Finding Affordable Camping Equipment
February 5, 2011 by Owen Jones
Filed under Camping Tips
Camping is a very well-liked activity among the under Forties. People like to go hunting, fishing, hiking, walking or simply camping with their friends, family or lover. The outdoors is delightful and can be romantic. Lots of people would like to get a little closer to nature and the easiest way of doing this is sleeping under canvas, or nylon or something man-made like that. Another benefit for the young is that it is inexpensive.
However, it is not merely inexpensive, it is healthy and instructive. All children ought to go camping either with their parents or the scouts in order to learn something of nature before they get locked into a job to pay the mortgage and forget that there is life outside the city. You know, there are inner city children that do not know that milk comes from cows? How ridiculous is that?
So, if you are going to take an education in nature by the horns, you will have to have some camping equipment. Inexpensive though camping equipment is relative to the equipment required for other activities, most people still have to be a bit careful how much they spend.
If you fall into that category, then this article is for you. Before we get into the nitty-gritty, it is worth pointing out that if you have the money, you can do worse than simply going down to the local sports shop or camping shop and buying all your equipment from them. Buy everything you require in one go and ask for a discount. if anything ever goes wrong they will remember you as a big spender and fix it for you right away.
However, the remainder of have to be a bit more careful with the cheque book. If you know a bit concerning camping equipment from your parents or from the scouts and do not mind second-hand, then car boot sales and garage sales can be just the ticket.
Often people are selling things because their kids have left home and they are having a clear out or maybe they have had more children and the pup tent is no longer any use to them.
I sold a nice tent not so long ago for peanuts because I knew that I would never need it again. The beauty of these sales is that you can put the tent up or get the vendor to put it up for a closer inspection. Look for rot, sniff for mildew, check the number of pegs and guide lines et cetera, but do not get carried away with perfection, you can buy extra pegs, lanyard and a mallet, but you do not want to have to sew up holes or replace zips or fly screen.
Classified ads are another decent source of equipment, but pick the device up yourself so that you know where to take it back if you do not have the opportunity to inspect it in the correct manner before handing over your money.
EBay and Amazon are also pretty decent, but you have to do some research on the manufacturers’ names and the standard retail prices otherwise you might end up buying a costly copy, a kiddies’ toy tent or simply junk.
One of my favourite stores to browse is the Army and Navy Surplus store. Try going into an A&N and coming out empty-handed. If the equipment in there is good enough for our troops to risk their lives with, it’s decent enough for a week in the Poconos.
Owen Jones, the author of this article, writes on a number of subjects, but is now concerned with the egg crate foam mattress pad. If you would like to know more, please visit our website at Egg Crate Mattress Pad For Sale.
Hiking And Camping
December 25, 2010 by Owen Jones
Filed under Camping Tips
Are you interested in getting closer to nature? Do you like hiking and sleeping under the stars - or under canvas at least? If you do, then a walking or hiking and camping holiday may be just the thing for you. A hiking and camping holiday will get you out in the fresh air, allow you to observe nature first hand and cost you very little to boot. In short, hiking and camping are the perfect blend, if you are looking for a healthy, inexpensive break outdoors.
Not only that but you can either go alone with a few decent books, take a lover, take a friend or take the family with you. All in all, you have many options available to you if you want to trek off into the wild blue yonder by foot.
There are a couple of ways of tackling a vacation of this kind. You can either book into a hiking and camping site or you can literally just head off. If you have children with you then the camping ground is a necessity, but otherwise the decision is yours, although it has to be kept in mind, that camping off site is or can be illegal. Trespass is definitely illegal as is causing a nuisance of yourself, putting wild animals under stress for no decent reason, damaging trees or property and littering.
So, if you are new to hiking and camping, you would probably be better off going to a hiking and camping site or park. Do not be put off by this thought, some of them are truly enormous. Check out the Poconos and other national parks for instance.
There is no doubt that cost is a factor in the selection of a camping holiday for many young people, but it is rarely the sole reason why people like to get away and sleep under the stars. Getting back to nature and bird- and animal-watching are other common reasons.
If you fancy this type of holiday, it is worth remembering that hiking and camping have become very popular pastimes of late. They always were well-liked, it is a fact, but they waned in the Eighties and Nineties, and are seeing a resurgence now. Therefore, do your homework, see where you would like to go, get some brochures or look on line and book up early. Yes, these days you have to book up early to get into the best hiking and camping parks again.
