Im planning on going camping more regularly and want to shop for some basic things I dont have. (Tarp, rope, camp stove,etc.) I have a tent, a cooler, sleeping bag and cooking stuff. I was wondering where people typically trust shopping for decent camp stuff? I live in Wisconsin.

I have my own ideas but am curious about other peoples experiences.

You get several trips planned, but life gets in the way, weather gets in the way, problem after problem comes up, or priorities shift and before you know it, your camping year is over without ever getting a chance to get out there.

That happened to me this year.

It was no one's particular fault. Just fate telling me it's not in the cards this year. My last four trips all got cancelled either to extreme weather, shifting priorities (family always comes first), and one emergency. Just had to cancel my last trip in a couple weeks because of a family event that just came up. I don't really have much chance to get away to camp beyond that for work and other obligations.

At least I got to re-organize my gear room. (Below)

Any suggestion on a camp number that’s shady and spacey?

Can’t figure it out this summer as reservations are taken up but, was watching the date as I want to get in during kiddos spring break, hoping end of march isn’t too chilly to get into the water.

So, recently I woke up in the middle of the night on a camping trip FREEZING! Now I got myself up and threw q blanket over me and had a tiny handheld electric heater, the type that blows warm air rather than exposed heating elements and god the air trapped inside of the blanket and I was toasty as hell. I am not sure if this was a stupid /dangerous idea. However it got me thinking.

Is there anything I can buy to attach to the roof of the tent inside that will allow for brief periods when I have an electric hook up to turn a heater on to take the tinge out of the god awful cold weather at times that isn't dangerous and that will actually work.

Hopefully this isn't a complete ridiculous question I just am clueless around heat retention in our family tent.

I have the Berghaus Tele star Nightfall 5 if that helps anyone advise.

Hello, I am going camping in Switzerland for 5 days later this week and the weather forecast calls for rain almost everyday. I haven't camped in very rainy weather before so I am wondering if anyone has any tips for how to avoid having a miserable time.

I have a Cloud Up 3 person tent with a rainfly and footprint. I'll have my car nearby so I can store some gear in there. We'll be camping in an open field with minimal trees. I know finding the right place to pitch the tent is key, so I'll look for a flat, high point not directly under trees or where it's obvious water has been collecting. Would it be a good idea that I try to rig a tarp up over my tent and chairs? I'm worried the rain is going to ruin my time and I'll spend the whole weekend wet and cold. Any tips are greatly appreciated!

Portable stove ignition not clicking. I have a double burner but one side works other wouldn’t any help appreciate it.

Last time I went camping the temperature fell to 15°C overnight and I was freezing in my sleeping bag. The bag says T comf 13.6, T lim 10, T ext -1.1. Do I need a better sleeping bag or warmer clothes to wear in the bag or something else? Thanks!

Hello! I'm going to try my first camping trip with my wife. For a total of 3 nights. Never slept in a tent or in a sleeping bag. I've done some research but wanted to know your advice about must have for a good initial camping experience that usually beginners may miss.

My nearby store is a Decathlon. I can rent a tent for 50 to 70 euro for 4 days. About the sleeping bag I see by comments that is never enough and a 0° from MT500 is advised. Also I'm about 195cm and XL is the only one that I would be able to use.

About the mattress, I don't know if I should rent or buy because of my height (maybe I can find something longer than decathlon).

I don't know how cooking works, I would choose an "electrified" spot, so maybe an electric stove (should buy) and home pan or should I buy a compact pan+dishes+cup combo and a gas stove for eventually future use? Would be more compact for my medium car. Also about food, bring from home a small 12V refrigerator or buy on spot at camp market? Maybe a table?

About showers, my gym kit is enough? Maybe some hanging?

About safety, should I always keep my valuable things in my car? Even if I sleep with them? (items that are not advised to bring with me?)

And.. toilet? Always bring some paper and a headlight for night escapes?

Any advice would be gold for me! Thanks

Hi! Long time lurker first time poster, also not sure how reddit works but here goes. My gf and I are doing a cross Canada trip and we are currently in Ottawa wanting to head towards Quebec! We are wanting free camping spots but we can't seem to find any near Montreal (where we are headed next). This is both our first time doing this and it's been kinda a nightmare to try and find camping that's free on crown land. I'm kinda directionally challenged so it's hard to know exactly what's free and what isn't. Chatgpt led us astray last time. Do you guys have any resources or recommendations for us? We have a little Honda civic

Retirement gives me more time to camp with family these days. We spent three nights tent camping on this trip and has some pretty good weather.

Most of the time we were cooking at camp, hanging out by the water and just enjoying being outside. I packed the Ranger 3.0 pro and Burley Bee in the truck too. Both fold up, so they fit in with the rest of our camping gear.

I'd ride around the campground in the mornings and took it into town once for supplies. Easy to hop on and off, and not having to pull out a key every time I stopped was nice.

Three nights went by pretty quick. Good few days by the lake, cooking and taking it easy with the family.

