Product Reviews and Tips for Life Outdoors
Anytime you go camping a good night sleep is definitely something you will want to have. It all starts with what you are sleeping on. Unless you are totally fine with sleeping on the ground you’ll want to invest in other sleeping options: cot or air pad (or maybe both). You will want to go with something that is lightweight yet comfortable at the same time. Especially if you plan to also use it for backpacking.
A dutch oven is a great way to bring more of an at-home feel to your cooking over a campfire. Typically camping dutch ovens are made of cast iron, which is really heavy as far as hiking gear goes. GSI Outdoors makes a great lightweight dutch oven.
If you are hiking to a remote camping location your kitchen probably won’t be your top priority. Camping close to your vehicle gives you the upper hand when it comes to your camping kitchen.
I have put together a list of 10 basic camping kitchen items that are a must have to make your experience in the kitchen great every time. Some of the best meals that I have had in my life have come out of the camping kitchen so I always feel like setting it all up is worth it.
One thing that will come in handy while you are camping is a dry bag.
If you plan on bringing items that are easily damaged by water (phone, car keys, wallet, etc.), a dry bag is the ideal way to keep your valuables safe while you are camping. I use my TRUE Dry Bag every time I go out, even if it’s just for the day. I always like to have my phone around in case I want to take a quick picture. Before I bought my dry bag I always had a tough time with making the correct judgment call and leaving my phone in a safe place. After replacing two phones I finally came to my senses and got a dry bag.
Your cooler is an important part of your gear, if you plan on bringing food that is. Unless I’m backpacking, I always bring my YETI Tundra cooler camping.
One of my favorite trips that I do is an annual rafting trip that we go on where everyone in the crew makes the maximum effort to make an appearance, last year over 30 people showed up. There are tents spread all around, rafts lining the river, and a full kitchen area. I was once able to walk around the kitchen are and easily identify who’s cooler is whose by the various colors and models, but nowadays it is much more organized and almost like flipping through the YETI catalog. I have noticed that over the past couple of years some of my rafting buddies have been replacing their older, worn out gear and upgrading to the best they can get their hands on (mostly trying to outdo each other).
When you are backpacking weight is an important thing to keep in mind. So, having a ultralight portable stove should be on your list. My favorite? The Etekcity Ultralight Portable Stove.
Once while I was backpacking deep through a remote canyon with a couple of inexperienced friends, it started pouring rain out of nowhere. At first we thought nothing of it and continued right on. But, not long after that, the trail we were on became a river and we were forced uphill where we hunkered in for the night. Eventually one of my buddies realized that we would not be able to start a fire which meant no food. Luckily, whenever I go camping or backpacking, I always bring my Etekcity Ultralight Portable Camping Stove as a backup.
Your tent is an important part of your gear. It gives you a defined place for your things to help you stay organized. It also keeps you dry in the rain. No matter where you are camping, whether you are up on the top of a cliff or 10 feet away from your car, a good tent should keep you warm and dry throughout the night.
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