Tents fly away in heavy wind...Stake them down!

Last time I went camping, I had someone's tent fall on my head.  It went about 30 ft in the air, and then crashed down on me when I was asleep.

Tents are not waterproof directly from the manufacturer.  Get some seam sealer, use it and then test the tent with a sprinkler.

Learn how to use a compass and map... together.

Test your techniques and gear as much as you can before you go.

EDIT 1:
If you're at a State campground, see if it requires reservations, fees, etc.

Learn beforehand how to space your food storage and cleaning areas from your camp site.    This is of particular note if you're in bear country or are fishing.  Some sites have bear-hauls at them already.  If your biggest nuisance is raccoons, lock it in your car.

Be courteous.  To hikers, bicyclists, equestrians and fellow campers... everybody.  Who knows, they might have something you need to borrow to save your trip from becoming a wreck.  At the very least it's being a decent person.

EDIT 2:
Know who you're going with and what their expectations are.  Don't make anyone feel like an oddball for bringing a USGI poncho and some 550 cord when everybody else brought fitted sheets for their cots.  That is, unless they are a real oddball.  

Know where the nearest hospital is and how to get there.  Have a telephone number for it along with a cellular phone and its' charger.

If you're hiking, leave an itinerary with a friend who will miss you if you're not back in the time you gave.  

EDIT 3
You don't have to eat freeze-dried or military-surplus food.  French or Italian bread, hard cheese a bottle of wine, some pate'... use your imagination.  
I like using "just-boil" pasta and some pesto... add some parmesan cheese and a half loaf of bread.  Tortillas, cheese, green onions, peppers, mushrooms... awesome.  
If you boil eggs for 20-30 seconds and then pull them out and cool them immediately, they last a little longer without refrigeration (just keep them out of the heat).  Wakefield eggs are the shit.
I don't skimp on food in the woods, it's usually the highlight of my trip.

Bring: Jiffy Pop popcorn to make friends at a new fire.  
Frisbee, fun on a beach... you can also use it as a cutting board or a plate.

Ants do not like 7 dust...

Bring some with your camping gears, liberally shake around your sight.  No more ants.. :D

-V

i went solo backpacking just about every weekend this summer. a few things this novice hiker learned from experience:

-replenish your water supplies whenever you can.  monitor your water supply so that you don't run out miles away from the next lake or steam.

-camelbaks are great, they're much more convenient than drinking from a water bottle.  get the 100oz size, everything else is too small.  I do, however carry a nalgene bottle to filter water into, because filling the camelbak directly from the filter is very difficult.

-if travelling in steep, rocky or difficult terrain, or if you plan on crossing streams, a hiking stick or trekking pole is a must, and two trekking poles are even better.  The extra points of contact with the ground will help keep you from falling and injuring yourself in a place very far from help.

-be extra cautious when descending back into the forest from above the treeline.  I have found that this is the most dangerous part of a hike in terms of getting lost, since it's easy to mistake an opening in the trees for the continuation of the trail, and before you know it you're lost in the woods.

-this may seem obvious, but when you do get lost, don't panic and start to run in the direction you think leads to the trail.  Sit down, check your map, check your compass, head to a clear area or hike up a nearby hill so you can check for any landmarks, and calmly decide which direction you need to travel to reach the trail again.  You're usually not as lost as you think you are.

-Don't camp too close to water, all sorts of animals come at night to drink, and it's scary wondering if that rustling in the bush is a grizzly bear or a harmless little deer.  things are spooky when you're alone in the woods at night

-carry a bit more food than you think you'll need, you burn tons of calories hiking up mountains, and it's good to have some extra food in case you get lost and end up staying out there longer than you thought you would.

-Hanging a bear bag is a pain in the ass, especially up in the high mountains where the trees are small or have weak branches.  I highly recommend a bear cannister, such as the BearVault.  They're a bit heavy, but they're very convenient, just place them on the ground a hundred yards downwind from your tent.  It doubles as a handy seat, too.

-Do NOT try to use a garbage bag as a bear bag.  It will most likley snag on a branch and rip as you're hoisting it up into the tree.  It's not too fun when it's dark, you're exhausted after a long hike, and your food is now scattered all over the ground.

-SmartWool kicks ass, i highly recommend getting socks or other clothing made from this material.  This stuff does a great job of keeping your feet warm, even after wading through a freezing alpine stream.

