I've spent some time in the surviual forum and have put together a righteous bug out bag that sits in my car, ready for action. But I want to play with my new things, test them out -- so I've decided to take the family camping.

Background -- I've never been camping in my life, I'm 42, overweight and out of shape, and hate bugs. But I have two young sons with a lot of enthusiasm and I work from home so I have the time to put in. Plus the wife, who'd rather be camping at the Holiday Inn, has agreed to join our adventure. We've decided to start with car-side camping in a Maryland state park on the Eastern Shore and see how that goes. I want to practice making fires and building shelters, for one thing.

I've found articles on REI.com and elsewhere about how to choose tents, sleeping bags and so on. But I don't know which companies make the better items, and I'd rather pay a bit more for the better equipment, then start out with crap and work my way up. For instance, the choose lists tell me we probably want down-filled, 20+ degree sleeping bags, but not which companies I should be looking at. There was a hat thread on the survival forum that distilled down to "buy a Tilley", and since I needed a hat, I used that to buy a T4 Tilley which has been perfect so far. I'd really like to find more threads like that for tents, sleeping bags, sleeping pads, lanterns -- all the stuff we're going to need.

Any advice?

Thanks in advance.

What I do is scan places like Sportsman's Guide, Sierra Trading Post, REI Outlet, and Campmor for stuff in my price range then check the associated reviews at www.thebackpacker.com, www.backpacking.net and www.trailspace.com.

Another source for helping make decisions is the Gear and Other Hardware forum over on Outdoors-Magazine.com. Do a search for tents, sleeping bags, etc and find out what people think of the gear they use.

As for person favorites of mine, I like Mountainsmith, Guide Gear, and Alps Mountaineering stuff.

It's easy to get overwhelmed by all the choices out there. The two basic rules of thumb are:
1. You get what you pay for.
2. The *next* tent/bag/stove will be perfect.

-Blast

Hello digimark....
I'll throw in my two cents on the sleeping pads. I would recommend a Therm-A-Rest brand, self inflating pad. I have the large Trail Comfort pad and it does a pretty good job for me. At 25" wide, it's a little too narrow for my xtra wide body but it works OK.
If your not going to be hiking or packing the pad around you might want to check out the Camp & Comfort series. These are thicker and come in widths up to 30". Of course they are heavier and slightly bulkier, but would no doubt offer a better nights sleep.
Campmor.com currently has some pretty good deals on Therm-A-Rest items.

Just wanted to add this, don't get discouraged if your first night camping is less than comfortable. Camping takes some getting use to and is something that gets easier with experience. If you hang in there you will be glad you tried it. Having two sons to go camping with will make it worth the effort. I think you will have a great time!

Hope this helps,

smitty

There are a lot of good brands out there some will cost more simply because of their name. Almost everything these days is made in a few factories in China, Korea, Vietnam and the Phillipines. Many factories make several brands side by side. So you may be able to choose a less expensive brand and still get quality.

If you are starting out then don't spend too much and find out that you will never use all that gear again. Most REI stores rent tents, sleeping bags and mattresses. That may be a good option.

REI brand tents are a good value, so are their sleeping bags.

Almost every brand mentioned is worth buying. Look for quality in the parts and workmanship. Look for sticky zippers on sleeping bags; avoid these. Make sure the tent has aluminium poles the fiberglass cost less but WILL break more quickly than tha AL which will bend first.

Down is considered superior for sleepin bags for comfort and warmth to weight ratio but if it gets wet it will be useless. Synthetics like Polarguard 3D and Delta are heavier and bulkier but will keep you somewhat warm if wet.

Hi digimark,

To recommend the best manufacturers will certainly get you some really good equipment, but it could be an expensive business. Most of the expensive kit provided by the best manufacturers have essentially designed their kit to be used in the most demanding conditions for very experienced mountaineering types who regard the overall weight of the kit to be key. For example a titanium stove may cost $200 over the cost for the standard version because saving 6 oz is worth it. Good Down kit is expensive because it is lightweight.

High performance tents are made to exacting designs and materials to survive hurricane force winds on the side of Mount Everest. For the very best in tent manufacturers there is Terra Nova, Hilleberg, Vaude, MacPac, Force Ten, Mountain Hardwear, TNF, Exped and Marmot. All of them are excellent manufacturers and I have probably forgotten to list another half a dozen or so others.
The following tents for example will stand up to the most difficult weather conditions (used in expeditions) and will double up for family use. There are expensive though!

http://www.theoutdoorshop.com/Outdoor/ProductDetails.aspx?language=en-GB&product=2228601

http://www.theoutdoorshop.com/Outdoor/ProductDetails.aspx?language=en-GB&product=22222

Sleeping bags are again subject to the cost/performance ratio. The lighter/warmer bags cost a lot more. I would first decide what temperatures you will likely expect and work from there.

