Campers! Help me out please. 

"cbell04" (cbell04) 10/12/2016 at 22:23 • Filed to: None

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So taking the son camping for the 1st time on friday. It’s a boy scout event so not super worried about gear but so far all I have is a decent tent, tarp for under the tent, air mattress, couple sleeping bags, led lantern, flashlights, and 14 pounds of beef jerky. What am I missing?

ttyymmnn > cbell04 10/12/2016 at 22:27

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Beer. And pretzels.

CAR_IS_MI > cbell04 10/12/2016 at 22:27

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Water...

CAR_IS_MI > cbell04 10/12/2016 at 22:28

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Also a compass

cbell04 > CAR_IS_MI 10/12/2016 at 22:29

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Good call but didn’t bother listing water/food as we will certainly bring plenty of that.

GolfR Guy > cbell04 10/12/2016 at 22:31

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poop shovel

cbell04 > ttyymmnn 10/12/2016 at 22:33

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Going to hide a sixer in the promaster just in case but kinda get the feeling the scouts frown upon adult beverages.. Haven’t camped in ages and this will certainly be uncharted territory. This could go like the time we got invited to a “cookie party” at a neighbors and turned out dude loved craft beer and had a tap built into his kitchen counter but I’m guessing not.

gogmorgo - rowing gears in a Grand Cherokee > cbell04 10/12/2016 at 22:34

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Air mattresses are a PITA, not worth the hassle IMO. Just get one of those cheap thin foam pads. One thing missing from the list is pillows. Towels are also a big deal if there’s going to be water involved. I’m assuming matches, axe, cooking gear, etc will be supplied by the troupe, but he should also get his own knife, survival kit, that kind of thing. Frankly he should be telling you what to bring, finding out from his scout leaders.

CB > cbell04 10/12/2016 at 22:34

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First-aid kit.

cbell04 > GolfR Guy 10/12/2016 at 22:35

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Toilet paper! Geez that could have been a poison ivy accident waiting to happen

cbell04 > gogmorgo - rowing gears in a Grand Cherokee 10/12/2016 at 22:37

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1st year super young (no knifes yet) pretty sure we are only really responsible for our sleeping arrangements but want to bring more to make it fun so he wants to do it again. Towels! That’s pure genius and now on the list

Stephenson Valve Gear > cbell04 10/12/2016 at 22:38

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I think we need to look at the bigger picture... you recently had a stint without electricity, necessitating the use of a generator. My wife considers that to be “roughing it”. You sir, have done your duty.

cbell04 > CB 10/12/2016 at 22:39

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Good deal bring the promaster I work out of and it’s loaded with mega power inverter/first aid/water and is basically a shelter in itself but good call.

HammerheadFistpunch > cbell04 10/12/2016 at 22:40

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extra blankets and extra warm clothes. just in case it gets cold or in case something happens like the bag gets wet. Also, there was that one time I accidentally took a down coat instead of a sleeping bag and my dad gave me his...I still don’t know what he slept in that night...we never once talked about it.

cbell04 > Stephenson Valve Gear 10/12/2016 at 22:41

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And the kids loved it! Showing us the way through the dark using lightsabers:)

cbell04 > HammerheadFistpunch 10/12/2016 at 22:47

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Yes will be a chill in the air this weekend good call and definitely planning on bringing to much warm stuff because going without sucks big time! Remember sleeping in the car once with dad when a hard frost set in on a trip long ago. Hadn’t thought about that in 15-20 years we will certainly have a laugh about it next time we talk!

E92M3 > cbell04 10/12/2016 at 22:51

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Air mattress? Sounds more like glamping to me.

Needmoargarage > cbell04 10/12/2016 at 22:54

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Earplugs.

cbell04 > E92M3 10/12/2016 at 22:56

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Its a cheap thin guy. Borrowed a tent and it came with it. Always nice to get off the ground so it doesn’t suck the warmth out of you. We’re camping not living like animals!

cbell04 > Needmoargarage 10/12/2016 at 22:58

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Oh I like this! Have some and am definitely throwing them in my bag! My luck some guy will be sawing logs all night in the next tent.

Under_Score > cbell04 10/12/2016 at 23:08

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One of those Mophie packs or a portable charger to charge your phone, kid’s iPod Touch (night entertainment), or anything else.

I’m the same person who can’t watch TV because after 5 minutes, I’m back on Twitter looking at alt-right memes. I even have a hard time eating without looking at my phone.

Batman the Horse > cbell04 10/12/2016 at 23:09

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Hmm, do you happen to have a Rally Fighter?

Eric @ opposite-lock.com > cbell04 10/12/2016 at 23:10

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So much truth in that image.