Car camping or 1st timers-


your tent

Always seam seal and treat your  tent with a water proofing spray before you head out. This  will save you some heartache and damp camping.  Make sure you do this well before your bring your wife and kids. If  it is your first trip, make it a warm/dry one. Not a cold damp miserable adventure!

gear-
if  its your first time don't go dropping 10000's of dollars its not needed. You'll only need a few basics to enjoy your outting so ill list them. This is a basic list and the more your learn, and the more you go, you'll add to it.
besides your tent..

A radio- this is your entertainment and info source. Some good tunes can really do you and your fellow campers well. Just remember keep it low. You don't want to ruin a fellow campers outing blasting the best of cream all night long!

Deck of cards, magazine or book. This helps you stay relaxed and not bored( hey it  happens)

Chairs- well ya don't wanna sit in the dirt all weekend. Those fold up ones from wally mart work great and are cheap.

Cooler- This is where you'll put those nice big steaks and a cold drink!
BE VERY careful how and where you store your food. Remember your in the outdoors,even if your car camping or on that concrete pad your now part of the food chain.

food/cooking-
preplan your meals, and the means to cook them. It's like grilling . So keep it simple till you master it all.  a dutch oven is great for car camping, as is a large cast iron skillet.
Get the family involved in the meals. a great meal for kids is the hobo dinner.  A foil wrapped dinner you just lay on the hot coals. Normally its taters, carrots, ground beef and a soup base( mushroom or cream of chicken,shroom,tater etc) The end result is a personal stew like meal! Why kids like is that you have them help you fold and place the items in the foil. They can even make their own. Get them involved.......

if its adults,  get some nice cold drinks to get ya right crank up the gas stove or start a camp fire. slap some seasoned steaks or chicken on the fire and enjoy a nice BBQ'd meal in the woods with friends.

Sleeping bags- NEVER go by the rating. If you want 25f warmth get a 10f rated bag!

Air mattress or sleep pads- these make a TON of a difference!

Lantern- a basic led one will work of a propane one , like Coleman makes.


that's the big "car" items to have. You can get as fancy as you want  or as low key.

remember some good flashlights, TP and bug repellent!  If your kids are young and going a few light sticks or the garrity led light stick will help you keep track of them and give them something to play with!!

On that note always bring a lil fire side treat! smores,hot cocco etc. Make them smile, have some laughs. Make them wanna go agian. Thats the key  3 or 30 if they dont have fun they wont want to go again!!

always have fun. try new spots and different times of the year. You make that 1st trip fun,  family/wives will want to go again!!!


Ill add more soon...its past my bed time.

If this is your first time, try setting up your tent for the first time in your back yard or a pal's back yard.

This way you will become familiar with it under controlled circumstances.  You willl figure out that "pop up" doesn't really mean "pop up".

Always try to take an air mattress or pad with you.  Not only does it insulate you from the ground when cold, it sucks when you sleep with a root in the middle of your back all night.


-REAPER2502

When setting up camp, remember this:  Make sure you are not setting up your tent in a low-lying area.  Found this out the hard way.  Weather man said clear skies, the weather decided to change.  Woke up in the middle of the night with my airmattress feeling like  a waterbed.  The reason was because it was floating on 1.5 feet of water! haha.  Needless to say, EVERYTHING was soaked the next morning.  What a fun, and informative, trip that was.

Originally Posted By SirSqueeboo: Tents fly away in heavy wind...Stake them down! Last time I went camping, I had someone's tent fall on my head.  It went about 30 ft in the air, and then crashed down on me when I was asleep.

On that note....durable, lightweight, and cheap stakes can be found at the local hardware store.  That's right, gutter spikes.  If you don't know what they are, then just go to the hardware store and ask.  They run about 60 cents a piece around here.

I'm going to assume car camping/state parks, etc. . . .

• Camping is an excuse to eat well. Forget the dogs or beanie weenies. Steak is what's for dinner. At the very least, try to come up with something interesting. Kaboobs work great. Chopped up fresh veggies (mix different types together) cook up nicely when wrapped in foil and set either over coals or among coals. If you're really adventurous, look into Dutch oven cooking.

• Speaking of cooking, when working with a wood fire you want to cook over COALS, not flames. Give your fire time to cook down to coals. Other things are best cooked over controlled heat -- such as from a Coleman stove. I cook breakfast over the stoves unless I'm baking a breakfast casserole or making bisquits (for those the Dutch oven gets used).

• onions go with everything.