Again the best manufacturers are Marmot, Rab and PHD designs for the very best. (very good expedition kit) with TNF and Mountain Hardware and Mountain Equipment being superb also.

http://www.theoutdoorshop.com/Outdoor/ProductDetails.aspx?language=en-GB&product=21862

http://www.phdesigns.co.uk/

As you said being a larger fellow you may find the following sleeping bag useful, the Snugpak Expanda Panel system allows Snugpak Softie range of bags to be made slightly larger if you find that the other bags are a bit of a tight fit.



Snugpak Sleeping bags from the Softie range are synthetic and one of the best performing synthetic bags available.

http://www.snugpak.com/30_codegreen/31_15_expandapanel.htm

Again there are so many other manufacturers making excellent sleeping bags.

The best known sleeping pad are actually known by the manufacturer; Thermarest. These are pads are self inflating and available in various sizes and thickness.

For car camping; http://www.thermarest.com/product_selection.aspx?cID=3

There is also a manufacturer called Exped who manufacture a range of Down filled mats called Downmat, probably the best for lightweight mountain winter camping; rated to -40 degrees Celsius.

http://www.exped.com/exped/web/exped_homepage.nsf/b43HomePageE?openframeset

For the best lightweight cooking gear there is MSR, Primus and Snowpeak.

http://www.msrcorp.com/
http://www.primus.se/
http://www.snowpeak.com/gears/gear.htm

For an excellent review site you probably couldn't do any better than

http://www.backpackgeartest.org/

Hope this helps. (Hope nobody complains that the suggestions are a bit Euro biased)

Depending on how old you sons are, I'd encourage you to find a Boy Scout troop in your area. You could join as a leader too. You don't have to have the skills to be a leader.

From an equipment standpoint, here are my thoughts:

In general, find a good local sporting goods store. Avoid tents/sleeping gear from Target. Walmart actually has some pretty good stuff, though I wouldn't buy a tent from there.

Tents:
As my wife would testify, I have way too many tents. In general, any tent from Eureka is an excellent quality and reasonably priced. Other manufacturers may have nicer tents, but they are also more expensive. Make sure the tent comes factory seam-sealed. Avoid any tent - other than Eureka - that costs less than $100. For an adult and two growing kids, I'd recommend something bigger than a 4-person tent.

As I got older I've tended to prefer a simple dome tent with pole clips instead of sleeves, tall enough to just be able to stand up in (too tall and its harder to setup), and enough floor space for my gear. I've also started moving away from vestibules since I didn't use them and they make getting into/out of a tent just that much more complicated (zippers tend to be at the ground). Now that I'm in Scouting I've found that most of the Scoutmasters use simple dome tents that are about 10'x10' and 6' high. I like that size.

Aluminum poles are stronger than fiberglass, no doubt. Speaking as a scoutmaster though, if a boy steps on an aluminum pole, it could be fatal. A high quality fiberglass pole (Eureka, Alps Mountaineering) might be a better choice so long as you use storm guylines in windy weather and avoid very cold weather.

I've looked at LOTS of tents, and the best simple dome tent I could find that has 100% clips (no pole sleeves) is the Alps Mountaineering Meramac 6-person. You can order them directly from the company. http://www.alpsmountaineering.com .

For a lower price tent, take a look at the Eureka Tetragon 9. GREAT tent for the price. The Eureka Sunrise or Spacious is OK too. Get a sheet of plastic to put under the tent that is just smaller than the tent.

Follow these rules:

1. No shoes inside a tent
2. Open door zippers completely before entering/exiting
3. Stake out storm guylines if storms/winds are predicted - high winds will destroy a tent faster than just about anything else
4. Don't stake out guylines until bedtime to keep boys from tripping over them and ripping the tent - unless high winds are in the area
5. ALWAYS stake down the tent - even if it is free-standing - even moderate wind will turn a free-standing tent into a giant rolling beachball in no time
6. NO FLAMES INSIDE TENTS!!
7. Keep the screen doors closed to keep out the bugs!!!

Sleeping Bags:
Stick with synthetic insulation. Down is NOT needed.

