12 Simple Camp Items I Can't Live Without
Here's a quick look at how I battle excessive heat, cold, bugs and back pain. I've finally managed to control all of the random factors that once cast a negative shadow on my camp experience!
1. A battery operated fan keeps smoke and mosquitoes off me!
2. A spray bottle with witch hazel and peppermint oil keeps me extra cool on hot days and keeps my skin clean
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3. A solar crank lantern saves me from buying endless batteries
My lantern can be charged in many ways. The manual crank feature will give me about 10 minutes of light, but a good solar charge will help the unit give off light for about three hours at night. If there's no sun to charge the lantern, I can use batteries or charge the unit with the included USB cord. I love having so many options. I generally try to avoid using batteries so that I can save them for my traditional lanterns.
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4. A wearable blanket is less restrictive than a sleeping bag
Before I discovered these giant sherpa lined hoodies, I needed an entire roof bag to carry my bulky blankets and sleeping bags. I was able to scale down the blanket load by dressing smarter at bedtime!
5. I love these fleece lined sweat pants for men and women!
We don't wake up freezing when we go to bed dressed in fleece from head to toe.
6. A folding notebook grill takes up less space in my vehicle.
As I began to carry larger tents and sleep systems, there was less and less room for heavy or complicated cooking systems. This notebook grill does everything my larger grills can do without taking out a huge chunk of space in the back of my SUV. It's as simple to unfold as it looks in advertisements. A child could easily do it without the instruction booklet. I can cook meat directly on the grill or set pots across the grate when I need to boil potatoes or pasta.
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7. This organic product doesn't just repel mosquitoes on skin. It KILLS fleas and ticks in the grass and on pets.
8. A small solar cooker ensures that I can still cook food or boil water for coffee, even if I run out of charcoal or propane.
9. A popup tent saves me from back pain and heat exhaustion
I used to be in love with expensive and complicated tents like the Alaskan Guide Model. You couldn't convince me that a popup could be sturdy and reliable. Turns out I was wrong. The Gazelle T4 was the answer to my prayers. I can do the whole setup in under five minutes. I no longer have to bend over and insert poles into the long channels running across traditional tents. I've tested the Gazelle tent against the Core 4-person popup. The Gazelle has much thicker fabric, and the frame is stronger. Above all, I love that my six-foot-tall husband can stand up and walk around without bending. This keeps both of us from experiencing back and neck pain. It just feels like more of a vacation.
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10. A real folding bed allowed my disabled husband to camp again
When you get down to reading reviews, you'll find that some of the most expensive camp cots are collapsing in the middle of the night, even the ones rated for 400 pounds and even when used by 250 pound people. This cheap folding bed is rated for 1,200 pounds. No matter how heavy or thin you are, you'll get a more durable product for half the price, and it won't weigh a whole lot more than a camp cot. It takes a solid product with 82,000 favorable reviews to show the real merits of choosing traditional frames over camp cots that aren't designed to be used 365 days a year.
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I found a folding mattress that feels just like my bed at home!
No more waking up to refill our giant air bed. No more motion transfer every time my partner decides to roll over. No more long nights sleeping on bitter cold air! The Milliard is simply the most comfortable mattress in my collection of more than 10 camp beds. Just be sure to choose the appropriate size. The twin size will be too large for small tents and too bulky to transport in an average sized car. The cot size is better for smaller tents and cars.I dropped a picture at left to compare the cot size to the twin size. We travel in an SUV, so there's room for us to bring both sizes.
Advantages:
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