• even though I carry metal plates/bowls, I use paper whenever possible. Washing dishes in the campground is a pain. I pack two three-gallon buckets with lids to wash and rinse dishes in. The nasty water gets walked to the campground's dump station. (NOTE: I saw a tip about straining the dishwater through a screen before dumping recently. THe food scraps go in the trash. I'm going to try that on my next trip.)

• Disregard all advice about bringing a radio (a weather radio is OK) — you'll piss me off if you play a radio near my campsite. THe campfire is your entertainment. During the day, read a book.

• Air mattresses are your friend

• Try to go in the middle of the week, rather than on weekends, if possible.

• There's no need to light up the whole campground. You don't need a big old Coleman twin-mantle lantern. A small battery light is enough. And please, don't be like the RV-ers and string Christmas lights all over the place. It's really annoying. Instead, keep your site dark, except for the campfire. A dark site creates a sense of privacy and isolation even in a busy state park campground. Besides, nobody remembers good times around the lantern. The fire's the thing!

• Beer (or wine) is fine. Just don't make it the point of the evening.

• Don't rob from your day to day stuff to go camping. Build a set of gear that's packed and ready to go. Each time you go camping, make a list of what you wish you'd had and add that to the kit as soon as you get back. Over time you'll have all you need, neatly organized.



Again, we're talking car camping here but here's my approach:

Tent bags: I have three tents, each a diffferent size/capacity. Each one is in its own duffle with everything needed to set that tent up: ground cloth, stakes, stake mallet, battery lantern, etc. I don't have to go hunting around or wonder if I have every thing I need. I grab the appropriate bag and it's ready to go.

Main camp kitchen: A custom made wooden box that contains a couple of folding handle fry pans, a set of nested pots, six quick-shop type insulated travel mugs, coffee perculator, coffee (in a small Nagene jar) and filters, enamal steel plates and bowls, a griddle for the Coleman stoves, kaboob skewers, cutting board and a tupperware type container filled with utensils. (Toothpicks and dental floss, too)

Fire box: Surplus grenade box holds battery lantern, citrenella candles, bug spray, hatchet, small tool kit, spare parts for the Coleman stoves, fire starters, matches, lighter, spare flashlight, fuel bottles, clothes line and rope, etc.

Pantry: Rubbermade container filled with plastic food bags, trash bags, metal foil, spices, mixing cups, veggie/fish rack, extendable roasting forks (for when the kids want to make S'mores), large boiling pot, first aid kit, flashlights, spare batteries, misc food staples, folding saw, long bbq tongs, etc.

I also pack along folding chairs, collapsable table, two 3-gallon buckets for dish washing/rinse, water jug, Dutch ovens, cowboy cookset (to suspend Dutch ovens over fire), a swing grill, two Coleman 2-burner stoves, fire tending tools, air mattresses and battery-operated pump, and at least two coolers.

As for personal stuff, just the minimum -- changes of clothes, the same toiltry kit I carry when I travel normally. About the only thing I need to add are towels and soap in a soap dish.

It sounds like a lot of stuff (it is) but it's well organized and I can load the van and be ready to go camping in just a few minutes. It takes longer to shop for groceries.

Deet, 29 or 30 % esp. if you are going near water.


Sun screen, esp. if you are average white guy.


Cliffs bars, better than most and taste good, Not like most of the crap out their.


Mole skin for blisters.


Inner socks to prevent blisters.

Originally Posted By NavajoGunOwner: Cliffs bars, better than most and taste good, Not like most of the crap out their.

I'll argue about the taste value, but Cliff bars hold up the best in the heat - Power Bars well melt, and melt BAD.

1.  Buy the best socks you can afford.  I wear Smartwool.

2.  Buy the best mattress pad you can afford.  I have a Thermarest - bought it on base, can't remember the model.

3.  Leave a note with family or friends telling them where you're going, and when you'll be back.

EDIT:

Just read, and realized I repeated the Smartwool and leave a note ideas...oh well.

2nd edit:

1.  Food.  I don't want to waste time cooking, so I only take Mtn House food.  Period.  

Boil water, dump in bag, wait, then eat out of the bag.

Throw the bag away, and throw the plastic spoon away.

2.  If you stay in a campground - which I did this year for the first time in 7 yrs - take old newspapers and use as tablecloths.  When finished with the meal, just roll the whole 9 yards up and throw away.  KEEP YOUR CAMPSITE CLEAN.

Lessons learned the hard way...

Don't touch the tent with your fingers when inside while it's raining.

Go ahead and bring the extra few pairs of socks you were thinking about.

