How do you camp ?

[Blkvoodoo]

We've done tents, had several, I'm to old and worn out to lay on the ground to sleep anymore.
been thru many air mattresses, never found one that was able to hold air for more than a few hours, which makes it that much more fun to get up off the ground.

2 years ago we got our first camper, old Starcraft pop-up, used it a few times, dragged it cross country once to have our own place to stay when visiting family. realized that a basic camper is quite lacking. no fridge, no on board power ( battery ) and no water tank.

hauled it to Rodanthe and stayed a weekend at a KOA, great fun !!

CAMPER, thats it. a place to sleep and stay dry if needed. fun, somewhat comfy but need /want more....

This last year we popped for a larger model, all the comforts, even an on-board toilet.
several trips this last summer, Kerr Lake, Jordan Lake, Ocracoke, and again Rodanthe.
we're pretty happy with it at this time, it'll be around for quite awhile.

 

[lockedup5]

Me and the wife started out tent camping and loved it then came along a little bundle of joy and decided a pop up would be nice. We did the pop up thing a few years and low and behold another little bundle of joy came alone and the wife suggested we get a bigger camper. I didn't complain so we ended up w/ a 30' tag along w/ a super slideout and it has been awesome. We call it our memory maker. The kids absolutely love to camp. I'm now kinda looking to up grade again if anyone would be interested in buying mine. Also I got rid of the cart in the pic and in the market for a nice club precedent if anyone has one to sell.

 

[willness33]

I'm either in a tent or this....

I much prefer it to the tent unless I'm actually "camping".

 

[J.C.]

Its not called a CAMPER shell for nothing

 

[upnover]

The BL years(before Leslie) I wheeled and camped entirely out of my Jeep, except when I needed more room and pulled a trailer too.
The first time I took her wheelin/camping was the Dixie Run in 2001. We drove the Jeep up to Murphy, camped in a tent, and lived like that for 4 days. She was a trooper, but had bigger ideas.
I bought a 79 Jeep truck, with a camper shell. Bought a trailer, and finished it out. we were set.We spent the next 5 or so years hauling the Jeep with the J truck and sleeping in the bed. Always dry, always warm via a propane heater.The draw backs were: We had lots of room to take stuff. Everything fit nicely in the back of the truck. But once there it all had to come out to give us room to sleep. So the cab would be filled with everything we could. Some stuff was used to camp such as EZ up, camp stove coolers and so on. but everything else had to go into the cab. We wanted more/different. I bought a 78 Ford E250 Van from my friend broncomania. With the 460 and C6, it pulled pretty dang good. We built a bed set up in the rear. We had a good amount of storage under the bed, We could fit about everything except the porta potty and cooler. Again, warm due to the buddy heater, very comfy bed from a mattress robbed from a hide a bed couch. Power inverter to run a micro wave. We had a tarp that would cover the entire Van and provide a dry place to sit on the outside. The draw back for this one was setting up, and packing up. Other than that we really liked it.

We sold the van and bought a 73 Dodge motor home.


ahhhh the comforts of home! What I liked was being able to cook inside, stove, oven, and sit at a table to eat. Nice comfy warm bed with a thermostatically controlled furnace. AC didn't work, but was really never an issue except for a very few summer trips. The draw backs for this one was very slow, 65 max, and more comfort at 55-60. Pulled the hills pretty good with the 440 and 4.56 gearing. It was also our only tow rig, so even for day trips, we had to drive the motor home. John Barkley, a former wheeler decided to sell his Hauler, so I bought it. it's a 84 Chevy with a 454 and 4 speed. We bought a pop up, to tow behind it. It was nice and warm, had a heater and AC, but heat was only so good, had to give it some help on the colder nights from a buddy heater or a lil 1500w ceramic heater. Always warm, dry or cool, but storage was minimal. The other draw back was again, setting up and taking down.
We decided to look for another RV. We had requirements, such as an OD tranny, and room for the dogs if we decided to take them with us. I looked for months for what I wanted. Mostly on CL. I went to see several clunkers. Finally broadened my search into VA and found what we have now. a 1999 E450 class C, with a triton V-10.


