Tag Archives: Camping

Camping and Outdoor Cooking Safety

There’s nothing better than venturing into the great outdoors and cooking traditional food filled with authenticity and natural flavor. It’s a chance to get back to the basics while achieving tastes that you can’t get in any fancy kitchen. Camping trips are simply incomplete without great food, and it’s your responsibility to explore as many tasty options as possible. While enjoying yourself should be a priority, you have to remember that it’s not all fun and games. There are basic elements you need to address in order to preserve the safety of your entire family. It’s always better to be safe than sorry when it comes to anything camping related, and this fully applies to outdoor cooking as well. Here are some of the most important factors to keep in mind the next time you go camping.

Set up a Safe Cooking Space – it’s absolutely essential to finding a good place for your gas or charcoal grill. You should have a firm surface that limits the likelihood of tipping. Some smaller grills don’t handle weight well so you have to be careful about where you put them. It’s far better to find a sturdy model anyways so that you get a full barbecue that can accommodate your entire family. Most importantly, don’t make the drastic mistake of attempting to barbecue inside your tent!

Clean Your Equipment – it’s important to be familiar with your equipment and maintain it properly in an outdoor environment. Make sure to read instructions carefully and ensure there are no loose bits and pieces, especially if you’re working with a gas model. Keep it well stored at all times and make sure that you clean it after each cooking session so that you don’t get unwanted leftovers in your next meal.

Food Safety – you won’t have the luxury of working with modern refrigerators so that means you have to be more diligent with basic food safety. Keep your coolers separated and well-stocked while teaching your kids about basic food handling practices. There’s nothing worse than catching a bout of food poisoning while camping, so you have to make sure to keep uncooked meat separate from everything else. And if you have thawed anything from your cooler, make sure that you cook it right away rather than putting it back inside.

Cook your Food Thoroughly – you might be tempted to rush the process because everything smells so good. Just make sure that you have patience with your grill so that all of your food is cooked evenly. Barbecuing is actually a pretty simple process and thanks to modern gas grills, all you really have to do is let your meat sit until it’s done. You might even want to bring along a meat thermometer if you’re cooking larger cuts of beef or chicken.

Careful Precautions – common sense always wins out in any camping environment. Something should go without saying, but it’s always good to remind yourself of basic safety practices. For example, keep your barbecue well away from dry areas and always be aware of the danger of forest fires. Keep water or a fire extinguisher handy in case things get out of control. Also ensure that when you’re done, your coals have died and there are no errant sparks that can cause potential problems.

Keep the Kids Away – a campsite can get pretty chaotic if you happen to bring your children. This is why you need to know where they are at all times. Designate a cooking area and tell your kids to stay away until you’re done. The last thing you need is one of your children running into your portable charcoal grill and potentially harming themselves. Don’t worry, they’ll get their chance to participate as they grow older but for now keep them away from the grill.

Essential Equipment For Family Holiday Camping Trips

Most families have been camping together at one time or another. For some it was a first and last time. Not everyone enjoys the outdoors. But for those families that do take to the natural world of camping they tend to find every opportunity to get outdoors again. Holiday seasons are particularly popular times for family camping trips. The ease of making arrangements while school is out and the range of activities on offer from Park Rangers is inviting. The key to any family camping adventure is to make sure you have all the necessary equipment to enjoy all weather conditions and to be comfortable away from home.

Of course the most essential part of any camping equipment inventory is a tent. There are tents to suit every family, as well as single person or twin hiking domes. Depending on the size of your family and your tent you could find a tent that one person could carry while hiking. Alternatively you could find a secure structure that you could leave up while you spend the day exploring the trails. Large family tents commonly have two rooms that both open onto a corridor down the center. This in turn has two openings at either side. The advantages of corridor tents is that they avoid letting dirt and sand into the sleeping quarters. There are other, slightly smaller tents, with only one room that have an entry ‘foyer’ where you can come in and take off your shoes comfortably before going into the main sleeping areas.

Apart from a tent you’ll also need some warm sleeping bags that are going to stay dry in any weather. Because of the advances in technology most sleeping bags easily fit the bill. Unless you are planning a snow camping expedition a standard sleeping bag should be sufficient. Also, make sure you have good quality packs for hiking, a quality cooking stove and utensils, a tarpaulin to create shade and possibly a fold-out table and chairs. It is also advisable to invest in a fully stocked first aid kit. Because you are going to be away from emergency services it’s essential to make sure you can respond to any injuries with first aid. Finally, it’s advisable to have some old towels, fuel, ropes, torches and a radio.

Unfortunately, camping equipment can be an expensive investment, particularly for families on a tight budget. In my experience if you want to build up a good supply of quality equipment (it’s always best to buy something that will stand the test of time rather than save money and run into maintenance or replacement problems later on) you should discuss as a family the idea of each member of the family devoting their gift giving and receiving to building up a camping inventory for 24 months. Everyone can buy some things and contribute this way and with Sear’s coupons and several stock-take sales during this time you’ll have a great supply of equipment in no time.

Quality Outdoor Equipment Tested In The Toughest Terrain

Outdoors enthusiasts, campers, prospectors and adventurers need the best equipment to explore the natural environment, but the cost of this equipment can sometimes be staggering. Even family-targeted camping equipment comes at a cost and when the expense of buying your outdoor equipment goes up the temptation to sacrifice quality can be hard to resist. But what if there was a great way to buy the highest quality outdoor adventure and camping equipment and save money at the same time? At military surplus retailers and online stores you can get the quality you need at prices you can afford.

