Camping Gear Suggestions

[JasonJ]

for you sterno users, am i safe in assuming it gets hot enough to cook bacon and eggs, boil water/rice/oatmeal ?

[SL350]

Yes, it just takes longer to boil water than a jetboil or even a coleman stove.

Try it yourself, just but a can and test it. If you like it, you can pay for the stove - all of about 6 bucks. The cans used to be quarter each but I bet they are two for $3 or something like that.

It is just so simple and the stove folds flat.

I just inherited a third Coleman 413G stove, two burner gas from the 1950s. But they are too big for the bikes, better for the truck.

[JasonJ]

ok sounds good. i dont care if it takes 5-10 minutes instead of 1 minute to boil some water. i was going to buy a jetboil but it doesnt seem like its $95 better than a sterno can/stove.

[SL350]

There are a ton of small stoves out there and new ones each year. Wait a bit for the others here to chime in - lots of campers here.

[GregH]

You could also check out some of the alcohol stoves. Even cheaper than cans of sterno and you can easily make your own stove. Here's a link for you.

[Wes]

If you are camping in state parks and KOAs then any 3-4 man tent from Walmart or Academy will work. Pick up a coleman air mattress and the most important part... A 0 degree square sleeping bag with a compression sack to pack the sleeping bag down. 30 degree isn't enough for Colorado or AZ in the summer time. All of it fits on the rear seat or luggage rack. Anything else you bring is just extras, but I alway bring a camping utensil set and a big tactical knife. (It comes in handy every trip) Any thing else you decide you need can be picked up on the road.

Here's my pack mule fully loaded for 12 days and 3500 miles on the road:

[BeemerBob]

Most importantly.

Don't forget wine and a corkscrew!.

You can forget to bring your tent or your sleeping bag and still survive. But if you have forgotten your corkscrew, you might as well go home.

[AusFletch]

Originally Posted by BeemerBob

Most importantly.

Don't forget wine and a corkscrew!.

You can forget to bring your tent or your sleeping bag and still survive. But if you have forgotten your corkscrew, you might as well go home.

[AusFletch]

This is what I actually use for backpacking and motocamping...

[Kit_McConnico]

Originally Posted by BeemerBob

Most importantly.

Don't forget wine and a corkscrew!.

You can forget to bring your tent or your sleeping bag and still survive. But if you have forgotten your corkscrew, you might as well go home.

Originally Posted by AusFletch

Originally Posted by AusFletch

This is what I actually use for backpacking and motocamping...

You BMW guys...


My favorite system is to go so light I can fit everything into my locking aluminum panniers so I don't have to leave the bike in front of some shady gas station with my gear strapped to the back while I run in.

A pistol cable lock is super handy for locking your suit/jacket/helmet to the bike, and if you don't have one laying around any gun shop or owner would give you one for free.


Also this packs nicely:



Of course if on vacation a fine cigar is mandatory.

[AusFletch]

Originally Posted by Kit_McConnico

Also this packs nicely:



Of course if on vacation a fine cigar is mandatory.

Maybe we should have a bourbon - or just a vices - section....

[SL350]

Originally Posted by AusFletch

I have heard about alcohol stoves. Didn't know they were for serving hot alcohol.

[AusFletch]

Originally Posted by SL350

I have heard about alcohol stoves. Didn't know they were for serving hot alcohol.

No, that's a hot WIFE. A friend of mine served me some heated Amaretto at Chisos Basin a few years back. I inhaled as I was quaffing and quite literally almost passed out from the fumes. So I did it half a dozen more times.

I never travel without bourbon. Unless it's above 90 degrees then I never travel without tequila.

[SL350]

Looking for a tent like my first dome from Oshmans. It was 7X7 and had 6 sides. The tent was exceptional for thunderstorms and high winds. All the REI tents I looked at in 2-3 man size had only 4 sides and much less fiberglass poles. The last two tents I ownded were like that.

Anyone own a 6 sided small dome tent?

[DFW_Warrior]

I wouldn't worry too much about number of sides. Yes it is a consideration, but there are other things besides the number of side or poles that help with rigidity in the wind. My Mountain Hardware tent only has 4 sides and two poles, just like many inexpensive tents that you could by at any sports store. But it also has guy lines at the corners of the rainfly, and those connect through to the poles. Then on the inside of the tent near the top, there are spots to run para-cord for a triangle brace to further beef things up.

I've never used all of the supports at once because I've never felt the need to. I've been caught in some pretty nasty storms so far, and it hasn't failed me once.

Of course there is always something like this.

[Manfred]

I use a sterno can with collar that fits on the can and holds an X-shaped bracket upon which a coffee pot, chili can, or camp pot easily sits on. The bracket comes apart and takes up no space, the collar slides up the bottom of the sterno can so it takes up no space. Cost me about $5.

I am thinking about buying this cot, as I have found the Coleman sleep-pad inadequate.
http://www.campsaver.com/itemdesc.asp?ic=bye0003

[SL350]

I used to buy .77 pool air mattresses from Walmart. First swim with them, let them dry, sleep on them, and in the morning give it to a young nearby camper. Cheap enough to do it every night and very little space. Now they are a couple of bucks...