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Been decades since I went camping in a tent. Came across an anime about camping and saw things that either weren’t available or were extremely hard to come by when I went camping. Tent camping meant building a campfire from wood found around the site. Cooking was with the old fashion Coleman dual fuel one or two burner stove or an adjustable stand over the campfire. While these are still available, I saw metal sheets that fit together to make a portable wood fire pit for cooking or campfire heat where a ground fire could potentially cause a wildfire. I saw various propane or butane stoves for cooking and lanterns. Tents went from poles and rope to set up to instant pop up tents of various designs.
At my age and health I’m long past tent camping and sleeping in a tent in summer of south Louisiana is horrible even when I was young and healthy. What I would like to know is are there still people who know how to build a proper campfire without store bought fire starter products like starter fluid, quick light blocks, or other products? At most they should need flint, magstriker, match, or lighter. Is tents, like traditional pup tents, a lost skill?z
Location: East of Seattle since 1992, 615' Elevation, Zone 8b - originally from SF Bay Area
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I still know how to do all of that because I started camping at age 16 in 1968, and even used a camp stove that ran on "white gas." My first tent was canvas with metal poles that fit together as an external frame. Even in the mid-90s we took the kids camping often in a 10x12 canvas tent, but had a propane stove and lanterns then. We used matches to start our campfires. Now at 71, we have a 25' travel trailer with all the amenities.
I camp mainly in small out of the way campgrounds so most people have a fire. All but one of the very rural campgrounds I regularly go to have fire rings. Another thing is now EVERY campground I have been to in many years DO NOT allow gathering any wood for fires. They differ greatly as one supplies it for free, one has it for sale/donation as you take the amount of wood you want and leave a donation for it. Others allow you to bring wood but they want it to be local. I have never been to a big fancy campground so have no idea how they work.
I haven't tent camped since the early 80s and hated it back then. I have a 24' travel trailer as I am sensitive and delicate. Still do a lot of cooking outside over the fire.
I still camp in tents especially on the occasions where it's the only option. Backpacking, tent only campsites, snowshoe camping.. By my count I have 1 main canvas tent, 2 backpacking tents and 2 solo shelters. In Scouts, especially in winter, they always build campfires in designated spots, and they cannot use ANY accelerants. Must be from scratch. And all wood is gathered, sawn and split on site (we have that luxury here- no shortage of wood).
My 35year old North Face 4 season tent.
My solo bivy
Our Nemo backpacking tent (this was a boat in only campsite)
This is the Nemo and our canvas Springbar tent at the Oregon coast
Springbar with my older hunting buddy-
We all (my family) knows how to start a fire from scratch. The last open fire meal(s) I made were BBQ chicken and roasted oysters over the campfire at the beach.
Been decades since I went camping in a tent. Came across an anime about camping and saw things that either weren’t available or were extremely hard to come by when I went camping. Tent camping meant building a campfire from wood found around the site. Cooking was with the old fashion Coleman dual fuel one or two burner stove or an adjustable stand over the campfire. While these are still available, I saw metal sheets that fit together to make a portable wood fire pit for cooking or campfire heat where a ground fire could potentially cause a wildfire. I saw various propane or butane stoves for cooking and lanterns. Tents went from poles and rope to set up to instant pop up tents of various designs.
At my age and health I’m long past tent camping and sleeping in a tent in summer of south Louisiana is horrible even when I was young and healthy. What I would like to know is are there still people who know how to build a proper campfire without store bought fire starter products like starter fluid, quick light blocks, or other products? At most they should need flint, magstriker, match, or lighter. Is tents, like traditional pup tents, a lost skill?z
I can still do it. But I sure as hell dont want to, and as such send a monthly over to M&T bank for our coach...
If the SHTF and/or sasquatch attacks, I will be ready. But I intend to skip out if I can...
I got a better job that included some vacation time. My wife suggested we try camping. I nearly fell off the chair, she had never been camping in her life. We bought a tent 4 sleeping bags and all the other gear. We went from NJ up through the Adirondacks to Montreal. In the campground most of the campers spoke french. The kids got along fine. We met some other Americans that traveled in a VW beetle. They put their gear in the back seat and put their kids on top of it. He had a phobia about roof racks. From Montreal we went up to Quebec city and ran into the same family in the campground. Quebec City was fascinating. We did a lot of sightseeing, really enjoyed it. On the way home we camped at Lake Bomaseen state park in Vermont. We rented a row boat on the lake and a storm came up. My wife said she was amazed at how fast I made boat that go. Our tent was sheltered by trees and did well. Another family was our in an open field and their tent got flattened. We thought about that, and the next summer we were up off the ground in a popup trailer with real mattresses. Big improvement.
Ive done tent camping lots of times as well as RV camping and its not so bad. We have cots and temp rated sleeping bags so youre not sleeping on the hard ground when tent camping. The RV is nice but for many of us, camping isnt about
microwaving, satellite tv, kurig coffee or staring at laptops and cellphones. one can do all that at work or home. Its about getting into nature and actually enjoying outside the box. Take a walk, sit back in front of a campfire with some
campfire coffee. Maybe wave to your neighbor and get to know them. Need ac? Tents have those windows with adjustable flaps and screens so you can let the cool air breeze through.
But thats just my 2c. Im fine doing tent or rv~ing and love both.
Ive done tent camping lots of times as well as RV camping and its not so bad. We have cots and temp rated sleeping bags so youre not sleeping on the hard ground when tent camping. The RV is nice but for many of us, camping isnt about
microwaving, satellite tv, kurig coffee or staring at laptops and cellphones. one can do all that at work or home. Its about getting into nature and actually enjoying outside the box. Take a walk, sit back in front of a campfire with some
campfire coffee. Maybe wave to your neighbor and get to know them. Need ac? Tents have those windows with adjustable flaps and screens so you can let the cool air breeze through.
But thats just my 2c. Im fine doing tent or rv~ing and love both.
We used a tent one summer. Summer in south Louisiana is just too hot and humid for tent camping unless you have no other choice. Our tent was in the shade and we did have the vent flaps open but overnight lows in the low to mid 80s with near 100% humidity is horrible. We later used a small camper. Most cooking was done with the Coleman dual fuel dual burner stove. We had a small black and white TV and radio for local news/weather reports only.
I used to love tent camping. I'd take my son and load our gear, pick him up from school and off we'd go. Hit the grocery for a couple of big pork or veal chops, I taught him how to start a fire and cook them over it. Next day we'd have fresh caught fish for lunch. Getting rained on was part of the experience. He's grown & married now & out of the house, The Mrs. Isn't a camper and I've got mobility issues from an accident. I miss those days.
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Still do a lot of cooking outside over the fire.
