I have questions about camping for any who camp

Ronni

Ronni

Well-known Member
Location
Nashville TN
I’m talking about tent camping rather than with an RV or Camper. And that also includes boondocking/primitive camping, as well as staying at sites that have water/power/bathrooms/showers or any combination.

I’ve realized need time away from the house, but I’ve lost interest in Airbnbing the way we used to. We don’t want to spend money on a camper or RV, and we already have some camping gear. I really like the idea of roughing it and setting up camp by a river or other body of water.

Please share your wisdom, experiences, cant-do-without gear, supplies or conveniences, and anything else you find noteworthy, as we gather the things we’re going to need for our first (short because we’re still working) camping trip.
 

My other half and I used to rough it camping when we were much younger. It was the opposite of the ballroom dance long weekenders in hotels, ballrooms and such like.
My lady loved the wilds of The Scottish Highlands, but we went across mainland Europe too.
Sharing our experiences I would suggest that you take as many pre-cooked meals as you can. It will save a lot of time and hassle.
You should consider bathroom arrangements.
tent.jpgtoilet.jpg
A small privacy tent and a port-a-potty make for a risk free call of nature. I admit that more than once I scraped a hole and performed what we dubbed: "Squat and drop." But I tell you Ronni, when you are performing and you hear a nearby rustle in the shrubbery, you don't need laxatives.
The potty contents can be disposed of thoughtfully. What we did was to wait until we were in a place where there were public lavatories and just flush away our waste there. A strong plastic bag discretely hidden inside a shopping bag and whose to know?
 

It's a long time since Mrs.L and I went what we call 'Wild camping' in the UK. The first thing I would say is to stay dry, so a good waterproof tent and ground sheet. Then for comfort, an air bed or similar and a good quality sleeping bag. You'll want a decent camping stove and a wind break. A 'cool box' that can be powered from your vehicle would be good for keeping food fresh. Unless you have a reliable water supply, you will also need a good water container for food and drinks.

Mr. Horseless carriage touched upon 'personal hygiene' so don't forget a folding spade and toilet tissue. Other small things - torch, portable radio, waste bag etc...

We had great fun camping in our youth, but in our 70's we prefer the comfort of our campervan. We still try to embrace the spirit of wild camping and do without all the mod cons that many 'campers' regard as essential - like a Microwave, Satellite dish and a 40 inch TV - in fact what they want is their home on wheels. That's not camping, it's moving house.
 
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I've always liked the idea of tent camping... but you asked for experiences so I'll tell you mine. The last time I slept in a tent, I'd had the very best air mattress and sleeping bag I could buy. I assumed it would be comfortable... but I was so stiff and sore in the morning that I knew I'd not get any more use out of those things... and that was 25+ years ago! Something to consider... if those things aren't hard on your body like they were on me, I hope you have a restorative and memorable "time away."
 
If you have the basics like a good tent, sleeping bag, etc, etc, head to a State Campground that has spots that are designated strictly for tents. You’ll get a feel of what you really need to have with you. It’s amazing what you need and often forget on the first trip of the year. Be practical.
 
AnnieA said:
Add extra water proofing to all seams of new tents and then reapply yearly. What kind of vehicle will you use for trips?
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@AnnieA if we’re taking the ATV well tow it with Ron’s F150. We’ll likely take it even if we’re not towing anything. But the other alternative is our Hyundai Tucson SUV.

Why?
 
Have any of you set up any kind of portable A/C unit? We were talking about that and wondering what kind of a tent would support that setup. The venting wouldn’t be a problem it’s making sure all the openings have flaps to cover the netting.
 
Ronni said:
Have any of you set up any kind of portable A/C unit? We were talking about that and wondering what kind of a tent would support that setup. The venting wouldn’t be a problem it’s making sure all the openings have flaps to cover the netting.
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How are you going to power a "portable air conditioning unit " ? If you want air conditioning, stay at a Hilton. Jimb.
 
Capt Lightning said:
It's a long time since Mrs.L and I went what we call 'Wild camping' in the UK. The first thing I would say is to stay dry, so a good waterproof tent and ground sheet. Then for comfort, an air bed or similar and a good quality sleeping bag.
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A comfortable bed is a very good point. We had camp beds, which I quite liked because they were firm. The lady though, had an inflatable mattress, we both had sleeping bags.
One concession we did have and that was a bedding arrangement in our car. When the rain lashed down in the middle of the night, us two wimps would transfer to the car.
 
Ronni said:
@AnnieA if we’re taking the ATV well tow it with Ron’s F150. We’ll likely take it even if we’re not towing anything. But the other alternative is our Hyundai Tucson SUV.

Why?
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Some people like to sleep in SUVs with "drive away" tents attached to the hatch.

