Outdoor Adventure USA

Camp Furniture

Our net this week bears a title that may be a little misleading. Normally, I think of "furniture" as sofas, end tables, chairs, and the like. It seems however, that the definition of "furniture" has recently morphed into something much more than that. Incidentally, I've seen "furniture" used to describe various firearm parts, like stocks, a description that still seems odd.

Anyway, we will just use the term "camp furniture" as a catch-all description to include a large list of camp items, including chairs and tables (no sofas.) There is more, so we offer the following list as a guide to some of the camp gear (furniture) that this net will cover. The list is not meant to be all inclusive, and if you have items that fall under the "new" definition of furniture, here is your chance to highlight them. The list:

food preparation knives
cutting boards
cook ware
cooking devices
dishes, cups, utensils
coffee gear
toilet seats
showers
privacy shelters
tarps
chairs, stools
tables
hammocks
fire pits
camp fire tools
cots
kitchen gear
knives
cutting boards
cookware


For this net, we want to hear about new items that have not been discussed previously on our nets (or not discussed much.) Let us know about your recent discoveries or lesser known items

Product Spot Light

4 Way Valve Tool

As the name implies there are 4 tools in one quite small tool. This item cost $1.69 up to $3.00 depending on where you purchase it. There is better single tool to do each job. And I recommend you buy them but this little gem will be in your glove box or tool box or tire repair kit when you really need it. No one will walk away it, except perhaps a small child who thinks it is part of a jumping jack set.


The four tools are:
Schrader valve (valve core) removal and installation tool
A tread chaser for the thread that the Schrader valve screws into
A tread chaser for the cap tread
And a deburring tool.

Use
If you have a tire leaking air, the first thing to check (and the easiest) is that the Schrader valve is tight.
Wash board roads have been known to vibrate the Schrader valve enough that it develops a slow leak. If you do not replace the valve caps after deflating tires sometime a small grain of sand or dirt will lodge in the valve and create a slight leak.
And of course, it is handy if you need to pull it out completely to replace it, air down quickly, or break a bead.

Because it is small and has two of the other tools sticking out the side it is clumsy. A better tool would be a nice slim screw driver that has a Schrader valve tool cut into the end. But you loaned and it never came back.


The pointy little deburring tool is used to cleanout the hole at the bottom of the valve stem after removing the Schreuder valve. That might all that is needed to clear that bit of sand or dirt.

Since we quite often screw a deflator on to the valve stem, the treads can become a bit mangled. The big tread chaser will clean them up.
However, the most valuable use is to pull a new valve stem into place in the rim. It is almost impossible with just brute force to pull the valve stem into place. Just not enough grip. And if you use pliers, the tread is damaged or bent. The other two tools that are at right angle make for a solid grip to pull.

You would have to be in really desperate situation to need to use the smaller tread chaser for the pocket the Schrader valve treads into. Presumable you have no spare valve stems or don’t have the tools to replace the valve stem.

Cutting Board for Lunch
Quite often, I want a cutting board for lunch but do not want to break out the kitchen box. So, I place one of these inexpensive cutting board in the pocket of my fridge / freezer or sometimes inside the fridge. With the exception of bread everything to make a sandwich is in the fridge. With the knife in the slot it is easy to slice onions, pickles, tomatoes, cheese, etc. to make a sandwich.
From the manufacture:
This Bamboo Cutting Board features a rectangular board with rounded edges, a knife that conveniently fits into a built-in slot and a large cutout oblong hole at the top for easy handling. Bamboo is naturally anti-microbial and known to naturally replenish itself, making it the perfect material for cutting boards. This board is great for everyday use, picnics, camping and more. Measures approximately 10" long x 6" wide. Comes shrink wrapped.