We have plans to upgrade a few things, change some things, but all in all, we are very happy with it. Pulls great and VERY comfortable.
I am keeping the hauler, to haul junkers and day trips. Bought a trailer since we sold the one we had, and I think we will stay with this set up for a pretty good while.

 

[drkelly]

Camping to me has always been in a tent out in the woods where I can't see or hear anyone else. I've got a Coleman air matress that has worked well for many years. I sleep great on that thing. I've been using the same tent for MANY years. It is an old Eureka canvas tent. It is heavy and bulky, but works great.

Here is the only picture I've got of it. This was taken at Crackers Neck many years ago.

 

[CTRaceWorx]

Always in a tent unless we're in the big RV at the races.
This is up off the New River around the Sparta area. I wake up, put on the waders and stay in the water almost all day, the wife cleans the fish and we eat.

 

[biggun68]

I camp in my deuce grill and sink on the side sleep in the back

 

[BRUISER]

Like most I started in a tent which worked great for just myself but my wife i snot a real outdoors tent kind of person so when she went we either found a cabin or hotel.., then I traded for a bed camper and used that for many years..

then I decided I wanted a camper and trailer all in one so I built myself a new camper/trailer

http://nc4x4.com/forums/showthread.php?t=69494

after that the wife started to like camping more inside a solid structure and then we had 2 kids and with all of us in the bed camper it started to get a little tight.. so we upgraded again

http://nc4x4.com/forums/showthread.php?t=116503

I just hope I can keep this one for a while and it keeps working

 

[Granny]

I'll make this one easy on myself... http://home.windstream.net/ezduzit/camping.html

 

[UTfball68]

Up until 2 years ago, I just slept on the back seat of the Bronco (but that was pnly going out a handful of times a year). When the OL decided that was enough, I picked up a cheapy tent from KMart...would have gone more, but I damn near had to buy a tent every time I went out. Then back in May, I picked up a pretty nice tent and went out 5 times in 2 months. I doubt I'd ever pick up a camper, because you're just providing your own hotel, which might have its perks...but I can reserve alot of rooms for what a camper/rv costs.

 

[Wreckingball]

Eno hammock, rain fly, therma rest. Best night sleep I've ever had.

My setup on the right. Backpacking in Linville gorge

 

[mattb6679]

We bought a Fleetwood Neon, Pop up Camper, Sleeps 3. Its just a bed (7ft long) and a Couch that folds into a bed. Its Solar powered, Solar panel keeps a battery charged. For your lights and cell phone chargers. Weighs in at around 900lbs and has electric trailer brakes for offroad use or towing behind a car. I love this little camper we take it eveywhere, even partys where i know im gonna drink to much.

Then there's the el grande casa, My 90 model fleetwood we keep at high rock, its lake view but we have a access. We camp here about every weekend in the summer

I dont do the tent thing anymore, I hate a damn air mattress, and waking with a rock in my back. I have a hard enough time staying asleep as it is.

 

[Lizooki]

Done the tent thing for many years.
When it's just me I tend to fly light. I have been known to use a tarp, one tyent pole 2 stakes and 6" thick piece of foam rubber (sleeps great, real warm!).
Wifey bought a 15 room 1000 person tent a few years ago. I hate that thing.
Finally convinced her we need more. Got this in June. Already used it 3 times.

A/C ...... yeah baby!

Matt

 

[pipeline]

The kids and I use a tent but I'm thinking about getting a small camper or building an expedition style trailer.

 

[89wrangler]

I have done all over the years, tents, back of the truck, pull behinds 14,23,28,33'ers, 5th wheel with slide, 28' motor home back in the 90's when the kids were small. Then got away from camping due to other hobbies in GA and FL. Started wheelin more and back came the tent,back of the truck and easy up with a surround that was pretty comfy with a cot, until it got cold. Then started "just looking" at CL for RV's and happen to run across this 1992 RV with 23k miles on the TBI454 and 23hrs on the generator that was too good of a deal to pass up (cheap!) a few years back. Have been to the coast several times in it as well as pulled the Jeep numerous times to KY, TN, AR, NC, SC. For us, it is the only way to travel and camp. If I could only afford a pusher

 

[/dev/ram]

