Tent Camping, Tips, Tricks & Advice.

[Pepper2004]

Re: Tent Camping, Tips, Tricks & Advice.

Thanks all for the tarp advice. You can tell Mr. Pepper & I are greenhorns when it comes to tents. We let our tarp extend out from the tent.

 

[Needle]

Re: Tent Camping, Tips, Tricks & Advice.

Tent Camping is basic survival and everyone should have a little knowledge on

the subject, so they can be as comfortable as possible, while staying in a tent.

A lot of good advice has been given here which should help in that goal.

Thank you.

 

[LadyDigger]

Re: Tent Camping, Tips, Tricks & Advice.

One thing to keep in mind also...is OPEN FIRES! Many camp areas will not allow them (depending on the situation in that area). I know at Pipsico (October) and also at another BS Camp area (the name has escaped me..in March) for a camporee (both in Va), we were not allowed OPEN FIRES...however, we were able to use a fire pit one of our former Scoutmasters had purchased. It keeped the boys warm (believe you me...it was terribly cold!). It was great while sitting around it, but when you left the fire pit area and headed for the tent...brrrrrrrrrrrrrr!!!! I have been looking into getting one of those. The one I do like has a removable lid and is round in center that has a door that opens. His had two wheels for easy rolling. They range in various prices. Kmart sells them too!

I set up my outdoor shower shelter...OMG...that is so awesome! It's 84 inches tall. When you walk in, that is the dry area and the shower is on the left with a door (sorta LOL). The floor in the shower has mesh around the edges for water to seep out. The top of the shower shelter has mesh for air circulation as well as a small tarp you put over it. I am thinking though, instead of putting a small tarp under the shelter, in the shower section, making a wooden stand to stand on while in the shower to keep feet off the ground and water or placing this under the shower section on the ground, not sure. For safety reasons, might be better to put inside the shower section instead of under it. This thing is really big too!!! Comes with storage things you can hang to store your shower gear and also for your dry gear. My porta potty will fit nicely too!!! Guess I have to buy a magazine rack too! LOL!!!!

 

[Born2Dtect]

Re: Tent Camping, Tips, Tricks & Advice.

Ann,

Are you camping or just moving outdoors. You sure do like a lot of amenities. A little roughing it never hurt anyone.

Ed D.

 

[Pepper2004]

Re: Tent Camping, Tips, Tricks & Advice.

I'm looking into outdoor showers myself. I can rough it but I'd rather be clean while I do.

 

[LadyDigger]

Re: Tent Camping, Tips, Tricks & Advice.

Ann,

Are you camping or just moving outdoors. You sure do like a lot of amenities. A little roughing it never hurt anyone.

Ed D.

LOL...well, with digging in the dirt, skeeters, ticks and poison ivy.... and I want to make sure I'm clean. If anything, I'll most likely use my shower thingy for a changing/toilet room. Besides, I prefer going to sleep in my sleeping bag smelling clean and it makes sleeping so much easier, esp in the heat! We like to camp in Spring and Fall...besides, you never know if and when these will be used for survival! Always be prepared. I'm even thinking of using the shower thing in the yard by the pool! LOL....might as well make use of it if I have it! I love the comforts of home, even in the outdoors!

Now ... my shower shelter DID NOT come with the shower bag...I still have to buy that....but for $39 bucks... the shelter was worth it! It will still be cheaper in the long run buying the bag cheaper!

I'm looking into outdoor showers myself. I can rough it but I'd rather be clean while I do.

I hear you....us girls...well, it's just something we need! and it's ok to have some comforts of home...and I bet you won't hear ONE GUY complain about having one available at the campsite either LOL... Check your local stores. I got mine at Kmart...it's Northwest Terriority brand...for $39 bucks! It's easy setup and stands 84 inches tall!

 

[Needle]

Re: Tent Camping, Tips, Tricks & Advice.

I went to Kmart and couldn't find the particular shower shelter you are talking

about so I went to Walmart and purchased a shower shelter, it has a 4'X4' base and

is 84" tall.

I set it up and it will work for a shower, Toilet and a hunting blind.

This is a useful camping accessory. Thanks for the tip.

 

[gnewt]

Re: Tent Camping, Tips, Tricks & Advice.