A final note of warning, if you decide to go off into the wilderness outside a park, let people know where you are. Take your mobile phone and a couple of fully-charged extra batteries and say when you are going to phone in that you are safe and make certain that you abide by it. It is very expensive if Air-Sea Rescue are called out on unnecessarily.
Owen Jones, the author of this article, writes on a number of subjects, but is now involved with the egg crate foam mattress pad. If you would like to know more, please visit our website at Egg Crate Mattress Pad For Sale.
Where To Get Your Camping Gear From
November 11, 2010 by Owen Jones
Filed under Camping Tips
Do you like to go camping? Do you go with friends or family and do you help with the planning? If so, then you probably already have a lot of the items you require, but as you doubtless already know, there is always something you need to buy for every trip. If you are planning your first trip, then it is to be hoped that this short article will give you some pointers.
In fact, there are quite a lot of sources of camping gear. Some offer better value for money than others, some offer low quality gear and others offer high quality at high prices. The trick is to be somewhere in the middle, where you can get good quality equipment which is fit for purpose at the correct cost and this is what we will help you to do.
One of the first points to comprehend, and it is very useful to understand this , is that a camper needs camping gear, ie the tent, sleeping bag, et cetera and camping supplies, ie food, insect repellent et cetera. It is helpful to realize the difference because some camping shops sell both gear and supplies, whereas others just sell one or the other.
Starting with camping gear. You can buy camping gear on line at dedicated camping shops, at department shops and at eBay and Amazon. The trick here is to do some research first to find out what is the best of what you require and how much it costs and then to go looking on line for that particular item manufactured by that particular manufacturer. You will absolutely save money by purchasing on line, but you have to be more careful of fakes.
Army and Navy Surplus stores are pretty decent too. After all, if it is decent enough for our fighting forces it is not going to fall apart the first time it rains or blows a bit. I have always found it difficult to come out of an army and navy store without buying anything, even if they did not have what I went in there for. I always end up buying a new compass or a knife or some other gizmo.
Department stores are next and you can pick up good deals out of season, otherwise they tend to be expensive and you have to be cautious of not buying ‘kiddies gear’ meant for use in the back garden by mistake. Sports stores and dedicated camping shops are usually very reliable, selling the best gear at the top prices.
Now on to camping supplies. To be honest, what do you eat while camping that you do not eat at home each week? Moose, squirrel, possum, deer? Well, you are not going to take that with you anyway, are you, so you might as well get your camping supplies from your favourite supermarket.
Or you can go to the camping shop and pay over the odds for ’specialist foods’ and ’survival rations’, but again, to be honest, you would be better off acquiring things like that either on line or at the Army and Navy store again. If you want to try out some of these army rations, it can be fun, but get them at bargain prices from the A&N.
Owen Jones, the author of this article, writes on a number of subjects, but is now concerned with the egg crate foam mattress pad. If you would like to know more, please visit our website at Egg Crate Mattress Pad For Sale.
Things To Consider When Buying A Tent
October 31, 2010 by Duncan Beech
Filed under Family Camping Tents
If you are considering purchasing a tent, it would be helpful if you considered a few key questions first. The main question will be how you are planning to use the tent. Do you intend to be an every month camper, therefore needing a tent that is both strong and sturdy? Or do you just need a tent for a music festival and then plan to never use the tent again? Also you will need to have an idea of how many people are going to be sleeping in the tent. These two questions will help you plan your budget which will in turn allow you to know what kind of tent you can get for your budget.
The number of people you’re looking to get into a tent will be one of the most important factors when purchasing a tent. If you are looking to have more than three people, then it may be a good idea to buy a larger framed tent, than say, a small pop up tent. If you are purchasing a tent to use a music festival and do not intend to use the tent again, then a cheap pop up tent will be perfect for you. However, if you are planning to go camping as a family more than once a year, then a branded large family tent will be a better investment. If you are considering camping as a holiday choice, choosing a tent that has a communal area that is covered and can be used for cooking , entertaining etc will be a very good idea, especially if you are planning to camp in the UK, where the weather can be sunny one minute and raining the next.
