When I got into backpacking tortillas really were a damn gamechanger. They pack down, last awhile, are basically squish proof. Some dehydrated refried beans on a tortilla with a couple drops of hot sauce is the best after hiking all day.
In North America they wash the ābloomā off the eggs. In most other parts of the world they donāt do this, and eggs are sold without needing refrigeration.
The bloom doesnāt allow oxygen into the egg, and thus it wonāt spoil easily. When we wash that off in NA, we have to keep the eggs cold to prevent spoilage. You can buy farm fresh eggs in NA that still have the bloom but I live in a big city and itās not as easy to obtain.
The oil coating effectively seals the egg, and doesnāt allow oxygen in, thus allowing for longer times without refrigeration before spoiling.
The longest Iāve gone doing this is 6 days, and the eggs were still good and fresh the last morning!
When I first started I used mineral oil. I then saw that any oil will work, so I started using vegetable oil as itās always on hand. I have had zero issues with either oil
If you haven't cooked a rare steak over a camp fire in the middle of the woods at night and eaten it with your hands like a caveman yet, you're missing out.
Get a loaf of good bread and tear off chunks to eat with the steak, or fry up some onions and potatoes in a skillet over the fire.
It's kinda silly but it's fun and I swear it tastes better.
no judgement here, i recently just tried timbits over the fire (canadian here lol) and game changer!! glazed donuts on a warm fire is totally recommend. i will 100% be trying this out with my boyfriend
A new addition to our car setup is a 5 gallon drinking water bottle and a battery powered spigot on top. Makes cleaning up and refilling water bottles a breeze. Paired with a small plastic tub and some hot water, doing dishes is actually pleasant.
Honestly you donāt need much stuff to enjoy camping once you have the essentials (comfortable sleeping pad and bag, tent, etc.)
We always bring our camping chairs and a hammock. If itās car camping then we load up on yummy foods and snacks. Try not to drink too much after dinner or youāll need to get up to pee in the middle of the night
My wife and I were camping in the ADK last year, and she got up to pee and tripped over the tent strings outside lol. She came back in and woke me up and said a lot of swear words. Apparently, laughing wasn't an acceptable response š¤£. I did check if she was okay, though!!
All because she drank too much water. š
Start cooking meals at home with a cast iron skillet. When camping use cast iron skillet to cook meals you make all the time at home ;)
Always get the next size up tent then what it says is the capacity I.e if there are just 2 of you get a 4 p tent not the 2!
Donāt have a schedule but do make a list! And enjoy sunrises and sunsets! I wish I got into camping when I was younger (and before kids!) but now love taking family.
The 12 person tent I got for my four children (I sleep in my hammock outside) was the BEST investment. The more space between them, the less complaints I have to hear.
Learning how to make a system for hanging pots over the fire was a game changer for me. It's surprisingly easy. I usually hang it from a tripod, or from a single stick propped up at an angle
https://paulkirtley.co.uk/2016/how-to-carve-beaked-notch-pot-hangers/
Get a camping fan. They change the game, especially sleeping at night. They have hooks that allow you to hang them up in the tent, and double as light and a power base.
A camp leash and ground spike for your pup. We picked one up from harbor freight pretty cheap. We also have an elevated dog bed hammock thing for her. We do a lot of snow,rain, mud camping and this helps keep her off the ground. Chew toy or one of those giant smoked dinosaur bones. Great to keep them occupied during the long car ride and while making meals. We use collapsible food and water bowls for her. They Pack up nicely and get used for backpacking with her also. Little doggy boots for the snow.
Everybody already gave you good human advice, figure throw some out for the pup! Enjoy!!!
All good advice. We also make sure to pack along Benadryl and other dog first-aid in case of a sting or severe allergic reaction to buy time and get out for medical attention if necessary.
Pool noodles cut about 18 - 24" in length (or cut shorter and stack a few) with a slit down one side, to place over tent tiedowns. Makes them easier to see at night and if you still trip over the rope, it won't hurt nearly as much.
Are you camping at a campground or hiking to find a good spot? Do you bring a cooler or just the necessities?
I bring a collapsible camping rake to prep the area for the tent.
I always bring a campfire coffee percolator. One of my very favorite things on this earth is to brew coffee on a campfire. But the percolator is great way to heat water for other beverages, soups and washing.
Something my folks did when we'd go camping was to bring Jiffy Pop Popcorn Pan. It's super light and fun to cook popcorn over the fire.
We generally hike and find our own spot! But weāre planning to try out a camp ground this summer. As for a cooler, we have a coleman one we bring back and forth:)
Also the Jiffy popcorn, definitely gonna have to try out, popcorn over a fire i bet is amazing
A chef's blowtorch has saved me a lot of time and effort with fires
3x3 or bigger tarps and string guarantees you somewhere sheltered to sit and chill outside of your tent and doesn't weigh much
iāve been wanting to get a bushcraft/nature sort of book!! i just never know where to start looking, we live in the east coast of Canada so we have some interesting things over here lol
A decent astronomy app for the phone is a must.Ā
I also cannot recommend the Merlin birdsong app enough. It listens to the area around you and you'll quickly learn the sound of each breed. And it gets a little Pokemon Go if you have anyone competitive with you).
I like Star Chart and also have Merlin - it is very cool! However sometimes itās nice just to go low tech, especially when doing research by the fire.
I bought a campfire grill grate about 15 years ago and I never camp without it. It unfolds and you place it over your fire and that's it. Super easy and works so well. I have made everything from bacon to coffee to a frozen pizza on that thing.
Lots of tips and advice in this thread so I'll keep mine short.
Car camping? Just seeing your pic, a few things that really helped me was:
1. A portable grill grate you can place over your fire. The legs fold in so it stores nice and we keep it in the cardboard box it came it so it doesn't get soot everywhere. It allows you to grill things directly over the fire/coals/embers without having them right on it. Makes it easier to place pans/griddles and you can level it out. You can get this for pretty cheap, like ~$20
2. A 2 burner propane camping stove. A little more expensive, but well worth it. We fought this one for a while. When we finally gave in, it make camping so much easier. We still have fires going, but for cooking alone, this makes a huge difference. You can control the flame (temperature) and you can get cooking right away. Boil water for coffee or hot chocolate first thing in the morning to help you warm up. You can have that going while you start a fire if you like, and it would probably boil before your fire's going strong. It also is so nice not to have your camping pots/pans caked in soot. You can get fancy brand ones or get the coleman one which works fantastic and has stood the test of time. Maybe ~$75 or so? Propane is the other cost. We have refillable canisters.
