Camping equipment preference?

[Wild]

I am starting to purchase all new gear including tents sleeping bags, stove... you name it. Looking for quality and durability so what do you recommend?

 

I Like the family sized Columbia's Cougar flat's 2 but could use a smaller 3 man size for small trips, picked up the woods dining shelter @CTC this week for half price but once again something a bit smaller for those back lake trips would be nice to have handy.

 

So all recommendations are welcome.

[danbo]

Kijiji...tons of bargoons! http://toronto.kijiji.ca/

Edited August 20, 2008 by danbo

[HTHM]

I have always had good experience with Coleman.

[danbo]

Buy the best sleeping bag you can afford with at least 5lbs fill, or down. Woods is great.

Air mattresses is a must,flashlights,cooler, hatchet..

A poly floor in the tent is a must for dryness & easy sweeping.

I like Coleman Stove/lantern that uses naptha fuel.

I got some knives in the classifieds.

Edited August 20, 2008 by danbo

[BITEME]

ARMY SURPLUS

like said above you get what you pay for

garage sales for the utensil type stuff

Edited August 20, 2008 by BITEME

[Reef Runner]

I like the coleman and woods line products. Never buy Escort brand, cheap stuff and breaks easily. I recently bought a woods EZ-tent and love it for the quick set up and take down ability. Coleman bbq and burner combo. Columbia make quality stuff, but at a hefty price. Utensils and minor thing, can't beat the dollar store!

[huntervasili]

Eureka Tents are awesome, I have one and it can hold in heat well in the winter, keep out water in the spring and circulate air very well in the summer.

Mountain Safety Research makes some awesome lightweight stoves and burners as well as water purifiers and its all high quality too.

[Leecher]

Coleman portable stoves and lantern are my choice for camping....real durable and reliable. I still have my old lantern that works with propane and the only thing I ever change in it is the pouch.

 

You may want to add a good rope, compass or GPS in your inventory

Leechman

[LeXXington]

Car Camping or out back camping?

[cranks bait]

It all depends on what you are after. Distance hiking, time of year, money, etc.

 

I have 3 sleeping bags. A Marmot ultralight 2lb fill. I use this most for back country trips, even in the dead of winter. For cabin camping I have a woods 8 lbs synthetic. It is nice and heavy for sleeping. Too bulky and heavy for carrying though. I also have the werger 3 in one from costco. I use this up at the cottage because it is a square bottom and has lots of room to move.

 

Tents the same thing. I have a light weight Mountain hardware summer tent with a moon roof. Awsome for summer trips. I designed and had Integral Designs make me a 3 layer gore tex tent for winter and mountaineering. I have a big coleman for car camping.

 

That's just the start of my gear, I could go on for hours. What does it have to hold up too? How much is it foing to be used?

[anders]

Mountain Equipment Co-OP has amazing gear. you pay for what you get with them....quality! I love there stuff

[Nemo]

Petzl LED Headlamp. Lasts forever, bright, hands free, and compact.

[Wild]

I do have an old but excellent condition Coleman naphtha stove and lantern but want to go propane and electric. CTC had a sale on the Woods sleeping bags so I have a rain check for 4 of the 5 lb sleeping bags and I have the woods dining shelter with storm flaps on all four sides which is great for the family outings but a bit heavy for the small fishing trips. Woods has been sold by the way so the name is slowly being changed.

 

And I do plan on car camping as well as lighter fishing trips, whatever will fit in the electric ranger bed.

Small tents suck when you have a lot of gear and they suck more when they leak or do a fly away in moderate wind so here's my choice from research and reviews.

[CLofchik]

That intsy weentsy fly won't do much good in a downpour, need a fly that atleast comes 3/4 of the way to the ground. It really helps to have a separate groundsheet underneath the tent to keep dry and prevent damage. Tyvek house wrap is great for this, waterproof, tough, and alot lighter than a rubber tarp.

 

+1 for MEC, most CTC stuff is overpriced junk.

[Wild]

Good reviews on this tent so far concerning heavy rain, it's the style I am looking for and one you can stand up in, and I agree on a ground sheet very important.

Yes CTC is getting on my nerves especially with their return and warranty policies but the sale prices on some of the better name brand goods are still worth while.

[ccmtcanada]

Good reviews on this tent so far concerning heavy rain, it's the style I am looking for and one you can stand up in, and I agree on a ground sheet very important.

