Saturday, July 9, 2011

Camping gear roundup

Gear:
I was pretty sure my feet were going to blister. It was close - they were super hot and sweaty - but they didn't. Go go wool socks! I've had the same hiking boots for two years and they're getting pretty beaten up/broken down, so I give all the credit to the socks. I just bought some new knockoff smartwool-type socks at Sierra Trading Post.

My new women's Camelbak backpack worked just fine and fit much better than my old men's camelbak. It came with a reservoir with a baffle! You know how good water tanks and waterbeds have baffles to keep the sloshing to a minimum? The reservoir in the new Camelbak had a baffle. I guess it worked, but honestly sloshing never bothered me that much.

I bought Cersei a self-inflating roll-up travel dog bed at Costco, and she seemed to think it was acceptable. My summerweight sleeping bag was perfect, and I actually brought my own pillow from home - I slept amazingly well.

I last-minute splurged on a nonstick camping skillet. I'm glad I did - those eggs would've stuck like MAD on my existing steel camping skillet - but I have to get used to how thin camping stuff is and how hot propane travel stoves are. I am considering bringing my flame tamer next time! Any camping cooking tips?

I also bought a big cooler at Costco earlier this year. I dithered a lot about it - I had a perfectly useable small cooler - but it was only $30 and seemed like it would make my life a lot easier. I'm glad I did - a 7 lb block of ice kept a six pack of beer and a ton of random food cool for three full days with no problem. And I could bring the small cooler with Cersei's chicken in it without worrying about nasty chicken salmonella on my good people food.

8 comments:

  1. I've only camped once... and loved every aspect of it, EXCEPT the damp mornings from the dew.

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  2. Ok I'm still stuck on the roll up camping dog bed? WTH, don't dogs sleep on the ground? :)
    Just kiddin' I would do the same for my trail poodle!

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  3. You brought back a lot of happy camping/hiking memories.
    The blue flower is one of the penstemons, possibly Foothill Penstemon. A lot of the penstemons make nice landscaping plants - they seed easily.

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  4. I don't like to cook at home... well, not true. I don't mind cooking but hate cleaning up the mess. I keep telling my family I would cook more if they would contribute more to the clean-up... I digress...

    When I camp, I do a lot of pre-cooking so we eat good but don't spend a lot of time cooking it. I do have a propane 2 burner stove and a compact gas grill, but what I use the most is a single burner that you attach to the top of a small propane bottle. I make my coffee on it and warm up about anything. When not screwed onto the propane bottle, it is only about 1" - 2" think and stores nicely in the cupboard.

    I do like you truck tent.

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  5. When I cook over my camp stove I do a lot of removing the the skillet and shaking and stirring the food off of the stove. Seems to work good.

    Btw finder you should let every know ( and do a review on) the camp stove you have. I really really like it. I think most people I know have Coleman stoves so it was I treating to see a brunton

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  6. Please tell me that 6-pack of beer did not last all weekend?

    LOL. ;-)

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  7. CG, you may own heathen dogs, but my precious angel Cersei sleeps on the bed at home and she expects something cushy. :rolleyes: Seriously, I've found if she has her own spot she'll go there and not invade my sleeping bag when my back's turned.

    I usually bring a piece of thin plywood to cover the ridges in the truck bed liner, but I forgot it! I think the ridges would've been awful without some cushioning for us.

    Tammy, I've seen those one-burner stovelets but they looked really tippy. When I picked out my gear I unanimously went for comfort over size (which is why it takes a full size truck bed to carry all my crap). If I take up backpacking I'll have to get all different stuff, sigh - but I think I'm happiest camping out of the truck and trailer and riding out during the day.

    Mel, I'll get pics of the Brunton. It does seem like a really nice well-made stove. <3 you Sierra Trading Post.

    BEC, I shoulda brought more. I figured 3 a night was good, but I could've done with a couple more!

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  8. Oh, and Terry - thanks! I'm thinking I'll seed the front yard with wildflowers in the spring - I hope i get a mix with that penstemon in it!

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