Hiking / Camping equipment review thread (and trip stories!)

[I_H8_1.8]

How about some reviews/recommendations of tents, air mattresses, coolers, lanterns, grills, bug repellants, etc?

What I'm really after is some recommendations for a good queen-size, double-height air mattress for less than $75, but there doesn't seem to be a camping equipment thread, so here we go.

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[RastaMon]

May as well just buy a Winnebago at that point.

[Integra96]

Big Agnes makes a nice sleeping bag. That's all I got. Sleeping pads are...meh if they're super light or backpack-able. Bug repellents: lotion is king.

Yes, I just said lotion is king.

[Subie Love]

I'm buying a REI Quarterdome T2 tent tomorrow. I'll get a review up soon. Well, I'm going to look at it tomorrow. If I feel it's too small, I'm going to get the T2 plus but they don't have it in stock right now.

I have a Marmot Helium 15+ sleeping bag and its awesome. 100% down, packs down really small and very warm. Highly recommended.

[WhiteH2O]

I have a four season Mt Hardware tent that is bad-ass. Would buy again. Come to think of it, my sleeping bag is also Mt Hardware, and that is bad-ass also.

Although my favorite camping accessory would be my VW Camper Van. Warmer and more comfy than the tent, but I do use the sleeping bag in it.

[I_H8_1.8]

Originally Posted by RastaMon

May as well just buy a Winnebago at that point.

That would be nice, but tent camping is it for me right now.

Originally Posted by Integra96

Big Agnes makes a nice sleeping bag. That's all I got. Sleeping pads are...meh if they're super light or backpack-able. Bug repellents: lotion is king.

Yes, I just said lotion is king.

It has its time and place
I am going camping in a month or so; I'm thinking of getting one of the battery-powered insect repellant things instead of using sprays.

[RastaMon]

Originally Posted by I_H8_1.8

That would be nice, but tent camping is it for me right now.

Just seemed like a queen sized double height air mattress would be a pain in the ass to backpack with. /shrug

[Strider]

Double height queen mattress. Way to rough it.

[WhiteH2O]

Originally Posted by RastaMon

Just seemed like a queen sized double height air mattress would be a pain in the ass to backpack with. /shrug

I am going to go out on a limb and guess he is thinking more of car-camping than backpacking with it.

[r0bman]

Originally Posted by I_H8_1.8

air mattresses

Nope.

http://www.amazon.com/Adult-Trifold-Hide-Folding-Mattress/dp/B000F4EJO4/ref=cm_cr_pr_product_top

You can get them at CostCo for ~$45, at least out here. Grab two to construct a queen-size bed.

'Course, you need a vehicle big enough to lug them. They're light, just take up a crap-ton of room. But that's why anyone who does any decent amount of camping should have a truck.

[WhiteH2O]

Anyone who does a lot of camping should have a truck to carry around their huge mattress?

[I_H8_1.8]

Originally Posted by Subie Love

I'm buying a REI Quarterdome T2 tent tomorrow. I'll get a review up soon. Well, I'm going to look at it tomorrow. If I feel it's too small, I'm going to get the T2 plus but they don't have it in stock right now.

I have a Marmot Helium 15+ sleeping bag and its awesome. 100% down, packs down really small and very warm. Highly recommended.

Good to know for future reference; I'm mostly in the air mattress/sheets/blankets/maybe a sleeping bag for a comforter stage right now.

Originally Posted by WhiteH2O

I have a four season Mt Hardware tent that is bad-ass. Would buy again. Come to think of it, my sleeping bag is also Mt Hardware, and that is bad-ass also.

Although my favorite camping accessory would be my VW Camper Van. Warmer and more comfy than the tent, but I do use the sleeping bag in it.

Just bought a new tent a couple of weeks ago that I will be trying out in a few weeks; it wasn't anything special, brand-wise, but seems to be a lot nicer and more spacious than the three or so other tents I've used since getting back into camping in the last few years.

My friend has a 1977 or so Chevy half-ton pickup with an Alaskan camper in the bed; despite being dated, it works pretty well for having the things I miss as a tent camper, such as fridge, sink, etc.

[VpointVick]

I've car camped for years, and an air mattress has gone with me since I turned thirty. It's nice having a base camp with a few amenities to come home to on long MTB trips.

[I_H8_1.8]

Originally Posted by RastaMon

Just seemed like a queen sized double height air mattress would be a pain in the ass to backpack with. /shrug

Originally Posted by StriderTB

Double height queen mattress. Way to rough it.

Originally Posted by WhiteH2O

I am going to go out on a limb and guess he is thinking more of car-camping than backpacking with it.

Yeah, car-camping at this point; and agreed, a double-height queen mattress would be an unwelcome item for backpacking. I have done backpack-camping, but it has been quite awhile. My interests at this point are strictly car-camping, but that's not to say I wouldn't enjoy getting back into backpacking.

