Camping Gear

So I picked up a camping heater from Gander Mtn. I am also looking for a solid 4 season tent and a cot or therma rest sleeping pad. Our air mattress just plain sucks. What do you guys have for camping? What are your likes and dislikes?

Here's a pic of the heater I got. I think this with the mummy bag I have should get me by at RC this next weekend.

great post. i'm shopping for this gear now.

I love my coleman air mattress but i could see how it would be cold as all hell in the winter.

I have a wal-mart special tent and air mattress. The tent is a moisture trap and the air mattress deflates after 3 hrs haha I was up cold wet and uncomfortable as hell

Just a heads up for those looking for a tent heater. Be aware that propane gives off carbon monoxide. The heater that Jake bought has a low-oxygen sensor (at least that's what Amazon says). So keep it well ventilated, which would lose all the heat anyhow or get one with the sensor.

Air mattresses are the worst for camping. Went through two before buying a sleeping bag. Picked up some sleeping pads so hopefully that will keep us off the ground and a little warmer.

Yea the low oxygen sensor auto shut off was selling point vs columns heater. And the base seemed a lot more stable

Most of my camping gear is at least 15 years old. I have a -30 degree mummy by I think slumberjack. I also have a 0 degree standard style by kelty, and a military ecws sleeping bag. I also have a spring/summer bag. I think I have an infrared tent heater around somewhere. I used to leave one of the widows partially unzipped a little for some air exchange. I don't have a nice big tent anymore, just my jungle hammock, and the little coleman 2 person I bought right before one of the pines trips. I used to have a bunch more stuff, but I donated a lot of it to the boy scouts. I do have a bunch of propane lanterns still, and my camp stove.

This bad boy just screams "use at your own risk"

Lol more like use in small enclosed space if you want to die

That things got about a hundred hours of use on it, and I ain't dead yet.

This would explain a lot about you

i got a Coleman 3000 btu catalytic propane heater. i tested it in the garage and it works pretty good. gave off a funky smell at first but is good now. i know the tent has to be ventilated but that is fine. the rain fly will be on and my tent has air vents in the roof anyway. most of you have seen my Teton xxl cot. that thing is freakin great. i also have a coleman compression pillow that folds into itself. im not a fan of the air inflated pillows. i still have 6 wool emergency blankets that im going to bring to lay down in the tent to try and keep the ground from sucking the heat out of the bottom.

I am thinking about doing one of these

http://www.amazon.com/MILITARY-JAMBOREE-FOLDING-ALUMINUM-SLEEPING/dp/B005GHMT06/ref=lh_ni_t

What do you think?

looks very similar to the one i have. the hardware is a little different but same design. i got mine because it is big enough for me and jackie and also can hold like 500 lbs or something and they are making a tent for it, not sure if that is out yet, but it's a tent that literally just encompasses the cot. so if i did cold weather again i would bring that and just lay blankets over top of it and make a cave.

http://www.amazon.com/Teton-Sports-Outfitter-XXL-Cot/dp/B000P6BGYI

When it's cold out, you're better off sleeping on the ground on a foam pad, you will stay warmer.

If you have another sleeping bag, double them up. throw a couple handwarmer in your sleeping bag about 30 minutes before you goto sleep.

durt d1ver wrote:

When it's cold out, you're better off sleeping on the ground, you will stay warmer.

yeah but i only have my massive tent so a smaller tent on the cot i could insulate inside and out and be warmer. if i had a little 1 person or 2 person tent for the ground then it would be a different story. i want one of these

http://www.cabelas.com/catalog/product.jsp?productId=1168139&type=product&WT.tsrc=CSE&WT.mc_id=GoogleBaseUSA&WT.z_mc_id1=1168139&rid=40&mr:trackingCode=948BD2A4-122C-E011-8E88-001B21631C34&mr:referralID=NA

durt d1ver wrote:

When it's cold out, you're better off sleeping on the ground on a foam pad, you will stay warmer.