Pack an extra couple set of batteries just in case, and don't forget about an extra lightbulb.

You are always better off bringing extra food. You can always eat more or bring it home.

Don't forget to pack extra drawers :)

Originally Posted By Backstop: 1.  Food.  I don't want to waste time cooking, so I only take Mtn House food.  Period.   Boil water, dump in bag, wait, then eat out of the bag. Throw the bag away, and throw the plastic spoon away. . .

Wow! Just goes to show how different people view camping differently. For me, camping is a reason to cook. I spent all of last week in a campground. I was there as part of a family reunion so there were a lot of group meals but I still managed to bake two cakes and a breakfast casserole over coals and fix a couple of big breakfasts for my family and a few guests. Baking over the fire pretty much takes an entire afternoon by the time you prepare the coals, mix the ingredients, do the actual cooking and clean up. But that's the recreation for the day. I would never do it at home in the kitchen but I had a blast doing it outdoors.

It's been said before . . . but . . . above all else:

               HAVE FUN!!!

Originally Posted By vitalis: Ants do not like 7 dust... Bring some with your camping gears, liberally shake around your sight.  No more ants.. :D -V

URL for 7 dust please...

Originally Posted By Aim4MyHead: Originally Posted By Bladeswitcher: Originally Posted By Backstop: <snip> I thought cooking something over fire was a requirement for camping?! J

It is entirely possible that I hate to cook more than anyone you know.  

Love to eat, hate to cook; it is a problem.  

Originally Posted By Backstop: Originally Posted By Aim4MyHead: Originally Posted By Bladeswitcher: Originally Posted By Backstop: <snip> I thought cooking something over fire was a requirement for camping?! J It is entirely possible that I hate to cook more than anyone you know.   Love to eat, hate to cook; it is a problem.

Wow, that is a BIG problem, haha.  Sucks to be you.

Originally Posted By Backstop: It is entirely possible that I hate to cook more than anyone you know.   Love to eat, hate to cook; it is a problem.

Sounds like a vicious cycle you're caught in there.

Originally Posted By tweeter: Originally Posted By Backstop: It is entirely possible that I hate to cook more than anyone you know.   Love to eat, hate to cook; it is a problem.   Sounds like a vicious cycle you're caught in there.

For a single guy like me, it most certainly is.

HAHA!

Originally Posted By Backstop: Originally Posted By tweeter: Originally Posted By Backstop: It is entirely possible that I hate to cook more than anyone you know.   Love to eat, hate to cook; it is a problem.   Sounds like a vicious cycle you're caught in there. For a single guy like me, it most certainly is. HAHA!

I think there's a corollary to "no man was ever shot while doing the dishes." It goes something like "chicks dig a camp cook."

Seriously, if you start going group camping with a bunch of unattached friends you'll likely discover that you spend more time with the ladies if you know your way around a camp kitchen. You just might be able to do something about that "single guy" status . . .

Back to the specific/technical suggestions:

When you need your cooler to stay cold for a couple of days (like on a canoe trip):

• use block ice in addition to cubes
• Freeze water bottles and place them in the cooler. They'll serve as block ice and you'll have water in a couple of days
• Freeze the food you'll use on the last day(s) of the trip, i.e. frozen steaks
• Isolate your last day(s) food into a separate cooler and don't open it until necessary -- tape it closed and wrap it in a blanket
• obviously, keep coolers out of the sun as much as possible

A couple of other food/cooler tips:

• Beef is a better choice than pork or chicken. It's less messy and less critical about how you cook it. Although pork is less problematic today than the pork of the past it still not as easy as beef. I'll never forget trying to cook pork steaks after we arrived at a gravel bar after dark and having to judge doneness by flashlight. Never again. I don't mind rare beef but rare chicken and pork? No thanks . . .

• Some folks use Egg Beaters or other cartoned eggs to simplify packing. Personally, I just use those plastic egg cartons they sell in the camping aisle at Wally World.

• Metal foil is your friend. You can cook a bunch of tastey stuff inside foil packets placed near the coals. Here's one for you:

Bannana Boats
• whole bananna -- still in the peel -- split lengthwise
• stuff split with miniature marshmellows and chocolate morsels
• bake in a foil packet until a gooey mess.
• eat with a spoon

This "recipe" will kill diabetics and it's more sugar than any adult will eat. Your kids will love it, though. A nice addition to S'mores*

Personally, I don't eat this kind of stuff. But kids like it. BTW, I once camped with a lady who smeared some sort of store-bought peanut butter/chocolate concoction (Reece's?) on her s'mores. I have to admit, they were pretty good.

