Camping Gear
AFTER choosing your tent, you need camping
gear for sleeping, cooking and other activities at camp.
Your sleeping gear starts with a sleeping bag, and
you need to select one that will keep you warm enough on chilly
nights when the cold seeps up from the ground beneath you, even
when you're on top of a waterproof ground sheet. It may be
moisture-proof, but your body heat will quickly be sucked away
by the icy cold earth beneath you.
The best quality sleeping
bags have traditionally been filled with goose down - the
fluffy chest feathers from birds. Down bags are lighter and
compress smaller when packed, but they won't keep you warm if
they get wet. Synthetic sleeping bags filled with feathery-like
bits of foam do not compress as small as down or feathers, but
they will still keep you warm if they get wet. Choose what you
will, but do buy the best you can afford. It's very miserable
to lie awake shivering and waiting for the dawn, because you
bought a lousy sleep sack.
Now a camp cot or an air mattress will get you off
the ground, but you'll sleep cooler because of the air
currents underneath you. These exist even in a blow up air
bed, so these sleeping aids are great when the weather is
warm. But when the weather is cold, you'll sleep much warmer on
a foam sleep pad or on a camping mattress of some kind because
the air is trapped, and therefore it works as an insulator.
Your most basic camp furniture would have to be a folding
camp chair for each person in your group and a collapsible
table. You'll want the table as a bench
top for preparing food and a dining table for eating
the food once it's ready. In some circumstances you might
even use the camp table to support your camp stove while
you're cooking, and your washing-up bowls when it's time to
clean up after meals. But don't try this if the table is in any
way flimsy.
Your camp kitchen needs continue with an ice cooler to keep
your perishable foods from spoiling too fast. Place your milk,
butter, eggs and meat in the insulated cooler and add ice
purchased from a gas station or liquor store. In hot weather,
you may need to keep other food in there as well, such as
bread, vegetables or even fruit. And since most places don't
allow open wood fires any more, you'll need to look at
camping stoves as well.
Those with bigger bank balances may prefer to buy a powered
camping refrigerator of some kind. The cheapest and least
effective camp fridges use 12v DC from the cigarette
lighter of your car or truck. Slightly better ones
use bottled propane gas or mains electricity. But if
really hot conditions are likely you may want to invest in a
camping fridge/freezer. These are the best quality money
will buy. They usually work on 3-way power - AC mains, 12v DC
from the car or they use bottled propane gas. The flame
actually makes the inside of the fridge or freezer icy cold -
even in summer. These freezers are also
super-insulated, so they can use little power as long as the
lid is not opened very much.
Consider taking a camping lantern along as well. There
are ones that run on batteries, liquid fuel or propane
gas. The battery ones usually have a fluorescent lamp and throw
out a rather weak light in my experience. But they are easiest
to use. Propane lamps throw a lot of light but don't
touch the top as it gets almost red hot. (I learned that the
hard way then I was a kid.) Fuel lamps (such as the USA's
Coleman or Australia's Tilley lamps) also throw a lot of light,
but they are rather fiddly to operate, especially for the
inexperienced.
It is also a good idea for each camper to carry a small
personal flashlight. The new L.E.D. types are ideal, and some
can be worn on your head or your hat for hands-free use while
walking in the dark. A real plus.
Lastly, don't forget to take a long a small toilet kit. Just
a toothbrush, towel and some soap, toothpaste or tooth
powder. Place it in a small cloth bag together with any
prescribed meds... and don't forget a roll of toilet paper.
Don't leeave home without it! ;-)
And now a word about sanitation when camping.
|