Camping hacks - A discussion

[surferguy]

So I’ve camped numerous times through my youth as well as an adult. I’m comfortable enough heading out to a campground for a weekend.

Now it’s time to start bringing my family out.

We will be tenting. We will only be car camping.

My question is what kind of items are essential vs what are a nice luxury to have.

Are thermacells worth the money? What about the super expensive coolers like the Yeti? Do they work better?

Share your camping skills with me

[scotty2hotty]

Don’t skimp on comfortable bedding. A backpacking thermarest likely won’t cut it for your family. Go full ‘glamping’ on the mattress.

Do you have a canopy to put over the picnic table? Nice to have somewhere to go if it rains (other than your tent).

And bring a coffee maker, of course.

[Sliver]

Thermacells could be double the price and they'd still be worth it. They're magic.

Space heater and extension cord and get a site with electricity. You'll be so comfy.

[chedder]

Fake yeti coolers like Driftsun brand work really well, but if price is no object, a real yeti is great. Freeze 2 litre milk containers full of water and it'll keep that cooler cold for days. You can drink the water as it melts.

Led lamps for light. Propane firepits are nice in case of fire bans.

[surferguy]

I did get a screen house, I wanted one with the protective fly but my budget didn’t allow for it.

[GGG]

Get a full size tent but also get a tent that you can set up alone.
Get a water proof, well ventilated tent. This means you want a mesh inside with about 12” of fabric forming the bathtub and a fly that extends to the ground. This type of tent is waterproof. Others are not. Think about how the door is designed to enter the tent. Doors that angle in without vestibules will drip water at the entrance to the tent so you don’t want that. The most time consuming part of setting up a tent is pounding in pegs into hard packed gravel. Get strong pegs you can hit with a hammer without them bending. Also look for a tent that needs fewer pegs. Practice setting up your tent first before you show up at a site in the dark, hungry and tired and need to do it for the first time.

Next up is bedding. Thickness is proportional to comfort. Air mattresses are cold, they suck the heat out of you. So you want one of two things 4” thick self inflating matts filled with foam or an air mattress with the cheap blue pads over top for insuslation. The expensive thermarest pads are really more backpacking focused. This is the best car camping mat and occasionally comes on sale for $99. Otherwise just go air mattress and foam on top.

Get good sleeping bags. You don’t need down sleeping bags because you are car camping but here is a good time to buy something with some quality. Get something that is EN rated. If using EN Limit ratings get something 7 degrees warmer than the min temps you will face. If in the mountains in July and August 0 is a good assumption for minimum temps maybe 5 if you are pushing it.

Stove - I go with the Coleman 2 burner propane stove and a charcoal briquette bbq.

Tarp. Have a rain shelter separate from your tent.

Clothes - have sleep clothes that never leave the tent. These are warm dry clothes to sleep in.

You also will be dirty, accept that your children will be covered in dirt and destroy any clothes they are wearing. That’s okay, they are camping clothes not new clothes.

Storage systems - I have 5 8” deep rubber made bins. 1 is kitchen/dining, 2 is food, 1 is hardware, 1 is toys. This plus a cooler fits nicely in a small SUV. Then I have a roof rack for tent/clothes/sleeping gear.

Bikes - fun to bring if you are staying in one location, good for keeping kids entertained. Sometimes they join gangs of kids racing around the campground. They are a pain if you are moving more often and especially if you are doing long stops between camping locations and have to worry about theft or hotel nights on route to places.

One other thing is to try to stay at least two nights in one spot as set up tear down gets tiring of doing it every day.

[ken0042]

We usually go to our trailer, however my wife's family tent camps, so that means we do as well. A few things I do:
- As mentioned, the mattress is key. We went with a folding foam mattress, similar to this one:
https://www.amazon.ca/Milliard-Foldi.../dp/B00W67PCTE
I ended up getting a Christmas tree bag to store it, and that also allows me to carry it on the car's roof rack. https://www.amazon.ca/gp/product/B077CKPJQG/

- I have a big Costco bin with all of our kitchen essentials. I made up a checklist for everything I put in there; just in case I have to replenish anything after a trip. Prior to this, on every trip there'd be something you forgot. Now we have all we need ready to go.