You can make very effective fire starters by pouring melted parrafin into egg cartons stuffed with dryer lint. Once they harden, cut the egg sections apart into individual fire starters.

Originally Posted By Neutrino45: URL for 7 dust please...

Walmart lawn and garden, or similar place.  And its Sevin Dust.

Originally Posted By zpo: Originally Posted By Neutrino45: URL for 7 dust please... Walmart lawn and garden, or similar place.  And its Sevin Dust.

How do I convince them to lay down around my tent all night?  Or do they actively kill everything that crawls or flies too close?



I think I'll stick with DEET and netting, these guys look expensive... and potentially hazardous to my health.

lol

My advise to myself here is to monitor what we use and what we wish we'd brought and repack the gear accordingly.

In general - Don't assume your cell phone will work if you need to call for help. Bring a whistle on every hike.

GL

URL for 7 dust please...

I think it's called SEVIN dust, we used to dust down the dogs and cats with it to get the ticks and fleas off of them.  You can get it in the garden section of K-Mart, Wal-Mart, Target.  

A bowsaw is your friend. Hatchets are good for pounding tent stakes but to cut firewood a saw is the way to go IMHO.

In the auto department at wally world, look for the microfiber auto cleaning sponge it is disk shaped and works  for sponge bath. Also the microfiber cloth that is about 12" x 16" or so. That little cloth will dry your whole body!.


OR you can go to REI and buy a microfiber product in a fancy wrapper and pay 4x's as much!


We used the sponge last trip for sponge baths and the towels were great, small, super absorbent!

And cheap.

Learn to rope up a tarp over your main area, some day it will rain and this will save the day. Stuck in a tent or car is not my way of spending a rainy day at camp.

When using your compass: I NEVER use it next to my gear, because of all the metal and magnetic stuff i may have in my backpack!

When i want to make a precise heading i leave my backpack and move at least 2 meters/6 ft aways from my gear and backpack, once i tried to take a heading with my gear and backpack on, and it showed ALLMOST 90 DEGREES WRONG

1.  It is going to rain.  Set up your camp accordingly!  Put a fly over your table, stake down tents, PROPERLY put on your tent fly.  If your cheap tent doesn't have a fly that will protect your entire tent from rain, hang a tarp over your tent that will.  If it doens't end up raining, you needed all of the above to keep it from blowing away in the wind anyway.

2.  Learn some basic knots and when to use them.  Practice them.  The "taughtline" knot should be required to be demonstrated before anyone is ever allowed to buy a tent!

3.  Try out your new sleeping bag at home before you go camping.  You are going to find out all kinds of important stuff, like that nylon shell that makes it repel water makes the thing too slippery to sleep in!  Gonna have to fix that if you are going to be able to keep it on a sleeping mat!  (Try a piece of that rubbery gripper shelf liner).  Did your zipper slide down during your slumber?  Bet it did!  Not too pleasant to have to continually close off drafts when you are trying to get some sleep!  (Pin the zipper with a safety pin).  Ditto for trying out your other gear- broken eggs in the skillet is not an opportune time to discover your stove won't light, etc.

4.  Research, practice, and understand.

Originally Posted By Bladeswitcher: Originally Posted By Backstop: 1.  Food.  I don't want to waste time cooking, so I only take Mtn House food.  Period.   Boil water, dump in bag, wait, then eat out of the bag. Throw the bag away, and throw the plastic spoon away. . . Wow! Just goes to show how different people view camping differently. For me, camping is a reason to cook. I spent all of last week in a campground. I was there as part of a family reunion so there were a lot of group meals but I still managed to bake two cakes and a breakfast casserole over coals and fix a couple of big breakfasts for my family and a few guests. Baking over the fire pretty much takes an entire afternoon by the time you prepare the coals, mix the ingredients, do the actual cooking and clean up. But that's the recreation for the day. I would never do it at home in the kitchen but I had a blast doing it outdoors.

I do both; depending on the particulars of the trip.

I take both easy and tasty with me when I am doing the park at the campsite thing. I may be hunting, hiking, fishing, shooting, etc late and be tired and hungry passing over the planned meat and going for the fast and easy meal.

I precook tons; nothing tastes better than camp cooked fajitas but the sides can be prepared at home and frozen wrapped in tinfoil. Throw it in the fire while you make you fajitas and pull it out when it starts gushing steam, simple.

