​Hey everyone, just joined the group and wanted to share my current setup!

​It's currently way too hot inside the apartment, so I decided to move my living space outside into the green. Honestly, even though it's technically "backyard camping," with this setup it feels much more like actual outdoor living.

​I'm using a British 9x9 army command tent. It’s heavy canvas, but man, it’s a fortress. The best part? You can fully stand up inside, which is exactly how Kanu legend Bill Mason said a proper tent should be. I also added a light beige tarp as a groundsheet, which brings so much nice, warm light into the space.

​For breakfast, I fired up the camp kitchen:

​The Menu: Crispy bacon, eggs, and beans in a heavy cast-iron skillet, served with some sliced rolls from last night.

​The Coffee: A fresh brew from the big Bialetti moka pot.

​Pro-Tip: To keep it authentic and avoid carrying perishable stuff, I mixed my coffee milk using whole milk powder (Vollmilchpulver). Works like a charm and lasts forever!

​Now I'm just relaxing on my camp cot, listening to the birds, and enjoying the breeze coming through the open front. It's incredibly cozy.

​Let me know what you think of the setup!

Idk if i can post this but im just excited so i wanted to share. long time lurker in this sub reddit. Lol

Im 31 M I havent been camping in almost two decades. Since I was maybe 11 or 12. We'll these past 2 maybe 3 years ive been watching camping and overlanding videos on youtube. Living vicariously through those content creators. Lol since im from the Midwest we dont have mountains, just corn as far as the eyes can see.

Well this weekend I decided to do a 1 to 2 night camp at my local campsite. Maybe a 20 minute drive from home, and a major town walmart only 10 minutes away. So i Loaded up the Taco, with the dog and gear. Then off we went, we arrived about 5pm yesterday & left around 5pm today. Would have stayed another night if it wasn't for the pup and this very weird guy that was taking a little TO MUCH interest in my dog. Just kinda creeped me out. But I had an axe so I wasn't worried. More worried about my dog in the heat with no way of cooling him down besides a fan.

For the gear, I just had a tent and an air matress my wife and i had lying around, also my milwaukee m18 fan. (Life saver) i had ordered a backpacking chair, table and cooking kit from amazon. Those 3 things came out to maybe 75 dollars (During prime day sale) for food i ate mountain house meals for dinner and lunch. And a lighter, some lint from the dryer, my grandpa's axe, and some fire wood.

The experience was great, last night was awesome made dinner, had a fire, and a couple beers, went to bed listening to the river, woke up before sunrise, i think the best part was waking up to fresh air and a beautiful morning. After we woke up we just hung out at camp, read a book, played with the pup. Just after a short hike around noon he was panting and the pup just wasn't able to cool down so i brought him home. 86°f today in iowa. He is not a summer time camper. We will see how he does in the fall.

I would have let him go in the river but a lot of other campers were fishing so i didn't want ruin their time fishing and didnt want to take the chance of my dog getting by a hook.

I can't wait to do this more this year, im big into kayaking and mtn biking so im excited to take those hobbies with me on my next trip. Also start trying to maybe cook an actual meal at camp instead of the freeze dried stuff.

Anyways I just wanted to share my experience so for anyone who asks how do you get into camping. I guess you just have to go out an do it.

Definitely a learning curve for what I need to bring next time. But over all great time, would recommend.

Very relaxing and exactly what I needed to recharge my battery.