Originally Posted by r0bman

Nope.

Amazon.com: Adult Trifold Hide-A-Mat Twin Folding Mattress, Navy: Home & Garden


You can get them at CostCo for ~$45, at least out here. Grab two to construct a queen-size bed.

'Course, you need a vehicle big enough to lug them. They're light, just take up a crap-ton of room. But that's why anyone who does any decent amount of camping should have a truck.

Very nice, but wouldn't fit into the cars in question. Plus, my membership for Costco ran out in January; I'm still debating if I want to renew it.

Originally Posted by WhiteH2O

Anyone who does a lot of camping should have a truck to carry around their huge mattress?

Seems that way, but won't work in my case.

[r0bman]

Originally Posted by WhiteH2O

Anyone who does a lot of camping should have a truck to carry around their huge mattress?

It's not a mattress, and it's not HUGE, but I couldn't have fit those pads into the STi along with everything else, no way. They're stupid comfortable and can handle my dog jumping on them (which is reason #1 I retired the whole air mattress idea after two deflated overnight on me).

[I_H8_1.8]

Originally Posted by VpointVick

I've car camped for years, and an air mattress has gone with me since I turned thirty. It's nice having a base camp with a few amenities to come home to on long MTB trips.

This is what I'm after; any suggestions on brands?

[VpointVick]

Originally Posted by I_H8_1.8

This is what I'm after; any suggestions on brands?

I've got a single-high Coleman that I've had for ~15 years. Bought another similar one for guests at the house to use. They've held up great, and hold air very well.

[somebody else]

Picked up a Marmot Limelight 3 tent from REI a couple of weeks ago. Used the Memorial Day Sale 20% off plus some left-over dividend bucks so I walked out the door for $150 which included sales tax. Price includes "footprint" and [smallish] gear loft.



Pros:

• Doors on both side, each with large vestibule when using rain fly.
• Lots of netting for nice sky viewing on fair-weather nights.
• Very easy set-up -- intuitive. Marmot's pole clips are the best I've ever used. Tabs have reflective material which aids night set-up.

Cons:

• It's not a "4 season" tent with all that implies. Specifically, setting up, staking out and stability in high winds will never be as robust as my ancient, rotted North Face VE24.

This brings up a sore point with camping gear in general. The urethane water-proof coating used on virtually all tents and much other gear has a relatively limited life-span. After a few years it starts getting sticky and starts to stink. Shortly after that it starts to de-laminate. This is the unspoken shame of the camping industry.

[RastaMon]

Car camping can be fun. I love backpacking though, nothing like getting out in the middle of nowhere. Colorado high country night sky > Jesus.

[just smurfy]

I just used a Cabela's gift cert for a car-camping tent I've sorely needed. I've crammed myself and the occasional gf in my REI 2-person backpacking tent for far too long.

I got a Kelty Trail Ridge 4. Not as oontzy as the high-end models like Mtn Hardware, etc., but for car camping in the summer, it'll work just fine. Attic, anodized aluminum poles, walls that go almost straight up, vents, taped seams, and the rainfly goes all the way to the ground. It's big enough for two people to have LOTS of room, including sitting up for playing cards, etc when the weather's lousy. http://www.kelty.com/p-401-trail-rid...tents-shelters



My only gripe about this tent is, without the rain fly, it has zero privacy. It would have been better (I think?) to have regular fabric partway up the side of the tent so I can have partial privacy without using the fly.

When it comes to backpacking tents, I'll spend $$$. But for car camping, the larger tents are incredibly expensive from the better names, and it would only serve to make me paranoid about actually using it or getting it dirty.

[just smurfy]

Originally Posted by RastaMon

Car camping can be fun. I love backpacking though, nothing like getting out in the middle of nowhere. Colorado high country night sky > Jesus.

Yeah, both definately have their place. Car camping is fun when you have a group of friends and tie it in with a rafting trip. Which I do every summer.



Backpacking is a whole other experience of awesomeness.

[scaryfastskier]

I'm considering buying:



+



I hate camping, but it would be convenient for dirt biking at times.

[WhiteH2O]

Here is my Mountain Hardware tent I was talking about:



Another picture of the spot we chose to camp.


That was the best trip ever. This was two days into the Olympic Mountains.

[plode]

I go camping for a week in 5 days.
I'll be staying in either a tent or a lean to pictured below.


I know the lean to's will probably be cooler temp wise.

[John__Gotti]

Originally Posted by scaryfastskier

I'm considering buying:





I hate camping, but it would be convenient for dirt biking at times.

My parents used to have something very similar to this but hooked up to their Pathfinder. Then they had and air mattress in the back with the seats down. They loved it but are a little older now and upgraded to a small trailer.