Hey guys and gals I went camping for one night once on a beach using a walmart tent and a huge mattress from REI. I really enjoyed it but I noticed a few things about ADHD self personally that I want help on best deciding things.
I want to be able to fit everything in a lets say 27 gallon tote from home depot so it stores away in my shed and can kind of be bug tight but be grab and go for the weekends
I want to be able to actually repack the tent and other stuff without perhaps fighting with it to get in its original container so its easy to go back in place and stay organized
I camped during the summer and want to try winter camping so I am looking for a do it all tent if thats even possible that might have a whole for a tiny fire place oven
is there a link to a list of essentials to get?
Is there such a thing as a good pop up tent?
I know I can google a list of things but I wanted personal experience on putting things back in its place and packing back down as well as
Will you be backpacking or camping next to your car? That makes a big difference to gear recommendations. There’s very little overlap between my car camping and backpacking kit.
Paris said:
Will you be backpacking or camping next to your car? That makes a big difference to gear recommendations. There’s very little overlap between my car camping and backpacking kit.
Think of camping as a series of systems, not a bunch of items.
Shelter - tent, ground cloth, tarp, paracord
Kitchen - lighter/stove, cooler, pantry, cutlery, dishes, water, firewood processing can be added if needed.
Sleep - sleeping bag, ground pad,
Clothing - base layers, mid layers, shell layers, shoes/sandals,
Essentials - lantern, headlamp, first aid, toiletries, bug repellent (picardin doesn’t melt gear like feet does) etc.
So, put together whatever gear that yoh can afford and fits your needs for each of those areas. This can be anything from a fast and light backpacking gear list to a heavy 1970s car camping list.
Try it out, write notes for next time and dial it in. You’ll find that most of the “just in case” items are unneeded, and will probably leave a basic item at home.
Early camping trips are marked by forgetting things like cutlery, cookware, sandals, or for that one friend… a tent
Adjust your list every trip. Cross off things that you didnt need or are redundant. Add things you wish you brought.
Once the vehicle is packed i take a photo so i know how to pack it all back up for the return trip. I already played tetris once to get it all in there…I dont want to do it again when its time to come home.
You can keep your gear in a 27 gallon tote if you buy gear that packs down small so it fits. Car camping gear tends to be bulky and some things like sleeping bags and self inflating sleeping pads are recommended to be stored uncompressed (this is controversial but I wanted to mention it). A winter tent that allows a “stove” for heat is also goin to be huge so I doubt that would fit.
First thing is to put your gear in a pile and see how much room it takes. I use 27 gallon totes for storage but my gear won’t fit in one.
In my case I don’t always bring everything since I go both with friends where we decide who brings things like cooking gear and going solo camping where I need to bring it all. Using totes does keep everything together but I take what I need out for each trip and put it in smaller containers for the car. Plus only one 27 gallon tote in the back of my car is manageable to get things in and out of since the cooler and camp chairs take up room. I do know others grab and go with a single tote and that works for them.
Repacking the tent is always a challenge but the tent I have has a bag that has a zipper expansion to make it easier. It does get easier to get a tent back in the bag with practice.
Winter camping may require different gear so you may consider a 3 smaller tote system. One for summer only items, one for winter only items and one for any type of trip. As I mentioned I use multiple 27 gallon totes and I try to organize them by things “I need to bring every trip” (like sleeping gear) and “things I may or may not bring” (like cooking in gear since friends usually bring that).
As mentioned, check out REI’s check list for what you need. You can work on getting more and different gear as you learn from each trip you take. I built my gear up a little at a time as I learned what worked for me and I could wait for sales for the nice to have but not necessary items.
Pop up tents seem to take up more room. There are 2 types I’ve seen. One just pops up on its own with an internal frame versus poles. From the pictures I’ve seen these tend to be smaller and I don’t think you can stand up in them (important to me). Others have attached poles that “slide up”. These don’t seem to have a rain fly which I think is important in rainy weather. Even if the pop up tent doesn’t need the fly for protection from rain, a fly allows windows to be open since the fly should cover them.
I see pop-up hot tents for sale on Amazon for about $300, but I don’t own one myself. There’s a lot of overlap between that and an ice-fishing shelter. Another option is to use a Buddy Heater in place of a portable stove.
Note that camping for winter takes up a lot more space than camping for summer. It’s also unlikely you’ll have one box of gear you’ll want to use all year round. You will probably have many items that you swap in or out of your 27-gallon tote depending on the trip. That’s why everybody has gear rooms.
The large totes will work but unless you live in the desert put some desiccant packs in there to remove any residual moisture to reduce the chances of mold or mildew. Or use a container that allows airflow.
Repacking the tent is a matter of practice. Set it up and tear it down a bunch of times in your living room.
Depends what you mean by winter. Winter camping is hard and typically less fun, build your skills first. The “cold” part is obvious but the short day lengths are also seriously limiting.
The REI link shared by others is a good place to start. The “essentials” vary widely depending on the nature of the trip and on your approach.
Pop-up tents, well, what is good? The tradeoff is that you get convenience in exchange for weight, size, and wind resistance. Most people who are serious about camping use tents that require a degree of assembly. I camped for many years in a Eureka on-person bivvy sack for example.