If you're just camping in the summertime, get a soft fleece-lined bag that matches the lowest temperature rating you think you'll need. You can always bring extra blankets. I wouldn't worry about it being a mummy-shaped or rectangular bag. That only matters for winter camping. Anything Campmor.com, Cabelas.com, or a number of other excellent sources sells is decent quality (Slumberjack or Coleman would do you just fine).

If you're camping in the winter, then you'll want synthetic mummy bags without cotton lining. In the midwest we usually recommend at least 15-20 degree rating.

Sleeping Pads:
If your sons are young (8th grade or lower), they'll do just fine with closed cell foam pads (the Thermarest RidgeRest pads are great). They can probably sleep on most anything, including rocks, but the pads provide some insulation. Get full-length pads - not the the shorter versions.

For you, as an adult, it is a very different story. Avoid those bed-sized air matresses. They are lots of work and tend to get leaks. I would recommend you get the thickest Thermarest self-inflating pad that your budget can afford. Actually, blow your budget and get the next thickest size, because you will need it soon enough. I use the large (I'm tall and need the height) 3.5" "Ultimate" pad sold by Cabelas, and LOVE it - it has compelely changed my ability to sleep on the ground, BUT it is large and heavy. Another assistant scoutmaster in my troop uses the thickest self-inflating REI-brand pad that REI sells, and he likes that alot.

Stoves/Lanterns:
Stick with Coleman 2-burner stoves and Coleman gas lanterns. They are wonderful. Most people these days use propane stoves & lanterns, as opposed to the Coleman fuel versions. I myself have both kinds (yeah, too much gear), and I much prefer the Coleman fuel stove (I feel like I can control the flame better), and don't see any difference in the lanterns.

For electric lanterns, don't bother with the Coleman flourescent kind. Go to Target and get their River Rock K2 LED Lantern. It is fantastic, and a bargain for $20. While you're there, pick up a River Rock LED headlamp for each of you. Headlamps are great, and the Target River Rick headlamps are quite good for the price. If you want the best, go for the Princeton Tec EOS headlamp. I don't even carry hand-held flashlights anymore.

Don't forget to bring along:
-Steal some pots & pans from home - they'll work just fine

-Two plastic tubs for washing dishes (wash & rinse) Don't use paper plates & plastic utensils - teach your boys how to wash dishes - a great skill

-Camp chairs for relaxing (younger boys do just fine with 3-legged camp stools - Campmor sells a very good one for $10)

-If you hate bugs I might suggest investing in a simple screen tent, which will protect you against both bugs AND rain. It doesn't have to be fancy or expensive.

-Extra paracord - as storm guylines for tents, to put up the rain fly, to hang food/garbage away from critters, to tie up wild kids, etc... I'd buy two 100 foot hanks from countycomm.com, and then cut one into six 16' lengths and the other into two 50' lengths. A 16 foot length is easy to untangle and has lots of uses. The 50' lengths are somewhat of a pain to untangle, but great for hanging food or as a clothes line.

Water bottles - you'll find Gatoraide bottles do just great, and they come with one free serving of Gatoraide as well. Don't bother with those 5 gallon collapsable water bottles - they store small, but they'll leak fairly soon. Stick to hard water jugs.

Don't forget to store the food inside your car or hang it high at night, to avoid sharing with the local animals. DON'T put food inside your tent!!

Finally, spend LOTS of time around the campfire with your kids. THAT is the best part of camping - getting to know your kids - and vise versa.

Lots of great input so far. I agree with Ken that if your boys are interested in the outdoors, they might benefit from checking out their local Scout Troop. Still, you guys can all go family camping out of the trunk and have a great time.

I have some pretty high end stuff that I use now, particularly when we are backpacking. For car camping, however, I think some of the names mentioned for tents, like Eureka and Coleman are fine. I have always thought that the Coleman tents are good bang for the buck, as are the Eureka's. Near us, is a Coleman outlet store, where we can get last year's models of tents, backpacks, stoves, sleeping bags, etc. It's a good way to go. Kind of like buying a leftover 2006 car that's still on the lot when the 2007's came out, you get a great deal, and it's still brand new. Campmor offers deals like that online for last year's models.

If your boys are in Scouting already, you should know that you can get a fantastic discount by using a code for the Scouts on Coleman's website. Your Scoutmaster should have that info. When we go to the outlet, we show our Boy Scout card and get a nice discount that way too.