You can find it as a single or a package of 10 or 12.

https://luckybays.com/products/bamboo-c ... t-in-knife
$9.99

https://www.zenaida-mart.com/product/10 ... 38?cfa=gpl
$65 10 pac

CAMP FURNITURE-1

Camp Coffee

1. There are just some things that no camp can be without, and good coffee is one of them. Ideally, the coffee should be as fresh as possible, and a great asset to fresh coffee is freshly ground beans. While we are vehicle dependent campers, the space we have available for gear is quite limited, and the longer the trip, the more compact it needs to be. The quest for a hand grinder for coffee beans, made in the USA, was not an easy one, but persistence paid off as I slugged my way through the overwhelming market of "imported" grinders." It's hard to tell how much of this ordeal was the result of the manner in which the internet searches are compiled or the prejudiced manner in which the search results are presented, but buried away on page 12 (or was it 13, or 14 or................) was the Red Rooster Trading Company's compact, very well made, incredibly durable, and made in the USA, manual coffee bean grinder, known as the Camano.

Make no mistake about it, it takes a good grip on the grinder to make it work, but well worth it. See: https://www.redroostertradingcompany.co ... ffee-mill/.

They say this:

The Camano Coffee Mill offers settings for a super fine grind (Turkish) to a coarse grind (French Press) and everything in between. The ceramic burr provides an extra consistent grind and there are more settings for additional grind options. The top arch is cast iron & a cast iron arch inside the hopper offering further stability for the shaft which allows for a much more consistent grind. FDA approved finishes and all the aesthetic changes make the Camano Coffee Mill a superior hand coffee grinder. There are NO plastic parts and its beauty and old world charm make it stand out from the crowd.

Our hand grinder can also be used to grind flax seed, cinnamon sticks, peppercorn and other dry seeds or spices.

Hand.built. Hand.branded. All in the USA. Ball Jar made in USA too.

2. In a discussion over coffee grinders, this seemed like a perfect place to discuss coffee. Is this a bit of a stretch when the topic is camp furniture....well, maybe, but at least it fits.

Coffee can be a very personal thing, and different brands will be favored by some and not others. This, by the way, is not a negative, because exploring the beans of different regions, trying different roasts, and using different methods to prepare your coffee can be very rewarding. Recently, it became necessary for me to find a replacement for the coffee company I had favored for years. Let us just say that we had differing views on important social matters. In my search for this replacement, I was amazed by the abundance of companies selling coffee, many of which I tried.

There was one company in particular (Thrasher Coffee, https://thrashercoffee.com/) who seemed to understand the diversity of tastes in coffee, and in recognition of which, they sold small trial packages of each of their coffees for people to test. This really seemed like a great idea, rather than buying 12-15 ounces of a coffee that would be wasted if it was unpleasant. Alas, they are the only one i could find. Good coffee though.

After experimenting with several different brands, I finally settled on Lake City Coffee, out of Coeur d’Alene, Idaho, https://www.lakecitycoffee.com/making-g ... re-coffee/. Russell and Alisha Volz are Lake City Coffee, and their goal is to concentrate on offering great coffee. So, at Lake City, you wont find coffee cups, apparel, stickers, coffee makers, coffee clubs, or anything other than coffee. What you will find is fresh coffee that tastes great, IMHO.

You also won't find a dizzying array of coffees with clever names. Their philosophy is to keep it simple, and they sell three different roasts, light, medium, and dark. They also have decaf and espresso beans. Aside from the great taste, there were four things that made the choice easy:

• Their coffee arrives at my doorstep within 48 to 72 hours after it leaves the roaster.

• The roasting date is right on the label.

• Coffee bags are made from Kraft Paper with a plastic food grade liner, that includes an air-tight zipper.

• Each bag of coffee includes an oxygen absorber.

CAMP FURNITURE-2

1. Great high quality American made camp furniture.

Orvis makes an impressive line of folding camp furniture, all made in the USA. See: https://www.orvis.com/portable-folding- ... amily.html.

The Orvis guarantee:

100% CUSTOMER SATISFACTION
has been our commitment since 1856. It’s who we are. If you aren’t happy with a product or service, we want to know about it. And we’ll make it right.