I want to go camping with Bladeswitcher and Eukatae.

Originally Posted By Backstop: I want to go camping with Bladeswitcher and Eukatae.

OK, but not in Texas . . . sorry, BTDT . . .

My .02,

Camping consists of going to a place, eating, sleeping and repeat.  You don't have to make it more complicated than that.

You don't really have to know anything to get started.  Think about how you'll sleep and what you'll eat and go do it.  You can actually sleep in your same blanket from home and eat the same food you would at home.

You'll do some smart things.  The sort of things that make you think you're pretty clever.  Remember these things and do them again.  Things like figuring out how to get your fire lay just right so the smoke doesn't hit you in the face, like figuring out that atlas pages of states you are unlikely to ever visit are good for starting fire or using for tp.  You know really smart stuff.  The sort of stuff you'd brag about on Arfcom.

You'll do some dumb things.  The sort of things that you hope no one else ever learns about.  The sort of things that hurt.  Like spilling a piss bottle in your sleeping bag or catching your beard on fire or trying to get your cup out of the fire without a glove. Or running out of food.  The sort of stuff you do not want to let slip on Arfcom.

Even if you're curled up under a tree, freezing on the ground, wrapped up in your wife's best afgan and you just ate left over pizza for dinner and you've got coffee for breakfast but you forgot to bring a pot or cup to boil water in and besides you don't have matches to start a fire any way...Even when it starts to rain and the temp drops down to 32 degrees and you are wearing all cotton...Please know that it is very, very unlikely that you will die despite what you read in backpacker magazine.  You will most likely live through the night even though you will wish you were dead.  And the next day you will probably have a good idea of how you might change things a bit.

Make a little packing list.  I have spent a considerable period of my life camping for work.  I make lists all the time.  Then when you forget something you can say "Damn, I forgot to get that thing on my list."  instead of "I should have made a list"   See,  you sound smarter the first way.  

Soon, you'll know what works for you and you'll be kicked back in the evening by a pretty little fire under a starlit sky.  A tidy stack of wood by your elbow.  A pot boiling on the coals.  Bannock on a stick.  A short space away your tight tarp is set up over a sleeping bag or blanket all neat and ready for you to crawl in.  And all you have to do to get there is to start going someplace unpack, eat, sleep and keep learning.

My generic packing list for any length of backcountry trip on foot most anytime of year.  There's some variation depending on temps, but I'm often above 10,000 feet in summer and below 7,000 in winter.  A lot of the things on this list are either this or that.

Clothes:  Includes what I'm wearing.
Longpants.  Carharts or army coldweather 50/50.
Long sleeve buttondown shirt.
Long john tops and bottoms.  Filson merino.
Heavy wool shirt.  Woolrich shirtjac.
Field Jacket Liner
Cold weather Pant liners
Down Jacket
Watch cap
Sun hat (broad brim stetson beaver in summer or straw, baseball cap in winter)
Pair of cotton boxers
3 pair wool socks
Big silk cowboy scarf.
Leather gloves (leather lined with fleece in winter)
Boots or sneakers or chacos, mostly just chacos (neos in winter)
All in Stuff sack

Raingear
Frog togg suit
Rubber Poncho, German surplus

Sleeping:
Z rest
Poncho liner
Wool Blanket
Wiggy -20
Fleece liner
Cotton Army Sleeping bag cover

Shelter:
one of various tarps, often just a woven plastic tarp from IFA.
mosquito net

Fire:
bic lighter
flint and steel
bow drill kit (I'll at least have a string and a socket rock)

Food:
Blue enamel cup
wooden spoon that i carved or a couple of sticks for chopsticks
maybe a little pot for cooking or a number ten can
rice
dehydrated refritos
lentils
barley
granola
peanuts
raisins
totillas
cheese
flour
butter
bacon
tuna
peanut butter
coffee, tea, gatorade
carrots
garlic
dried fruit
apples, oranges
salt
montreal steak seasoning
tobasco
lemon juice
dehydrated onions
curry powder
A stuff sack

Water:
1 or 2 (sometimes 3) quart bottles - at least one widemouth in winter so I can get the ice out.
iodine
Aerobic Oxygen

Possibles:
Mora Knife
Little folding knife
Hatchet
Saw - hacksaw blade, gerber retractable saw, bow saw
Gouge for carving spoons
Map and compass
glovers needle
dentil floss
signal mirror
extra cord (I have cord already attached to my tarp)
head lamp
extra batteries
sandpaper
notebook and pen

first aid kit
At least tape, gauze, tincture of benzoine, moleskin, sunscreen stick, lip balm

backpack
blanket pack
24" packbasket
little osprey
or big dana terraplane

sometimes...book, fishing gear, shooting stuff, crazycreek chair, bug juice


but if I forgot  something I guess I didn't really need it

If I'm car camping with my wife and kids it's a different story.

