Re: Tent Camping, Tips, Tricks & Advice.
Some great responses! One bit of info that helped us. When we went camping in Arkansas at the Army Corps of Engineer campsite...(when we went to find our riches at the diamond mine...ha...didn't find out riches!)....it rained really bad our third day there. The rain was getting our tent wet and it started to sag and also getting the inside wet. Hubby put a tarp over the tent and BINGO....no more water in the tent! We always use a large tarp under our tents as well as bringing a spare incase of rain. That rain wasn't just a sprinkle / light rain...it was a downpour!!!! Started about 3 in the morning and started tapering off around 9 in the morning!
We found also, at our last Pipsico hunt, when we got rain mixed with sleet...that putting the tarp over the tent also helped keeping the tent a bit warmer! It was really nice and toastie in there!!! If you go to my website link under my profile and look under the 3rd hunt for Pipsico, you will see pics of the tent with a tarp and the sleet that settled at the bottom!!! It's a huge tarp!!
I recently purchased a shower structure (you set up like a tent)...it also has a closet space to keep your clothes dry. I only paid $39 for it at KMart...you can find the same on on Calaberos and other camping equip sites for a bit more money. I have also purchased myself a portable toilet. It folds up. I love it! (my body, after so many years of doing this...thinks everytime I squat to dig a find, I need to go....can't get my body to understand I am digging a hole!!! UGH! LOL)
We also use tubs to store all of our gear. We have some set up just for Boy Scout camping. We also purchased from KMart, this lites that look like a UFO....we hang that in the middle of the tent at the top and turn it on when inside. Lights up the tent well. I recently purchased a remote control light too! So, when walking to the tent, I can turn the light on before entering the tent.
I've looked at heaters and fans for the tents, but have not made a purchase yet. I am more interested in the heaters though...a really safe one!
We have a grill and a camp stove...never know when you may run out of propane....and some things just taste better grilled!
Also a heater system that will warm up the water to take showers, those are pretty expensive though! Just thinking about it right now.
We use twin size air mattresses and I love them...so comfortable and highly recommended. Esp at our age, we need something better to sleep on than the ground! LOL
We also have our GPS....just incase we get lost, not that we would...but just in case LOL............
At Pipsico, we have access to electricity....so I do bring my laptop and DVD player, esp when the kids are with us. I use my laptop to record our finds and the DVD to entertain us at night! Don't know if a TV would work, but a DVD player is just fine!
Don't forget a radio!!!!
We also have walkie talkies and when broken down in groups, each group gets one..we have four of them....provided you have electricity to charge them at night...which we do at Pipsico.
Also recently purchased those roll up tables...those are awesome and take up little space when taken down! Highly recommeded. We got ours at BJ's Wholesale Club.
Oh, keep on hand, esp in the cold, those hand warmers. They work great!!! At night, I have my boys, and myself put one in each sock to keep our feet warm at night. During the day, we put one in each shoe ontop of our toes and one in each glove...they really do work wonderfully! You can usually get a pack of 8 or is it 10...at Target, Walmart, Kmart for under 2 bucks. I bought a bunch a few months ago for a dollar a pack! Well, worth the money! They are only activated when you open the pack and kneed it to use it...throw away when done. Usually lasts up to 8-10 hours.
Well, that's all I can think of right now....have fun!!
Annmarie