If you camp in an area with rain or without shade those screen rooms are great. No bugs and the mesh is so small you will stay dry. Its a place to have coffee, eat, have a table, its a livingroom/kitchen/den. Most of them are less than 100 and worth more than the tent, also take a spool of nylon twine and a small shovel for dealing with coals and water. A ground cover can be a piece of 6 guage plastic and a hand full of nails to stick it to the ground and bigger than the the floor of the tent so no dirt will be tracked in. It takes up very little space. You might get one of those aerosol horns used as signals on boats, if you suspect bears, bigfoot or me and you dont want them around. We all have our gear and we spend a lot of time with plans and no two are the same, but each will have something you'd like. Oh if more than one person, get a horn for each for signals, work out the number of blasts. They are cheap and last. Gnewt

 

[Maui Mike]

Re: Tent Camping, Tips, Tricks & Advice.

always pack the tent away when it's dry. Mold and tents seem to love each other.. have fun. shaka Mikey

 

[Needle]

Re: Tent Camping, Tips, Tricks & Advice.

Quote
However, I like that idea about setting up a canopy and putting the tent inside the canopy... thanks for that idea!

Happy Camping,
Annmarie

I saw a show on TV once where this fellow was touring a nomadic tribe in an area that had severe cold weather at night.

He spent the night with them and they had a shelter erected for guests...

it was a shelter inside a shelter, he said they had an animal skin placed on the floor

and a single candle inside the inner shelter, he said, he slept warm and comfortable

that night and the temperature was 40 degrees below zero.

A shelter inside a shelter equals air insulation?

 

[gnewt]

Re: Tent Camping, Tips, Tricks & Advice.

I love that homeless shelter. If being homeless was called camping, those hobos could call it fun, lot of them did and enjoyed it.. That does look like a good one..
Gnewt

 

[LadyDigger]

Re: Tent Camping, Tips, Tricks & Advice.

Quote
However, I like that idea about setting up a canopy and putting the tent inside the canopy... thanks for that idea!

Happy Camping,
Annmarie

I saw a show on TV once where this fellow was touring a nomadic tribe in an area that had severe cold weather at night.

He spent the night with them and they had a shelter erected for guests...

it was a shelter inside a shelter, he said they had an animal skin placed on the floor

and a single candle inside the inner shelter, he said, he slept warm and comfortable

that night and the temperature was 40 degrees below zero.

A shelter inside a shelter equals air insulation?

BTW: You are most welcomed on the shower tent tip .. I will be using mine for the first time come the end of October!!!

On our last hunt, it was sleeting when we woke up and rained/sleeted for most of the day. We took a large tarp we had and put it over our tent to keep the tent from getting too wet. I slept so well that night...it was actually pretty warm with that tarp over the tent! And it got cold that night! I told hubby, our next COLD HUNT...TARP goes over the tent!!! I love warmth! LOL

I am, however, looking into a shelter tent/canopy, whatever they are called. We don't know which campsite we will be at this next hunt. I hope we get the one with the OA Shelter (fireplace included)...or the extreme primative site (no shelter or fireplace).... so I believe I need to prepare for a shelter we can all sit in comfortably, review our finds, review our notes and eat and chat and keep warm. We are going the end of Oct, so I know it will be a bit nippy out! But if we are allowed to use the camp site with the OA Shelter, we can STILL set up this shelter tent/canopy under the OA Shelter for extra warmth, of course the opening will be facing the fireplace!! The wind that comes through the open shelter can be bitter at times!!!

Enjoy your shower shelter!!!
Annmarie

 

[mrs.oroblanco]

Re: Tent Camping, Tips, Tricks & Advice.

Since there are lots of people here that have done lots of camping, they have covered just about everything.

The only thing I would add (nice tent by the way), is a feature that I have made myself.

We do alot of desert camping, and we bought a tarp and put velcro all around the edge - (every inch), with the other side matching the inside of the tent. When we set up camp, I put down the tarp, and when its in place, I velcro it to the bottom sides of the walls. Why?

You ain't lived until a snake or a scorpion decides to sleep with you! We keep all doors completely zipped up - at all times - and with the floor tarp attached to the walls, (if you don't have an attached, bug/snake entering-proof floor), it keeps out the critters.

B

 

[Needle]

Re: Tent Camping, Tips, Tricks & Advice.

Desert camping sounds like a whole different ball game and calls for some tricks that only experience can expose.

Thanks for the tip on keeping Bugs, Snakes and Scorpions out of the tent!

 

[Needle]

Re: Tent Camping, Tips, Tricks & Advice.

When you need a tight line between two trees for any reason weather it be for

throwing a tarp over it for covering your tent or a place to hang your wet cloths,

the easiest way I have found is to have two ropes and one of those ratchet straps.

Rope each tree at the desired height and with an eye in each end of the ropes (leaving enough space for the ratchet strap to tighten) place the ratchet strap and tighten to the desired tightness.

This trick would be useless in desert camping unless you could find a couple of rocks
to rope.

 

[gnewt]

Re: Tent Camping, Tips, Tricks & Advice.