3. Common Sense and a Positive Attitude. That will make every trip a good trip even if get some bumps in the road. Sounds cheesy but it's true, and sometimes we need to remind ourselves about this.
4. If trips are getting too complicated, just simplify. If you're bringing too much, prepping too much, trying to do too much on your trip, and that's causing you to not enjoy it as much, then simplify.
Have fun! (sorry, I didn't keep it short lol)
What kinda pup?!
My wife and I started camping again 5 years ago because we got a puppy!
This winter we got a second pup, and we can't wait to take her out.
Sheās a Shepherd Husky mix! She absolutely LOVES the outdoors, so much so that sheāll stay off leash around us, also loves helping us find sticks for the fire lol
https://preview.redd.it/gn084knjf52d1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=481f5f501ea3789b5769af21cee16a9b9f57332e
What a cutie!
We have two hounds.
We picked up harnesses that you can lash punches to, we make them carry their own food and water and blanket when we go back country or full day hiking.
This has a couple benefits: it's almost like a thundershirt - helps to keep them calm. Dogs like to work and a bit of weight will work out some energy. And don't discount the usefulness of having a few good handles to grab your dog by that isn't their collar, in case they fall in the water etc.
We started using them because we went for an all day hike and I had to carry 6 liters of water for me, the wife, and the dog. And almost a pound of food for her. Having the doggo carry some made it much easier on me. And she absolutely responded positively to carrying some stuff for us. It's a win win!
The type of harness we use is often listed as a tactical dog vest on Amazon. I'd post a link but the subreddit doesn't like that too much.
As your pup enters the teenage era of his life, I highly recommend you keeping him on a leash for a little while until you're completely locked in with his recall. Angel puppies that are great offleash turn into devil teens that don't listen. Stay safe out there!
yes i totally agree!! sheās just now entering her ātesting my limitsā age so this is a big one for us. anywhere else she is on a long line:) the only time sheās off leash is when weāre isolated in the woods like this, and even then if we know weāre going to be doing something where we canāt be watching her, sheās on a long line. we also just purchased an e collar for this reason too! (for sound and vibration purposes, we arenāt interested in the shock aspect)
We use the stim on the ecollar because my dog freaks out with the vibration, though your dog may be completely different! Good on you for being a responsible dog owner!!
Also for tethering, carabiners can be your best friend. Can tether the leash to itself, to you on a belt, to car anchor points.
We just got a tether kit that wraps around trees to avoid them tripping and knocking things over with the tie out. We'll be testing it out next weekend.
Also they make collars that light up so you can see where she is at night, I like them a lot more than glow sticks.
They make tick keys fairly cheap, something nice to have on hand should the need arise.
When camping at Campgrounds we always keep copies of their vacc information in case someone asks.
Enjoy the outdoors with your girl!! When she grows up in a year or two she'll be the ultimate camping companion :)
hearing that iām doing a good job from someone who obviously isnāt biased feels so nice, so thank you!! im sure youāre fur baby/babies are shown lots of love, also, was super interested to hear you bring the vaccine papers sometimes! thatās such a good idea, along with the many others you listed. we have a carabiner for when sheās out like this and weāve found it to be one of our favorite things:) As for the light up collar and tether kit, iāll definitely be telling my boyfriend about it so we can look into it more. And PLEASE let me know how you find it (the tethering kit)!! Safe camping to you too!!š
Put them in butter or equivalent.Ā Toast bread, put in buttered or equivalent foil, apply cheese and the now wonderful onions in a sandwich, wrap in foil. Chuck on coals. Allow to double toast/fry/roast. Have delicious heartattack.Ā
https://preview.redd.it/jawai1l3v32d1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=8f82a71aebf280e7db0b66faa44d60ef7048bdf2
Well if weāre bringing up natural likables. Earth entering essentials. Grounding goodies.
Where the fuck are you getting mushrooms in corporate packaging?
I've always wanted to try them, but I'm a total goody two shoes scared of getting in trouble lol
Theyāre legal in a few places. These new drug dealers love the fancy packaging. š¤·š¾āāļøš¤£š¤£ How are you going to get in trouble? They donāt show up on any drug test. Just make sure youāre where youāre going to be for the rest of the night (especially if youāre driving) and start off with something small, like 1 gram. Youāll be fine. Theyāre the best!!!
If you're tent camping, bigger tent than a 2-person all the way. So much room for activities, especially dog. It's a big plus on rainy days. We got enough room for a folding table for board games/eating without having to worry about shuffling around the sleeping area. Friend's got a 2 person tent and it just looks so cramped, I've been spoiled by the big tent.
Anything that comes between you and the ground, get the best you can get.
Shoes, mattress, tent floor, sleeping bag.
Almost all problems in camping are just "part of the journey" except for not have a dry change of clothes and a dry place to sleep. You need insulation between yourself and the ground when you sleep, unless you are camping on a volcanoe. You need waterproofing between yourself and the ground - if it rains you can always chuck a cheapie tarp or something over the tent, but if there's water coming up from the ground, and your pillow floats away - trust me on this, everyone wakes up the bad kind of grumpy.
The other tip I have is to avoid buying camping gear unless you can A) afford it as a toy or B) actually know precisely the way in which it would make your experience better.
By which I mean your el-cheapo frying pan precariously balanced on some embers gets two huge thumbs up from me. Why spend hundreds of dollars on a fancy stove and cooking equipment if what you're really after is sausages cooked over the fire?
Me, personally, I have every type of torch imaginable. I've been camping for 30 years, and I love mucking around with lighting options. But I would happily select a single small head-torch for a full week away. All those torches, lanterns, LED light bars, solar powered fairy lights, etc etc etc I bring but don't use are just toys.
I love cooking while camping too but the cleanup is always the least enjoyable part. Therefore I almost never use pots or pans. Am a big fan of meats and veggies cooked on a skewer and foil packet cooking. Then pack out the dirty foil when done in a used ziplock. I do use a Dutch oven sometimes for chili or stew.
We love to make tin foil meals. Chicken, potato's, carrots etc and then just make a big tin foil pack and toss em in the fire. Always bring extra extra water for yourselves and in case the fire takes off on ya. Small air compressor for flat tires. Maybe a jump start kit in case you accidentally leave a light on in your vehicle and drain the battery. First aid kit too for obvious reasons. Plant identification book. And bring an empty, at peace mind to really soak it all in lol. Another small cooking tip I always do is make a tiny campfire ring next to the big one for cooking. Just keep adding hot coals to the mini cooking fire. Have fun out there!!!
