Camping/overlanding gear thread.

[Fast Eddie]

You have one of those inflatable sleeping pads?

I bought a couple last winter and just used them for the first time. Even with the rocky lumpy ground I slept great. Not comparable to a super soft memory foam mattress, but it was very comfortable. Slept like a sack of rocks when camping at Carlisle. woke up around my normal time instead of butt crack of dawn like I normally would.

A queen size inflatable from coleman is really nice and takes the wear and tear really well. Used it for tent camping, mostly because it kept me up off the turf in a rain storm and I like a form sleeping platform. A small inverter (<1000w) and extension cord will power the inflator on car battery power. You can start the car and let it idle during the process if you're worried about the battery.

Something to think about?


Oh, not to mention that inverter will support a kuerig....just sayin

 

[snoranger]

A queen size inflatable from coleman is really nice and takes the wear and tear really well. Used it for tent camping, mostly because it kept me up off the turf in a rain storm and I like a form sleeping platform. A small inverter (<1000w) and extension cord will power the inflator on car battery power. You can start the car and let it idle during the process if you're worried about the battery.

Something to think about?


Oh, not to mention that inverter will support a kuerig....just sayin

I had my queen size Coleman at Carlisle and slept great. I also had a twin as a backup… you never know when your air mattress is going to let you down, right @Uncle Gump?

Or someone is going to mess with it @85_Ranger4x4

 

[ericbphoto]

All you guys talk like you've never heard of keurig.
.
.
.
As he walks confidently away with nose in air

Where are you going to plug it in? The nearest volt-maple tree?

 

[Blmpkn]

You have one of those inflatable sleeping pads?

I bought a couple last winter and just used them for the first time. Even with the rocky lumpy ground I slept great. Not comparable to a super soft memory foam mattress, but it was very comfortable. Slept like a sack of rocks when camping at Carlisle. woke up around my normal time instead of butt crack of dawn like I normally would.

The last couple trips we've taken we've had some sort of inflating pad from LL Bean.. they ARE leaps and bounds better than the simple foam pads we used to run but... the older I get... the more comfort I want from my vacations

What are you thinking about? A ground-up build?

Yes sir. The base is going to be a harbor freight 4x8 kit.. but I'll be making it wider and building a "squaredrop" out of it. 2x3 studs, 3/4 sheathing with filon over the top, real camper windows/doors etc etc...

Plans have been drawn up for awhile now and this year was gonna be the year we built it... having to buy the Bronco gobbled up the money it needed though next year!

 

[sgtsandman]

The last couple trips we've taken we've had some sort of inflating pad from LL Bean.. they ARE leaps and bounds better than the simple foam pads we used to run but... the older I get... the more comfort I want from my vacations

I stepped up from a 1.5" thick self inflating sleeping pad to a 2.0" thick self inflating pad. I'm good for now but it's a far cry when I was in Scouts and we just slept on a sheet of plastic. The tents didn't have floors. So the plastic was the floor.

And in the military, they give you this 3/8" thick foam sleeping pad if you aren't staying somewhere that you can have a folding cot. Better than the hard dirt but there really isn't any cushion in those foam pads. The cots are usually pretty comfortable. The older wood and canvas ones were way better than the current aluminum and nylon ones. They had more give.

 

[Fast Eddie]

Where are you going to plug it in? The nearest volt-maple tree?

If that works, hell yeah! Let me know!

 

[Fast Eddie]

Yes sir. The base is going to be a harbor freight 4x8 kit.. but I'll be making it wider and building a "squaredrop" out of it. 2x3 studs, 3/4 sheathing with filon over the top, real camper windows/doors etc etc...

Plans have been drawn up for awhile now and this year was gonna be the year we built it... having to buy the Bronco gobbled up the money it needed though next year!

Cool. Make sure it's no wider than 8.5 ft or you won't be towing it anywhere very long before you get pulled over, weighted and measured. Also make sure the axle ratings can support the weight and are spaced to distribute the load. Load the camper from the center out. Tire load ratings also play into the equation so watch that too. Look for commercial ratings to get you you over that hump. Most of all, you dont; want the tail wagging the dog. That spells more trouble (and money) than it's worth.

 

[bilbo]

My Scout troop had a bunch of surplus army cots but us kids didn't get to use them of course. We had thin green foam pads. I still have mine lol. A few years ago I bought a 3" thick self-inflating pad and it brought tent camping back into the picture for me. I like sleeping on that better than the camper mattresses, it's awesome.

My camp coffee go-to is a small percolator from GSI. I think it makes 4 cups. I'm the only one who drinks coffee so it's the perfect size. Best is when I grind my own beans for it, and if I'm careful about boiling it's not crunchy at all. Perc coffee is part of the camping experience for me and I look forward to it. My happy place is a hammock on a cool fall morning in the Northwoods or the UP, with a steaming cup of camp coffee, and some Bill Knapp's dunker donut thingies.

