Need your 2c for camping equipment/gear

One other thing that I don’t think has been mentioned is it good idea to have two coolers. A primary cooler (probably a larger, good more expensive one) for all of your food and perishables that you may only open once or twice a day and an auxiliary cooler that holds beer, sodas, water other drinks that you may be in and out of much more frequently. Helps retain the cold in your primary. If you’re gonna be in the desert definitely bring some shade. i.e tarp, umbrella, EZ up pop up. Keep your coolers in the shade. If you’re by a water source you can also dip a white towel in the water and drape it over your cooler for a little extra insulation. Stakes or nine inch nails and a mallet or ax to drive them in, wind can get really real. Life straw or some sort of water filter and or iodine water treatment pills are always good to have on hand just in case.

 

After 35 years of going camping, my arsenal has gotten insane. I am now donating to my kids camping gear as I continuously tweak my personal gear.

Right now I am on a 3 week Oregon desert trip with just my wife in our Tacoma and offroad trailer. I packed these things like sardines with a Tetris mindset.

One small thing that I added to my camp gear that has already been used several times this trip, is a small sewing kit. Needles, scissors, assortment of threads. Had to stitch up the tear in my favorite camp shorts after they ripped wide open. Good as newish!!!

 

Thank you for the tips and info! will definitely keep my eyes peeled next time i go to TJ Maxx/Ross kitchen sections!
Ordered the knife, and have the chair and KC latern under wish-list

this isn't the first time someone recommended Camp Chef and based on the positive reviews i think im going to just get this one.

seriously considering returning my air mattress for self inflating pads as well!

 

that's a good tip.
i'm definitely going to bring 2 !

 

Shop REI scratch and dent sales.

 

Bring a good knife something with a blade big enough to kill and skin a bear.
get a 357 snub nose and keep it near by.
water, lots of water. The black plastic solar shower bags work well when you just need to be clean.
bring friends, slow friends that cant out pace you. its not as much fun camping alone and the bears only catch the slowest one.
Make any camping reservations early, gone is the day to drive up to the campsite in so cal and just park your stuff. Don't buy flashy brands of camping gear as it may not be there when you come back from a day run. keep your chit covered. Chairs are important and so is toilet paper. There is times girls will favor toilet paper over diamonds. a good 10X10 tent has room for 2 and a place to stash your stuff while your away or in foul weather. food in the tent is a bad idea.

 

definitely went over my budget since yesterday when i started ordering stuff.

so these useful tips & recs are definitely appreciated

campfires temporarily prohibited at the places i'm trying to go

 

I decided to take 2 of my friends so we'd be a party of 4 first timers.
whenever i go in the water at the beach i always stay around other people/groups in case sharks decide to nibble at least it has a buffet to choose from

its going to be hot where we're going (joshua tree) so i'm just focused on star gazing and getting the feel for camping for now.
i'm going to load up my truck with lots of water, toilet paper and wipes the night before just in case i forget

 

Be smart, stay safe, relax and have fun. If it all goes poorly,ie, rain, heat, bugs, critters, you can always bail and go home. After many years of camping,I have to admit we left for home early more than once.

 

i was sad to switch out of my manual car to AT Taco
but at least my gf or others can drive my now

 

Many really good suggestions and advise. My 2c: JT & deserts in general often harbor scorpions (not the band). A small black-light flashlight will illuminate them easily.




More images
Scorpion black light
Mature scorpions glow almost a neon bluish color under black-lights! As the UV light hits a scorpions exoskeleton, the light gets converted by proteins in their exoskeletons into a bluish glow.

 

thanks for the tip! i'll share this with my friends on the way to JT just in case they want to bail

 

Gotten anything yet?

 

too many! i started ordering here and there since Monday with the intention of returning/exchanging some stuff as they come in

i'm glad a lot of folks here were nice enough to give their inputs/thoughts b/c the more i read through the posts the more clueless and naïve i felt which seems to keep helping me prepare better

i'll be making a trip to walmart/target this weekend to buy more stuff and definitely re-read this entire thread before going next weekend

 

Man this is a great thread. Glad I stumbled on it looking for a new camping table (mine has finally hit the grave, end of last camping season I had stumps and rocks serving as the 4th leg) but great stuff in here for folks getting into the game using the search function. So I'll revive.

Best way to know what you need is to grab a 12 pack, a chair, and your tent / sleeping gear and get out into the woods. Take notes on what you needed that would've come in handy. That's how we all ended up with all of our crap. Essentials:

- Lights. All the lights. (Truck lights / lanterns / maglights / head lamps.. etc. You'll accumulate but you can never have too many)

- Stove / Grate. (You don't necessarily need a stove if you can just make a fire and throw a grate on some rocks. Every time I got a new grill or grill part at the house I'd save the grates. A stove is awesome but you'd be surprised how good of a setup you can get with just grates)

- Comfort (Good chairs, sleeping bags / pillows) This is easy, you get what you pay for. SeaToSummit and Sierra Design are what I seem to have the most of. I think they're a good mix of price & quality)

- Cooking Gear. (Another one you'll accumulate over time. Somebody else said it but don't go expensive. Academy, Bass Pro, Cabellas, whatever has cheap utensils. Grab a few when you're there. Same with plates & bowls. Now pots & pans you'll want some good stuff. I like mine to fold up. I basically have my entire camping kitchen in a plano case so I can toss it on the prinsu and go. So save space. The only thing you want to splurge on is a good chef knife and cutting board. Makes a big difference.)

- Ice Chest / Thermos. (You didn't need us to tell you this one. Same as the rest, get what you pay for. Get a campfire coffee maker and a good mug. Nothing like campfire breakfast EXCEPT campfire breakfast with a campfire coffee)

- Emergency Kit / Firestarters (duh)

- Extras: Hammock, Portable Sink, Awning/Eazy-Up, Hanging Kitchen (for awning), Hanging Mesh Bags (for dirty dishes), man I could go forever. This is the stuff you learn you need as you go. Koozies, paper towels, all that. It's addicting and the best thing ever. I forgot a hundred things too. That's what makes it great. Cheers!

 

I’m big on these camp tables. Not super big or robust if you want to put a bunch of heavy stuff on it but serves it’s purpose well, sets up/breaks down quick and packs down small.

https://www.camptime.com/collections/roll-a-table

 

Two things that have made our car camping experiences vastly more pleasurable: Solo fire pits and my Silky Big Boy saw.
Lap of luxury.