[Russic]

RoadGame wins the thread with concrete nails. I'm buying some today–what a killer idea.

As for my tips:
- Very specific to how you sleep as a family, but for us getting a tent that isolates the kids was massive. However it's done, be it room divider or an actual separate area, we all sleep better with fewer distractions

- You'll look like an actual serial killer, but a soft balaclava helps on chilly nights to sleep (not likely to be a problem until fall). Again, this will vary depending on how hot you run. I can always get sleeping bag temperatures right, but my face always freezes, waking me up.

- If you'd like to keep your kids occupied and get creative points, clean out an orange like you would a pumpkin, fill it with a boxed cake mix (2/3 full), cap it, foil it and toss it in the fire for about 20-30 minutes. Once you smell it, it's pretty much done. There's enough protection from the foil and moisture in the peel that you can't really burn them (as long as they're not inside a raging inferno).

- I'll just echo that there is no such thing as an air mattress that holds air. You have a car, so use the space and bring something solid.

- When making kindling, I've started placing the axe on small piece of wood and then tapping the blunt end of the axe with a mallet (or other piece of wood). We've got into watching Alone and the sheer number of people who damn near cut their thumbs off doing it the hold-wood-and-tap-into-ground method is astounding.

- Don't let anybody tell you what camping is. For years I ignored simple luxuries because I was a proper ###### of the Woods and thought camping was about <unique camping philosophy here>. Now I have solar panels and a giant battery hooked up to an ice maker and I don't apologize for having a good time.

- Keep your tent zippers in the same place all the time. Be able to unzip your tent and locate bear spray with your eyes closed. No reason. Don't worry about it. Call it a personal preference.