Lots of tents over the years, some small, some big. One was an attachment for a popup canopy that gave really amazing standup space inside. I've tended to want a bigger tent to bring things inside to keep dry, have handy, keep out of direct view, etc.
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As I've gotten older and the 'ol back, knees, and feet don't like sleeping on the ground as much, I thought I would find some other way to camp. Did the air mattress thing and, even when it doesn't deflate in the middle of the night, is still a pain to stand up. I think I'm going to try a cot next. Will post that up in the cot thread...
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So, in terms of my latest tent, assuming a cot for sleeping (already have thermarest pads and such for insulation), then setup was the next pain factor. Found something really cool - the Oz Tent, that sets up in 30 seconds! Don't believe it - watch the video. Very cool.
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http://us.oztent.com/
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Mine in the great room:

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Yeah, it's expensive, but I got it for about half (considering it came with a bunch of accessories for the same price as the tent alone). I've owned $500 tents before that weren't as heavy duty or setup as quick.
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Planning on the M416 w/kitchen to park alongside under a separate side awning that attaches to the front awning. The front awning has a screen door in the front, so lots of room for additional table, chairs, etc.
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Haven't camped in it yet, so will have to post up a better pic in the spring!

 

[upnover]

Looks a lot like the baker tents we had in Boy Scouts. We could put two of those together and it made a really big tent

 

[shawn]

We've got a bunch of backpacking tents... two man, three man, three-season, four pound deals. They're awesome when backpacking... light weight, bomb-proof in a storm.

Then Sara came. And... FTS. We bought this:



It's a 36ft Haulmark with 18ft of garage and 10ft of camper, plus the 8ft neck. King bed, generator, A/C, microwave, wet bath, propane heat, fridge, cooktop. It's pretty much perfect. I already want a bigger one.

Camping in a tent out in the woods is fun. Camping in a field at a race next to somebody's generator... meh. Waking up in the middle of the night because you're cold and you can't decide if you want to get up and adjust the thermostat... that's awesome.

 

[willness33]

Waking up in the middle of the night because you're cold and you can't decide if you want to get up and adjust the thermostat... that's awesome.

Even more awesome is when your heat/AC has a remote so you don't have to get up.

 

[Caver Dave]

Like most... have slept above/on/in/under ground for years with a variety of tents/tarps/trucks.
The last was a Coleman 5-man tent, a couple of cots, carpet runners, & Rubbermaid tote ("nightstand""). It 's very flexible (modular), fairly comfortable, and does well in any season... but regardless of the weather, the tent always requires hanging afterwards to air/dry (dew/rain/other?) and I've had enough of it!

2 years ago, I bought the latest version. Only slept in it twice since (mostly day trips & a couple cabin/hotel trips), but I can say it was warm, dry, comfortable and after unloading it... I am DONE!

Plans include a shore-powered HVAC unit (removable from 2nd row window), window tint, interior shelves under the rear windows (keeps little things from getting misplaced) and a laminated memory foam mattress.

 

[XJsavage]

Depends on where I go. When I camp out of the Jeep I go overland style with a one person tent, roll up matress pad, camp stove, Coleman lantern, cooler, and a big a** fire. No expensive motor home that cost more than my house or flashy pull behind trailer with a roof top tent, just out there!

When I camp out of a kayak I carry the same stuff, just a little more compact.

 

[99Classic]

Drunk in the back of my XJ

 

[y2kcrawler]

The kids and I use a tent but I'm thinking about getting a small camper or building an expedition style trailer.

^ thats not camping! haha.

Camping to me is being in the outdoors away from civilization. Primitive spots with no power outlets, bathrooms or premade firepits. I like to find my own spot to setup camp not a predetermined spot. But I have done camping like the pics above and is good for an extended stay. I usually take a small hammock so if its nice outside Ill sleep in it with a tarp overhead with my Eureka 3 man tent. I have ait matresses but have never tried em and at my age I will be bringing one this year.

The scariest overnighter was when I was rockclimbing with a friend at the new river. He is an expert climber so he lead climbed to the top, setup all the rigging, then we climbed that face all day. He setup a sleeping back and we slept right there on the side of the mountain. It wasnt too bad except for the windchill, I felt totally secure though and wasnt nervous about falling. Wouldnt recomend it for comfort though haha

 

[XJsavage]

Someone's going to find this hilarious..

Nothing beats waking up to this in the morning...