If you have another sleeping bag, double them up. throw a couple handwarmer in your sleeping bag about 30 minutes before you goto sleep.

Yea I figured with the heater as long as I was off the ground I would be in decent shape. I also want to be comfortable and those damn thermarest pads are like $100! Oh well I might suck it up and just buy one of those.

Jake wrote:

I am thinking about doing one of these

http://www.amazon.com/MILITARY-JAMBOREE-FOLDING-ALUMINUM-SLEEPING/dp/B005GHMT06/ref=lh_ni_t

What do you think?

It has a free pillow, how could you go wrong?

That looks like a decent setup.

I got a Bass Pro sleeping bag I keep in my rig, its the 30* with the flannel lining I love that thing. I wouldnt wanna backpack with it since it weighs a ton but its held up great so far in my truck. I also have a Cabelas 0* model I keep under it since these trucks dont have insulation under the bed, and it adds a little more cushion. As far as tents go I cant help ya there unless new models come with heat, ac, cable tv, and free wifi.

Changed my mind, probably going to pick up one of these guys in the 4" verity

http://www.gandermountain.com/modperl/product/details.cgi?i=419342&pdesc=Gander_Mountain_Self_Inflating_1_0_Camping_Pad&aID=505B7&merchID=4006

Jake wrote:

Changed my mind, probably going to pick up one of these guys in the 4" verity

http://www.gandermountain.com/modperl/product/details.cgi?i=419342&pdesc=Gander_Mountain_Self_Inflating_1_0_Camping_Pad&aID=505B7&merchID=4006

Do it, you won't regret it. I have an REI self inflating sleeping pad that I love...

dcarr1971 wrote:

Jake wrote:

Changed my mind, probably going to pick up one of these guys in the 4" verity

http://www.gandermountain.com/modperl/product/details.cgi?i=419342&pdesc=Gander_Mountain_Self_Inflating_1_0_Camping_Pad&aID=505B7&merchID=4006

Do it, you won't regret it. I have an REI self inflating sleeping pad that I love...

You camp with it in the type of weather displayed in your avatar?

Hilltoppersx wrote:

. i still have 6 wool emergency blankets that im going to bring to lay down in the tent to try and keep the ground from sucking the heat out of the bottom.

Them blankets worth it? I found on colemans.com, 6 for $35. Thinking about getting them to lay down too.

Either that or a propane heater, dunno yet

KingKong8247 wrote:

Hilltoppersx wrote:

. i still have 6 wool emergency blankets that im going to bring to lay down in the tent to try and keep the ground from sucking the heat out of the bottom.

Them blankets worth it? I found on colemans.com, 6 for $35. Thinking about getting them to lay down too.

Either that or a propane heater, dunno yet

those are the exact blankets I have. I think they would work good as an insulator/pad. not so much a comforter because they are made of scrap wool. I like those tent heaters they sell on colemans surplus! like said before the heaters need ventilation but man it gives good heat for 7 hrs.

Was going to get the blankets until I saw that shipping would make them more expensive then the heater.

So I went ahead and ordered the lil guy heater like Jake bought.
Found it here for $50 shipped:
http://www.campingworld.com/shopping/product/mr-heater-little-buddy-propane-heater/7729
Free shipping and use code: 9755 for $5 off. Tax in NJ though.

Hopefully it works well and will heat the tent up enough for that January trip.

we have lean-to's with wood burning stoves for january

Jake wrote:

dcarr1971 wrote:

Do it, you won't regret it. I have an REI self inflating sleeping pad that I love...

You camp with it in the type of weather displayed in your avatar?

It's been a while and I had a different model, but yes, I've camped with them in some pretty crazy conditions. The one of enclosed cell pads and a space blanket on the floor of your tent will keep you as warm (better than just the wool blankets), but the self-inflating pad will be a lot more comfortable.

If I end up camping at ROTR, and we have weather anything like my avatar I'll go with the space banket on the floor of one of my 2 man tents and the pad, then my 20* bag...