[81MC]

I am stoked you made this thread. I was going to, as this is exactly the situation I’m in. Just installed the roof rack tonight…now to get the other essentials.

Anyone have suggestion for a camping ‘handbook’ or something? How to properly set up a tarp shelter, knots etc?

Car tents? You know the type that go over your hatch so your vehicle is essentially in the tent? I don’t like the idea, seems like a total hassle and invitation to water intrusion, but we already have one

We have a cheapie air mattress, sounds like there needs to be a plan B at least.

[DoubleF]

Luxury wise...

There's something better about a jiffy pop made over a fire.
Glow sticks and glow stick poi is fun.
A decent sized rug in front of the tent for taking off shoes is a luxury.
A cold watermelon is ####ing awesome after a hot hike.
Electric scooter for errands is awesome (ie: trash drop off or fire wood runs)
Clothes pins for drying stuff on the tarp lines without it blowing away.
I used to swear by an Aeropress for coffee while camping. But I realized I never finished it before it got cold. I like espresso or americano from the Nanopresso more now... But I also never had yeti mugs in the past.
Cornhole/Bocce/viking bowling... Loser does chores.
Telescope? Find a field at night.
A string of orb lights and 4-6 solar powered firefly lights make for an amazing ambiance around a camp fire, as long as your site doesn't have a bunch of lamp posts by it.
Don't bring eggs in a carton. Waste of space and fragile. Crack them into a Gatorade bottle or similar, add oil/butter, cheese, chives etc and just pour when it's time to cook.
Premake meals in freezer bags that you can just straight up pour into pan to cook. Longer marinade flavor and less dicking around with oil and college dorm caliber space saving seasoning supplies.
Hammocks are comfy
USB jump starter. Someone always somehow does something like leaving a light on in the car or car door open most of the day and borderline kills the battery by day 2 or 3.
Electric pump. Don't manually pump things like mattresses, floaties, bike tires etc. Get one for car tires like those in proper emergency kits in case tour car tire gets soft. Use it. No one likes spending 20-30 minutes on a foot pump. Don't forget to have engine running when using it. (See USB jump starter).
Memory foam topper to put on air mattress or put on floor of van when it's too cold and damp in tent.

I've done the vast majority of these things. A handful I've seen other people do and I was jealous AF.

[TheIronMaiden]

If you want ti save space, freeze water bottlea to use as ice. Drink the water as it thaws.

[RoadGame]

Originally Posted by surferguy

We will be tenting. We will only be car camping.

When looking at provincial sites, I'd suggest prioritizing places that have "walk in" only sites. To pick one example you can look up yourself, Lundbreck Falls. "Walk in" sites might mean you're as little as 10 feet (or maybe as many as 100) from your car, but it'll help put some distance between you and the RVs. RV folks by and large are fine, but I have stayed at places like Dinosaur Provincial Park and the hum from generators immediately adjacent on both sides was... not ideal.

Also, if you are in the market for a tent consider googling widely. Not all styles and features are readily available in North America or even locally. I love tents with "dark rest" bedrooms for when you want to sleep in, and if you've got kids there are tunnel designs that have bedrooms at opposite ends and a common space in the middle. My biggest tent is a Eurohike Sendero 8 XL. It was a pain in the *** to get it here but it occasionally goes on sale 50% off and even with shipping only paid about 2/3 of full retail. Yes it takes longer to set up than most other tents but I can do it myself if I need to. Also while the footprint is huge, the tunnel style means I can collapse ~1/3 of it to fit places like Two Jack Lakeside that have size restrictions.

Tent pegs - I went to Home Depot and bought a bundle of the largest concrete nails they sell and use those for car camping tent pegs. They've been brilliant in terrain that would turn ordinary pegs into paperclips instantly.

If you aren't already into rope, it's worth reading up on some of the differences between polypropylene, paracord, etc. Different tools for different applications.

[Sliver]

That concrete nail idea instead of tent pegs is awesome.

[bc-chris]

you don't even need to leave the lambo at home.....


https://www.kelownanow.com/watercool...und/#fs_125809

[I-Hate-Hulse]

Originally Posted by surferguy

Now it’s time to start bringing my family out.

We will be tenting. We will only be car camping.

My question is what kind of items are essential vs what are a nice luxury to have.

