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Family Camping
Your vacation can be both a memory-maker and inexpensive
Few experiences forge such vivid bonds and memories as camping. From setting up the tent, to gazing at the stars, to snuggling in a warm sleeping bag after snacking on s'mores, camping keeps kids busy and happy. While parents enjoy the outdoor experience, family camping is not always a vacation for adults. The trick is having the right gear, on-hand, so loading up the car on a Friday afternoon isn't such a formidable challenge. Once you have the right gear (an easy-to-erect tent, a sleeping bag with the right warmth rating for your climate, a good source of illumination for after dark), camping is an inexpensive vacation. If you're not a seasoned camper, pick a place close to home. Find out if you need reservations (most BLM land and U.S. Forest Service is first-come, first-served) and start packing your gear. From your camp site, chances are you can hike, fish or simply hang around camp, enjoying each other's company.
Kelty Basecamp Bureau
Organization is the key to a smooth worry-free camping trip. The nifty Basecamp Bureau packing system helps streamline storage at home, and it makes getting ready for camping trips a snap. I assigned a different bin to four essential categories. The red holds kitchen supplies, the purple is for headlamps and lanterns, rain shells and fleece jackets go in the yellow bin, and rainy-day camp activities go in the green. When we return home after a trip, I repack, consulting a checklist I've taped on the top of each soft-sided "drawer." For families of four, you can assign a bin to each camper, so everyone has a convenient storage compartment for P.J.s, extra clothes, tooth brush, socks and underwear. The Bureau weighs just under 5 pounds and measures 27" x 16" x 16". $119.95; kelty.com
The North Face Twin Peaks Double Sleeping Bag
There are many good reasons for a double sleeping bag. I was always afraid of having toddlers sneak out of the tent at night. Or kick off covers and get cold. And now that my kids are older and relatively easier to keep track of, sleeping ensemble with my husband keeps my toes warmer. Designed to accommodate two adults, the Twin Peaks has a generous 94-inch hip circumference and whopping 76-inch toe box. The synthetic insulation is made of hollow-core poly fibers, with plenty of loft to protect you from the ground, plus keep you warm to 20ºF. Features include two full-length zips, two gadget pockets, a neck-level draft flap and full-length draft tube. $159; thenorthface.com
CASCADE DESIGNS PLATYPRESERVE
WINE RESERVOIR The kids are asleep in the tent. Now it's time for that medicinal glass of wine while the campfire embers fade. Packing adult beverages is always a quandary - bottles are bulky, fragile and heavy. The PlatyPreserve not only protects the taste of your wine by eliminating the presence of oxygen, it weighs only .8 ounces and rolls down into a baton-sizes tube when empty. If your next family camping trip calls for a celebration, pull that bottle of '82 Chateau Margaux out of the cellar and bring it along. The collapsible container is leak proof, and the air-tight reservoir protects the wine's taste (if there's any left). $12.94; pack of 4 is $44.95, cascadedesigns.com
Coleman Quad Lantern
Coleman makes some of the most fun, most useful, and best priced family camping gear available. The Quad Lantern is durable and ideal for family overnights. With an approximate run time of 75 hours, the lantern is really four flashlights in one. The battery-run lantern (8 D cells) has 190 lumens of power - 24 LEDs with a light range of 26 feet! Each section can be removed from the base and has its own on/off switch. Kids can slip a panel in an accessory pouch next to their sleeping bag, or carry one in their pocket around the campfire. The switches are easy to flip for little fingers and because the panels recharge when reattached to the base, kids like using them and putting them away. $69.99; coleman.com
Jetboil Flash
The Jetboil Flash is the most convenient way I've found to brew a quick cup of coffee while waiting for kids to roll out of the tent. The Flash is a super small, easy-to-use backcountry stove. It attaches to a 1-liter flask that does double duty as a boiling pan and cup. The lightweight stove has a one-click ignition for lighting. Two cups of water boils in 2 minutes, making morning brew and soup snacks pretty much effortless. The new Flash is safer than the previous Jetboil models, as the cooking flask clips securely onto the burner. Plus, the insulating cozy changes colors to indicate when the contents are hot. $99.95; jetboil.com.
Osprey Kestral 38 Pack
Osprey has dialed in its suspension system and it's hard to find a more comfortable way to carry 20- to 40-pound loads. While padding helps protect your shoulders and hips, too much cush can add unnecessary weight and bulk. The Kestrel 38 has a proprietary AirScape back panel with supportive ridged foam, an adjustable torso harness and diecut slotted hip belt that cradles your hips while supporting surprisingly weighty loads. The pack holds 2200 cubic inches of gear (35 liters). The size is ideal for a lightweight sleeping bag, small tent, and a change of clothes. There are plenty of small stash pockets - I like the side hip pockets to keep keys and small camera handy. Exterior straps accommodate a sleeping pad and trekking poles, and the two stretch-woven side pockets are great for water bottles. A neat feature is an integrated rain cover, so even in downpours your gear stays dry. $139; ospreypacks.comPost a comment
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