You also need a good quality fixed blade knife.

gogmorgo - rowing gears in a Grand Cherokee > cbell04 10/12/2016 at 23:34

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Last time I went solo camping I brought a tent (but only for if it seemed like rain), sleeping bag, splitting axe, knife, flint starter, pack of smokies, buns, 2L of water, and a handful of granola bars, plus a novel and the clothes on my back. Backcountry with a 9-mile hike in so I was packing light(ish).

If I wasn’t expecting calls about jobs (hashtag funemployed) I’m almost tempted to head out again tomorrow night, now that you’ve planted the idea in my head. Except the Niva needs the new oil pan installed (need to pull the engine to do it) so I guess I’ll be doing that instead...

GolfR Guy > cbell04 10/12/2016 at 23:35

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Get wipes actually, they’re much better; I’ve been on climbing/camping trips and they make you feel amazing. If you do go that route, just bring a trash bag with you, unless the wipes are biodegradable.

DC3 LS, will be perpetually replacing cars until the end of time > cbell04 10/12/2016 at 23:58

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Simple tip: One thing many people don’t realize is you’re suppose to sleep with minimal clothes in the sleeping bag. It insulates your body heat much better than jackets and long johns.

Pro tip: keep your second layer of clothing in the bottom of the sleeping bag and put it on while you’re still in the bag in the morning. That way it’s warm and you don’t have to get out into the cold to put it on :)

Also baby wipes for field bathes!

Also check online and Army Navy surplus stores for “waffle tops/bottoms” They’re fucking legit, like wearing a quilted fleece onesie

(hope the pic uploads)

Edit: They have tiny fuzzy squares all over them and the top has a collar and a zipper that goes down 1/4 of the way. Defiantly try one on, I can’t vouch for them enough.

Edit: Pro tip #2 Wear wool socks or some kind of blend/synthetic wool. Wool doesn’t absorb moisture (to include sweat) which makes you less likely to get blisters. Plus they’ll keep your feet warm and dry in the cold/wet.

Noodles > cbell04 10/13/2016 at 00:39

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No matter what anyone tells you, The most memorable part for a kid will be marshmellow’s & hot dog’s. If you’re going to a campground bring wood. If you’re going into the woods, you should find burnable wood everywhere

Manny05x > cbell04 10/13/2016 at 07:22

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Knife.

You can tell a Finn but you can't tell him much > cbell04 10/13/2016 at 07:23

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Air mattresses can be really cold when it is chilly because the air inside them circulates under you to pull heat out. Either bring an extra sleeping bag to put between the one you’re sleeping in and the air mattress or one of those cheapy foam pads to do that job.

Also wool socks like someone else said. Cold feet suck when you’re camping. Warm clothes in general really. You probably want to dress a little warmer than usual because when you’re outside the whole time you get colder than the temperature would indicate. This is especially true if it is breezy or rainy, less so if it’s nice and sunny.

DipodomysDeserti > cbell04 10/13/2016 at 07:30

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Hard liquor, camping cup, camping towel, shovel for digging a poop hole, trash bags, water, concentrated soap for washing hands, hatchet for chopping wood, gloves, wool socks, wool beenie.

PotbellyJoe and 42 others > cbell04 10/13/2016 at 08:56

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Chairs for the fireside.

Knife, potentially a small saw or hatchet depending on your ability to break logs with your knees or head.

THShorn92 - Left his car in America > cbell04 10/13/2016 at 09:00

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Make sure you have extra shoes. I have been on way to many Boy Scout trips, both as a scout and a leader, where somebody didn’t bring extra shoes (or socks) and decided to fall in a ditch or pond or something. Wet feet are zero fun, especially in the cold.

TheRealBicycleBuck > cbell04 10/13/2016 at 09:20

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Former Den Leader here. With the advice below, you seem to be well informed so far. More ambitious car camping setups include a camp stove, a pot and/or skillet, cooking utensils, cleanup gear (small bottle of dish soap, a bucket and a sponge), paper towels, garbage bags, utensils to eat with, foil, a coffee pot, coffee, sugar for the coffee, a canopy (put it in front of the tent, it will keep your kitchen gear dry and provide a dry area outside your tent), a folding table to hold the kitchen gear, a couple of camp chairs, stuff for s’mores, and glow sticks, lots and lots of glow sticks.

Most dads get a clear box to put their basic kitchen supplies in. Clear so you can see what’s in it, plastic to keep animals, and ants, out. I flipped through my photos and found one of our first family campout.

This was when I learned the value of an air mattress, ear plugs, a canopy, and coffee - sweet, sweet camp coffee. Camp coffee is by far the best coffee. The second campout was when I learned the value of a battery-powered air pump for the air mattress.