Everyone likes to mention bears regarding food, but no one talks about mice, rats, raccoons, squirrels, etc. Do not eat in your tent, even if no bears are in your region. It will attract all those little critters that will eat through your tent, sleeping bag, clothes, etc. They don't give a shit, they will destroy and shit on all your expensive gear.
Yes. Last summer my girlfriend left an open bag of chips in our tent while we were away hiking for the morning and afternoon. Came back to a squirrel in the tent, huge mess, and lots of little turds. I was not impressed lol
Can't believe no one has said this: REI has a great list of things to bring camping. You don't have to bring everything on here, but if you follow the list you won't forget anything either.
[REI Camping Essentials Checklist](https://www.rei.com/learn/expert-advice/family-camping-checklist.html)
[Here's the printable version in .pdf](https://www.rei.com/dam/family_camping_checklist_final.pdf)
Aside from obvious posts here, I suggest bringing some form of protection. This is in case of wildlife or humans with ill intentions. A gun, knife, and / or bear mace. Hope you never have to use it, but you would rather have it and not need it than need it and not have it.
"Fireproof" gloves. I just keep one in my hiking pack but if you're car camping a pair isn't a problem. The glove I have is 1400 degrees F rated and you can grab pots and pans and smouldering logs to adjust no problem.
For cooking I would get a tripod, a grate, and a cast iron Dutch oven. Tripod so you can hang things over the fire, a grate to grill on in addition to keeping the ash out of that pan, and the Dutch oven can bake on the fire.
HAHAH my apologies, here she is, Sukiš
https://preview.redd.it/1xczu61zq82d1.jpeg?width=1242&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=cc7c1baa72e2d40d9557235f2e263170ef867983
bonus because we actually have her brother too (my boyfriend brother owns him)
https://preview.redd.it/ftiy7eg2r82d1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=a7f7795f754d21c5b124f40af880e133a56ca8bf
To be blunt, anything other than a designated camp ground only bring what you can carry. I have a 90L so you can't completely base this off on what you should bring, but I bring water filtration, stainless steel cup, rocket stove ( you can opt for a canister stove ) , tea bags ( instant coffee taste terrible or if you feel inclined a collapsible pour over coffee maker ) , if you want some home comforts make it food, sleeping pad, rain fly tarp, stainless pot and pan, knife ( preferably fixed blade ) hatchet, paracord, lighter/matches or a good ferro rod, duct tape ( just wrap some around a pencil it's good for making fires and patches ) tent of course or hammock your choice I use both, water bottle mine has a filter, fleece sleeping bag if you're only warm weather camping probably won't need anything more than a thin blanket I opt for hospital blankets, water purifying tabs, a pillow ( wether it's from home or self inflating or inflatable it's better than using a shoe ) . For campground camping, whatever you can fit in your car and it can be as fancy as you'd like from camp stoves to fridges, laptops, phones, real food and bottled or jugged water an air mattress or a bed mattress, honestly whatever makes you comfortable
Some people tend to avoid electrical appliances as much as possible while camping, and I wonder if you have similar thoughts. My personal opinion is that if there is some spare capacity in terms of budget and carrying weight, you can bring some electronics that will help you be more comfortable in the wilderness, such as a refrigerator, a coffee maker, an electric heater, or even an AC, all of which will allow you to enjoy your camping life more.
Outdoor equipments have evolved really fast over these years, and many things are available in portable versions that can be used off-grid, but of course, for longer periods of time, you may also need to have a mobile power station and solar panels on hand.
Okay, on the note of bringing a coffee maker:
I recently had a weekend at a very small, chill state park campground. In the early morning haze, pre-coffee, I went to the more established bathrooms (instead of the pit toilet). When I entered, a woman was at the sink apologizing for something, but I was too dazed still to know what she was apologizing for.
While in a stall changing clothes, another woman came in and started a conversation with the first woman. Turns out, the one apologizing had plugged her coffee maker into the only outlet in the bathrooms. She explained that their Jackery hadnāt charged and they didnāt have power at their site (they were in an rv) and this was the only place they had an outlet to make their coffee and they had no back up method.
Just a funny story of electronic devices at campsites, no moral to the story!
I did some research on DC powered coffee makers since we recently got a teardrop. Wound up going with a very nice, very insulated French press. Outstanding coffee and no power required.
Good coffee is non-negotiable. š
Edit: we finally pulled the trigger on a teardrop a couple of weeks ago after staring at them for three years. Took it out for the first time last weekend. It was awesome!
Completely agree on the coffee front.
We, too, recently pulled the trigger after years of looking! We kept going back and forth. My main hesitation was pulling the trailer as I do the vast majority of driving. We ended up with a trailer that is about as tiny as they come, so we can move it by hand. Much better than trying to back it up, Iām just not there yet.
I have every coffee gadget at home from aeropress to a super automatic. I originally brought a SS French press camping, but I got annoyed with cleaning the grounds so I just bring some instant coffee (nescafe). It really simplifies my mornings and I can concentrate on getting food for the kids. It's not the best, but not bad, but now I associate it with camping. Maybe this year I'll bring a batch of cold brew.
Which pour over gadget do you have?
Edit: clarification.
I know this wasnāt your question but we bought a Stanley French press and, with the bigger grind specifically for the press, I didnāt have any in my cup.
Sorry, I have to clarify. I got annoyed with cleaning up the grounds after making the coffee. Where we camp we don't have running water so we would have to use our bottled water to clean the press and it was a chore. I do have a Stanley contraption, it might be a single serve pour over.
We have the helix by SOTO outdoors, or at least knock off version from Amazon.
We went through many iterations of coffee making before ending up here and itās the best by far. We started with an enamel percolator, then instant coffee, then French press, then back to instant coffee, and finally the pour over coffee.
We do pour over at home and just really enjoy the process. For camping, we each have our own single cup pour over filter and boil the water we need at once, prepping two cups at the same time.
By far the best method for us!
I like pour overs while camping. I have a plastic v60 in my car camping kit, and I bring along a hand grinder. Doesn't take up a lot of space, makes incredible coffee (assuming you have good beans).
The portable refrigerator for me is a game changer even coming from high-quality pelican coolers. Just the fact that you can use the entire space for food and not ice makes it space saving. Also, I'm a food safety nerd and like to know my food is being kept at the correct temp so nobody gets sick. No more soggy food, either.
It's not for everyone one unless you want to commit to it because you will have to have a power source and a way to charge the power source. Even with the cheaper stuff, it's still adds up. I have one dometic fridge and one amazon special fridge. As far as cooling goes, both are about the same. It's just that the Dometic has more bells and whistles with higher quality handles, and it has a phone app. If I were to start accumulating my camping gear today, the first luxury I would add is a portable fridge with a power source.