 

Groundsheets are a good idea...just make sure the borders of it are inside the edges or water from rain can get trapped between the sheet and the tent. I don't believe that any nylon tent/fly combination is ever 100% waterproof in heavy wind and rain. I've had high end tents that are great in one rainstorm and have leaks in another....all depends on the duration of the rain and how strong the wind is. If rain is an issue, bring a large tarp to put over your tent...just tie it to nearby trees and use poles to support if necessary....added insurance to keep your stuff dry.

[wkrp]

I have always preferred cots over air matresses.

[Wild]

Groundsheets are a good idea...just make sure the borders of it are inside the edges or water from rain can get trapped between the sheet and the tent. I don't believe that any nylon tent/fly combination is ever 100% waterproof in heavy wind and rain. I've had high end tents that are great in one rainstorm and have leaks in another....all depends on the duration of the rain and how strong the wind is. If rain is an issue, bring a large tarp to put over your tent...just tie it to nearby trees and use poles to support if necessary....added insurance to keep your stuff dry.

 

So they say, no test is waterproof just water resistant. I have not found a 10X15 ground sheet yet and won't buy anything PVC. And a spare tarp is a good idea just in case cause ya never know!

Cliff wasn't there a pic of a small dining tent in one of your trip reports? Was it a good one?

[Burtess]

I have a Hillary tent from Sears for the family car camping. It is large, about 10'X12'. It uses the "GoBeDry" technology. It is basically a highly vented tent with a full nylon fly, plus for severe weather (like last weeks downpours, stayed totally dry) there is a full polyethylene tarp fly as well. All layers are held out away from each other. Don't know if they still sell this style but for around $180 on sale it rocks.

 

I use a polyethylene tarp under the tent, flolded up so none sticks out like others have said. Also I always dig a small trench around the sides and back directly under where the fly overhangs. This captures any water and leads it away from the tent so that it will not flow underneath.

 

Burt

[Woodsman]

I like the coleman and woods line products. Never buy Escort brand, cheap stuff .

I have to agree completely. Both my Wood's and Coleman tents are quite waterproof. Last year I bought a Escort tent. The seams along the floor are stitched upside down. This allows any rain water to run down the sides on the tent and collect in the pocket created by the seam. No amount of seam sealer will keep the water from leaking into the tent. Now add a week of camping with the wife (her first time camping) and 2 dogs that rained every day and at times quite heavily. Not a pretty sight. :blahblah1:

[holdfast]

Groundsheets are a good idea...just make sure the borders of it are inside the edges or water from rain can get trapped between the sheet and the tent. I don't believe that any nylon tent/fly combination is ever 100% waterproof in heavy wind and rain. I've had high end tents that are great in one rainstorm and have leaks in another....all depends on the duration of the rain and how strong the wind is. If rain is an issue, bring a large tarp to put over your tent...just tie it to nearby trees and use poles to support if necessary....added insurance to keep your stuff dry.

 

 

Yup the cheap light Tarp is a must. I had a mummy sleeping bag and ripped it apart getting in. So now I have a normal one which if you think about it is better because you can open it up and use it as a blanket.

[Burtess]

Alot of people seem to have good experiences with the Woods tents but the one I bought a couple of years ago is crap.

Last week with the first heavy rain (and there was alot of heavy rain!) it came right through the fly and dripped into the tent through the mesh. It was like the fly was not treated with water repellent properly.

 

Burt

[Clampet]

I have always preferred cots over air matresses.

 

You must be thin.

[Greencoachdog]

My camping equipment preference is simple...

 

 

a Holiday Inn!!!

[Wild]

Well the gear is slowly coming together, I now have the Woods 5 pound fill sleeping bags which are great especially for the sale price, Coleman 3 burner stove, trying out the Heater Buddy, Coleman air mattress - I like the idea of cots too at least they won't leak air.

I still want to buy The Cougar flats tent which would be great for the summer but the only store in Ontario that sells it is Bass Pro and when I went there last Thursday I was treated like crap instead of a valued customer! Man that store has issues So instead Cabella's get's my business and future $$$

 

do you think this tent is overkill? Ground sheet is as important as the tent itself so thanks for the advice guys. I may still buy the Cougar Flats as well next year.

 

 

I still want to buy local so are there any recommendations for a great place to shop with good selection?

 

Glen I tried the Holiday Inn but they claimed they were out of stock on most camping gear, did I miss their sale or something?