreation througout Utah (and the United States)

[/endrant]

[Ursidae69]

Hate to hijack & rant... but avoid REI like the plague if you truly enjoy motorized recreation. The are a major supporter of groups like SUWA, etc. that are against motorized recreation througout Utah (and the United States)

[/endrant]

This is very debateable, but no need to mess this thread up.

[cruiseroutfit]

This is very debateable, but no need to mess this thread up.

What is debatable? They are a major financial contributer to the Southern Utah Wilderness Alliance with has historically opposed motirized recreation. They (REI) have been approached numerous times by pro-motorized recreation groups to no avail. Not sure what is left to debate?

Sorry for the hijack... :(

[vanguard]

I am soory but I have to ask, what type of camping are you interested in getting started?
<snip>
Also what is your experience with camping?

For starters, I'd like to be able to join all the ttora guys that camp overnight when they wheel for the weekend. I imagine about 1/2 the time I'd take my 6 year old daughter who enjoys wheeling but hasn't been camping yet. She's excited about the idea though.

As for my experience with camping, I was a boy scout for about 3 years. We cooked over the campfire mostly but sometimes on a coleman-type stove. But camping equipment has changed a lot since I was a kid. The basic list "tent, sleeping bag, latern, etc." is actually a big help. Just knowing what the basics are is nice for a guy that hasn't been the camp leader yet.

On a side note, the last time I tried to go camping was a complete failure. It was a surfing trip to Cape Hatteras, NC and the winds were 65 mph and the rain was hard. The surfing was outstanding but by the second night I gave up on the idea of camping and just slept in the car. The tent filled up like a bucket! I still look back at that as on of my best vacations ever. :shakin:

[Ursidae69]

For starters, I'd like to be able to join all the ttora guys that camp overnight when they wheel for the weekend. I imagine about 1/2 the time I'd take my 6 year old daughter who enjoys wheeling but hasn't been camping yet. She's excited about the idea though.


Oh man, 6 years old is the perfect age for starting to camp. My earliest memories of around that age are of camping trips! The local store that carries Coleman can get you setup pretty well for beginning to camp and at a decent price. I used the Coleman stuff for years, but as your needs change you may start to buy higher end stuff later.

[cruiseroutfit]

For starters, I'd like to be able to join all the ttora guys that camp overnight when they wheel for the weekend. I imagine about 1/2 the time I'd take my 6 year old daughter who enjoys wheeling but hasn't been camping yet. She's excited about the idea though...

Overnight camping IMHO is the hardest to plan for... when you are going for an extended period of time, you just take all your gear. But for a quick overnight trip, you don't want to waste more time loading/unloading.

This has always been my downfall... If I leave it home, I will want to use it, if I bring it, I will cuss myself as I unload it time and time again. I solved this by building a trailer that I could keep ALL my gear in year round, even for a quick overnighter I will have all my stuff... Back to what I do like to have around...

Start simple, think about your trip, weather, etc. and go from there. Will you be sleeping on the ground? Back of your truck? What type of food do you plan to prepare (no cooking such as sandwich, cereals, etc). The Boy Scout handbook would be a great place to start...

:wavey:

[Brian McVickers]

Hi Vanguard,
Good quality used equipment may also be an option.
I there is a local listing on Craigslist for your area it may be a good place to start. Her in Arizona I have seen at least 4 people on craigslist over the past three months who are downloading all of their camping gear. They often sell it as a big package or piece by piece. Seems that some go out and get completely outfitted, go a few times and decide it's not for them so the sell it all off. Others are older couples that have collected some great gear but have grown too old to enjoy it anymore.

Tomorrow I am actually buying an MSR Whisperlite stove in great shape for less than half of retail from one of these folks!

[DaktariEd]

Yeah...too bad you're not here in AZ. :sunny:
I have a lot of old stuff I could part with...

Ed

[asteffes]

I would suggest starting with some overnight trips. Bring more than you think you need to keep yourself safe, and keep a list of what you do and don't use. Over time you can pare down that list into something more manageable. Also, you might consider camping with other folks who are into camping, just to get your feet wet. They'll know some tips and tricks and you won't have to buy everything for just yourself for your first couple trips. :)

[Justin]

:D
Overnight camping IMHO is the hardest to plan for... when you are going for an extended period of time, you just take all your gear. But for a quick overnight trip, you don't want to waste more time loading/unloading.

I agree with you on this point. I began camping with my father as early as I can remember and he always brought more than he needed and although it can seem like a pain loading and unloading, or just deciding what to bring, we/I have always felt more comfortable having all of our gear with us regardless of the duration of our stay.

As it relates to the camping question...good question by the way...I have found that the more I go, the more I am able to pinpoint what I need and what I don't need. In reference to camping gear, go with some friends to learn the ropes and when you become addicted...because you will...don't be a shiester when it comes to spending coin on gear. There is a reason why it costs so much...because it will last a long time and it won't fail you when you're at the mercy of the elements. At my current rate, I should have REI garish a percentage of my wages considering how much money I drop there.

[DaktariEd]

Here are a couple of sites and an Amazon link to the Boy Scout Fieldbook that may (or may not) provide a little help:

Family Camping (http://my.execpc.com/~thomas/list.htm#basic)

CampingTips.com (http://www.camping-tips.com/)

Boy Scout Fieldbook (http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/0894800191/qid=1136859073/sr=8-5/ref=sr_8_xs_ap_i5_xgl14/104-4232621-5642356?n=507846&s=books&v=glance)

Best bet is to get out there and go for it! :victory:

And if at all possible, make sure you choose to go out in good weather...at least until you are well seasoned! If you take kids out and they (and you) are miserable, stuck in a tent or car in the rain, you may have trouble later convincing everyone including yourself that it REALLY IS FUN!

:D

Ed

[GeoRoss]

Don't under estimate the power of testing your gear in your backyard (if you have one).

My daughters love to set up the tent in the backyard and for us to sleep there.

It is also a way to get used to your tent and how to set it up. You can also test it in the rain w/out dire consequences.

As others have said, you need to evaluate your needs. There are too many ways to skin this cat w/out more info on what your goals are.

Some advice though is to go out with other more experienced people. Borrow/rent gear first before you put money down on your own stuff. Keep in mind that opinions are like belly buttons, everyone has one. There is no single 'right' way to do things, just those that work for you.

Ross

[vanguard]

Update: My local target is having a clearance sale on camping gear right now. I have a friend that's a pretty experienced camper and he agreed to help me pick out some equipment. Sometimes at lunch we go to REI and he drools over everything from water bottles to stoves. :)

Anyway, I might pick up some basics if they get his approval. Maybe a coleman stove, water jugs, or even a sleeping bag. This one is marked down from $70 to $40. http://www.target.com/gp/detail.html/ref=br_1_15/602-0707214-5098235?%5Fencoding=UTF8&frombrowse=1&asin=B0007QQ510

To a newbie, the removable layer and 0 degree rating seem like nice features in a starter's 3 season bag. I'll look at tents too but I wouldn't be surprised if nothing they had met his standards.

[ssagurit42]

Having an experience in camping and it's a lots of fun to do if your far away from your home. But first to go anywhere you want little advice Safety First.

[dzzz]

....... But camping equipment has changed a lot since I was a kid.

No, it really hasn't. Performance type outdoor gear is lighter with better materials. But for car camping it's pretty much the same. If you could only provision from one place, Walmart would be a better choice than REI.

[94-RUNNER]

Wow, almost 6 years later. What a come back. :Wow1: Hope that you both have made some great camping stories to remember.