Sportz SUV Tent (model 82000) - Napier Outdoors

Amazon-Sportz-82000-SUV-2000x2000-Image-1.jpg
 
It’s been years since we went camping. When we did go camping it was usually interior camping which is a LOT of work. We had a small 2 person tent and blow up mattresses.
Since this was interior camping using a canoe, we were always near water and usually had a different site each trip. Most sites were made by us. The further away from the main entrance, the most rustic the sites would be.

We saw many bears and moose while camping but the most fun animal by far were the lake otters. You could swim with them. They were super playful and fun. We dug our own holes for bathroom purposes. Taking wet-naps is a good idea.

We took propane and had a small tin kettle to make our morning coffee but everything we had was light and small since we had to carry it over long portages. A Coleman stove is a great thing to have while camping and a waterproof tarp for if it rains. Some people bring a dining room tent. It depends how rugged you want to be. A dining room tent is nice if it’s really buggy.

Bring some dry wood for camp fires and an ax. Some bug spray is good. Raincoat for if it rains. Precooked meals are good but there’s nothing quite like cooking hotdogs and hamburgers over an open fire. Fire starters are handy especially if it has rained. If you don’t have fire starters, bring some dry brush or kindling, even old newspapers. Tinfoil comes in handy.

A water cooler to hold water is convenient but not a deal breaker. A lot depends on the camp site you stay at. You might be right next to a water faucet which is handy but you don’t get the privacy you might want or need.

No matter how nice the weather is, bring a sweater or button up warm jacket. It can get quite cool at night or after it rains. Then again you’re a lot further south.

Things to consider.
Flashlights
Candles
Bug Spray
Kindling
Firewood plus an ax - most places sell firewood but it’s usually way overpriced
Firestarters
Tarp
Rope for clothes line and tarp
Clothes pegs
Propane
Lighter
Coleman stove ?
Extra pair of shoes, in case yours get wet
Warm jacket
Kleenex
Paper towels
Dental floss
Toothpaste and stuff
Wet naps
Cans of soup or beans
Paper plates or plastic dishes ( something durable )
Dish liquid
Dish towels
Regular towels
Liquid soap shampoo
Small zippered bag for personal toilet items
Bottled water for the car ride.
Sleeping bags
Air mattresses
Air pump

Little things of ketchup, mustard, relish etc

Are you taking the dogs?

Fun stuff to eat while camping
Hot dogs and hamburgers
Bacon and eggs with pancakes
S’mores
Marshmallows
Canned beans cooked over open fire
Percolated coffee with baileys Irish cream

Note: I forgot plug in cooler and ground cover. Very important items. Ice packs
 
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AnnieA said:
Some people like to sleep in SUVs with "drive away" tents attached to the hatch.

Sportz SUV Tent (model 82000) - Napier Outdoors

Amazon-Sportz-82000-SUV-2000x2000-Image-1.jpg
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Oh wow that’s way cool!!
jimintoronto said:
How are you going to power a "portable air conditioning unit " ? If you want air conditioning, stay at a Hilton. Jimb.
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Don’t be rude.

We have a generator. And depending on where we camp there are also hookups.

If you can’t contribute constructively, then stay off the thread.
 
Tent camping sounds great until getting all the gear needed to be compfortable is bought. Long term use to make that kind of purchase worth the money spent has to be considered.
Peppermint patty has a nice list.
Planning where & when to camp while still working sounds to me like distance for staying a couple of weeks at a time will be a tad difficult. Toss in "portable a/c" & comfort is a priority. Speaking of comfort. Have you considered what you really need in the way of enjoying a good night sleep. Bathroom use, cooking, something as simple as brushing your teeth after a meal.

Just to see if "getting away" works for you, renting an RV might be an option to consider.
 
Ronni said:
Have any of you set up any kind of portable A/C unit? We were talking about that and wondering what kind of a tent would support that setup. The venting wouldn’t be a problem it’s making sure all the openings have flaps to cover the netting.
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An A/C unit? A generator?
That’s not roughing it.
I’d suggest you rent an RV if you want air conditioning. It might cost you a bit but no more than a B&B.
 
PeppermintPatty said:
An A/C unit? A generator?
That’s not roughing it.
I’d suggest you rent an RV if you want air conditioning. It might cost you a bit but no more than a B&B.
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It is to me. I don’t want to stay in an RV or B&B. I don’t want to basically have everything I have at home, just somewhere else.

I also don’t like to be super hot. I want a couple of conveniences like an air mattress instead of sleeping on the ground, (we have a fantastic one) and some cooled air when it’s really hot.

Why is this so hard to understand?
 
Ronni said:
It is to me.
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lol. True. I didn’t mean anything I said to insult you. Putting air conditioning in a tent is probably doable but it would take a lot of gas for the generator. I’m not saying it can’t be done, I’m just saying it won’t be easy.
We have a generator for when our power goes out. They are great things to have but they are also very loud. They would definitely take away from not only yourself but others wishing to enjoy a quiet relaxing camping experience.