Answering the above questions will help you determine the next things to consider. If you are looking to purchase a tent just for festivals, then two of the main factors will be the time it takes to erect the tent and also the size of the tent foot print. Choosing a bright coloured tent would also be a good idea, and could help you when trying to find your tent later on. The weight of a festival tent will also be important, as you may not be able to drive up to where you pitch your tent. If you are looking to purchase a family tent, then the weight of the tent should not matter as much as you will more than likely be driving to the campsite, and your vehicle will more often than not be parked right next to where you pitch your tent.
The nature of the camping you are looking to do will determine what kind of weather protection your tent will require. A large percentage of tents come with ground sheets built in, nearly all tents are waterproof. Tents made by the big brand manufacturers from my experience are far superior to cheap Chinese imported tents. Branded tents also have better zips, seams and better storage features, These all help to prolong the life the of your tent. If you are looking to buy a tent just for going to a music festival and are going to leave the tent there then a cheap popup tent around the 30 mark would be ideal.
When purchasing your tent there are many different factors to choose from regarding tent accessories. It may be worth checking to see whether the tent you are looking at purchasing has optional extras as some don’t sell any at all. There are many accessories available, including tent carpets, outside ground sheets and fold-down storage facilities.
Looking for Tents Manchester, then visit PF Jones Camping site on how to choose the best tent. Also stocking the Coleman coastline tent.
categories: Outdoors,leisure,recreation,holidays,Camping,tents
Trailer Tent Features
August 13, 2010 by Benjamin Rathstone
Filed under Camping Tips
Throughout the ages technology has progressed and moved on. In leisure activities such as camping, different accessories and camping gear have been developed to make what is such a simple activity, more luxurious.
The standard things when you go camping are things such as having no bed, sunstroke due to no real protection or decent shelter from the sun, no kitchen facilities,cold and damp mornings, and plenty of insect bites. Die hard campers enjoy this about the camping experience but that does not mean everyone else will.
One way to get around this is to bring the luxuries from home out into nature with you. This luxury can be found in a Trailer Tent which can be your home from home when in the great outdoors. Trailer tents are feature laden in order to ensure that you have a great time with nature whilst still be able to enjoy some of the luxuries of home.
A trailer tent is exactly as it sounds. It is a trailer that can be towed behind your car that turns into a tent like structure. It folds out from the trailer and is pegged out into the ground. The trailer itself becomes the living compartment of the tent and includes beds and seating areas. When being transported behind your car, it has a flat top, the same as a trailer and this can be used to store other leisure items such as bike and surf boards.
The most pleasing feature that a trailer tent has is an additional kitchen unit that comprises of a gas stove cooker and a sink area for your washing up. It is usually found secure over the tow bar of the trailer tent and is a very welcome addition when camping out with no facilities.
The canvas part of the roof is waterproof just like a tent for those inevitable times that is starts to rain when you are outside in your tent. For the hot days of your holiday the tent section has fully openable windows so that you can cool down the inside area of your trailer tent. Some units come with the option of an additional awning space which makes for a larger living space and doubles up as a great area to set up a table and chairs and eat dinner as a family.
One of the best features of camping in a trailer tent is the fact that it has a proper bed in the base of the trailer and when you are camping this can make a whole world of difference to your whole experience. A great nights sleep can make a lot of difference to you and your young children so this extra feature is about as luxurious as camping gets.
Why not try Trailer Tent Camping this summer? Camping in a Trailer Tent is a great way to get into the outdoors with your family and friends.
How To Buy Camping Gear And Supplies
July 4, 2010 by Owen Jones
Filed under Camping Tips
When the weather turns warm, the hearts of millions of families, individuals and groups turn to camping whether it is for a long vacation or just a few days break. The necessity therefore arises for these people to start thinking about where to buy camping gear and supplies. If you are a keen camper, then you will probably already have most of your camping gear, but everyone needs to stock up on supplies before they actually depart.
Fortunately, there is no lack of suppliers of camping gear and supplies and with the Internet as well, you will never be short of somewhere to buy camping gear and supplies. However, before you rush to get your wallet out, you first have to work out what you need. It is often useful to split the stuff you have to have to go camping into two separate types.
