Archive for the ‘Tents’ Category
Organization Will Make You a Happy Camper
As a veteran of dozens of family camping trips, I’ve learned a few tricks over the years that make the process go more smoothly. Perhaps the biggest piece of advice I can share with newbie camping families is that privacy is underrated. Until you actually get out there in nature for a few days, you might not see a problem with four or more people sharing a single small living space. After a while, it pays to have a divider to section the kids off from the adults.
Bear in mind also that the floor space inside your Eureka tents will be at a premium. Think of all the hiking supplies, shoes, fishing gear and cosmetic items that might litter the floor of the tent. I like to travel with a camping organizer – a bag made of mesh netting that you can hang from the tent wall. This will keep your most important supplies such as a first-aid kit and a flashlight within easy reach.
Change Your Strategy for Winter Camping
Now that cold weather is a fact of life for the next few months, it’s time to start planning for winter camping excursions. Compared to summer hiking and camping, the winter variety takes a whole new level of commitment. On the positive side, you’ll see an entirely different side of familiar outdoor landscapes. Without the leaves on the trees obscuring your view, you’ll enjoy beautiful vistas for miles around.
The wildlife you encounter will also be somewhat unfamiliar. Make sure to camp on public land as you could potentially run into hunters elsewhere. Some of your provisions and equipment will remain unchanged – Stansport tents will stand you in good stead in all seasons – but this late in the year you’ll want to have a portable heater at the ready and a cozy down sleeping bag for the frigid nights.
Lessons Learned from Constant Campers
Now that our family has camped in the Appalachians for a few years in a row, we’ve picked up a few helpful tips that other outdoors enthusiasts might find helpful. First, I’d recommend against renting cabins for the week. As long as you’re living without electricity and running water, what’s the point of having a bed and a roof? A nice, durable tent with an air mattress will do the same job as much less cost.
I’ve also found that it’s essential to bring along some screen tents when camping in large groups. Our screen tent serves as an impromptu dining hall. The bug-proof netting keeps pests away from our food supply, and eating inside the tent is often preferable to risking beestings and other dangers at a picnic table. Finally, I make sure to pack a thick, comfortable sleeping bag; even if you’re camping in a warm-weather climate, the nights can prove chilly.
In a Chaotic Tent, Organization Matters
For me, a camping trip provides an opportunity to reconnect with my family and clear my head of the stresses that come with a high-pressure job. For a few blissful days, I can live as Mother Nature intended, free and uninhibited by schedules, deadlines and – worst of all – mandatory meetings. My first few times camping, I figured out how to maximize my enjoyment.
First of all, I outfitted our Eureka Titan tent with a gear loft. This nondescript mesh device collects and stores all of our small essentials that would otherwise roll around loose on the floor of the tent. Any experienced camper knows that the tent floor is a chaotic space where sleeping bags and luggage are strewn about with little regard for order. Keeping the bug spray, first aid kit and other necessities in a handy “overhead container” is an invaluable timesaver.
Staying Out of the Sun on a Hot Day
Each year when my family reunion rolls around, I pack up the van with hotdogs, hamburger patties, grilling equipment, folding chairs and tasty beverages. If there’s enough room left, I also bring the wife and kids along. When we get to our destination, which is generally a city park on the opposite side of the state, most of the family has already arrived.
Out of regard for the oldest generation of matriarchs and patriarchs, we also pack a screen house that provides ample shade and protection from bugs. While the kids run around and play in the park and most of the adults bask outside in the sun, the elderly folks can kick back and relax without becoming weak in the heat. I’m thankful every generation of our family can enjoy a special day together.
Pointers for Picking a Hiking Tent
Portability is key when selecting backpacking equipment, especially if you plan on taking extended day hikes. Toting massive quantities of supplies just isn’t an option, so it’s best to pick and choose wisely. Which items can you not live without? One of the most essential items you’ll take on any outdoor excursion is a tent.
The main selling point for a backpacking tent is its lightweight construction. After all, you’ll be hauling it around all day before setting it up at night. Ease of use is a secondary but also immensely important consideration. No one wants to wrestle around with a tent after a long day on the trail. When scanning the market for tents, factor in the total weight – not just the trail weight, which often doesn’t include the stakes and poles.
Truth in Advertising
Experienced backpackers understand the value of being skeptical when shopping around for tents. In many cases, tents are advertised as having a “lightweight construction” when in fact they aren’t much lighter than a standard family tent. Misleading statements like these can mean extra back-breaking work along the trail. It’s therefore crucial for prospective buyers to look for trustworthy names that specialize in backpacking tents.
The hub pole design of a Big Agnes seedhouse tent sets it apart from the competition. Its mesh construction, sheathed in a protective canvas layer, makes it simple to set up and a snap to take apart in the morning. Tents such as this can be used comfortably three seasons out of the year. Perhaps most importantly, these tents are legitimately lightweight.
A Little Privacy in the Great Outdoors
Camping trips are often touted for their way of strengthening family bonds. Fathers can teach their sons and daughters how to fish – although actually catching something might be another story. The whole family can work on perfecting a new recipe over the roaring campfire. Still, by the end of an active day in the woods a little privacy is in order.
Family-size tents help to meet that requirement, and they feature more than just space in abundance. One of their more underrated attributes is deceptively simple: a removable barrier that turns one large, communal room into two smaller ones for sleeping. Tents such as the Eureka family tent make it easy to maintain peace and harmony during a relaxing camping trip.
The Screen Room Alternative
Not everyone has the disposable income necessary to cover an ambitious home addition. Screen rooms make wonderful social gathering places in any house, but the construction costs are through the roof. It would probably be well into fall or winter before the work was finished anyway. Instead of footing the bill for a pricy screen room, consider placing a freestanding screen house out on the back lawn.
Screen houses resemble large, roomy tents, but with one notable difference: You can see through them on all sides. These structures are suitable for after-dinner drinks with friends or just enjoying a carefree summer afternoon with a good book. The barely visible screen affords a panoramic view of the house’s surroundings, and it also acts as mosquito netting.
Outfitting Your Tent with Necessary Accessories
Many people believe that once they’ve purchased the tent, there won’t be the need for any additional items. But this isn’t exclusively true, as there are a number of tent accessories that can accompany your purchase. Typically, these purchases are made if some aspect of the tent is lost or damaged. The first major accessory that you’ll need is a rain fly. This is absolutely crucial in case the clouds decide to open up. A waterproof tarp that fits over the tent, a rain fly will help you to stay safe and dry all night long.
Another major tent accessory is the group of stakes. You should always stake the tent down, even if the weather is nice, because you never know if it’s going to turn. There would be nothing worse than going for a little stroll only to return to your campsite and find your tent had actually blown away to some unknown location. Both the rain fly and stakes almost always come with the initial tent, but again, these are necessary purchases if any part of the tent is misplaced or otherwise ruined.