One of the most functional pieces of gear I own is this Window Dry Sack™ from Outdoor Research, in Seattle, WA. It is constructed of thick nylon, with taped seams and a big urethane window that lets you find what you are looking for, so that you don’t have to dump everything out. Like all Outdoor Research products, it’s guaranteed forever.
Somehow, Father’s Day ended up being maintenance day around the house, but since it was my day, I decided to prioritize a little maintenance on the gear before I took on the yard. One of my primary pieces of gear is my CamelBak® hydration pack, which provides the family with water, snacks, and usually a lunch on our hikes. This pack is admittedly overkill for light use, but it came with a prior job assignment so the price was right and unlike a nylon daypack, I don’t have to worry about wear and tear. I thought I’d snap some pictures while I cleaned the hydration bladder, so that you could all participate in a little maintenance with me!
Perhaps no other camping tradition is more memorable, as a child, than melting your own marshmallow over an open fire, than squishing it between two halves of a graham cracker along with a piece of chocolate candy bar. S’mores are a huge hit with the kids, of course, but they have such a rich tradition that they remind many adults of their childhood family camping experience, too.
I was thumbing through the Friday newspaper ads and our local sporting goods store was advertising some $20 tents, which left me to wonder what you really get for that kind of money. Dimensionally, the tent is in pretty good shape, with a 9×9 foot floor and a 72-inch vertical center-height. The walls are fairly vertical, so much of this floor-space is usable, though the ceiling tapers over quickly so most of the vertical height is really about five feet – which is still not bad.
Although 16oz disposable canisters are the most popular fuel source for these stoves, adapter hose are available to work with refillable propane tanks
In my last post I talked about the Coleman liquid fuel camping stoves and how that relatively simple and durable design has proven itself for several generations of family campers. Today I’ll take a look at the propane camping stoves, which have largely replaced liquid fuel stoves in popularity. Propane stoves are self-priming, which is a big advantage over liquid fuel stoves, and their propane tanks are sealed which eliminates spill and smells.
In my experience with several of these models, they are not quite up to the construction standards of the Coleman Model 425 liquid fuel stove, which has a heavier-gauge steel construction and higher-end burner assemblies. Even if you won’t be passing these camping stoves down to your children, though, they’re still good stoves that will give you years of effective service.