Don’t discount the glow sticks. The kids go wacko for the glow sticks. The first evening will look like a mini rave is happening at the campsite. Supplement this with a light-up frisbee and you will be the hero of the campout.

Also handy is a small brush or broom to get all the detritus out of your tent. Older kids are pretty good about keeping the tent clean, but Tigers will fill your tent with dead grass and leaves.

Rope and/or paracord. It’s great for hanging up wet stuff, hanging food bags out of animals’ reach and practicing tying knots. I recommend replacing all of the guy lines on your tent with reflective cord. You will understand this the first night. Every tent should come with reflective guy lines.

Don’t put your tent pegs in like they did for that photo. They won’t hold that way.

If there’s a chance for rain, don’t forget to bring along some ponchos. The emergency ponchos that fold up are fine. If you have plenty of large garbage bags and a good knife, you can make your own. We were surprised by rain during one of our family campouts. Most of our scouts were wearing my garbage bags for the rest of the day.

Watch where you set up your tent. Get there early while there is still light and look for where the water flows. Even a small swale will collect water during rain. Pick the high ground. A friend of mine chose poorly one campout. He awoke to a floating air mattress in a flooded tent. Yet another reason to bring an air mattress.

I’m sure I could go on, but I really need to get some work done. Good luck and have fun!

Phyrxes once again has a wagon! > cbell04 10/13/2016 at 09:36

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The airmatress is going to be a pain this time of year as it gets cold and deflates it will be less than comfortable. Either cheap foam mats or fancier camping mats under the bags is a much better bet.

Nylon or at least not cotton clothing to stay dry if there is a chance of rain.

Needmoargarage > cbell04 10/13/2016 at 09:36

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That...and with scouts you’ll probably get fart jokes throughout the entire night.

Bigjohn428 > cbell04 10/13/2016 at 09:52

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Ok so no knife for the kids but you def, need a good knife. L.E.D. Mag lite. extra batteries for flashlight. Rain gear, extra socks and shoes. Wet feet = cold feet = no fun

cbell04 > TheRealBicycleBuck 10/13/2016 at 10:23

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Thank you so much! very helpful info! My list is getting longer with each reply but all simple basic cheap stuff that if you didn’t have you’d be kicking yourself over forgetting. 

TheRealBicycleBuck > cbell04 10/13/2016 at 10:51

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I’m glad to help. Years of car camping taught me a lot. There are a couple of things you should take seriously as a cub scout dad. There are rules about wielding sticks, especially around the campfire. Enforce those rules, even if it isn’t your own son. Every year we had to deal with stick-related injuries on the first campout because some new dads refused to enforce this rule. It usually wasn’t their kid who got hurt. It’s much worse when the end of the stick is on fire.

Leave the alcohol at home. It’s hard enough to herd a bunch of little kids at night when you are sober.

Let the kids have fun, but don’t let them run amok. It’s easy for them to get out of hand. Also, every dad should be enforcing the rules. Too many dads leave it to the den leader. That’s the fastest way to drive a den leader to quit.

Finally, remember that you are out there to have fun. Let the kids have some down time where they have to figure out how to have fun without electronics. A few games that you play as a den are always good, but the kids really love being able to explore and find their own fun.

Transit > TheRealBicycleBuck 10/13/2016 at 11:08

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We’ve always bought a pack of these glow bracelets to put around the bottom of the guy wires:

Helps avoid taking a spill when you get up to have a late night pee.

Transit > cbell04 10/13/2016 at 11:14

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Pro tip: if you’ve been sweating all day and it’s going to get cold at night, give yourself a quick washcloth bath before bed. Your body will be able to generate heat better without all the dried sweat all over.

DynamicWeight > cbell04 10/13/2016 at 12:50

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Lots of already good advice in here, but I just want to rehighlight: baby wipes. They are goddam wonderful. If you ignore all else do not ignore this.

Also, this year I bought a canopy, I didn’t know why, I just saw other people with them every time and figured I should get one too. They are WONDERFUL. I now have two.

As a bonus recommendation, I have a hammock.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B004YJCP7O/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&psc=1

I can’t tell you how popular this thing has been. It’s even great to sleep in when it’s not raining or your air mattress deflates (it WILL happen, eventually). You can sit two people (3 kids) in it around the campfire. Again, I now own two. One that my girlfriend and I use, and one for other people to steal. They go on sale for a little under 100. Keep a look out. If you bought it at full price though you’ll have no regrets. Get the one I linked btw, there is a cheaper one on amazon that’s not as good, though it looks identical.