I'm a camping geek. Let's share our tips.

[DJBounce]

Place an emergency blanket under your sleeping pad to keep you warm during the colder camping trips.

 

[ssilykids]

I am so excited by this web site. I feel so at home here. All of the ideas are wonderful. We also use Christmas lights for our awning. I purchased the cable type that are like tubing. It works wonderfully.

I also have a suggestion, we purchased a ten foot by ten foot piece of indoor outdoor carpet. It is bulky for transport, but it saves time on camper clean up. We had been using rugs, but with three little ones it wasn't helping. Now we just roll out the carpet, and very little ends up inside.

Thanks for the wonderful ideas. I have already started packing.

 

[Whosemom]

Hi Fellow campers!!

Camping here around home that first night of the trip-after waiting for Daddy to get home, driving, setting up - we always end up with dinner around 8. Which is a stretch because we eat around 4:30 most of the time, and send them to bed at 8. I can only imagine when we camp at FW it'll be late every night. I can't leave the parks before the parade or light show or what ever! And my husband's favorite chant is "They're OOOOOpen. why are we still HEEEEEERE?" Makes for a long day

I like the thermal on the floor idea, and the carpet outside. Our little 18"x24" rug is meaningless!

Here's a novice camper question. There are 5 of us in a 10X10 tent (some of us are very small). I just can't get everyone to stop breathing, so we end up with the inside of the tent soaking wet from condensation, and I can only picture it getting worse as it gets cooler out. Is there anyway to avoid this? HELP ME We're camping this weekend, and its been in the 40's at night lately

Micki

 

[MontanaCowgirl]

Kinda hard to do away with that all together but there are 2 things you can do that I know of that will considerably cut down on the problem of the indoor rain showers
1st be sure to have a vent open...window, whatever, to let the steam out. (This is where those dome tents are really great! easy to vent!) Then get several containers of "Damp-Rid" & hang them from the rafters! They absorb the moisture. Just be sure to empty the reservoirs every day. Don't use these if the kids are so little they might eat it. If they are old enough to know & listen to the "hands off" rule then they do help. I now keep one in my camper under the dining table & one up in the loft & I have no mildew or indoor moisture. For a 10' X 10' tent I would suggest 2 or 3 of them. One hung on each of the opposite corners & maybe one in the center! They are made to put on the floor so you will need to purchase cheap-o plant hangers to put them in in order to hang up & out of the way. Good luck!


Time is NOT going fast enough here!!!!!

 

[Whosemom]

Thanks, Cowgirl! We never shut things up all the way. i guess I feel a little exposed to leave the windows wide open. We have the dome tent, so we'd need to sit the Damp-rid on the floor with my 22 mo old. Probably not good. I've never heard of that product. Where do they sell it?

Micki

 

[Whosemom]

duh! I was thinking camping store, not household stuff, of course I've seen it!

 

[MontanaCowgirl]

Does your tent have a lantern hanging loop on the top? You could hang it there. Nope...deffinately would not work on the floor with a 22 mo old!

 

[clkelley]

I have several camping gadgets that I can't live without!!

I have an air mattress and a rechargeable pump! Actually takes up less space than my foam mat I used to have and a lot more comfortable!!

On my December Ft. Wilderness trips, I actually set up two tents. One is my 10x10 dome that has great ventilation and is really comfy to sleep in. The other tent I set up is for my "stuff". I usually fly down for the December trip, so I refuse to be cramped up with my stuff in the tent for a week.

I also set up a sun shade/rain fly in front of my tent so that if it does rain, I don't have to squidge into rain gear inside my tent or bring wet rain gear into the tent.

I also have several bungy cords and also bring lots of biner clips (also know as "D" rings) for hanging stuff such as lanterns from the inside of the tent or the inside of the sun shade.

Another thing I find handy are cable ties. I usually pack my stuff for Ft. Wilderness and other longer camping trips into a large rubbermaid bin and use cable ties to make sure they stay shut securely. They are also good for attaching lights to awnings and hanging things on the inside of your tent.

I guess when I go to WDW this December, I will have to attach a knife with a cable tie to the outside of my bin that I will check as luggage so that I can get my bin open once I arrive, since I can't have the knife in my carryon.

When I'm camping with electricity such as at Ft. Wilderness, I always bring a small fan with me that helps fight the humidity and dries out the inside of the tent during the day.

Although, I guess my favorite gadget is my big folding chair with arms and cup holders. That thing goes with me everywhere, camping, ball games, picnics, you name it. I love it!!