How to Build a Campfire

 

For many, the campfire is a beloved and indispensable outdoor tradition—a kinetic, luminous, dreamlike force of nature that for generations has served as the centerpiece of backwoods gatherings.

This article explains the key steps for building a successful campfire, as well as fire etiquette tips, whether you’re car camping or backpacking.

Finding or Building a Fire Ring

Campgrounds: Build fires only in designated fire rings, grills or fireplaces. Most developed campgrounds have some version of these. Using a fire ring will lesson your impact and keep your fire contained.

Always check with the campground operator to make sure fires are permitted. In some areas, severe dry periods can cause campfires to be prohibited even in campgrounds.

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Tips for Camping with Kids

Fresh air; amazing scenery; glimpses of wildlife; vast starlit nights. Nature delivers a full-on sensory experience, and a great way to initiate anyone age 16 or younger is to invite them along on a family camping trip. It may take only one meteor bolting across the sky to persuade any young adventurer-in-the-making that camping is cool. Here are some tips for camping with kids that will ensure everyone on the trip has a good experience.

 

Before an Overnight Trip

• Practice camping at home: If your kids are outdoor newbies, pitch a tent in the backyard or even inside your home. Let them hang out in it and sleep in it so they become comfortable with a new sleeping environment.
• Take a trial run: Before your overnighter, try a family day outing at a close-to-home park. Spend a half-day or so at a lakeshore or park and see how your kids react to the experience.
• Take notes: Write down reminders for future trips: "Pack more sunscreen." "Bring long pants." "Leave bongos home."

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How to Choose a Lantern

 

 

The classic light for campground camping has long been a gas-powered lantern with glass windows. Though bulky, hot to the touch and noisy, it puts out a bright, warm light that seems to last forever.

You can still get these reliable lanterns, but recent advances in LED lighting now provide you many modern lantern choices that are light, bright and compact enough even for backpacking.

This article gives you the basics of lantern selection—from electrics to gas to traditional candle-powered models.

Shop REI’s selection of lanterns.

Types of Lanterns

Electric Lanterns

Virtually all battery-powered lanterns these days use LED (light emitting diode) technology. LED lamps offer numerous advantages:

• Long battery life
• Very good light output
• Can handle rugged use
• Quiet and exhaust-free
• Safe around kids (LEDs generate no heat)

Their only real downsides: battery usage and disposal.

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How to Set Up a Tent

 

When the sunrise comes streaming through the tent window after you slept soundly through a gale-force night, you’ve got yourself a well-pitched shelter. If you’ve never set up a tent before, it’s been a while since your last campout or you’d just like a few ideas on how you can smooth out the process, this article can help.

Tent setup has four phases:

• Pre-trip preparation: Practice pitching and make sure you have everything.
• Campsite selection: Minimize impact and maximize weather protection.
• Pitching tips: Follow these steps to make setup easier and your tent sturdier.

Tent Setup: Pre-Trip Preparation

Before you hit the trail, set your tent up at home: Home offers a low-stress environment for you to master the pitching process for a new tent. The worst time for learning is after you’ve finished a long day of hiking, the sun has set and the rain is coming down sideways.

 

Read the instructions carefully and inventory the parts: Reading instructions, rather than grabbing things and winging it, is a great way to prevent confusion and damage to tent parts. And if a piece is missing, you’ve built in the time to get it before your trip. And don’t forget to pack along a copy of the instructions.

Decide on your footprint strategy: Though tent floors are heavy duty to stand up to water, abrasion and wear, the ground is a formidable foe. You can combat this problem by buying a footprint—a custom-sized ground sheet that offers an extra layer of protection. You can also buy Tyvek® material to make your own footprint or you can simply buy a tarp.

Footprints are sized smaller than your tent floor so they don’t catch and pool rainwater under your tent. If you make your own footprint, do the same. If you bring a full tarp, fold it under so that no part extends beyond the floor perimeter.

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Sleeping Tips for Campers

 

Camping gives us the unique opportunity to shed many modern conveniences and enjoy being closer to nature. That doesn’t mean giving up the comfort and rejuvenation of sleep. With the right gear and preparation we can sleep soundly as well as appreciate starry night skies and fresh air.

Gear for Sleeping Outdoors

Whether you’re camping or backpacking, how can you increase the odds that you’ll sleep soundly in the outdoors? A good start is to have the right gear:

Sleeping bag: Choose a sleeping bag with a style and temperature rating appropriate for your destination.

• Car camping bags are typically cut wider, offering more roll-around room (good for comfort) but less efficiency for retaining body heat (not so good on extra-chilly nights). Some rectangular styles can be unzipped to use as a quilt on milder nights.
• Backpacking bags are mummy shaped for a closer, warmer fit, and are usually lighter in weight. Many are filled with goose or duck down, which compresses more readily than synthetic fill.

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7 Tips to Survive Cold-Weather Camping

 

DRESS PROPERLY

You want clothes that can keep you warm during periods of inactivity. Chances are you'll create plenty of heat during that backcountry trek, but it's tougher to maintain a comfortable temperature when you stop moving.

So layer up. Start with polyester thermal underwear for the base layer. Choose breathable fleece to inhibit the accumulation of perspiration during exertion. If you prefer natural fibers, choose merino wool and wool-fleece blends that offer the warmth of wool without the itchiness. Pack a scarf or neck gaiter that you can take off and on easily to regulate body temperature, and take a lightweight jacket that is both waterproof and breathable.

Layering can also keep your head and feet warm. Fleece or wool stocking caps can be made windproof when covered with a detachable hood. Leave your cotton socks at home. Instead, choose wool (merino wool won't be itchy) or wicking polyester socks designed for hiking. Boots don't have to be expensive, but they should be waterproof or water-repellent, especially if you plan on hiking through snow.

NEVER NEGLECT YOUR HANDS

To keep those digits warm, pack polyester glove liners and gloves, then gauntlets to layer over them. Stock up on chemical heating pads for when you need a little heat boost.

THINK FIRE

When you arrive at your campsite, start your fire before doing any other setup. Plan ahead and always pack fire sources. You can go low-tech with tightly packed dryer lint stuffed into old pill bottles or film canisters, or high-tech with magnesium fire starters.

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Hog Hunting Tips For Beginners

Hog hunting is becoming increasingly popular in the southern Gulf States, where the feral hog population is growing at an alarming rate. A non-native species, feral hogs are aggressive animals that breed quickly and threaten the safety of native wildlife and crop. The current estimated feral hog population in the United States is in the millions; Texas alone currently has a population of almost 2.6 million. With the hog’s current breeding rate, about 70 percent of the population needs to be eradicated annually to prevent further growth.

 

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