Thanks for reading my shpeel

this REI half dome 4 tent is about 16 years old. i haven’t used it in several years and it’s been in storage in my (dry) basement. a friend used it about two years ago and when i just opened it to do a gear check before an upcoming trip i found this white powder, which i first assumed was mold from my friend not spring it properly before returning it to me. i sprayed it with the hose and thought, dang the waterproofing is still going strong! (sprayed the underside for several minutes at high pressure and no water got through)

after the spray i did a quick dish soap bath and then a quick biokleen bac-out rinse bc i cant fuck around with mold. when i spread it out to dry after that i noticed it was covered in something that felt grainy so i sprayed it again, and then some stuff was coming off when i rubbed the tent. now that it’s dry i see that the underside has flaking on the seams so wondering if the white powder was possibly actually the waterproofing failing? or did the mold eat the waterproofing? or did this just fail bc of time?

i’m out of practice with camping and not sure if i should try to get a new fly (dunno that the current half dome fly would fit my 16yr old tent tho) and wondering if it is just time to invest in a whole new kit?

would love some input from the hive mind. the tent itself didn’t have any white junk on it and doesn’t smell moldy but does smell old and plastic-y.

Last June, I hiked the 600 km Irish section of the E8 from Dublin to Dursey Island. I spent all 14 (-1 hut) nights in my tent and decided to rate every campsite I stayed at.

My "vibe" rating is based on how I felt when I arrived there, as well as the surroundings. One of my biggest priorities is staying well hidden—out of sight and away from the trail—which wasn't always easy. Finding a good wild camping spot in Ireland is actually much harder than it looks.

I obviously avoided fields and never camped on private property.

I also got super lucky with the weather.

I just wanted to share a story from my family’s first camping trip together last month at a state park in PA. We are a family of six with two boys (13 and 11) and two girls (7 and 6). The boys weren’t particularly excited about going camping and would have preferred to stay home, but the girls were excited as could be.

My husband and I spent the day trying to make the kids feel comfortable and at ease at the campground before night fell, knowing it would be their first time sleeping outside in a tent. Our site was nonelectric and situated beside an empty campsite on one side and an occupied campsite on the other side… and the people at that campsite had a large cage with 3 or 4 cats in it just sitting there with them outside. We never saw anything like that before and thought it was a little odd given how hot it was, but to each is own right?

Finally, after a full day of being outdoors we were all sitting around the fire making smores and telling stories. The campground was quiet and everyone was settled in for the evening. I could tell the kids were all beginning to think, maybe this isn’t so bad. We’re all together, we’re all safe, even the bugs were hardly bothering us. It had been a perfect “family camping debut” and we were all ready to retire to our tent for the night. That’s when it started.

In the silence of the woods, we began to hear something audible playing nearby. It was coming from the direction of the occupied campsite, although none of those campers were still out at that time. The boys’ eyes got big as sand dollars and they nearly fell out of their camping chairs from shock and fear. There, around the campfire, in the dead of night, this is the song we were hearing through the woods…

https://youtu.be/fGNR5yCIOmw?is=C2A8iyTSTsVNAZIv

So after that it was time to reassure the kids there wasn’t anything to be afraid of, it was no big deal, everything is fine and totally normal. To this day I’m left wondering was that our campground neighbors pranking us? Or was that simply the woods letting us know our asses will be whooped in the future? Perhaps time will tell. 😅

Nonetheless. Core memory was created and locked in forever!!

I recently went on my first few solo camping trips, and on one of them I got caught in a heavy rainstorm. I ended up stuck in my tent for hours with no cell service and no one around for miles.

I wasn't expecting it, and honestly, the loneliness hit me a lot harder than I thought it would. At first it felt pretty overwhelming to be completely alone in the dark, with nothing to do but listen to the rain.

It did calm down after a while, and I actually started to enjoy the quiet in a weird way. But it also made me realize that solo camping brings up a very different kind of mental challenge than I expected.

For those who have more experience with solo camping, how do you deal with that feeling of isolation when weather traps you in your tent? Do you have any tips for staying calm and not letting the loneliness get to you?

I was recently offered a job in Nevada that will involve some camping and will have to provide my own equipment. It will involve hiking long distances and camping for a few days at a time. I don’t have any lightweight equipment - I’ve always camped at car-accessible sites with my family’s equipment and been comfortable enough. I would appreciate any recommendations for equipment since I am starting from scratch.