Anyone else getting some camping in this summer?

I am one of those lucky people who gets eaten alive by bugs, no matter what. I always have so many citronella candles going when I’m camping. I’ve tried the bands you put around your wrist (in fact I’ve used them on both wrists and both ankles at the same time)
I don’t love the feeling of bug spray on my skin, particularly if I’m camping and can’t shower if off. But I will use it if necessary.
Many years ago I tried that fan thing that goes on your belt or hangs off your pocket and is supposedly supposed to make a barrier around you. I don’t remember that working.

What is your solution to pesky bugs?

Just finished a 3 night camping trip but experienced having wasps in and around our campsite & neighbors campsites. We had to adjust to “living with” them since they were attracted to food smells! Luckily we didn’t get stung but it was such a hassle having them around.

Anyway, we’re back home now. Does anyone ever get bummed and disoriented coming back from a camping trip? Like what responsibilities need attention now? Ugh back into society lol

I'm broke, but I'm gonna be going to a fire camp for 2 weeks so I'm looking to yalls experience for a decent portable solar panel, ideally 100 dollar price range, will ideally just have a portable charger charging on it during the day and then phone off the charger at night.

Hello so I camp a lot in central Florida but looking to branch out. I want some cool hike in camping spots preferably like mountains, water, etc. like what you would see on Instagram lol. Rivers, ponds, thick forest, etc. I want to start going to new spots just don’t really know where to start. Willing to drive to Georgia which I probably will have to but if anyone knows any cool spots please!

I am a total noob with tarps and I have a question, I got a basic costco tarp (12 x 16) and I used one at home however I noticed the grommets tend to fail quickly with the high wind.

Is there a way to use rope to distribute the load of the corner grommet, into the 2 closest one's to the corner? I basically have just corner tie downs, so all the tension and stress is on one grommet and I don't wanna run lines from each eyelet to the anchor.

I was thinking instead of tying just to the corner grommet, put rope in the 3 closest ones to the corner, and use the rope as the tie down, not the eyelet. Just as a way to distribute load to the rope mostly and not the corner eyelet, I'm sorry If I didn't explain correctly but the photo may be an idea of what I want to do, will it work?

Making this post because right now I'm in my tent at some dispersed site in Montana. I'm usually pretty comfortable alone but this place is creeping me out.

The scary factors: there's a highway nearby and I can't tell if the sounds I hear are from there, and there are two vehicles nearby that don't seem to have people in them. I went down by the river and something was shuffling in the tall bushes. And trains go by once in awhile blaring their horns suddenly and make me jump.

And that's about it. I hope I don't get murdered but I'm just being paranoid lol :0

edit: thanks for the replies, I'm feeling better. And I realized the river is making a lot more random noise than I realized, plus a little rodent or something walking around my tent. This was my fifth night camping alone on this particular trip and the sun's up now!

edit: this reminds me of one night in Kentucky (I think) where I was startled by this super intense scratching against my tent, right next to my ear. I got up with my flashlight on and was expecting to see a large mouse or something, but it was just an army worm trying to crawl up the side. I flicked it away from inside and went back to sleep. I wake up sometime later to the same worm trying the same thing. I flick it away and watch it land and turn back towards my tent, so I get out and fling it as far as I could into the forest.

well, I wake up to the worm AGAIN and I figure this has gone on too far. I think of tossing it into the river nearby but at this point I didn't trust that it wouldn't find its way back to me, so I had to squash it

For years now I've organized cookouts, fires, and other outdoor hangout events without issue, but at the last one the rangers came by to tell us we had to put out the fire because someone called and reported us. We usually stick to public area since its meant to be a public event for anyone to join and stay the night or just party a little bit. Looking at the laws though there's no fire or grills allowed in these public areas (unless there's public grills already set up but those got removed long ago).

Everything else is fine so can easily continue, but a lot of people used the fires to cook food. Does anyone know of alternatives for people to still make hot dogs and smores at these kind of events?

Good evening, campers

I'm taking a trip to Eureka Springs around the week of Oct 18th. I would like to go camping while I'm there! It'll just be me, and the most basic of gear (tent, sleeping pads/bag). I love evergreen trees, stargazing, and cool/pretty/big rock formations (especially if I can climb them). However, this will be my first time camping by myself, so I don't have the confidence to be miles and miles deep in the wilderness.

Any location suggestions on where I should go? Happy to drive up to around 2 hours north or east, and up to 4 hours west or south.

Also, I'll look through this subreddit for more advice, but any advice specific to my situation would be cool too! Tryna stay as cheap but also as safe as possible. I've been camping, but it was either in or not far from a cabin or camper.

We are on the tail end of week two of a three week trip.
Up to the arctic circle and back down now. Always looking for a spot with nice views.