The posters above all have great ideas. From my own experience this is a short list of essentials and ideas:

Hiking: short stays or longer durations

1.  Lightweight, waterproof layers are a must (you can always take clothes off but if you don;t have it and it rains/sleets/snows u r snafu'ed)
2. Water is life plan to drink massive amounts depending upon exertion (water filters and nalgene bottles x 2 at least)
3. High energy food items (carbs first then proteins and fats) are a must
4. Tent or tarp plus ground sheet, sleeping bag and Thermarest are a must (set up before you go and know how to do everything in the dark or low light)
5. Whisperlite stove plus fuel (liteweight and portability) packed inside a billy can with lid
6. Spoon, folding knife and insulated mug are all you need plus simple spices
7.  Waterproof matches, flint/steel are lifesavers
8. First aid kit to include basics plus items for sprains, falls
9. GPS and know how to read map and use compass
10. Pack light, travel easy, leave only footprints and take only memories!

Car camping (everything above plus)
1. Pack everything in clear plastic totes and label (everyone and everything in its own tote)
2. Ditto on frozen water bottles as insulators in cooler(s)
3. Add a few more personal care items (books, cards, digital camera)
4. Make sure your vehicle is ready to go offroad, fix-a-flat on hand plus basic maintenance tools (pliers, duct tape, socket set, Phillips and regular screwdrivers)
5. Make reservations in advance if going to National Parks
6. Don't try and see and do everything in one trip take smaller side trips and leave something for the next trip
7. Set aside all personal issues before you go and forget about work or other obligations. Nobody likes it if you or another person on the trip are constantly checking the office, etc.

Enjoy and good luck

Originally Posted By fossil_fuel: -camelbaks are great, they're much more convenient than drinking from a water bottle.  get the 100oz size, everything else is too small.  I do, however carry a nalgene bottle to filter water into, because filling the camelbak directly from the filter is very difficult.

Anyone know how to get the plastic taste out of them?

You can enjoy the hike, or enjoy the camp. You don't have to pack heavy for a couple of days camping/hiking.


Test stuff in the yard first before you go out, and try a test hike with your pack as well.


Here are a few good websites:

backpacking forums

thru hiking forum



On one of those sites is a pretty long thread about strange stuff that people have taking backpacking with them. Some of that stuff is suggested in this thread.


Make sure the people you get advice from are qualified to give it. I'm not talking about this site, although I've read some pretty funny stuff. I've read where folks go to "backpacking clinics" where the people have not actually backpacked.


this link has some threads from a guy named "beartooth" that has some beautiful pics. He documented his hike very well and it's a joy to read. They were out a long time and had relativly heavy packs but not as heavy as some folks bring for only a couple of days.





I have bad joints, just had some knee surgery so I have had to rethink my backpacking priorities. That's why I'm harping on wt I guess. I'm just as warm dry and well fed now as I was before but my pack weighs almost half as much.

Man. I sure miss the UP...
www.backpacker.com/cgi-bin/forums/ikonboard.cgi?act=ST;f=953107219;t=9991096543

(found through gitarmac's link.)

Wow! Cool link! I don't feel so bad about being an old lady. Nobody my age wants to do shit.

-Streatch a tarp out on the ground that is larger than the footprint of the tent.
-Set the tent up over the tarp
-Tightly roll up the edges of the tarp that are sticking out beyond the foot print of the tent.
-Stuff the rolled up edges of the tarp under the outside edges of the tent bottom.
-Stake and secure the tent

This will add another "floor" layer under the tent which will add durability to the floor. The rolled up edges will also direct any rain runoff under the tarp and give you another layer of water protection.  


.

