Regarding things that I need to get sorted out and ready for a family camping trip, I guess I need to recall what I have currently, and then locate them in the garage somewhere to see just what might work, or if I need to replace the current setup.
Way back in 1991, while serving in the Navy and spending part of my Desert Storm experience on a little island in the middle of the Indian Ocean, I was introduced to an awesome mail order company, Campmor. See, one of the sacrifices that military members make while serving far away from home is commonly having no where to go shopping for any luxury items, or items other than the simplest of supplies that the AAFES store or Exchange offer, if there's even one of those. There's also usually a lack of decent entertainment to partake of if there's any free time while deployed to remote locations. It's for these times that things like mail order catalogs can be such a great thing. Sure, now most places our troops are have internet access, but back in '91 I didn't even have a PC until after I had returned from Desert Storm, and that computer's online time was via a 2400 baud modem to local BBS'. Anyways, there was a need to have some "luxury" items above and beyond what Uncle Sam provided while overseas, and mail order companies that would ship to APO/FPO military mail addresses were great!
I don't really recall ever ordering anything via mail order before I enlisted, except for maybe some odd trinket or book or something small, but everyday items like shoes and clothing I would get from a local store. One of the first things I realized I would need, besides a really good towel, was a proper jacket that would provide protection from rain and wind, be easily packable and not look like a military issued piece of clothing. LL Bean answered the call with a Gore Tex jacket called the North Col jacket, and I still have and wear that jacket. That jacket has been around the world, literally, a couple times, been crammed into backpacks and suitcases, been used as a blanket and rolled into a pillow, seen monsoons in Okinawa and hurricanes here in North Carolina, and still looks great. Sadly, LL Bean doesn't make this same jacket anymore, so once mine's shot I don't know what I'll do.
My next order of desired goods from back home was a couple other traveling goodies. From Campmor I ordered a new sleeping bag. I was plenty fortunate to get to stay in pretty decent housing most of my Navy career, but I was an Aviation Electronics Tech and got to fly around a bit as needed to support the squadron's aircraft. These flights on military aircraft tended to be pretty rough, as personnel comfort was not usually a high priority, and having a decent sleeping bag along was extremely helpful. It also provided a comfortable retreat when staying in less than new, sometimes downright unsanitary barracks. The first bag I got from Campmor was a Coleman model rated to somewhere around 32°F, and this bag was pretty good. It didn't break the bank, as I recall, was a nice neutral grey color that didn't show dirt, and packed quite small. I used that bag for a couple years until a couple of the seams started to blowout. I'm still using the follow up bag from Campmor, a nice Sierra Designs one, circa 1993 model year. I believe it was rated to somewhere around 15°F. That bag cost about double what the Coleman one did, but it's held up well over the years, with my only complaint being that the little plastic spring-loaded slide on the bag's duffel, the one on the cord that closes the top of the storage bag, has broken.
Somewhere during that Navy time I bought other camping goodies including things like a nice external frame Jansport backpack, an MSR XGK stove, various lanterns and flashlights, aluminum cookware and much more. The tent I bought had to pack small, be light, and not be too pricey. I got a Eureka Timberlite. It's a basic little A-frame tent with aluminum poles, a rain fly, room for 2, and I added a nice ground cloth and an annex. This may be considered a 2 person tent, but I really consider it a roomy solo tent, with plenty of space for me along with any gear I may need to keep out of the elements. While this tent isn't considered a freestanding model, as it has some guylines on the sides that help pull out to provide more interior room, it can be easily used without them if needed. This old Eureka tent will probably last another couple decades and see some service with one or both of my sons before it's worn out. The other tent in the garage is a dome tent that I believe is an Ozark brand or something similar. It's my wife Melanie's. We got it from either Wal Mart or Big 5 in Lompoc, CA many years ago, and if I recall correctly, it's a decent enough tent, completely free standing (most domes are, aren't they?), and made for 3 adults. The drawbacks from a backpacker's point of view are the fiberglass poles which weigh a ton, and the general bulkiness overall of this tent. It doesn't pack all that small, but for car camping none of that matters. It just has to protect it's occupants from rain, bugs and other weather. I really need to find this tent, as it's the one that might likely be big enough to fit my wife, my two toddler sons, and myself into for a couple nights this summer. Of course, if it seems that it might be a little claustrophobic in there, I may need to get shopping for a more family friendly tent.
I gotta run, I've got some research to do!
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