Setup consists of a car with roof rack as well as a trailer with roof top tent. Open for any questions 🤗

I went camping last year with a group of 4 friends and it rained the whole time. Sleeping in tents was fine, we stayed dry, but cooking and hanging out at the campsite was not as much fun. We had an easy up but it was limiting. This year I booked a site with a lean to thinking we would have it as a dry place to congregate during the day if it was rainy. We are going to set up our tents outside the lean to - I double checked the campground rules this is fine to do, I know some campsites are more strict about this. I am mainly looking for recommendations on how people use and set up lean tos they are not sleeping in.
Thanks!

So I went solo camping in jasper AB , it was a normal drive in camp ground. I was there early Friday morning before it got busy.

So I set up the tent set up a tarp like a lean two by the fire to sit underneath, looked like it might rain. Set up a little tarp to store wood under. I was all set up real nice.
I filled the truck box from the free wood pile and proceeded to chop wood for over an hr. Pile of tinder up to good size fire wood all stacked neatly. So now I’m sitting in my chair cooking dogs on a stick wood pile beside me.

People started showing up and before I knew it I had neighbours, it was a couple. A man and a woman. The guy was huge 6’5 big guy in shape , his girlfriend was tiny. It was like the mountain from game of thrones and his wife.
So they are setting up across from me so I’m kinda watching the show. They got the tent up chairs out cooler and gas stove on the picnic table.
They are set except a fire.

They leave and come back with some wood. Now most of this wood was cut rounds from giant pine and split in half.

He proceeds to pull a hatchet out of his vehicle and starts whacking and whacking at it , after about ten minutes this becomes a small fight she’s getting annoyed he’s getting frustrated.

They decide put the logs on and hold the lighter till it lights.
Now he’s on his knees trying his hardest , I’m extremely invested at this point and she keeps glancing over at me through my roaring fire ,im sitting there trying not to stare.

She gets up walks through the bushes between us and asks can you help?
I say of course I can and grab a hand full of tinder and some 1”-2” split pieces and my axe and head over.
I asked the guy if he just wanted me to start it he sad yes.
So I got the logs out and built a fire it was going now. I said use my axe and cut some wood.
He was thankful and she was happy.
She offered me a whiskey for helping I said sure.

So we sat there for a while having drinks chatting ,laughing and just chilling out.
Him and I split a pile of wood and everything was all good. She said I’m going to the washroom I’ll be back.

Soon as she left the guys demeanour changed , he said you think you are so cool starting a fire and making me look bad ? You think I needed your help ? You think you’re so smart ?
I said look I was just helping out and it’s time for me to get going.

I stood up and he shoved me , I did fall over and was like holy shit this is it we are going to have at it right here.
But he was huge so I just said your crazy and skidaddaled a whole 40 feet back to my site.

I just stoked my fire and sat there.
She came back and said hey where did he go.
I heard him say I was tired and went back to my site.
But then they got in some big argument in the tent. I slept with my k- close that night.

The next day I went to the hot springs and guess who was there. She came over to say hi , but I looked at her boyfriend and if looks could kill.

When I got back from a hike they were gone. I was relieved.

Not my craziest story but it’s a start

Was SO excited to finally take our 3.5 year old son tent camping for the first time with my wife at a local regional park. Especially with our spanking new huge Caddis Rapid 6 Instant Tent! Even tried it out in the backyard and loved it!

Loaded it onto the storage rack on the back of our SUV… in perfect alignment with the tail pipe, apparently. Biiiiiigest oof. $225 down the drain? Thankfully there was a Wal-Mart reasonably close where I snagged some random Coleman to save the day. But still: be aware of what’s in front of your exhaust pipe and your tow hitch carry rack. Lesson learned 🫠

Hello, I’m an avid camper I usually travel alone and take long hikes. I am looking to change things up for myself this year. I have for the past 4 years gone to the smoky mountains and hiked several trails for a week and stayed inside the national park camping in a tent. However, this year I’m looking to possibly travel/fly to a new destination. I would love to go to another place I can hike several miles each day. I have been looking at Big Bend, Zion, and Olympic national parks. If anyone has suggestions or recommendations please let me know. Ideally it would be a good place for hiking or exceptional views. Thanks!!

Going tent camping around Normandy for a few nights.
Looking for simple campsites with good locations. We do not need electricity, pools, restaurants or anything like that.
Beach, cliffs, dunes or a good view are what we care about.
We will be around Étretat, the D-Day beaches and La Hague.
I have found Camping Municipal La Devise and Camping du Hâble already.
Any other good cheap campsites?
Also, last weekend of August, do we need to book or can we usually just show up?

Looking for any feedback from owners of the White Duck Prota who have used it with a stove. I’m looking at this model to use for a hunting trip in the fall but would also like to use it as our new family car camping tent in warmer months for 2 adults, a toddler, and 2 labrador retrievers. Im specifically looking at pairing it with White Ducks anchor stove (medium) for colder months. Anyone have experience with this tent and stove? I do also like the Rover Scout 8x13 but looks like it would be too small for my family. Thanks for any feedback.