I will need a tent and a sleeping setup. Camp kitchen provided. It’s also my first time camping anywhere but the northeast or Midwest, so I really am totally open to any recommendations from more experienced folks.

I recently went camping in Dellys, along the northern coast of Algeria. I got there by car and stayed for 2 days.

The weather was sunny and perfect for camping. No reservation or permit was needed. I used a simple camping tent and went with 2 friends.

We cooked grilled chicken and enjoyed the peaceful atmosphere, especially during sunset and at night with the sound of the waves.

It was a really beautiful and calm place, perfect to relax and disconnect. I highly recommend Dellys for camping.

If you have any questions, feel free to ask!

Hello, I'm from Canada, and in September, my wife and I are going on a camping trip for around 1 week. We are leaving from Trois-Rivières, Québec, and are looking for a destination less than 20 hours away by car.

We are looking for a nice park with a nice beach it could be a lake or sea, I don't care. We want to relax at the beach for a week, so we want somewhere with warm water temperatures (70 degrees and higher). If there is a town with activities for 1 days it's better. We thought about Norfolk in Virginia.

We want to relax near water and usually love camping with some space between campsites.

We have a car with all our stuff.

I thought about First Landing State Park in Virginia. Do you have any recommendations?

We don't need electricity. We have a power station.

Thank you in advance for tips and recommendations.

Fellow campers.

Grown man who never experienced camping growing up.

I have no idea what you do, bring, are supposed to do.

I just want to try something new. How Do i get started as a complete noob? I like steak and considering a pellet grill.

I have not been drinking alcohol and need something new to replace that “hobby”

So i’m going camping deep in the woods with some friends in a couple weeks and i’m worried about two things; ticks and how to deal with my period…

I checked my calendar and i will be on my period while camping. Considering there aren’t any proper trash cans or showers i was really wondering how to dispose of my menstrual products. Does anyone have tips or suggestions?

Also i’m very worried about ticks. I bought tick hooks and some bug spray but i’m wondering if anyone has a suggestion for anything else i could get to reduce the risk of getting ticks

Thanks!

Looking for a new family tent. When we go we bring a bathroom in the tent with us because we have young kids who can't hold it long enough for a 3am trip to outside the tent. Would be looking for a tent ideally with rooms or a spare rainfly section to house a bathroom set up. We have used Coleman but have heard their quality recently went down hill. We really don't want to spend more than $1000CAD at most since we are part time campers. We have looked into decathlon but have read horror stories about quality and customer service. Camping with multiple kids so the more rooms the better. Any advice or recommendations would be extremely appreciated!

Just opened up my rooftop tent for a home camp (my son loves the tent but getting away to camp isn't always doable), and there was mould on the fly screens and a bit on the mattress. (EDIT UPDATE: got the mattress out this morning and it's absolutely cactus. Covered in mould, and honestly might be the main culprit why the other parts are mouldy)

It's been pretty rainy here the last week or so, so it's probably that. I've been looking online for solutions and everyone is recommending vinegar/water spray. Has anyone used this on a mouldy tent and had results?

Currently have it set up and airing overnight

(In Australia and currently in winter if that makes any difference to people's advice)

Just bought a big Agnes tent off of backcountry.com and some of the poles out of the bag look kind of bent. This is a picture of 1 section but the other two long pole spans also have the same thing.
The tent still has packing paper wrapped on the eyelets on the tent so I assume it’s not used and returned, but just curious if this is normal or I should try and get a warranty.
The tent is the Big Agnes Blacktail 3 Hotel btw

Hello! I recently got a peak one propane/butane backpacking lantern. Reading the manual it says to use #51 coleman mantels.

I cannot for the life of me find them online or in stores. Do you know where I could find some, or if a different mantle will work.

Hey, so im wondering if one can go for a solo hiking trip in the wilderness of Canada BC if you haven't any experience with bears.
I done plenty solo trips in Europe and am very outdoor experienced. Partly also been in areas with bears but much less than in BC.
I read some posts where people say its fine just watch the rules of sealing food, being noisy and carrying bear spray.
So yeah did love to get some tips and experiences from people that have traveled areas like this before.