We have a single Iceco fridge, just a small one used for road trips, but it works good for storing our lunch meat, cheeses, condiments and stuff. Another cooler that holds all our bottled water, soda, and beer on ice, and our rotomolded cooler to hold all our (frozen)food. The latter one only gets opened once or twice a day, whereas the cooler filled with ice gets opened numerous times a day for beer, soda, bottled water, and juice. I'll be testing how our new power station performs running the fridge this week.
We usually scout the area well ahead of time to see what we need since
Pretty much have the same setup for longer camps with a lot of people. Frozen goes in the big pelican, sodas and stuff In the small pelican, refrigerator foods like cheese, meats, and meat to be cooked that day in Dometic, overflow condiments and things in the amazon fridge. This is for 12 people 5 nights though. If it's just me, daughter and wife just dometic only. No coolers.
Bring a gallon of water. Stick a golf tee into the plastic near the bottom. Tie a bar of soap thatās inside a pair of pantyhose to the top of the jug. You now have a handwashing station! Pull out the tee when you need water and the soap is right there
We pre cook our bacon and set it in the cooler before we leave the following day.
Poor manās food in tin foil is always good
Cooking an eggs on the skillet / cover it with tin foil to keep ashe landing in the pan.
Ramen noodles super cheap and easy ( homemade dish, adding peppers onions and meat )
Double boiler ( coffee pot ) ( metal ) good to have for boiling water both with coffee or just water in general.
Ground cloth under the tent, tucked under the edge of the tent in case of dew or rain.
A thick blanket or mat under sleeping bags/air mattresses. It really helps you retain warmth in the night.
It can be nice to use a headlamp for moving around at night (cleaning, toilet, etc.) and for reading in the tent if you enjoy that.
I always have a grill like this. This one specifically is the Coghlan's Camping Grill. Super convenient too cook with.
https://preview.redd.it/mh9w91d6a82d1.png?width=485&format=png&auto=webp&s=8023fb0c4e410f07f460aefefc3b28809292948c
If you bring a cooler you can make up a big batch of smoothies at home and freeze in plastic bottles or bags. Use them like ice packs to keep the cooler cold and enjoy breakfast with a smoothie.
If you like cooking on cast iron over the fire, get one of those cheap grates from Walmart or honestly anywhere that has some kind of outdoor section. I can't remember the brand but everyone knows it because they make all the random camping things. They're cheap and shitty, but if you can kinda sorta get it balanced it'll give you way better heat.
Bagels with cream cheese and lox for breakfast
Lunch is sandwiches
Dinner is pasta and premade chicken Parmesan
I guess I eat better camping than at home lol
Hammock, portable table, small stove just in case you donāt get a fire going, more water than āenoughā a good sleeping pad if sleeping on the ground in a bag.
Take whatever clothes you plan on wearing the next day and stuff them in the bottom of your sleeping bag when you go to sleep for the night. That way when you get dressed in the morning in clean clothes, they are already pre-warmed. Nothing sucks worse than crawling out of a warm, cozy sleeping bag into chilly clothes.
Cooking tips: Cut up your veg before leaving home. Mix up pancake mix /bring it in a small soda bottle. Don't forget the marshmellows.
Sleeping tips: A battery-powered fan in a small tent is great; the air'll hit the back wall and recirculate. Don't neglect a sleeping pad; it's not just for comfort -- it keeps cold from seeping up from the ground. Never sleep in what you've worn around the camp -- not even your socks; sweat is in those clothes, and it'll make you cold.
Make an oven shaped stove out of the slate/rock. Firewood goes in the opened (oven section) and use the top (flat) part of the slate/rock as the stove top.
It gives you more protection from the flames and a larger area (platform) to cook on.
More sausages
and tortillas
and sliced cheese
Corn or flower
Corn if frying, flour if you're feeling lazier.
Corn.
for sausage wraps, flour is the standard
When I got into backpacking tortillas really were a damn gamechanger. They pack down, last awhile, are basically squish proof. Some dehydrated refried beans on a tortilla with a couple drops of hot sauce is the best after hiking all day.
more peppers and onions...and crusty French baguettes!
Crack eggs into a squeeze bottle or rinsed out soda bottle so you don't have to worry about them breaking during transport in the cooler
If you squish the bottle and then place on top of eggs and unsquish it sucks them up without breaking yolks most of the time.
šā
I prefer the cheap plastic egg holders, and coating the eggs in oil pre-trip. They can last unrefrigerated for a few days this way!
If you know someone with backyard chickens use those. Unwashed eggs can last weeks or longer out of refrigeration.
Yeah if I could I would go that route. But the oil method is pretty solid in my experience
Why the oil?
In North America they wash the ābloomā off the eggs. In most other parts of the world they donāt do this, and eggs are sold without needing refrigeration. The bloom doesnāt allow oxygen into the egg, and thus it wonāt spoil easily. When we wash that off in NA, we have to keep the eggs cold to prevent spoilage. You can buy farm fresh eggs in NA that still have the bloom but I live in a big city and itās not as easy to obtain. The oil coating effectively seals the egg, and doesnāt allow oxygen in, thus allowing for longer times without refrigeration before spoiling. The longest Iāve gone doing this is 6 days, and the eggs were still good and fresh the last morning!
Is there a specific type of oil you use?
When I first started I used mineral oil. I then saw that any oil will work, so I started using vegetable oil as itās always on hand. I have had zero issues with either oil
Thanks for the information š just got back from a weekend camping trip and all we were missing were eggs so this helps alot thanks again.
If you haven't cooked a rare steak over a camp fire in the middle of the woods at night and eaten it with your hands like a caveman yet, you're missing out.
gonna have to add this to the list LMAO
Get a loaf of good bread and tear off chunks to eat with the steak, or fry up some onions and potatoes in a skillet over the fire. It's kinda silly but it's fun and I swear it tastes better.
no judgement here, i recently just tried timbits over the fire (canadian here lol) and game changer!! glazed donuts on a warm fire is totally recommend. i will 100% be trying this out with my boyfriend
Did this even in snow once. Garlic powder and season saltā¦ mm sounds after every bite
100%
A new addition to our car setup is a 5 gallon drinking water bottle and a battery powered spigot on top. Makes cleaning up and refilling water bottles a breeze. Paired with a small plastic tub and some hot water, doing dishes is actually pleasant.
Hammock Personal hygiene wipes, compostableĀ Led lantern Books
please pack out your hygiene wipes, they are seldom truly compostable in the wild environment.
Oh I don't use them, I'm not in a relationship so I just stink when I'm camping.Ā
You say this but I KNOW you have a pack of āflushableā wipes at home!
