As the title suggests, I'm looking to start a discussion about purchasing camping gear, and the reasoning behind it. I figure this might help other news like myself think about what they're buying and why, and possibly give folks ideas on how they can further streamline their setup.
I'll start us off.
I've been camping for a VERY long time, and have lots of old hand me down gear. Most of it works fine (barring a tent that had a tree land on it while I was still in it, but that's a story for another day). Much of it however is old, bulky, heavy, or just plain doesn't pack well or work all that well.
So, I've purchased the following:
Coleman fold and go grill:
Purchased because I can't seem to get the hang of Charcoal, and it's small, and doubles as a stove and griddle as well.
Lifetime 55 quart cooler:
I was using a 35qt coleman cooler that was both too small for my family for anything more that one night, and could barely hold ice more than two days. Needed something bigger and better. If I do any trips longer than 5 days, I'll buy a fridge.
Upcoming purchases
Coleman 4 person instant tent:
I have a tent that has no rainfly, and a hole in the floor, a backpacking tent that is a pain to setup, and another dome tent that is even more of a pain to set up. I want something that sets up quickly, is waterproof without a rain fly (I'm buying one, but want to not have water get in during setup) and can hold the dog and I. This fits the bill. I plan on buying the 8 person for the family in the spring.
Single burner butane/propane stove.
I have a large 3 burner propane stove that works great. It's also bulky and totally overkill when it's just me. I want something that is small, and with the grill, figure this will fit nicely.
Compact camp chair
My chair is reaching the end of its life. It's also bulky. I figured it's time to replace it, and am going with a small chair that takes up way less space when packed.
Lightspeed outdoors 3" sleeping pad
I've been using a large, bulky twin air mattress. It traps no heat, and the last time I camped in the Nevada desert, I was cold all night. With an r8.9 rating, this should do the job.
That's my list for now. It's ever-evolving, and I'm sure it will be added to as I refine my setup.
I'd love to hear from others as well.