Lots of great advice so far, but I think the key part of all of this is that you're doing this with small (small-ish?) kids? That changes everything. I was in a similar situation 3-4 years ago.

If there's one piece of advice I'd give - don't go nuts buying stuff off the hop. You know what you need for the basics having camped before - slowly refine your gear as you need to. Heck, you (or your S/O) might say - this is totally not for us - and you don't want to be stuck with all this unused stuff.

Some things that worked for us and our simple and cheap approach (assuming you have small kids)

- 2 nights keeps it simple, and enough to preserve your sanity
- The $20 butane burners are good enough (vs a coleman stove)
- Like everything else kids - it's about snacks. Smores / chips / jiffypop are always a hit.
- Waterguns are a cheap source of entertainment Them squirting a hot fire ring to make steam is endless fun.
- Bail if the forecast is terrible. That keeps the gear requirements simpler and cheaper. (i.e. no need for sub zero sleeping bags)
- Meal prep and plan the hell out of your meals and snacks in advance. As someone said above, prep sucks at a campsite with kids.
- Yes, YETI's are good, but if you're only there for 2-3 days, you don't need 7-10 days of freeze time. They also weigh a ton loaded. (I just went for a $120 Coleman Extreme 5)
- Costco level gear is fine for this 'simple and cheap' approach
- I've resisted getting too large of a battery bank. Our philosophy is that the point of camping is to teach the kids to get away from electronics and devices - otherwise I'd just rent a condo....

Some luxuries that make the experience better:
- The $200 propane fire pits are nice for firebans
- an inexpensive propane travel BBQ makes way easier (run off of same tank as firepit

[marsplasticeraser]

OK, this is something i actually have knowledge in.

#1 item: Get a great car camping thermarest. This is hte best advice i can give. We used to use our backpacking thermarests, but last year bought the Base Camp model (https://www.thermarest.com/ca/sleepi.../basecamp.html) and it's incredible. Super warm, wide, and as comfortable as my bed.

#2 item: pillows. Bring them from home. it's worth it.

The rest is all pretty basic, but some ideas:
- Get a tent that fits your needs. We have a massive car camping tent and only once tried our backpacking tent.

- Bring a tarp for if it rains. Get lots of rope so you can pitch it on any campsite. We rarely use it, but when we do, we love it.

- A bug house can be nice. We only use it a few times a year, but those few times are 100% worth it.

- Bring a picnic blanket for the kids to play cards / colour / play toys.

Hope this helps.

[DoubleF]

Originally Posted by Sliver

That concrete nail idea instead of tent pegs is awesome.

I've never really thought much about it, but I do this too. Always stupid to see the peg fold in half when you hit the edge of a rock. I remember the occasional time before we starting buying the concrete nails where we'd have to hammer a stick into the ground and carve a notch into the stick to keep the cord from slipping. After a while, we started keeping extras in the tent bag and just giving them to other families tenting with us because they hadn't yet replaced their pegs.

I don't have this, but I saw it once when I was young and I've always wanted one for camping. Seemed like the perfect hammer/hatchet for all intents and purposes. I looked it up this morning and apparently it's vintage? I still kinda want one even if I don't need one.
https://www.varusteleka.com/en/produ...-surplus/75769

Trying to pull out a peg without a proper hammer claw kinda sucks. You sometimes get guys who install pegs with mauls, but without a proper crow bar or claw, you end up abandoning the peg. I've seen other ones where there's a prybar on the handle, but the sleeves for the hatchet head are kinda hokey so it seems kinda dangerous to try and lever out a stuck peg/nail without risking damaging the sleeve/sleeve slipping off and cutting someone. Stupid design.

Originally Posted by I-Hate-Hulse

Lots of great advice so far, but I think the key part of all of this is that you're doing this with small (small-ish?) kids? That changes everything. I was in a similar situation 3-4 years ago.

If there's one piece of advice I'd give - don't go nuts buying stuff off the hop. You know what you need for the basics having camped before - slowly refine your gear as you need to. Heck, you (or your S/O) might say - this is totally not for us - and you don't want to be stuck with all this unused stuff.