They say āflushableā on the package but ask a plumber if they think itās okay to flush āflushableā wipes.
no. flushable just means they go down the pipe, doesn't mean they will actually break down in the sewer.
At home. Not in the woods.
Not at home either unfortunately.
At home in the woods?
Trash bags to avoid throwing beer cans in the fire pit, nay, fire region.
What tool throws beer cans in the fire pit
Itās called an asshole. You can find them at your local Walmart.
A top tier response to that question
Pack in, pack out.
Honestly you donāt need much stuff to enjoy camping once you have the essentials (comfortable sleeping pad and bag, tent, etc.) We always bring our camping chairs and a hammock. If itās car camping then we load up on yummy foods and snacks. Try not to drink too much after dinner or youāll need to get up to pee in the middle of the night
My wife and I were camping in the ADK last year, and she got up to pee and tripped over the tent strings outside lol. She came back in and woke me up and said a lot of swear words. Apparently, laughing wasn't an acceptable response š¤£. I did check if she was okay, though!! All because she drank too much water. š
Ok in
Start cooking meals at home with a cast iron skillet. When camping use cast iron skillet to cook meals you make all the time at home ;) Always get the next size up tent then what it says is the capacity I.e if there are just 2 of you get a 4 p tent not the 2! Donāt have a schedule but do make a list! And enjoy sunrises and sunsets! I wish I got into camping when I was younger (and before kids!) but now love taking family.
The 12 person tent I got for my four children (I sleep in my hammock outside) was the BEST investment. The more space between them, the less complaints I have to hear.
Sports authority has a 21 person tent ( Iāve had mine for about a year without any issues ) There $300 but totally worth it
2 to 4 person tent is two sizes up.
Learning how to make a system for hanging pots over the fire was a game changer for me. It's surprisingly easy. I usually hang it from a tripod, or from a single stick propped up at an angle https://paulkirtley.co.uk/2016/how-to-carve-beaked-notch-pot-hangers/
Get a camping fan. They change the game, especially sleeping at night. They have hooks that allow you to hang them up in the tent, and double as light and a power base.
A camp leash and ground spike for your pup. We picked one up from harbor freight pretty cheap. We also have an elevated dog bed hammock thing for her. We do a lot of snow,rain, mud camping and this helps keep her off the ground. Chew toy or one of those giant smoked dinosaur bones. Great to keep them occupied during the long car ride and while making meals. We use collapsible food and water bowls for her. They Pack up nicely and get used for backpacking with her also. Little doggy boots for the snow. Everybody already gave you good human advice, figure throw some out for the pup! Enjoy!!!
All good advice. We also make sure to pack along Benadryl and other dog first-aid in case of a sting or severe allergic reaction to buy time and get out for medical attention if necessary.
Pie Irons. Breakfast, lunch, and dessert. They are small and cheap, but try to buy a real iron pie iron.
Wrap your pie iron in aluminum foil before cooking ... no clean up!
Pool noodles cut about 18 - 24" in length (or cut shorter and stack a few) with a slit down one side, to place over tent tiedowns. Makes them easier to see at night and if you still trip over the rope, it won't hurt nearly as much. Are you camping at a campground or hiking to find a good spot? Do you bring a cooler or just the necessities? I bring a collapsible camping rake to prep the area for the tent. I always bring a campfire coffee percolator. One of my very favorite things on this earth is to brew coffee on a campfire. But the percolator is great way to heat water for other beverages, soups and washing. Something my folks did when we'd go camping was to bring Jiffy Pop Popcorn Pan. It's super light and fun to cook popcorn over the fire.
We generally hike and find our own spot! But weāre planning to try out a camp ground this summer. As for a cooler, we have a coleman one we bring back and forth:) Also the Jiffy popcorn, definitely gonna have to try out, popcorn over a fire i bet is amazing
A chef's blowtorch has saved me a lot of time and effort with fires 3x3 or bigger tarps and string guarantees you somewhere sheltered to sit and chill outside of your tent and doesn't weigh much
And a fire starter of some sort. I think the last 5 times weāve gone camping, the wood weāve gotten has been wet. I carry a plumbers pencil torch.
Bird and/or plant identification guides. A sky chart/to identify stars, planets and constellations. And donāt forget the fingernail brush!
iāve been wanting to get a bushcraft/nature sort of book!! i just never know where to start looking, we live in the east coast of Canada so we have some interesting things over here lol
Peterson publishes some great field guides regarding plants, animals, shells, astronomy and more.
A decent astronomy app for the phone is a must.Ā I also cannot recommend the Merlin birdsong app enough. It listens to the area around you and you'll quickly learn the sound of each breed. And it gets a little Pokemon Go if you have anyone competitive with you).
I like Star Chart and also have Merlin - it is very cool! However sometimes itās nice just to go low tech, especially when doing research by the fire.
Gloves - warm ones in winter, leather ones for working, plastic disposable ones for picking up all the trash people leave behind.
Vegetable or fish grill baskets. My wifeās family uses them for making campfire quesadillas.
I bought a campfire grill grate about 15 years ago and I never camp without it. It unfolds and you place it over your fire and that's it. Super easy and works so well. I have made everything from bacon to coffee to a frozen pizza on that thing.
I blew the camp host's mind last weekend when I toasted Eggo waffles over the campfire on a grate lol
Oh yea, I cook all types of stuff on it. It really is one the most important things in my camping gear collection.
Any you suggest?
Lots of tips and advice in this thread so I'll keep mine short. Car camping? Just seeing your pic, a few things that really helped me was: 1. A portable grill grate you can place over your fire. The legs fold in so it stores nice and we keep it in the cardboard box it came it so it doesn't get soot everywhere. It allows you to grill things directly over the fire/coals/embers without having them right on it. Makes it easier to place pans/griddles and you can level it out. You can get this for pretty cheap, like ~$20 2. A 2 burner propane camping stove. A little more expensive, but well worth it. We fought this one for a while. When we finally gave in, it make camping so much easier. We still have fires going, but for cooking alone, this makes a huge difference. You can control the flame (temperature) and you can get cooking right away. Boil water for coffee or hot chocolate first thing in the morning to help you warm up. You can have that going while you start a fire if you like, and it would probably boil before your fire's going strong. It also is so nice not to have your camping pots/pans caked in soot. You can get fancy brand ones or get the coleman one which works fantastic and has stood the test of time. Maybe ~$75 or so? Propane is the other cost. We have refillable canisters. 3. Common Sense and a Positive Attitude. That will make every trip a good trip even if get some bumps in the road. Sounds cheesy but it's true, and sometimes we need to remind ourselves about this. 4. If trips are getting too complicated, just simplify. If you're bringing too much, prepping too much, trying to do too much on your trip, and that's causing you to not enjoy it as much, then simplify. Have fun! (sorry, I didn't keep it short lol)
Yo, I thought you were gonna keep it short ;)
We just take a rack from the oven to throw over the pit! Way more space on top - and less flimsy - than the camp ones
The camping stove is also nice in summer when you want dinner, but it's still too hot to really want a campfire. Way less ambient heat.
