Camping Secrets

[lil_freak_66]

im not sure id be able to sit there through that

[HARDTRAILZ]

im not sure id be able to sit there through that

That will come with age. Some things are better left undone.

[KE7WOX]

The fact that you have a truck doesn't mean you should bring the whole house. Last time we went camping my friend brought a small Weber grill, for a 2 night camping. Of course he had to carry it back in his pickup, but some people carry way too much; I don't think that 2 days surviving on camping food, ramen, etc would be bad.

I definitely need to sharpen up my shooting skills and consider getting something before the next camping, as my usual friend won't be here (or his .300, or the .22.

I wouldn't go out with plenty of water, I know there's the Katadyne filters (and I'm thinking about one for absolute emergencies) but in areas like here, water streams and creeks tend to be contaminated with mercury and other mining waste from the mining days, as there's still plenty of mine shafts with leaking barrels and stuff like that, definitely wouldn't trust it unless I was about to die of dehydration.

A machete, they're useful, and my preferred weapon for attempting to kill snakes, I carry two of them

[Blackout]

A good dog makes a decent motion sensor as well. Love the fishing line and bells, too. I wouldn't go out without a firearm. When I build my rear storage.unit I'm going to have locking drawers on the bottom for my AR and shotgun

[steveroche]

When your out in places inhabited by bears or large animals, use a bear bag and tie it up in a tree so no bears can get in your food. I do that every time i go camping after having had bears come into my camp sites often...You can put it in the truck but lots of times they can smell it and try to get in the truck.

[HARDTRAILZ]

Not only bears. Had a huge raccoon in florida open a cooler and steal choclate bars we had for smores

[steveroche]

I find that large shovels act as a good raccoon deterrent

[Trail X]

Not only bears. Had a huge raccoon in florida open a cooler and steal choclate bars we had for smores

If you remember, that happened to Mike last TECORE. Ate all of his buns if I recall. Good thing the bears didn't smell it.

[Saxis]

From experience trying to rough it in the Pacific Northwest on a few very remote canoeing trips...

ALWAYS set up a lean-to or some kind of protection from the rain first, BEFORE setting up the rest of camp, and collect/keep your firewood under it.
It's a good idea to keep your spare clothes and bedding in water proof bags or totes.
When you're too manly to use a tent, and it starts raining and/or snowing on your sorry ass in the middle of the night, crawling under that canoe to sleep doesn't seem like such a bad idea!
Take more than just Ramen Noodles and don't expect to catch all the fish you can eat...
If you must split up, make sure one group isn't carrying all the food, while the other is carrying all the cookware.
Don't let a married couple steer a canoe together. If there is one stick in the river, they'll disagree on which side to overtake it and sink you, dumping all your non-waterproofed gear...
When your buddy says "No matter what happens, just keep paddling!", don't believe him! He'll bail on a rock and laugh while watching you go over the falls...
Remember that no matter how bad a trip turns out, you'll probably be laughing about it later.

[fishsticks]

It's a good idea to keep your spare clothes and bedding in water proof bags or totes.

I use these


$6 for a 3 pack from Harbor Freight.

[bgwolfpack]

The bags are a great idea.

Damn your hands are pretty!

[Trail X]

I use these

They look so sensible, but the wife already nixed it. She doesn't want wrinkly clothes. Oh well, at least she's coming along!

Do you carry a vacuum with you on the trail to re-pack the clothes?

[Saxis]

I've used those plastic zipper bags that bedspreads and cheap sleeping bags are usually packaged in. They aren't completely waterproof if you submerge them, but they'll keep your stuff clean and dry for the most part.

[OregTrailBlazin]

I use these


$6 for a 3 pack from Harbor Freight.

I use these in my dry bags on our river trips... You can suck them back down easy with a hand pump, and I can fit allot more gear in one dry bag.

[fishsticks]

I use these

They look so sensible, but the wife already nixed it. She doesn't want wrinkly clothes. Oh well, at least she's coming along!

Do you carry a vacuum with you on the trail to re-pack the clothes?

Let her know if you "fold and roll" you will not get wrinkles.

My kids use an air mattress, and I have a 12V inflater/deflater that I kept around for that before I had the OBA. I can get them sucked back down reasonably well just by using my hand to seal the hole around the deflator. I bet with a proper grommet you could do just as well as a vacuum.

[RICHIET]

A little advice from my days as a scoutmaster. Let someone know where you are going and when you'll be back. In case of serious problems, that can make all the difference.

0 degree bags are nice, but they are heavy and bulky unless you get a down bag which is expensive. You can get by with a 20 degree bag and using a fleece or silk liner, or a blanket, can add 10 - 15 degrees to the bags rating. Change into fresh clothes before going to sleep, you'll be amazed how much sweat is absorbed by your clothe even in winter, and that sweat will rapidly conduct body heat away from you. On that note, most hypothermia occurs in the forties when people are wet, either by rain or sweat, and don't realize how quickly they are loosing body heat until its too late. Remember, in the winter, cotton kills. Cotton soaks up moisture like a sponge and holds it against your skin conducting your heat away. When cotton fibers soak up water they also collapse, loosing whatever insulating properties they had. Use one of the wicking synthetics like thermax or thermostat as a base layer, they're a little expensive but worth their weight in gold. one other trick for now. We would have the scouts find a rock a little smaller that a coconut, and sit it around the fire ring to heat up. Don't want it so hot you can't touch it. It needs to be far enough that it can soak up the heat for a couple of hours without overheating it. Take the rock and wrap it in a t shirt or a towel and put it in the foot of your sleeping bag. Remember, too hot and it might melt the bag, use your judgment. That rock will heat up your bag all night long. Don't use river rock. the moisture in the rock will crack the rock at best, explode at worse.

[navigator]

...... the moisture in the rock will crack the rock at best, explode at worse.

it reminds me to never build a fire on a concrete pad!
On our farm growing up some kids camped out there and built a fire on a concrete pad we had and it exploded sending pieces of concreted everywhere!

[NC_IslandRunner]

...... the moisture in the rock will crack the rock at best, explode at worse.

it reminds me to never build a fire on a concrete pad!
On our farm growing up some kids camped out there and built a fire on a concrete pad we had and it exploded sending pieces of concreted everywhere!

Excuse me for a minute I need to light that fire in my driveway!

[Saxis]

I have an old tent that I use as a camp sauna. I always set it up next to a good swimming hole on the river. Dig a hole in the ground, the tent has a hole in the bottom that you set over it. Heat up some good sized rocks for a few hours until they are glowing red. Use a shovel to transfer the rocks to the hole in the tent. Throw a tarp over to help keep the heat in. Grab a bucket of water to drizzle over the rocks. Cook yourself until you can't stand it anymore, then jump into the river. Cleans the pores, makes for a good camp bath and I usually sleep like a baby.

[NC_IslandRunner]

I have an old tent that I use as a camp sauna. I always set it up next to a good swimming hole on the river. Dig a hole in the ground, the tent has a hole in the bottom that you set over it. Heat up some good sized rocks for a few hours until they are glowing red. Use a shovel to transfer the rocks to the hole in the tent. Throw a tarp over to help keep the heat in. Grab a bucket of water to drizzle over the rocks. Cook yourself until you can't stand it anymore, then jump into the river. Cleans the pores, makes for a good camp bath and I usually sleep like a baby.

Awesome idea! Sauna and a cool splash is perfect before bed! Never thought doing it camping.