To make the adults comfortable, knowing that you're not going to be carrying any of this stuff, I would skip right past the self inflating pad and get a folding cot. It will make all the difference. Now, you can't take that backpacking. The Thermarest Prolite 3 is what I take when we're backpacking. I think you're a ways away from that. If you want your wife to get a good night's sleep, try a folding cot that has a foam pad.

Sleeping bags are going to depend on the temperatures you need to cover. Again, the mummy bags are great for cold weather, and backpacking, but, you might just want a rectangular bag for summer type camping so you have room to move. I'd go with synthetic, down is great, but, you need experience.

As I type this, I'm thinking that this is the opposite of what I tell the boys in my troop, when we're going light and fast. Still, I think for you to have some success and comfort early, the odds are better that you're going to stay with it and have fun!

It is about fun. It will recharge your batteries. Good Luck!

My two cents: Go relatively inexpensive for car camping. Assuming that you have a decent amount of trunk space, size (up to a point) is not an issue. Assuming that you are doing three season camping (no winters with heavy snow), you can use a cheaper tent.

It IS true that you get what you pay for. But what do you actually need? For car camping, even if you have a catastrophic failure, you can sleep in the car or even drive to a hotel. This is quite a different situation from a guy who has to walk 20 miles, and equipment failure may kill him. More money will also buy durability, but you first camp a few times to get experience to know what you like and don't like in gear. Don't over-buy for your very first time. Even if the stuff wears out after a dozen uses, if you didn't pay too much, no big loss. If you don't like camping and sell the stuff at a garage sale, no big loss.

I would recommend checking the sales at places like Sports Authority, Dicks, Big-5, and Sportman's warehouse. Stick with a good brand like Coleman, and get a tent large enough for your group (note that the "person" rating of a tent will pack you in like sardines -- always go one or two persons bigger). Get sleeping bags large enough and warm enough for the expected weather.

Also, get a cheap air mattress and a pump that can be powered from a cigarette lighter plug in your car. Some people might scoff at the idea, but you will get a better night's rest. Of course, this is a bad idea for backpacking, but just fine for car camping in the summer. Your wife will also thank you for the extra comfort.

I just piked up a $30 Coleman tent and a pair of $15 generic sleeping bags at a great Memorial Day sale. Sure, this is not the stuff to take to Everest, but I am not going to Everest. I just want to take my young kids car camping.

If you live near a Cabela’s check out their Alaskan Guide series. Its not the cheapest tent, but its damn near bullet proof. Check their bargain cave – they often get returns that they re-sell at a considerable savings. Slumberjack and Kelty bags offer good value for the cost.



I offer the following as a way not to repeat the mistake I made as someone who grew up camping and married someone who was not a camper:

Make sure you don’t try and “rough it” too much. There’s no quicker way to turn someone off that’s never camped before by insisting that a long weekends food supply should consist of dehydrated food, trail mix and jerky. Having a larger tent (One you can stand up in and move around) will be worth its weight in gold if (and when) it rains and it allows you go with air mattresses if you wish. Pick a campsite that has showers and a bathroom. Let everyone bring what they want and most of all have fun.

Coleman
Kelty
REI
Mountain Hardware
MountainGear
Mountainsmith
The North Face
Outdoor Research
Sierra Designs
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My $.02. Start with a tent, not a tarp. Why? Better shelter, less bugs at night, no waking up with a snake keeping warm with you... Tent, my friend (or a Teepee, since those are being pushed a little). If the kids want to do a lean-to or something, let them have fun. I'm not a fan of the open air myself. DO invest in a good sleeping pad!

I second most of this list. BTW, it's "Mountain Hardwear" not "hardware." It's a pun. I've got clothes by them, TNF (The North Face), some Outdoor Research, had a few Eureka tents (not bad for beginning). Don't discount the REI store brand, as it's pretty decent quality at a good price. Same goes for EMS (Eastern Mountain Sports, a REI-like, East-coast chain). Personally I despise Coleman gear. Other than their lanterns (which rock!), I've found their stuff to be marginal, at best. Also try Arcteryx for jackets and backpacks. MSR for camping stoves, Mag-lights (the mini-mag) for flashlights (they're not the highest end, but extremely robust. Mine is 15 years old and going strong).

Some of the links on this thread are real good; check them out! You can also find amazing discounts at sales; ask the sales reps when they have their scheduled sales, and when new equipment gets released. Like, right now you might get good deals on winter stuff, as summer is coming. The folks at REI are real knowledgable, so pick their brains. Have fun, stay safe!