Some things that worked for us and our simple and cheap approach (assuming you have small kids)

- 2 nights keeps it simple, and enough to preserve your sanity
- The $20 butane burners are good enough (vs a coleman stove)
- Like everything else kids - it's about snacks. Smores / chips / jiffypop are always a hit.
- Waterguns are a cheap source of entertainment Them squirting a hot fire ring to make steam is endless fun.
- Bail if the forecast is terrible. That keeps the gear requirements simpler and cheaper. (i.e. no need for sub zero sleeping bags)
- Meal prep and plan the hell out of your meals and snacks in advance. As someone said above, prep sucks at a campsite with kids.
- Yes, YETI's are good, but if you're only there for 2-3 days, you don't need 7-10 days of freeze time. They also weigh a ton loaded. (I just went for a $120 Coleman Extreme 5)
- Costco level gear is fine for this 'simple and cheap' approach
- I've resisted getting too large of a battery bank. Our philosophy is that the point of camping is to teach the kids to get away from electronics and devices - otherwise I'd just rent a condo....

Some luxuries that make the experience better:
- The $200 propane fire pits are nice for firebans
- an inexpensive propane travel BBQ makes way easier (run off of same tank as firepit

Good ideas. I'd also consider suggesting practicing back yard camping. If some gear is #### in your back yard, it'll be worse at a site in the mountains or whatnot. Figure out the nice to haves vs meh. Figure out how to stay out there the longest without always running back into the house for things. Teach the kids fire, knife and hatchet safety in the back yard so that they can help/contribute or self entertain when at a site.

IIRC, my parents would set up and my brother and I would be tasked with grabbing wood, setting up a kindling bundle/wood stack, searching for the news paper and starting the campfire. Use of pocket knives to make kindling from wood and create feather starters took time. Teach the kids to have awareness of their surroundings before swinging a hammer AND teach them to swing the hatchet/axe with legs spread so that if there is a miss, it hits the ground between the feet! People who swing hatchets and axes with one leg forward freak me out.

I'd also suggest looking around on Facebook marketplace and Kijiji for some deals. Some people go all out, buy a ton of stuff, piss off the family and have to get rid of the gear. Sometimes they have more stuff that is technically available than the listings they've put online that they'll be OK tossing into the deal for cheap on the spot (especially if the wife is floating in the background as you investigate the equipment) .

[Derek Sutton]

Ultimate camping hack, backyard fireplace. That way you can stay home.

I'm so anti camping right now, no desire to ever go again. At home we have full sized, fully functioning bathrooms, big screen tvs, two full sized fridges and deep freeze, Air Conditioning, Endy king sized mattress, Power. Camping you have dirt, stink, food in a cooler (SHUT THE COOLER!!!) sleeping on an air mattress, out houses, dirty kids.

Conclusion: Campers spend a lot of money to go live like a homeless person for a week end.

[surferguy]

Thanks for the insights everyone.

I definitely stick to Kijiji and Marletplace for most of my purchases.

My boys are 4 and 7.

I have a good portion of the things listed but already there has been some great tips to make life easier.

Appreciate the conversation so far.

[DoubleF]

Originally Posted by surferguy

Thanks for the insights everyone.

I definitely stick to Kijiji and Marletplace for most of my purchases.

My boys are 4 and 7.

I have a good portion of the things listed but already there has been some great tips to make life easier.

Appreciate the conversation so far.

Reading the ages of your kids...

Bring a 3-4 step folding step ladder to facilitate pulling lines for the tarps.

I vividly recall adults pushing kids up a tree 8-10 feet and telling them to throw a cord loop over a specific branch for the tarp. Many scared kids were scraped by branches after the feat was completed.

Tying a stick and throwing it at branches didn't always work because other branches might end up in the way of the cord.

[Traditional_Ale]

Originally Posted by Derek Sutton

Ultimate camping hack, backyard fireplace. That way you can stay home.

I'm so anti camping right now, no desire to ever go again. At home we have full sized, fully functioning bathrooms, big screen tvs, two full sized fridges and deep freeze, Air Conditioning, Endy king sized mattress, Power. Camping you have dirt, stink, food in a cooler (SHUT THE COOLER!!!) sleeping on an air mattress, out houses, dirty kids.

Conclusion: Campers spend a lot of money to go live like a homeless person for a week end.

I want to know what happened to make you anti-camping. I smell a good story.