First there is camping gear or equipment. which includes thing like the tent, sleeping bags, rucksacks and tools and then there are the supplies, by which is meant foodstuffs, toiletries, matches et cetera.
The first type of places to try for buying camping gear and supplies is sport shops, if there is no specialist camping store close to you. Many sports people such as fishermen and hunters take a tent with them when they venture out, so you will find nearly everything you require for camping at these sports shops too. You are bound to find a hunting and fishing or sports shop near you or you will find huge sports shops on line. The sports section of a large department store is also likely to stock these items.
Department stores may not stock such a wide variety as camping and sports shops, but you will often find that the prices are lower. Be careful of the quality though. Equipment bought from a sports shop will generally be robust and of high quality, whereas gear from a department store may be for children to use in the backyard. It is better to do some research on line for respectable brands and then go to see what is obtainable locally.
Army and navy surplus stores often provide high quality, military grade camping equipment. After all, if people trust their lives to this kit in battle, it must be good enough for you to go away for a week or two camping, must it not? As long as you like camouflage colours, that is.
No happy greens, yellows, reds and blues in the army and navy surplus stores though. Still, they are excellent if you want to observe nature or go fishing. They will also have the correct tools too, like collapsible spades and camping stoves.
You could break camping supplies up into two components too really: luxuries and essentials. The luxuries, such as Coco Pops, beer and the like are far cheaper in the supermarkets. Try to buy the dried varieties of anything you take, like dried milk and instant coffee, especially if you are hiking a long way.
The necessities can be obtained in the supermarket as well, but you may find some interesting food products in the army and navy stores as well. There might be soldiers’ ration packs and instant fire lighters. These are serious products intended for soldiers on active duty, but you may like to try them out for fun and experience.
Owen Jones, the author of this article, writes on many topics, but is presently concerned with Poconos camping. If you are interested in a rental in the Poconos Mountains, please go to our website at Poconos Vacations
categories: camping,snow mobiles,holidays,vacations,family,travel tips,destinations,travel,recreation,relaxation,other,uncategorised,sport,fishing
Camping And Snowmobiling In The Poconos
June 26, 2010 by Owen Jones
Filed under Camping Tips
Do you like camping out in the winter? Have you ever tried camping in the Pocono Mountains with your tent on your back? Well, one thing is for certain, it is not a family style holiday! It is definitely an extreme sport for the hardened outdoor type. Whether you go traipsing through the snow on skis langlaufen style, use dogs and a sled or go by snowmobile, it is still an arduous enterprise. Issues from the cold such as frost bite and hypothermia are very real dangers.
Holidays such as these must certainly not be undertaken lightly. The days in the Pocono Mountains during the winter are cold enough, but at night the temperature just nosedives. If you have never tried such a holiday before, then you are not ready to take one on your own now. You will have to have specialized knowledge either from the military or from other such institution.
Planning and research are the two most important aspects. You will have to be conscious at all times of where the nearest help centres are. Places such as mountain rescue, hospitals, towns, shops, garages and first aid centres. You should also be conscious of the weather conditions and future weather predictions.
Staying overnight on such an arduous trip only increases the chances of encountering danger. Besides the cold there are wolves and bears. Wolves are not normally dangerous unless they are famished, but bears can be a problem. You will have to know how to maintain a clean camping site so as not to draw wild animals, but you will also have to know what to do if they do come poking about.
Thermal clothes are essential for any winter activity like snowmobiling and they are even more vital if you are going to sleep outdoors overnight. If you stay outdoors overnight you will also need a very warm sleeping bag. You will also have to take account of how long you will stay away and what provisions you will need to endure the length of time of your holiday. You will clearly have to eat, so suitable, nourishing food will have to be taken with you, unless you propose travelling from town to town.
Water will not be a problem with the snow available which is very handy for re-hydrating dried foodstuffs such as packet soups and drinking chocolate, both of which are very warming after travelling all day in sub-zero conditions.
Fuel will be a chief consideration for your snowmobile, but if you plan your journey well, you will be able to pick up a few tins of petrol every day. In this way, ten to fifteen gallons should be enough to see you through every day.
Owen Jones, the author of this article, writes on a lot of topics, but is presently involved with Poconos camping. If you are interested in a rental in the Poconos Mountains, please go to our website at Poconos Vacations