Mosquito problem, if you have these tankers, they can deal misery.
Solution: at least 25% deet with a pump spray bottle about 4to6 oz,
Goes a long way if you don't pump spray your self. Pump some in the palm of your hand. about 1tsp and wipe your hands and neck, face with that, if you spray you will use it up fast. wear log sleeve dark colors, white attracts. Wipe your hands all over your clothes. This method lasts for hours and one bottle will last a few people for days. I am lazy and spaying takes more time and effort. To do a good job spraying you gotta have help. I know there is more lazy people out there that use the same method I do, but most campers I have been around are different. So get lazy.
Gnewt

 

[whiteknight38]

Re: Tent Camping, Tips, Tricks & Advice.

For some of you who may be overused to your creature comforts, and find infrequent forays into the wild to be a bit of a culture shock for the first few days out, may I suggest better camping through chemistry?

I find it helpful to pack sleeping pills.

This is not appropriate advice for holiday campers, teenagers, and family-guys, and I’m sure its going to appall some holier-than-me puritans, fusspot old-ladies, greenie-weenies, and a few others, (so blah-blah, consider your objections as pre-noted and pre-read) but if you only camp sporadically, and you’re just out there to work, you may find that sedatives may augment your enjoyment and maximize your potential.

In my twenties, as a young reservist infantry officer, I could sleep anywhere: rolled up in a shelter half in a tank rut, on the back bench of a Deuce-and-a-half on a bumpy road, even once in a helicopter.

Now, I find the abrupt transition from my Sealy Posturpedic, to a tent in a rocky field, with a root making a lump in my Thermarest pad, and my head angled slightly downhill, and a buddy rolling around grunting and snoring beside me – takes a bit of getting used to.

After a few days in the field, I toughen up, but for the first few days, before bed, I self prescribe 3 or 4 ibuprofin (Advil) for muscle pain and inflammation, and 5 to 7.5 mg of Valium to knock me out.

In “Congo” Michael Crichton’s 1981 fictional novel of a high-tech expedition into Africa, the equipment manifest included super-lightweight, NASA designed, air conditioners for the tents, arguing: “Studies show that the single greatest factor limiting work efficiency is ambient temperature, with sleep deprivation as the second factor.”

Unfortunately, super-lightweight AC’s for man-packable tents seem to remain for the moment in the realm of science fiction (at least I haven’t been able to source any) but the rational for pre-planning for a comfortable nights sleep always struck me as sound.

 

[mrs.oroblanco]

Re: Tent Camping, Tips, Tricks & Advice.

WhiteKnight38,



Boy, I know what you mean.

Me, I have found that I have a unique ability. Even in the softest dirt, swept clean of every conceivable nodule or rock or branch, once the tent is set up, and I have spent half the night in it, my hip draws from the depths of the earth, the only rock within one hundred feet. It will spend the entire evening working its way to the surface, so that, around 3 am or so, it is firmly imbedded in my hip, so hard, that I cannot stand the pain that it takes to turn over and re-arrange.

When I finally manage to move off the stealthy climbing rock, I will wake up an hour or so later, to find that this same hip has created a hole in the soil, at least 2 or 3 inches lower than the surrounding dirt, and it is firmly dug into said hole. Rolling away from the hole puts me back in the vicinity of the rock, or, if I go in the other direction, I am face to face with a snoring Mr. O.

The funny thing is - I also used to be able to sleep anywhere - at any time. When I was in Alaska, I have actually pulled over off the road (a gravel road), hopped out, laid down on the ground and went to sleep. (though I did get wakened up once by a tractor-trailer traveling about 60 mph, and showering me with big hunks of gravel - I still went back to sleep!)

Ah, youth!

B

 

[Zym]

Re: Tent Camping, Tips, Tricks & Advice.

One thing I learned the hard way is to always set up a new tent in the back yard prior to getting out in the woods. Then turn the sprinkler on it for a few hours. It's much better to find and solve any leak issues when you are in the comfort of your own home, not thirty miles from the nearest dirt road. I was on a backpacking trip in the Olympics and found out the hard way my new tent was not as waterproof as advertised. The weather was supposed to be nice for the week, but on day number two the rain moved in and I spent a very uncomfortable night soaking wet. I would have been able to fix the problem quickly at home, but not where I was with what I had on hand. I had to spend a full day drying everything out.

Also, pitch the tent on a slight incline and dig a shallow trench around it the leads down hill to move the water away from the tent.

Oh, and always bring para cord. lots of para cord. It has a million uses in the woods including a clothes line next to your fire to dry out a sopping wet sleeping bag

 

[Needle]

Re: Tent Camping, Tips, Tricks & Advice.

A question.

What is the best heat source, to heat the inside of a tent, without creating
carbon monoxide gas?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carbon_monoxide_poisoning