The folding chair description:

A modern design reminiscent of the classic deckchair, this portable Folding Chair is crafted in the USA from durable ash hardwood, corrosion-resistant stainless steel hardware, and fade-resistant canvas. The perfect companion for a picnic at the beach, around the campfire, or on your next tailgating adventure. Seat sling measures a comfortable 18" high and 18" wide. Chair opens to a single upright position and stays open with a sturdy ChairLock buckle closure. 300-lbs. weight capacity. Folds flat for compact storage and transport.

Polyester seat and back. USA.

The folding table description:

Crafted in the USA, a Folding Top Portable Wood Table that is as easy to set up as it is to take down. Made from durable ash hardwood, corrosion-resistant stainless steel hardware, and finished in Danish oil for long-term protection. The perfect packable companion for a picnic at the beach, the campsite, or your next tailgating adventure. Assembles easily. Packs up quickly, too: unscrew the legs, roll up the tabletop, and stash it in the convenient canvas tote sack with adjustable shoulder strap. 300-lbs. weight capacity.

USA.

The folding stool description:

Crafted in the USA from durable kiln-dried hardwood with a fade-resistant colorfast heavyweight sling seat, our camp stool doubles as extra seating or an ottoman for our matching folding chair (23F5). Each matching piece boasts a 300-lbs. weight capacity, yet folds up and packs away easily.

Chair and stool: fade-resistant polyester canvas. USA.

CAMP FURNITURE-3

Camp Tools

1. Having a warming campfire at night is a relaxing way to put the lid on a great day. If you are using real wood, there are occasions when the pieces are either too large for the fire pit, or too large for kindling. In this case, an efficient and an easy to use splitter is a must. An ax or hatchet is handy but not really up to the task of splitting. Many years ago, one of our camping buddies brought along a wood splitting tool that he called a grenade. Having not seen it, the name got the attention of everyone in camp. To the relief of most, it was a grenade in name only, and it proved to be the easiest wood splitter any of us had previously used. It is simple in design, inexpensive, easy to use, and really makes the job of getting firewood an almost pleasant task.

Honesty compels me to admit that the large chunks of firewood on which we used the "grenade" were courtesy of a chainsaw, but that is a discussion for another net.

This is the Grenade sold by Northern tool (https://www.northerntool.com/shop/tools ... _200576433) and here is what they say:

Features + Benefits

• Easy to hit spherical striking face

• Splits logs into four pieces

• Durable steel construction

• Notches prevent slippage

• Sharp point for easy starts

• Life time warranty

IMPORTANT NOTE: Wear safety glasses when using this tool.


2. A discussion of the grenade would not be complete without mentioning the tool to drive it into the wood. Hammers are too light. Axes are likewise too light and risky. There is one tool that is perfectly matched to the task of driving the Grenade, and will also serve to drive tent stakes, loosen stuck tent stakes, and add a touch of muscle for an untold variety of camp tasks (and some vehicle needs as well.) I refer to this tool as a mini-sledge, but Estwing calls it a drilling hammer. Made from forged steel and offered in three weights (3-5 lbs.) Oh, yes - made in the USA!

They say this:

The Drilling Hammer has a bonded and molded Shock Reduction Grip® which offers the utmost in both comfort and durability, while reducing vibrations caused by impact. The head and handle are forged in one piece and have an attractive blue UV coating, both faces are fully polished. For use with chisels, punches, star drills and hardened nails. Permits heavy blows with limited swing.

IMPORTANT NOTE: Secure this hammer well in your vehicle.

Camp Furniture: 2 Wood burning fire pits

Wikipedia defines a Fire Pit as “A fire pit or a fire hole can vary from a pit dug in the ground to an elaborate gas burning structure of stone, brick, and metal. The common feature of fire pits is that they are designed to contain fire and prevent it from spreading.” There are many types of fire pits and they all help to contain fires, to one extent or another. Two that are off-the-ground are the Snow Peak, a Japanese company with over 60 years’ experience making outdoor equipment and Fireside Outdoor a Phoenix, Arizona company founded in 2016.

