Glad someone else is a yuppie pussy just like me. I really wish I camped more and was into camping more but I'm just not. I have ALL the fucking gear for it. Thousands of dollars wasted on shit that was supposed to save me money in the long run because I'd be sleeping OUTSIDE instead of in a comfy hotel room with running water and a bar downstairs. Not likely. If you're spending more than $1,000 a summer on camping & the associated gear just do yourself a favor and take a real vacation. You can afford it.
I'm over the whole tent thing and have been for many years, but I still have all my equipment (I really need to put all that stuff, my flyfishing gear and golf clubs on Craig's List). Roughing it has digressed to a cabin without AC, and I haven't even done that since moving to Texas. It would probably be different if I had sons, but my daughters want no part in communing with nature. I can't think of many things more miserable than spending an extended period of time in the woods with three whiny women. A hotel with a spa is fine by me.
For backcountry camping, I'm going to second third and fourth the suggestion of a good compass. Know how to use it too. Even if you're car camping, but plan on doing some hiking. Get a very good compass. It'll cost about $15. And get a decent scale map of the trails you'll be hiking on. I don't care how good the trails marked, you just never know what can happen. All it takes is getting off a trail just a hair and you can be screwed. I have a bottom of the barrel cheap ass GPS unit that I take with us. It's mainly for backup to the map and compass. Worst case if things go really bad and you're turned around on your map. Use the GPS to find your exact location on your map and go from there. Also, this isn't useful if you're just car camping as you can probably just go to whatever the closest store is, but if you're going off grid in the slightest, bring enough food. And water. If water is going to be available in streams or a lake, get a decent pump filter and some tablets. We invested in a good ceramic filter and I feel comfortable using it in any moving body of water in the US that I come across. If the water looks like it's been sitting for a good while and I have no idea the source or direction of the water, I'll filter it and then put a tablet in. Probably overkill, but I at least have water. With that and a couple high density, high calorie bars in my pack as emergency, I feel pretty safe. Also, put together a very good first aid kit. This is good for car camping or hiking, etc. Start with a pre-made one from a good outdoor store like REI. Or look online for a basic list of items to start with. Go from there. I have a larger one that I take when car camping as I have more room. If there are lots of people I'll take that. Also, if the group is going to be larger than a few people, I'll make room for the bigger one. I have a more pared down one if it's just my wife and I. Just the things we truly feel we'll need. Cleaning aids, bandaids, good knife, antiseptic, pain med/diarrhea/stomach stuff, typical things to cover a lot. Duct tape and some string. Matches in a waterproof small case and also a flint/fire starting mechanism if matches aren't there. They're small enough and can be helpful. Navigation/Water/First Aid This is moot for car camping, but more serious trips to the outdoors calls for the following: Good socks were already mentioned and they are key for hiking trips. A pack that's fit for you is key as well. I prefer external frames and they fit me and the way I like to pack, but internal frames are en vogue. I just don't like one large compartment. Just me. Either way, get one fit for you. Boots, hiking shoes, whatever suits where you're going. Get those fit as well. As important as getting fit for running shoes. Don't skimp on these at all. Spend as much as you need to. I have two pairs. A pair of light hiking shoes by Vasque and a pair of heavy duty leather boots by REI. The REI ones have vibram soles and felt the best. Do some research go find the best shoes for you for what you're doing and you're set. Then break them in. Smaller hikes with them on. A couple miles here and a couple miles there. Once broken in, you're golden. Don't just buy them right before a long trip or you'll be sorry. This is common sense, but should be noted. Lastly, be accountable for yourself. Be prepared for the worst and hope for the best. My wife went on one of her high schools backpacking club trips and I went with. We weren't involved in any planning of the sort, but made sure we were prepared for whatever. Thank god we were. I ended up being the only one who packed adequate maps. Nobody had a compass or clue how to use it. The teacher who normally ran the club was out on maternity leave and I guess she didn't properly prepare her replacements. There were about 8 adults and 20-25 or so high school kids. Bus was going to the start point. We hike in to camp, spend the night and hike the morning around there, pack up camp and hike out to the bus. It could have been a disaster. Not quite enough food, not enough water, no great maps and we almost got lost, inadequate first aid supplies. One girl had cheap brown work boots, just bought the morning we left and was wearing those and they were a size too big. Her feet were a mess. I'm glad I was there as I was able to teach her how to tie her boots in a way to keep them tight at the ankles and a bit looser around her toes. Kept her feet from sliding forward and back. I had a bunch of extra bars to feed the adults who didn't have enough food since there was only enough for the kids. My wife and I were fine as we already planned on bringing our own food. We used our filter to fill up water bottles left and right. Just a mess of a trip. First and last one we went on with that group. I've heard they improved though. And, if it is just car camping, bring some good really dry wood for the fire, a cooler with a lot of ice and good beer and a nice mattress or pad for your tent.