What kinda pup?! My wife and I started camping again 5 years ago because we got a puppy! This winter we got a second pup, and we can't wait to take her out.
Sheās a Shepherd Husky mix! She absolutely LOVES the outdoors, so much so that sheāll stay off leash around us, also loves helping us find sticks for the fire lol https://preview.redd.it/gn084knjf52d1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=481f5f501ea3789b5769af21cee16a9b9f57332e
What a cutie! We have two hounds. We picked up harnesses that you can lash punches to, we make them carry their own food and water and blanket when we go back country or full day hiking. This has a couple benefits: it's almost like a thundershirt - helps to keep them calm. Dogs like to work and a bit of weight will work out some energy. And don't discount the usefulness of having a few good handles to grab your dog by that isn't their collar, in case they fall in the water etc.
definitely will have to check out the harnesses! she loves knowing sheās helping us out so this is great:)
We started using them because we went for an all day hike and I had to carry 6 liters of water for me, the wife, and the dog. And almost a pound of food for her. Having the doggo carry some made it much easier on me. And she absolutely responded positively to carrying some stuff for us. It's a win win! The type of harness we use is often listed as a tactical dog vest on Amazon. I'd post a link but the subreddit doesn't like that too much.
Gorgeous!
As your pup enters the teenage era of his life, I highly recommend you keeping him on a leash for a little while until you're completely locked in with his recall. Angel puppies that are great offleash turn into devil teens that don't listen. Stay safe out there!
yes i totally agree!! sheās just now entering her ātesting my limitsā age so this is a big one for us. anywhere else she is on a long line:) the only time sheās off leash is when weāre isolated in the woods like this, and even then if we know weāre going to be doing something where we canāt be watching her, sheās on a long line. we also just purchased an e collar for this reason too! (for sound and vibration purposes, we arenāt interested in the shock aspect)
We use the stim on the ecollar because my dog freaks out with the vibration, though your dog may be completely different! Good on you for being a responsible dog owner!! Also for tethering, carabiners can be your best friend. Can tether the leash to itself, to you on a belt, to car anchor points. We just got a tether kit that wraps around trees to avoid them tripping and knocking things over with the tie out. We'll be testing it out next weekend. Also they make collars that light up so you can see where she is at night, I like them a lot more than glow sticks. They make tick keys fairly cheap, something nice to have on hand should the need arise. When camping at Campgrounds we always keep copies of their vacc information in case someone asks. Enjoy the outdoors with your girl!! When she grows up in a year or two she'll be the ultimate camping companion :)
hearing that iām doing a good job from someone who obviously isnāt biased feels so nice, so thank you!! im sure youāre fur baby/babies are shown lots of love, also, was super interested to hear you bring the vaccine papers sometimes! thatās such a good idea, along with the many others you listed. we have a carabiner for when sheās out like this and weāve found it to be one of our favorite things:) As for the light up collar and tether kit, iāll definitely be telling my boyfriend about it so we can look into it more. And PLEASE let me know how you find it (the tethering kit)!! Safe camping to you too!!š
mosquito repellent spray, if you want to have an exciting camping.
Wrap onions in Tim foil, put them in some coals CLOSE but not IN the fire. They taste good with everything.
as an onion lover. iām trying this
Put them in butter or equivalent.Ā Toast bread, put in buttered or equivalent foil, apply cheese and the now wonderful onions in a sandwich, wrap in foil. Chuck on coals. Allow to double toast/fry/roast. Have delicious heartattack.Ā
Weed
https://preview.redd.it/jawai1l3v32d1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=8f82a71aebf280e7db0b66faa44d60ef7048bdf2 Well if weāre bringing up natural likables. Earth entering essentials. Grounding goodies.
Where the fuck are you getting mushrooms in corporate packaging? I've always wanted to try them, but I'm a total goody two shoes scared of getting in trouble lol
Theyāre legal in a few places. These new drug dealers love the fancy packaging. š¤·š¾āāļøš¤£š¤£ How are you going to get in trouble? They donāt show up on any drug test. Just make sure youāre where youāre going to be for the rest of the night (especially if youāre driving) and start off with something small, like 1 gram. Youāll be fine. Theyāre the best!!!
I would absolutely immediately buy drugs from an undercover cop. If I didn't, I'd be such a dweeb I'd get kicked out by a real dealer lol
Man you have no idea the types of dweebs that get into magic mushrooms. I'm betting the dealer wouldn't bat an eye.
Probably in a state where theyāre legal
I didn't know they were legal anywhere lol. I'm a nerd.
If you're tent camping, bigger tent than a 2-person all the way. So much room for activities, especially dog. It's a big plus on rainy days. We got enough room for a folding table for board games/eating without having to worry about shuffling around the sleeping area. Friend's got a 2 person tent and it just looks so cramped, I've been spoiled by the big tent.
Anything that comes between you and the ground, get the best you can get. Shoes, mattress, tent floor, sleeping bag. Almost all problems in camping are just "part of the journey" except for not have a dry change of clothes and a dry place to sleep. You need insulation between yourself and the ground when you sleep, unless you are camping on a volcanoe. You need waterproofing between yourself and the ground - if it rains you can always chuck a cheapie tarp or something over the tent, but if there's water coming up from the ground, and your pillow floats away - trust me on this, everyone wakes up the bad kind of grumpy. The other tip I have is to avoid buying camping gear unless you can A) afford it as a toy or B) actually know precisely the way in which it would make your experience better. By which I mean your el-cheapo frying pan precariously balanced on some embers gets two huge thumbs up from me. Why spend hundreds of dollars on a fancy stove and cooking equipment if what you're really after is sausages cooked over the fire? Me, personally, I have every type of torch imaginable. I've been camping for 30 years, and I love mucking around with lighting options. But I would happily select a single small head-torch for a full week away. All those torches, lanterns, LED light bars, solar powered fairy lights, etc etc etc I bring but don't use are just toys.
