Campers: what gadgets are worth the $

[Xcusme]

Re: Campers: what gadgets are worth the $

OK, this one is easy...<br /><br />Cast Iron Dutch oven, just about anything can be made in it, except ice cream....<br /><br />Large heavy duty plastic tarp, rain fly, ground cover, emergency shelter<br /><br />Magnesium fire starter, hasn't let me down yet<br /><br />Coleman lantern starter (uses flints and twists to fire off lantern)<br /><br />Quality camp axe, good knife and rope.<br /><br />Good dry/wet boots , wool socks, pancho/rain suit and a boonie hat.

 

[datawire]

Re: Campers: what gadgets are worth the $

Hey Xcusme...<br />Have you ever been to one of the exhibitions of cast iron dutch ovens? Some campground we visited had a free lunch - for the entire area - and that was the only cooking unit they used. Unbelievable what can be made in those things - and with only a handfull of charcoal!

 

[Xcusme]

Re: Campers: what gadgets are worth the $

Nope, but i'd like to see that. One of the best outdoors meals I ever had went like this:<br /><br />Dig hole<br />Built fire in hole, until only coals remained<br />Dropped in Dutch oven<br />Browned pot roast, both sides<br />Threw in potatoes,carrots,onions,seasonings<br />Added 1/2 cup water<br />Slapped on the lid<br />Covered the oven with more coals , and went fishing<br /><br />Returned for shore lunch, wow, what a treat!<br /><br />Cleaned the oven and made a Chocolate Dump cake with cherry pie filling.<br /><br />Needless to say, that after the fine meal, I layed down, fell asleep, woke up after the sun went down, so I sat and watched the stars.<br /><br />Ahhh! , Life is good in the northern weeds of Wisconsin. Nothing but the cool night air and the quiet solitude of a day well spent.

 

[steve n carol]

Re: Campers: what gadgets are worth the $

AHH the propane single burner stove.<br />solar shower! great!<br />I like the nylon stocking/soap idea!<br />Don't make a fire with poision oak twigs!

 

[MichaelMullis]

Re: Campers: what gadgets are worth the $

One of the best things I found were the "trees" that are sold for propane tanks. I take 1 tank from grill with us when we camp. I mount this to tank and can run lantern on top, stove off of one fitting and gril on third fitting. A tank will last us a week and still have some left over. This is cooking 3 meals a day for 4 people. 9x14 tent, and a 15x15 screen tent for cooking and eating in, and its home away from home. We also got one of those king size cots/air mattress combos works great and beats waking up with sore back from sleeping on ground. We camp a couple of times a month (weekends) and a couple weeks at a time 1 or 2 times a year.We store eveything in plywood camping boxes that I made years ago,and depending on length of stay we just load the boxes that we need and go. Can be bulky, but very conveint(sp?). The nylon stocking works great, my mother started using hers about 30 years ago on family camping trips. As great as tent camping is I must admit that at 46 I am now looking to go into travel tr. camping. The idea of having everything already loaded and just hooking up is appealing.

 

[cajun555]

Re: Campers: what gadgets are worth the $

Woops, Roscoe, meant to say 3 middle of night walks.

 

[roscoe]

Re: Campers: what gadgets are worth the $

Thats what I thought cajun555. <br />Either that or you had 3 wives.

 

[Kenneth Brown]

Re: Campers: what gadgets are worth the $

He didn't say he didn't have three wives, only that he was married to one lady. <br /><br />Datawire and Xcuseme- Do you get RFDTV? Its in the 9000 channels on Dish Network. They have a program called Campfire Cafe. This cajun/texan sounding guy does all of his cooking on an open fire using cast iron pans and dutch ovens. The guy is good.

 

[Skinnywater]

Re: Campers: what gadgets are worth the $

Flasks are a total waste of money, just bring the bottle!! <br /><br />roscoe posted;<br />

Best hand soap holder ever made for camping is an old pair of *****hose. Stuff a bar.....<br /><br />A heavy duty CANVAS ground cloth for under the tent. It should be 4-6" smaller than the tent. Will keep moisture out, and protect the tent floor from sticks and stones.<br /><br />A box of heavy duty ziplock bags.<br />Aluminum foil.<br />Wire coat hangars.<br />Several ropes.<br />Long handled kitchen fork or grilling tongs.<br />Giant 2 gallon "coffee pot" for heating water.<br />Toilet paper.<br />Hammer.<br />Tripod for over the fire.<br />All the store bought gadgets are just junk in my opinion.<br />

Yeah, canvas for comfort, even when sleeping under the stars. Thanks for the soap sack idea.<br />All that stuff on your list has a special place behind the back seat of the Jeep. <br />I carry a grill instead of a tripod.<br /><br />Sure am glad we upgraded from the Coleman fuel to Propane.<br /><br />Recently we sprung for a pair of those new fold-up chairs. We like them for the convenience and packability.<br /><br />A couple years ago I bought a very inexpensive ($4.99)tackle box. The smallest one Plano makes, it has just a simple lift out tray. It carrys my fishing/hunting licence and permits, a small bottle of Deet, a disposible camera and lighter, Leatherman, sunglasses and cellphone.<br />If I'm on the boat my wallet and keys will be there to. There's still just enough room for a .22 50 pack and my spare 9mm clip. <br /><br />It goes from boat to Jeep to inside and back. <br />Kinda like my little briefcase.

 

[spratt]

Re: Campers: what gadgets are worth the $

Camping for me, since I got old and my joints ache too much to sleep on the ground, is a nice travel trailer!!! Love that bed, ability to make coffee in my shorts, turn on the furtncae if it gets cold, and my wife cooks cookies and other nice stuff while we are out, in our nice propane stove<br /><br />And the generator does provide enuff power to run our ice cream freezer also!!!

 

[spratt]

Re: Campers: what gadgets are worth the $

HOWEVER, I will be trading off my trusty 23' Holiday travel trailer soon for a 27' Winnebago Motor Home Yesss!!! Can't wait!!!Those don't come on WalMart shelves, tho!!!

 

[jsfinn]

Re: Campers: what gadgets are worth the $

Camping? Come on! No air mattress..no big stoves..no big tents with rooms and sofas.. <br /><br />1 backpack<br />1 small (light weight) 4 season sleeping bag<br />1 small (light weight) tent<br />1 camelpak<br />1 leatherman<br />1 mess kit (including biodegradable soap, first aid, and matches)<br />1 set extra clothes if going for more than a night or two<br />1 water purification system if going for more than a night or two<br />1 burner camp stove (like a busen burner)<br />2 packages sunflower seeds<br />a couple of cans of food <br />a roll of TP if I feel like living in luxury!