We are going camping with our boys for their first trip in a couple weeks. I am pretty excited b/c we haven't been since they were born - I know the 2-year old will LOVE it. our 3 month old - well, he probably won't care much. Anyway, here are a couple recipes my girl always makes when camping - nice easy, good stuff. Biscuit Sticks Refrigerated biscuits Honey Roll a biscuit out lengthwise (like a snake) place on the end of a small sized stick. Start at the end and wrap around the rod leaving no holes on sides. Brown above hot coals until biscuit slides off easily. Fill hole with honey, squeezable butter or squeezable jelly. (of course every time we make them mine fall into the fire - and it only ever happens to me) Dutch Oven Cobbler Butter Refrigerated biscuit dough Two to three cans of apple pie filling Rub a dutch oven with butter. Line bottom and sides of oven with 1 1/2 cans refrigerated biscuit dough. Dump two to three cans of apple pie filling into dutch oven. Top with remaining biscuit dough Put pats of butter on top of biscuit dough Place top on dutch oven and nestle amongst coals of a fire that has been burning for about two hours. Place coals on lid of dutch oven as well. Cook for an hour or two, until biscuits are cooked. Breakfast in a Bag Ziploc baggies 2 Eggs per person Big pot of boiling water The Rest of the ingredients are what you like in your omelets: Grated cheese Grated onions Crumbled cooked bacon/cooked leftover meats eg. sausage Green peppers Red peppers Salsa Everyone puts their own two eggs and ingredients of their choice into their own individual zip lock bags. Knead all the ingredients until they are mixed well. Meanwhile boil a big pot of water and submerge your bags. Bring the water back up into a full boil and then cook for 15 minutes. Banana Boats Bananas Chocolate chips Mini marshmallows Slice a banana in half down the center. Loosen banana meat from peel. Stuff small pieces of chocolate chips and mini marshmallows between peel and banana Wrap in aluminum foil and place on coals of fire for about fifteen minutes. Eat with a fork.
This. Vibram soles are amazing. And since everyone keeps mentioning socks over and over again, I feel obligated to say something original about them. For hiking, you want to wear two layers of socks. One will be thin and act as a liner, the other will be thick and insulate your foot, provide comfort, and so forth. Having two layers means that any rubbing between your foot and the boot will go between the two sock layers rather than against your foot, although it won't be guaranteed to prevent blisters. Also, if you're going to be wearing boots that go above your ankles, tie them nice and tight up to your ankle and secure it with a square not, then leave it a bit looser for your shin. It keeps your foot in place against the boot to prevent blisters but also allows your shins to move around and prevents shin splints. Also, anyone tried gore-tex socks for keeping your feet dry? I'd be interested in picking up a pair if I thought I might need them but I have no idea how well they work or if they'll fuck your feet up if they don't fit properly. Also, pack your shit inside ziploc bags to keep them dry and small.
This. Nylon dress socks under traditional wool socks is simple enough (pretty sure most people have these already) and unless you want to spend more to get high performance crazy socks, it'll work. The nylon socks work well as a thin liner (a second pair is easily packable) and the wool socks will take care of the rest. Our servicemen might (should) have good, if not better advice on socks...
Buy one of these, its a Jaffel Iron and its awesome. Good for breakfast, lunch and dinner. My personal favourite, tuna, tomato, cheese and mayo. Salami and cheese is also awesome.
Also great for these are dessert pies that can be made on the campfire. Basically take two pieces of white bread, butter the outsides (the side facing the griddle) and put any flavor pie filling inside, and cook until the outside is golden brown. The edge of the pie is crimped, therefore sealing the warm goodness inside. Experimenting with new ingredients and combinations is also fun and inevitable.
Similar to this. Take an orange cut the top off and scoop it out. Make up a batch of betty crocker double chocolate cake or brownie mix. Pour into the hollowed out orange. Put the cap back on and wrap in foil and throw in the fire for 15 minutes. Eat with a fork.
Try barbecuing bacon for breakfast. All you need is the fire from the night before, light it up again, and leave the bacon to cook slowly on the fire. I had pictures from the last camping, but I can't seem to find them.
Also similar to this, use an apple corer to core the apple, then stuff it with small pieces of chocolate and raisins, and you know the drill, wrap in foil etc, etc