Outdoor Adventure USA

This week we will be discussing gear that makes for a comfortable camp. This doesn't mean pulling a 35 foot trailer or an RV, but stuff you can easily carry into a wilderness camp over a road that often needs 4WD to navigate. Camping in remote locations(or even not-so-remote locations) doesn't mean that you have to "rough it". With some clever planning, the right equipment and a need to get away, your camp can be very comfortable and pleasant. And, there's no better way to introduce new campers to the outdoors.

Join us with your suggestions for comfort camping.

Here are a few of ours:

Springbar Tents (http://www.kirkhams.com/deluxe-tents/ca ... gbar-tent/)
Instant Camp Kitchens and Tables
Wishy Washy (http://partnersteel.com/prod03.htm)
Wine Glass Carrier (http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00005 ... UTF8&psc=1)
PETT Toilet () (http://www.basspro.com/The-PETT-%28Port ... uct/45413/)
Zodi Hot Shower (http://www.zodi.com/Consumer/zodihottap ... hower.html)

I can vouch for the toilet - it's well built and sturdy enough to hold my fat ass. Makes camping where there are not bathrooms much more enjoyable.

A couple more:

Heavy Wool Blankets (5 lb. Blankets) (http://blockaderunner.com/Catalog/catpg28.htm
Coleman Stove Top Oven http://www.coleman.com/product/camp-ove ... lc-Bn8_cyK
Fold-a-Privy http://www.cabelas.com/product/Camping/ ... 104569380/

I have a bad back and I've tried all kinds of sleeping pads and cots over the years. Here are a few that I've found work well for me (your mileage my vary). Unfortunately none of them are inexpensive but they pay for themselves if you can avoid just a few nights in a motel and in general you get what you pay for -

Luxury Lite a.k.a. High Tech Cot

http://www.luxurylite.com/cotindex.html

This is a great cot if your tight on space or concerned about weight. I use it for motorcycle camping. It's quite firm but resiliant enough to avoid pressure points. You're up off the ground far enough that you can slip shoes and other items under the cot for storage. The draw back are that it takes about 15 to 20 minutes to assemble and about 10 minutes to disassemble and pack. The comfort it provides, small storage space, and lightness offsets the time it takes to assemble. This cot is made in the U.S.A.

OZ Tent King Goanna Streacher

http://www.oztent.com/oztent-furniture/ ... ldu50kzmXk

These cots are extra long, extra wide, and contain their own padding which also provides a level of insulation underneath. The drawback is that they are heavy and bulky to pack. OZ Tent is an Australian company and most of their products are made in China.

Froli Sleep System

http://www.frolisleepsystems.com/

I haven't actually spent a night on this yet but everyone I've talked with who has one really likes it. I got one for the Pinzgauer since my current mattress system, while comfortable at first, always causes me to have a very stiff back in the morning. I think some of this is due to having the mattress directly on the hard metal surface of the truck bed which produces pressure points and conducts heat away from your body. This system is designed for boats and can be configured to fit oddly shaped sleeping spaces. It works well for RVs, roof top tents, or other applications where you have a permanently mounted mattress. It keeps you up off of whatever surface it sets on. This allows air circulation underneath which can be important for boats and other applications that are damp.

I finally tried the Froli mattress in the Pinzgauer with a 4" pad of memory foam over the Froii. It is very comfortable without any pressure points. With just some old towels between the Froli and the foam I could feel the individual springs but it was not annoying or bothersome. It definitely fixed the pressure point and heat conduction problem. I had a Swiss Army surplus wool blanket on top of the foam for added insulation. I can certainly recommend the Froli mattress for permanent mattress applications.

Pluses are that its very light, can fit odd size spaces, and the firmness is adjustable by changing the spacing between the plastic springs, using different plastic springs and applying tension clips. The drawback is that its only useful in permanent installations. The Froli sleep system is made in Germany.

Here is information for those curious about the ARB Roof Top Tent I discussed:

ARB Simpson III Roof Top Tent

Comfort camping usually requires night lights for guests or those not fond of wilderness darkness. The Harbor Freight 36 Solar Security Light with motion detector (69644) is the answer. It runs all night with a day long charge and comes on automatically at dusk and shuts off at dawn. It has a low setting at rest (they claim 6 lumens) but when it detects motion it jumps up to almost double that brightness. I have put a few around the house but the first use was during a week long camping trip this year. I hung the led light head unit in a tree using a very small bungee and with the 10-15 foot of cord put the solar panel in a location were all day sun was possible. This was a hang it and forget it light. It was great as a security light for the entire trip. Time will tell how well the unit does over the long hall. HF sends out coupons for $17.99 but normal sale price is $19.99. I think the regular price is $22.99.

Cold weather gear for a good price, although not necessarily Gucci. In the Army we called the old field jacket liner a "smoking jacket" and it was great as another layer of insulation. In addition to the "smoking jacket" the field pant liners were good but the newer model with button down sides is even better convenience wise. You can pull your pants down and put the pants on without taking off your boots. Or you can simply put them over your normal pants and use them for those moments you are stationary and need a little warmth before you move again. They have "loft" so they are good insulation and they are light. They don't fair well around sparks or flame but they are really a nice comfort item that can be found at just about any military surplus outlet.

The USGI poncho liner is also a very good blanket to have along. All these items continue to give some form of insulation even when wet. Of course they lose a lot of their qualities when wet but they still hold some properties and they do dry very quickly compared to other gear.