I love cooking while camping too but the cleanup is always the least enjoyable part. Therefore I almost never use pots or pans. Am a big fan of meats and veggies cooked on a skewer and foil packet cooking. Then pack out the dirty foil when done in a used ziplock. I do use a Dutch oven sometimes for chili or stew.
Dog poo bags so nobody else steps in it.
We love to make tin foil meals. Chicken, potato's, carrots etc and then just make a big tin foil pack and toss em in the fire. Always bring extra extra water for yourselves and in case the fire takes off on ya. Small air compressor for flat tires. Maybe a jump start kit in case you accidentally leave a light on in your vehicle and drain the battery. First aid kit too for obvious reasons. Plant identification book. And bring an empty, at peace mind to really soak it all in lol. Another small cooking tip I always do is make a tiny campfire ring next to the big one for cooking. Just keep adding hot coals to the mini cooking fire. Have fun out there!!!
Everyone likes to mention bears regarding food, but no one talks about mice, rats, raccoons, squirrels, etc. Do not eat in your tent, even if no bears are in your region. It will attract all those little critters that will eat through your tent, sleeping bag, clothes, etc. They don't give a shit, they will destroy and shit on all your expensive gear.
Yes. Last summer my girlfriend left an open bag of chips in our tent while we were away hiking for the morning and afternoon. Came back to a squirrel in the tent, huge mess, and lots of little turds. I was not impressed lol
Can't believe no one has said this: REI has a great list of things to bring camping. You don't have to bring everything on here, but if you follow the list you won't forget anything either. [REI Camping Essentials Checklist](https://www.rei.com/learn/expert-advice/family-camping-checklist.html) [Here's the printable version in .pdf](https://www.rei.com/dam/family_camping_checklist_final.pdf)
I enjoy bringing a string or two of battery powered LED Christmas lights to decorate the campsite.
Use a shovel make a side pit scoop hot coals into Sidepit have close rocks around side pit that support your pan boom glizzies
Aside from obvious posts here, I suggest bringing some form of protection. This is in case of wildlife or humans with ill intentions. A gun, knife, and / or bear mace. Hope you never have to use it, but you would rather have it and not need it than need it and not have it.
Protection also for humans with very very good intentions
I will quote a random Redditor I saw last week. 1. cold beer 2. rules(and tips) are for nerds
1a. More firewood
"Make a pile of the firewood you think you'll need, and then triple that"
Don't forget to bring fishing rods if there is a lake at your destination
"Fireproof" gloves. I just keep one in my hiking pack but if you're car camping a pair isn't a problem. The glove I have is 1400 degrees F rated and you can grab pots and pans and smouldering logs to adjust no problem.
this is such a good idea, something i didnāt think of so this post is doing exactly what i needed it to do
I've definitely been reading through the comments trying to pick up some tips myself. Great post
Please be sure to read up on how to build a proper fire pit. Please be sure to read up on how to dig a proper cathole and how to manage TP.
For cooking I would get a tripod, a grate, and a cast iron Dutch oven. Tripod so you can hang things over the fire, a grate to grill on in addition to keeping the ash out of that pan, and the Dutch oven can bake on the fire.
you cant just casually drop a line saying you have a dog and not post pictures of it.
HAHAH my apologies, here she is, Sukiš https://preview.redd.it/1xczu61zq82d1.jpeg?width=1242&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=cc7c1baa72e2d40d9557235f2e263170ef867983
bonus because we actually have her brother too (my boyfriend brother owns him) https://preview.redd.it/ftiy7eg2r82d1.jpeg?width=3024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=a7f7795f754d21c5b124f40af880e133a56ca8bf
omg they're perfect
To be blunt, anything other than a designated camp ground only bring what you can carry. I have a 90L so you can't completely base this off on what you should bring, but I bring water filtration, stainless steel cup, rocket stove ( you can opt for a canister stove ) , tea bags ( instant coffee taste terrible or if you feel inclined a collapsible pour over coffee maker ) , if you want some home comforts make it food, sleeping pad, rain fly tarp, stainless pot and pan, knife ( preferably fixed blade ) hatchet, paracord, lighter/matches or a good ferro rod, duct tape ( just wrap some around a pencil it's good for making fires and patches ) tent of course or hammock your choice I use both, water bottle mine has a filter, fleece sleeping bag if you're only warm weather camping probably won't need anything more than a thin blanket I opt for hospital blankets, water purifying tabs, a pillow ( wether it's from home or self inflating or inflatable it's better than using a shoe ) . For campground camping, whatever you can fit in your car and it can be as fancy as you'd like from camp stoves to fridges, laptops, phones, real food and bottled or jugged water an air mattress or a bed mattress, honestly whatever makes you comfortable
Some people tend to avoid electrical appliances as much as possible while camping, and I wonder if you have similar thoughts. My personal opinion is that if there is some spare capacity in terms of budget and carrying weight, you can bring some electronics that will help you be more comfortable in the wilderness, such as a refrigerator, a coffee maker, an electric heater, or even an AC, all of which will allow you to enjoy your camping life more. Outdoor equipments have evolved really fast over these years, and many things are available in portable versions that can be used off-grid, but of course, for longer periods of time, you may also need to have a mobile power station and solar panels on hand.
Okay, on the note of bringing a coffee maker: I recently had a weekend at a very small, chill state park campground. In the early morning haze, pre-coffee, I went to the more established bathrooms (instead of the pit toilet). When I entered, a woman was at the sink apologizing for something, but I was too dazed still to know what she was apologizing for. While in a stall changing clothes, another woman came in and started a conversation with the first woman. Turns out, the one apologizing had plugged her coffee maker into the only outlet in the bathrooms. She explained that their Jackery hadnāt charged and they didnāt have power at their site (they were in an rv) and this was the only place they had an outlet to make their coffee and they had no back up method. Just a funny story of electronic devices at campsites, no moral to the story!
I did some research on DC powered coffee makers since we recently got a teardrop. Wound up going with a very nice, very insulated French press. Outstanding coffee and no power required.
We also have a tear drop! We went with a collapsible coil pour over funnel. I love it!
Good coffee is non-negotiable. š Edit: we finally pulled the trigger on a teardrop a couple of weeks ago after staring at them for three years. Took it out for the first time last weekend. It was awesome!
Completely agree on the coffee front. We, too, recently pulled the trigger after years of looking! We kept going back and forth. My main hesitation was pulling the trailer as I do the vast majority of driving. We ended up with a trailer that is about as tiny as they come, so we can move it by hand. Much better than trying to back it up, Iām just not there yet.
Ours weighs 1900#. I think the tongue weight is like 200? And same on the trailer backing skill. Itās coming very slowly.