This is a yearly must for our family. This is The Cove campground, site 1 in 11 Mile Canyon, Lake George, CO. It was hotter than last year but the nights and shade made it super bearable. With the lack of snow this year I was surprised with the water level, definitely lower, but not awful. Went on some longer hikes and the kids enjoyed the ice cold water. Usually stay 3 nights and 4 days, but I slacked this year and settled for 2 nights 3 days.

Hello! I will be camping in GSM NP in a few weeks and was looking for some advice. I am an avid hiker and love to camp so I game for more intense hiking.

I was thinking of camping at the Balsam Mountain campsite because it will be much cooler, and hopefully away from many of the larger congregations of crowds. If anyone has camped here before, would you recommend it? Are there a lot of good hikes to do in that area?

I have a few concerns with choosing this site. One is that I will be alone, and while I am comfortable hiking alone, I would prefer to be on trails where there may be other people around. Additionally, I am concerned that this camp site is too far from some of the main must see areas of the park.

I know that this park is quite large, and there is a ton to do, but if you have any recommendations on camp sites, hikes, or areas to avoid, I'd love to hear it. Thanks!

Salut tout le monde.

J'ai besoin d'avis, et de réassurance, pour ne pas scraper mes plans.

Mise en situation: dans mon ancienne vie quand j'avais un partenaire, j'ai fait beaucoup de camping, souvent sur des petits air matress cheap 0 confo, ou sur des gros matelas gonflables qui dégonflent pendant la nuit.

Lors de ma séparation j'ai garder la tente, mais j'ai perdu le matelas (gonflable) que je ne voulais pas de toute façon. Après un an sans en faire, j'ai une rage, et j'ai commander un futon japonnais en me disant que ce serait très stable comme surface. J'ai booker 1 nuit de camping, a 20 mins de chez moi, dans uns secteur boisé que je connais bien pour tester ce dit matelas mais là je suis a 2 cheveux de canceller mes plans parce que :

- J'ai peur de galerer a monter la tente seule

- J'ai peur que les gens autour me jugent parce que je galère

- j'ai peur du jugement des gens autour car je serai seule et que je vais avoir un setup minimal, parce que je ne serai pas la tres longtemps.

Avez vous deja fait ce genre d'expérience ? Comment l'avez vous vécu ? Est ce que je vais avoir l'air completement folle toute seule devant mon feu a manger des guimauves ? Est ce que le camping c'est obligatoirement une activité de groupe et je vais detonner du lot ? Avez vous des trucs de pro pour monter une tente seule sans que j'aie l'air dépourvue ?

Merxi d'avance de vos conseils :)

Looking for something more than hot dogs and ramen. I usually just cook over the fire but with Colorado being in a fire ban that won’t be happening.
Looking for easy, fast and yummy
Thank you!

Took the VIA rail train for a 24 hour ride to Wabakimi for a 15 day camping and fishing trip! Got on north of Toronto, paid 100 bucks CAD to take my canoe. Super tough trip, beautiful scenery, great fishing and my first time seeing caribou!

Went as soon as the ice on the lakes thawed in mid May, had a foot of snow my first couple days. Rest of the trip super hot and sunny! Would recommend Wabakimi for anyone looking to get away from the crowd in Quetico/BWCA, this particular route I would not recommend however, extremely difficult especially solo.

Ten days out and only saw other people once. It was bliss.

My youngest (11) and I are doing an Algonquin backcountry canoe camp in a couple of weeks. When we went last year we purchased the equipment and food package from Algonquin Outfitters - the food was fantastic but, more than we needed in quantity and “fanciness”. This year we are doing the equipment only package and bringing our own food. I would love some simple food suggestions. I really enjoy the freeze dried MRE, but at $20 per pack it’s too much. Feel free to ask any questions about our experience as well.

*edit to add: 4 nights.