For what it's worth, here's my comprehensive car (H2) camping gear list, some of which is only necessary for colder temperatures, and assumes remote camping without tables, toilettes, etc...; much of it is contained in 500-lb-rated tubs, which can fit under the cots in the tent):

782 (DEUCE) GEAR
Cartridge belt/H-harness
Batteries: 6 extra AAAs; 2 extra AAs
Camera w/ tripod
Canteens (2, full)
Cell Phone
Cigars
Cord
Emergency Blanket
Emergency Food
First aid kit – small (incl. a few Excedrin & Tums)
Flask (single-malt Scotch)
Gloves (leather)
GPS
Rain Jacket (w/ liner)/ Rain Pants
Gun, Holster, & Ammo
Hat / headband thingy
Headlamps (2); flashlight (1)
Insect Repellent
Insulated Underwear
Knife
Lighters / lighter fluid / 2 boxes of waterproof matches (in ziplock)
Map(s)
Toilette Paper
Water Purification Tablets
Whistle (gun usually works better)

BOX 1
First Aid Kit - big
Jumper Cables
Hatchet
Rope
Saw - big
Shovel
Tire-Repair Kit
Tie-downs and bungee cord
Tool Set
Winching Gear and Tow Straps

BOX 2
Batteries:  Extra D-Cells; AAs; and AAAs
Canteens Extra / Camel-Back
Flashlight
Lantern
Propane Heater
Tent-Repair Kit

BOX 3
Tent & Footprint (Cabela’s Alaskan Guide with floor-saver; 7’x10’ vestibule; tarp for vestibule floor)

BOX 4
Canned-Food Opener
Cigars/Humidor
Corkscrew
Cups
Food & Drink:
canned food / dried meals
bread
fruit
cookies
instant coffee
ketchup, mustard
wine
Fuel Bottles (w/ Coleman fuel)
Paper Plates
Paper Towels
Pot - Large
Propane Stove/Grill
Propane Canisters - 3
Salt/pepper Shaker
Sharpener
Toilette Paper
Towels and Washcloths
Wet Wipes

ICE CHEST
Beer, Milk, Water, Juice, Iced Coffee
Ribeyes/Fillets
Veggies – Corn, Mushrooms, Zucchini, Peppers

MISCELLANEOUS
Air Mattresses
Camera / Camcorder
Computer
Chairs
Cots
DVD Player
Power Converter
Radio
Sleeping Bags - military comforter
Table
Water can - 6-gal.

DUFFLE:
Cap – winter
Extra Clothing
3-pants, 3-shirt, 4-socks, 4-t-shirts, 4-underwear, insulated underwear (1-heavy, 2-thin); extra fleece layers
Gators
Gloves – winter
Hygiene Bag:
wet wipes
deodorant
liquid camping soap
pills [Aspirin, Excedrin, vitamins, Tums]
toilet paper
toothbrush & paste
insect repellent
laundry bag [mesh]
Pillow
Snow jacket/ pants

ADDITIONAL HUNTING GEAR
Blaze orange hat & vest
Drop cloths
Hunting Knife
Pulley
Rifle, Magazines, & Ammo
Rubber gloves

Yes, you want a sleeping pad. No, you will not be able to warm up the ground. Yes, you will warm it up a little, until it begins to thaw, and then the water will soak through your tent floor, and your bag. No, I have never done anything like that.

Did the OP ever specify whether he was car camping or backpacking?  These two bear almost no relationship to each other in terms of what you take.

Some thoughts after fishing/hiking/hunting in winter and summer in  AK

Wool beats all synthetics, nothing cotton. poly for all season undergarments- never cotton underwear in winter- very uncomfortable.

Vac seal "dinners" into portions. Pre cut/package items so all you have to do is snip and pour to cook- have a excellent meal easy


canoing? instead of a pack, put everything in a ruber-made container- rain proof/splash proof, ties easily into the canoe, sits on the beach well- easy to move in/out and simple

tarp- light easy to pack/ 1 million uses water/shelter/storage

100% deet

cable ties suck in cold weather- never use them

lithium batteries (cold weather a must)


good coffee- this makes a huge difference


walking sticks

golf umbrella- really quick shelter for fast rain/snow. I've weathered many a downpoor while others struggled with a tent.


"shit seat"  a folding seat with the bottom stripped out of it, very useful in a "non tree environment"





Best camp food ever
Tortillas-minimal storage requirements/light/used anytime.

-breakfasts burritos
-Quick PBJ wraps -really good on the river
-Foil pack tuna and "flavored" tortilla really good lunch
-Fajitas
-1 pack "mexican beans" and rice wrapped in a tortilla
-warmed tortillas with butter cinnamon sugar
- make really good edible "plates"





For the win

Nutella with tortillas,

Only bring them out after the dinner and the long hike. You will be a god in the camp for the entire trip. I have wowed more with this simple trick than any other.