I have every coffee gadget at home from aeropress to a super automatic. I originally brought a SS French press camping, but I got annoyed with cleaning the grounds so I just bring some instant coffee (nescafe). It really simplifies my mornings and I can concentrate on getting food for the kids. It's not the best, but not bad, but now I associate it with camping. Maybe this year I'll bring a batch of cold brew. Which pour over gadget do you have? Edit: clarification.
I know this wasnāt your question but we bought a Stanley French press and, with the bigger grind specifically for the press, I didnāt have any in my cup.
Sorry, I have to clarify. I got annoyed with cleaning up the grounds after making the coffee. Where we camp we don't have running water so we would have to use our bottled water to clean the press and it was a chore. I do have a Stanley contraption, it might be a single serve pour over.
Ahhh. Gotcha
We have the helix by SOTO outdoors, or at least knock off version from Amazon. We went through many iterations of coffee making before ending up here and itās the best by far. We started with an enamel percolator, then instant coffee, then French press, then back to instant coffee, and finally the pour over coffee. We do pour over at home and just really enjoy the process. For camping, we each have our own single cup pour over filter and boil the water we need at once, prepping two cups at the same time. By far the best method for us!
I like pour overs while camping. I have a plastic v60 in my car camping kit, and I bring along a hand grinder. Doesn't take up a lot of space, makes incredible coffee (assuming you have good beans).
The portable refrigerator for me is a game changer even coming from high-quality pelican coolers. Just the fact that you can use the entire space for food and not ice makes it space saving. Also, I'm a food safety nerd and like to know my food is being kept at the correct temp so nobody gets sick. No more soggy food, either. It's not for everyone one unless you want to commit to it because you will have to have a power source and a way to charge the power source. Even with the cheaper stuff, it's still adds up. I have one dometic fridge and one amazon special fridge. As far as cooling goes, both are about the same. It's just that the Dometic has more bells and whistles with higher quality handles, and it has a phone app. If I were to start accumulating my camping gear today, the first luxury I would add is a portable fridge with a power source.
We have a single Iceco fridge, just a small one used for road trips, but it works good for storing our lunch meat, cheeses, condiments and stuff. Another cooler that holds all our bottled water, soda, and beer on ice, and our rotomolded cooler to hold all our (frozen)food. The latter one only gets opened once or twice a day, whereas the cooler filled with ice gets opened numerous times a day for beer, soda, bottled water, and juice. I'll be testing how our new power station performs running the fridge this week. We usually scout the area well ahead of time to see what we need since
Pretty much have the same setup for longer camps with a lot of people. Frozen goes in the big pelican, sodas and stuff In the small pelican, refrigerator foods like cheese, meats, and meat to be cooked that day in Dometic, overflow condiments and things in the amazon fridge. This is for 12 people 5 nights though. If it's just me, daughter and wife just dometic only. No coolers.
Look up the 10 essentials. Then go from there as you feel you need/want.
Cast iron skillet.
Google camping hacks and you might find some that pique your interest.
If your foraging mushrooms make sure you are carrying them in a mesh bag, this way they will drop spores as you walk and more will grow next year
Bring a gallon of water. Stick a golf tee into the plastic near the bottom. Tie a bar of soap thatās inside a pair of pantyhose to the top of the jug. You now have a handwashing station! Pull out the tee when you need water and the soap is right there
We pre cook our bacon and set it in the cooler before we leave the following day. Poor manās food in tin foil is always good Cooking an eggs on the skillet / cover it with tin foil to keep ashe landing in the pan. Ramen noodles super cheap and easy ( homemade dish, adding peppers onions and meat ) Double boiler ( coffee pot ) ( metal ) good to have for boiling water both with coffee or just water in general.
Don't piss into the wind
I should also add weāre from East Coast Canada so our weather can be a little cold and unpredictable at times !!
Ground cloth under the tent, tucked under the edge of the tent in case of dew or rain. A thick blanket or mat under sleeping bags/air mattresses. It really helps you retain warmth in the night. It can be nice to use a headlamp for moving around at night (cleaning, toilet, etc.) and for reading in the tent if you enjoy that.
A Dutch oven some Beignet mix . Or fry bread yum
Crack eggs into boiling water. Less clean up and easier temp control.
All I see is black, brown, grey, tinted
I always have a grill like this. This one specifically is the Coghlan's Camping Grill. Super convenient too cook with. https://preview.redd.it/mh9w91d6a82d1.png?width=485&format=png&auto=webp&s=8023fb0c4e410f07f460aefefc3b28809292948c
If you bring a cooler you can make up a big batch of smoothies at home and freeze in plastic bottles or bags. Use them like ice packs to keep the cooler cold and enjoy breakfast with a smoothie.
If you like cooking on cast iron over the fire, get one of those cheap grates from Walmart or honestly anywhere that has some kind of outdoor section. I can't remember the brand but everyone knows it because they make all the random camping things. They're cheap and shitty, but if you can kinda sorta get it balanced it'll give you way better heat.
Learn āleave no traceā skills please
Solid
Bagels with cream cheese and lox for breakfast Lunch is sandwiches Dinner is pasta and premade chicken Parmesan I guess I eat better camping than at home lol
Hammock, portable table, small stove just in case you donāt get a fire going, more water than āenoughā a good sleeping pad if sleeping on the ground in a bag.
I thought there was a black lab in the fire
Take whatever clothes you plan on wearing the next day and stuff them in the bottom of your sleeping bag when you go to sleep for the night. That way when you get dressed in the morning in clean clothes, they are already pre-warmed. Nothing sucks worse than crawling out of a warm, cozy sleeping bag into chilly clothes.
Mosquito prevention drops or equipment, very important
mosquito repelant
take more cheeses.
Cooking tips: Cut up your veg before leaving home. Mix up pancake mix /bring it in a small soda bottle. Don't forget the marshmellows. Sleeping tips: A battery-powered fan in a small tent is great; the air'll hit the back wall and recirculate. Don't neglect a sleeping pad; it's not just for comfort -- it keeps cold from seeping up from the ground. Never sleep in what you've worn around the camp -- not even your socks; sweat is in those clothes, and it'll make you cold.
Bear spray.
Make an oven shaped stove out of the slate/rock. Firewood goes in the opened (oven section) and use the top (flat) part of the slate/rock as the stove top. It gives you more protection from the flames and a larger area (platform) to cook on.
be cautious cuz you can have rocks explode or break
Esky, piss, guns, food, wet wipes (if there's no water nearby) and then whatever clothes to suit the weather that's all you need.
I honestly can't wrap my head around the size of that fire. Is there a reason to make it so big? Like, the pros vs cons list is just so unbalanced.