I’ve been camping and exploring for years. It started with family fishing trips when I was young and now as a father I often take my own children outdoors on the holidays for a little adventure. Like me, my children love getting outside for fishing, hiking and prospecting. It’s a family tradition enjoyed by millions of people across the world, but it can be a costly pastime. The cost of tents, clothing, equipment and hunting and fishing gear is staggering, but since I’ve discovered military surplus I’ve been able to save a lot every year when adding to and updating our equipment.

One of the best purchases I’ve made from military surplus has been sleeping bags, tents and clothing (check out considerations for the best camping tent). The range of clothing and backpacks in particular is exceptional and my kids love to dress up in camouflage and go spotlighting at night. I admit I love the look of camouflage clothing too, but I also appreciate the quality and the durability of the materials, and the fact that I’m not going to have to replace it after every trip. I also love tucking into a warm and dry sleeping bag at night to rest after chasing after the kids all day.

But it’s not just family trips that I’ve been able to enjoy more since discovering surplus. I love hunting, and while it’s not everyone’s favorite activity, for enthusiasts like me it’s important that I can carry the right knives and guns for each outing (check out what to look for in a hunting knife, too). Military surplus is a great source of knives, sheaths and netting. The quality is made for combat so it is sturdy and reliable. The range of rifles are also impressive.

Hunting equipment is a specialized necessity for sporting enthusiasts and while many military guns are not appropriate for sporting activities it’s possible to modify some combat rifles for these purposes. I recently purchased an AR-15 builder instruction manual and have been able to adapt my rifle to suit the exact purposes I’m looking for. You can also buy handguns and collectors weapons from World War I & II.

Whether you are strictly a family camping hobbyist or adventurous outdoor explorer, military surplus stores offer a great range of supplies for any expedition. Tested in harsh environments by our brave soldiers, surplus stock is a fantastic idea for building your store of outdoor gear. Compasses, portable bathrooms, sleeping bags, clothing and more. Military surplus stores stock everything you need at prices you can afford.

Tent Rentals for Smarter Camping

Camping remains a very attractive entertainment for many, yet can seem on the expensive side in order to be able to purchase most of the gear necessary. However, this does not have to be the case at all. You can find most of the gear needed right at home, and you can borrow or lease the rest. A good example of this approach is with tent rentals.

Quality outdoor supply and camping stores offer quite an array of gear that is available for rent, and this makes sense for several good reasons. For the beginner, they have the opportunity to discover if this is something that they want to pursue without investing in supplies that they may not be using in the future.

For the experienced camper, this gives them the opportunity to test out new, or different, models that they are interested in without purchasing them outright. The option to rent a tent as opposed to buying one makes even more sense when considering how many designs, sizes, and models are available.

Whether 1, 2, or 3 man tents, or even larger sizes, these numbers are relative when considering real world application. What may work for one pair of campers will not be suitable for another, and what one family considers cozy another may consider intolerable. Renting first can teach consumers these differences.

While out camping and backpacking one becomes very attached to one’s equipment, and at times they are truly a matter of survival, so getting the right gear is of vital importance. Shopping on impulse and emotion will never do in such cases. It would be wise to try before you buy, as the saying goes, and knowing what will be best for your needs.

Tent rentals can only serve to create smarter consumers. Again, this can be extremely important when out in the wilds and while on the trail. Camping is great fun, indeed, but does have an element of danger arising out of necessity. Getting the proper gear will increase both pleasure and safety.

Related Posts:
Considerations for the best camping tents

What Makes A Good Hunting Knife?

The best hunting knife is the one that you have on you at the time you need to use it. If you are an outdoorsman or a hunter then you should know that there are many kinds of hunting knives that have been made for a variety of chores. In fact there is no one knife that is the best knife for “everything.” The main focus is to determine what you need your knife to do for you in order to decide what is the best knife to fit your needs.

So what is your hunting knife going to be used for? Will it be mostly for skinning? Is your hunting knife going to be used for wood craft and survival. Do you want your knife to be stainless or carbon steel? These are all major considerations.

Once you have laid out what it is that you want then you can choose a knife that will meet the standards that you have set for it.

Here are some things to consider when looking for a hunting knife:

Folder or fixed blade? The fixed blade version is the most popular with hunters and outdoorsman. Fixed blades are stronger than folders and are easier to clean, sharpen and maintain.

The shape of the blade is important. The best hunting knife for you is in direct relation to the blade shape. The standard blade shapes are drop point, clip point, and skinner. There are also modifications of these blade shapes in between. Skinners are for skinning. Drop point and clip points are for skinning and general woodcraft chores.

What type of steel do you want? There is no such thing as “the best steel.” All steels have their own inherent advantages/disadvantages. Stainless stays sharper longer than carbon, but is harder to re-sharpen in the field. Carbon is easier to sharpen but won’t stay sharp as long as stainless.

Other things to consider will be hand ergonomics, material construction and sheath types. If you use a checklist like this then you will be able to choose the best hunting knife for your needs.

If you already own one or two knives that you now realize aren’t perfect there is no need for anxiety you can just buy more!

See also a related post, what you should look for in a hunting knife.