Have you considered maybe renting a luxury dome alongside a lake or ocean? It’s more like glamping. It’s like luxury camping.
It’s also about $300 a night.

Note: not meant as an insult.

IMG_4427.jpegIMG_4428.jpegIMG_4429.jpeg
 
Ronni said:
It is to me. I don’t want to stay in an RV or B&B. I don’t want to basically have everything I have at home, just somewhere else.

I also don’t like to be super hot. I want a couple of conveniences like an air mattress instead of sleeping on the ground, (we have a fantastic one) and some cooled air when it’s really hot.

Why is this so hard to understand?
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It’s not hard to understand. It’s just you said in your opening post

Quote: “I really like the idea of roughing it and setting up camp by a river or other body of water.”

What you said and what you mean are almost complete opposites.

Anyway, I wrote down an entire list of things you’ll need if roughing it.
 
#1 AC/generator. I had AC in a campervan operated by Li battery - it was a joke, there is no shot of being cooled by AC in a tent. Typically in camp grounds there are quiet hours overnight when generators can't be used. If you are in a CG that allows overnight use of the generators you'll be surrounded by others using them too. It's miserable.

#2 Timing. Pick a time of year and location/elevation that's going to be in the temp range you like. We pick locations very early and very late that may have marginal weather to avoid crowds. We got froze out of Yellowstone late October, 22 and showed up at the North Rim of GC to 15" snow in April, 23. I basically give up in the summer as we're in a highly desirable camping area and the place is overrun w tourists. I'm packed to leave tomorrow for 3 nights. High's in the low 50's F, down to freezing at night. It's a lot easier to add a layer vs trying to sleep in high temps.

#3 Campgrounds. Since the pandemic finding a campground is a REAL challenge. rec.gov and reserveamerica.com 6-13 months is the typical lead time for reservations. There are some first come, first served options.


#4 Sleeping pads.

MegaMat Duo 10 Sleeping Mat | EXPED USA

MegaMat Max 15 Duo Sleeping Mat | EXPED USA


#5 Chairs. A couple folding camp chairs are a must.


All the rest of the gear is easily cobbled together and it doesn't have to dedicated "camping" gear.
 
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Ronni said:
It is to me. I don’t want to stay in an RV or B&B. I don’t want to basically have everything I have at home, just somewhere else.

I also don’t like to be super hot. I want a couple of conveniences like an air mattress instead of sleeping on the ground, (we have a fantastic one) and some cooled air when it’s really hot.

Why is this so hard to understand?
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It's not hard at all to understand. 💙

Ronni, it's been a long time since we went tent camping, but we loved it and glad you guys are going to do it. Never used any air cooling device in the tent, but we usually stayed in places that were very cool at night. There seems to be a lot of choices out there now, since you have a generator or access to electrical hook-ups.
Best Portable Air Conditioners For Tents In 2024 | KOA Camping Blog

I can't stand the heat, hope you find something that works for you. If I think of anything else that's helpful, I'll post it here. We usually bring a small bag of self starting charcoal and a small grill to cook a steak or something outdoors, unless your areas have drought restrictions.

I would just recommend things we use, even in our truck slide in popup camper. We have lanterns that run on batteries in all sized for general light, reading, etc. We go to remote areas and have no electricity, but do always have a small gas run generator for emergencies.
 
againstthegrain said:
#1 AC/generator. I had AC in a campervan operated by Li battery - it was a joke, there is no shot of being cool in a tent and I'm really not aware of any such set-ups anyway. Typically in camp grounds there are quiet hours overnight when generators can't be used. If you are in a CG that allows overnight use of the generators you'll be surrounded by others using them too. It's miserable.
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Spring and late full seasons might allow generators going all night but this is the Victoria weekend. It’s the first weekend where most campers want to go camping and have a quiet bedtime. I doubt it would be allowed but I could be wrong.
 
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Ronni said:
It is to me. I don’t want to stay in an RV or B&B. I don’t want to basically have everything I have at home, just somewhere else.

I also don’t like to be super hot. I want a couple of conveniences like an air mattress instead of sleeping on the ground, (we have a fantastic one) and some cooled air when it’s really hot.

Why is this so hard to understand?
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I completely understand, you want it simple, the way we would want to do it.
 
PeppermintPatty said:
It’s not hard to understand. It’s just you said in your opening post

Quote: “I really like the idea of roughing it and setting up camp by a river or other body of water.”.
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PeppermintPatty said:
What you said and what you mean are almost complete opposites.
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Yes. We clearly have different ideas of what “roughing it” means. What *I* said and what *I* mean are the same thing to me. It’s your idea of roughing it that is in conflict with mine. Doesn’t mean mine isn’t right or correct. It’s just different than yours.
PeppermintPatty said:
Anyway, I wrote down an entire list of things you’ll need if roughing it.
Click to expand...
Thanks. It’s a fantastic list! I appreciate it!
 

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