 

[sgtsandman]

My Scout troop had a bunch of surplus army cots but us kids didn't get to use them of course. We had thin green foam pads. I still have mine lol. A few years ago I bought a 3" thick self-inflating pad and it brought tent camping back into the picture for me. I like sleeping on that better than the camper mattresses, it's awesome.

My camp coffee go-to is a small percolator from GSI. I think it makes 4 cups. I'm the only one who drinks coffee so it's the perfect size. Best is when I grind my own beans for it, and if I'm careful about boiling it's not crunchy at all. Perc coffee is part of the camping experience for me and I look forward to it. My happy place is a hammock on a cool fall morning in the Northwoods or the UP, with a steaming cup of camp coffee, and some Bill Knapp's dunker donut thingies.

The only time we got to use cots in Scouts was when we were at the week long camp for the summer. They even gave us a small wall tent with a pallet like wood floor.

As far as coffee, we still use a percolating pot. Getting the brew right and not getting a bunch of grounds is an art form.

For my SAR pack, I have those pour over coffee packs I’m trying out. So far, they are a little weak but they are convenient. Definitely better than that freeze dried instant stuff.

 

[Uncle Gump]

I learned a couple things last trip...

First and foremost... I bring too much stuff with me to camp. I probably used 50% of the crap I brought. I don't think I was alone either.

I also looked at some storage options some people brought. I really liked these square 5 gallon Craftsman buckets that @ericbphoto had. I think I'm going to track a couple down for future use.

I did decide that I'm gonna have myself one of these refrigerator/cooler contraptions. @snoranger had a nice Domentic unit. Not sure my budget is ready for that... but its end of season and im going to look around and hopefully find a deal. Along with that I'm gonna do a house battery and inverter... maybe even a solar panel.

After complaining that my Coleman 508 single burner was leaking at the control... again... threatening to get something different... it worked flawlessly the remainder of the trip. I still think I'm going to look for a decent 502 for camping use. I will probably build an expanded metal cook surface with folding legs that will stand over my single burner. If a single burner is a bit off kilter... pots and pans tend to slide off really easy. I had my coffee pot fall off once and nearly lost my pan of dirty rice too.

Now when we were at LBL there was a hatch coming off the lake at night. The Coleman lantern drew in a ton of those mayflies. I swear I could smell them cooking on it. It would be nice to not lite the lantern on those nights in favor of some red LEDs to attract far less bugs in.

 

[85_Ranger4x4]

I learned a couple things last trip...

First and foremost... I bring too much stuff with me to camp. I probably used 50% of the crap I brought. I don't think I was alone either.

I also looked at some storage options some people brought. I really liked these square 5 gallon Craftsman buckets that @ericbphoto had. I think I'm going to track a couple down for future use.

I did decide that I'm gonna have myself one of these refrigerator/cooler contraptions. @snoranger had a nice Domentic unit. Not sure my budget is ready for that... but its end of season and im going to look around and hopefully find a deal. Along with that I'm gonna do a house battery and inverter... maybe even a solar panel.

After complaining that my Coleman 508 single burner was leaking at the control... again... threatening to get something different... it worked flawlessly the remainder of the trip. I still think I'm going to look for a decent 502 for camping use. I will probably build an expanded metal cook surface with folding legs that will stand over my single burner. If a single burner is a bit off kilter... pots and pans tend to slide off really easy. I had my coffee pot fall off once and nearly lost my pan of dirty rice too.

Now when we were at LBL there was a hatch coming off the lake at night. The Coleman lantern drew in a ton of those mayflies. I swear I could smell them cooking on it. It would be nice to not lite the lantern on those nights in favor of some red LEDs to attract far less bugs in.

Amber globes make a huge difference for bugs. I have a old blue line one for a 220 and it is really nice.

I need to snag a more disposable new aftermarket one for my 228 sometime.

 

[JohnnyO]

As far as coffee, we still use a percolating pot. Getting the brew right and not getting a bunch of grounds is an art form.

8 to 10 minutes after it starts perking is perfect. Coarse ground for the percolator.
A French press doesn't make as much coffee at once but is good for conserving propane. You just have to boil water, pour it in the press with coarse ground coffee, let it steep for 8 minutes, and push the press down. The flavor is great.

 

[Uncle Gump]

One other thing I learned at LBL... chiggers will ruin your next week to 10 days.

I'll be prepared next time!

 

[ericbphoto]

One other thing I learned at LBL... chiggers will ruin your next week to 10 days.

I'll be prepared next time!

Chiggers are nothing compared to what I had (well, it'salmost gone), or the poisonous plants.

 

[Uncle Gump]

Chiggers are nothing compared to what I had (well, it'salmost gone), or the poisonous plants.

My poor ankles would disagree.

But you did have it bad with whatever happened to you.