I have a 24” Snow Peak Fire pit and it is compact, very important for me as my Jeep JK 2 door is limited in space, very strong but a little heavy. It does set up very easily, is a good fire pit or BBQ and even works well for camp ovens. The design also is well off the ground, has a steel ground protector that catches any ash or embers and does not leave any burn or scorch marks on the grass.

Photo 1: Snow Peak Fire Pit One other item is that the Snow Peak, as you can see in the photos, is basically an upside-down pyramid and stacking wood does require a bit of creativity. However, wood burns well thanks to an air gap in the bottom of the pit, (at what would be the peak of the pyramid).
The Snow Peak Fire set consists of a basic 24x24” fire box, ground protector, and grill as well as a canvas carry case. While not inexpensive, at about $300-$350, it is a very rugged piece of kit and will probably last a lifetime. Like a said a bit pricy but top quality.

Photo 2: Snow Peak Fire Pit Another fire pit that I’ve recently acquired is from Fireside Outdoor Pop-Up Fire Pit. The kit I have contains the fire pit, a heat shield and a grill. Their “outdoor grill” bundle is a lot less expensive, at about $200, than the Snow Peak and is much lighter, being made of aluminum rather than steal. I have the 24” model and it seems to be pretty well made, lighter and disassembles into three medium quality bags, which are provided. I’m not actually sure that the three bags take up less room than the flat 24x24x3 inch Snow Peak bag and there are a lot more pieces to the Fireside Outdoor grill system and takes longer to assemble and disassemble. Still, from my backyard tests, it seems pretty good and for $150 less is a viable alternative to the Snow Peak.

Photo 3: Fireside Grill The Fireside Outdoor grill is a simple 24x24” box with cross members to support the logs and a screen to catch embers or support charcoal briquettes. Also the heat shield on the Fireside Grill isn’t very impressive, it seemed to work OK in my limited test but I’m not as confident that it would protect the ground as well as the Snow Peak does. So I’d be much more concerned about any combustible material on the ground.

There are many other types of fire pits available. Some with gas igniters and some that only use gas, not wood, and might be OK to use even with some fire bans, (you should always check with the appropriate authorities to see what restrictions are in place). But for wood burning pits these two are worth looking into.

Camp Furniture - 4

1. Tarps

On a recent trip to Southern Utah, we had the pleasure of using John's Kelty Tarp at our various campsites. For us, it was mostly a shield from the very warm sun, or as a sunshield in the early AM hours and the last hours before sunset. There are a number of makes for this type of tarp, but we know that John has been using this particular one for some years. Easy to set-up, great coverage, and very effective. Thanks John!!!



2. Cooking (kitchen) Knives For Camping

This one is really tough, mostly due to the huge knife market that caters to chefs. If you take the time to search the internet, and ask for the best cooking knives, the results are almost endless, and with a few exceptions, there are not that many reviewers that pick the same knives. Some of that has to do with the general high quality of these knives, and for that fact alone, one cannot go wrong, or very wrong, choosing a knife from the "best knives " reviews.

In such a crowded field, sometimes the best we can do is relate our own personal experiences. and such is the case here. For me personally, the qualities that I value in a knife, whether for the campsite or home are:

• the ability to reasonably hold an edge

• ease of sharpening when dull

• well made, rugged, and long lasting

• adaptability for many uses (dicing, cutting vegetables, cutting meat, etc)

• good feel in the hand

• stain and rust resistance

• strong and beefy spine

For me, my Henckels No Stain Friodur, 8 inch knife, possesses ALL of these qualities. The knife is 41 years old, has seen considerable use, but shows no signs of needing replacement. With my Wicked Edge sharpener and a Henckels Steel, it remains as the only cooking knife in my kitchen boxes.

The new ones are identical twins to mine, and today are going for about $140 from one of the better known sellers.

Please check us in
Kevin KK6DGL
Jack KK6WXQ
John KM6FXI
John KJ6UNC

I have a few thoughts on camp furniture

Folding plastic bench

Please check me in.

WD6USA