Camping / Outdoor Stuff Thread

Automatik Senior Member

15,737 posts 98 reps Joined Nov 2009

Wed, Aug 10, 2022 10:29 AM

We have some outdoorsmen here, right? Feel free to talk about it all right here!

I've been doing a decent amount of camping this summer, along with living in RV parks in my parent's camper.

I'm starting to compile more gear for myself for random trips. Currently exploring cooking setup options for car camping. Grill? Stove? Combo? Not interested in a Jetboil/backpacking setup.

kizer permanente Senior Member

1,309 posts 18 reps Joined Aug 2017

Wed, Aug 10, 2022 10:38 AM

I take a little flat top griddle with me. Takes a small propane can.

LINK

justincredible Honorable Admin

37,969 posts 250 reps Joined Nov 2009

Wed, Aug 10, 2022 10:56 AM

I recently organized all of my camping gear from just being thrown in totes to this. It’s so much easier to find and pack stuff now. I'm still not done completely, but this was a very good start.

Automatik Senior Member

15,737 posts 98 reps Joined Nov 2009

Wed, Aug 10, 2022 11:05 AM

posted by justincredible
I recently organized all of my camping gear from just being thrown in totes to this. It’s so much easier to find and pack stuff now. I'm still not done completely, but this was a very good start.

When's the truck bed rack coming or the kayaks?!

justincredible Honorable Admin

37,969 posts 250 reps Joined Nov 2009

Wed, Aug 10, 2022 11:13 AM

posted by Automatik
When's the truck bed rack coming or the kayaks?!

The bed extender was delivered last week.

Zunardo Senior Member

815 posts 15 reps Joined Nov 2010

Wed, Aug 10, 2022 12:38 PM

Mrs. Z has plotted for many years to buy an RV, so we now have one parked at a lot in Circleville. I like splitting firewood and building campfires, otherwise I don't have an outdoorsy bone in my body. Still learning the finer points of dumping that blackwater tank, lol.

As far as self-sufficent car camping, I started watching the Foresty Forest channel on Youtube. Guy up in Canada who usually has a minivan with solar panels and batteries, diesel furnace, bed, with room for a bike. He builds most of his storage rigs, cabinets, curtains, etc. - pretty creative - and talks about the gear he uses.

Interesting stuff. Check it out:

https://www.youtube.com/user/forestyforest/videos

Automatik Senior Member

15,737 posts 98 reps Joined Nov 2009

Wed, Aug 10, 2022 1:16 PM

I'm on week 6 of 8 of camper living. It's a LOT of work and I'm learning shit I never thought I would have to deal with. Always something to monitor and/or fix.

I'm in a 35' trailer. You need a huge engine to pull this beast.

I've realized if I ever want to do something similar on my own....I'm going with a teardrop or a significantly smaller trailer.

Dr Winston O'Boogie Senior Member

3,345 posts 36 reps Joined Oct 2010

Wed, Aug 10, 2022 4:37 PM

INB4 Spock posts that he doesn’t have excess time for camping.

iclfan2 Reppin' the 330/216/843

9,465 posts 99 reps Joined Nov 2009

Wed, Aug 10, 2022 6:33 PM

Camping is for poor people! /QO’d

Ironman92 Administrator

56,729 posts 168 reps Joined Nov 2009

Wed, Aug 10, 2022 6:53 PM

posted by iclfan2
Camping is for poor people! /QO’d

Lol…no it isn’t

justincredible Honorable Admin

37,969 posts 250 reps Joined Nov 2009

Wed, Aug 10, 2022 7:06 PM

posted by Ironman92
Lol…no it isn’t

Homeless people camp every night

Zunardo Senior Member

815 posts 15 reps Joined Nov 2010

Wed, Aug 10, 2022 8:53 PM

posted by Automatik
I'm on week 6 of 8 of camper living. It's a LOT of work and I'm learning shit I never thought I would have to deal with. Always something to monitor and/or fix.
I'm in a 35' trailer. You need a huge engine to pull this beast.
I've realized if I ever want to do something similar on my own....I'm going with a teardrop or a significantly smaller trailer.

Are you parked at one site during this time, or do you find a different park each week? I'm a horrible camper, but we're lucky to have a lot of old pros in the park who are always pitching in to help.

For me the worst things to learn are onew you do only once (or rarely), like hard-piping the sewer, changing the hot water anode tube, etc. I've bent two of the attached leveling jacks, so I learned how to remove and install better ones. I pay to have someone winterize it, but I still have to contort myself in the spring to move the valves back in position.

We started with a 23'. It was adequate, but our bed converted to a sofa, no privacy and the sofa hurt our spines. Got a 32' last year, two comfy recliners instead of a sofa, and it's definitely more comfy.

Smaller is better in that there's less to manage and maintain, certainly easier to maneuver in place. But when you get old and cranky like me, you need more room to collapse in when you get tired of the outdoors, lol.

Ironman92 Administrator

56,729 posts 168 reps Joined Nov 2009

Wed, Aug 10, 2022 8:54 PM

posted by justincredible
Homeless people camp every night

Thread start

Automatik Senior Member

15,737 posts 98 reps Joined Nov 2009

Thu, Aug 11, 2022 9:34 AM

posted by Zunardo
Are you parked at one site during this time, or do you find a different park each week? I'm a horrible camper, but we're lucky to have a lot of old pros in the park who are always pitching in to help.
For me the worst things to learn are onew you do only once (or rarely), like hard-piping the sewer, changing the hot water anode tube, etc. I've bent two of the attached leveling jacks, so I learned how to remove and install better ones. I pay to have someone winterize it, but I still have to contort myself in the spring to move the valves back in position.
We started with a 23'. It was adequate, but our bed converted to a sofa, no privacy and the sofa hurt our spines. Got a 32' last year, two comfy recliners instead of a sofa, and it's definitely more comfy.
Smaller is better in that there's less to manage and maintain, certainly easier to maneuver in place. But when you get old and cranky like me, you need more room to collapse in when you get tired of the outdoors, lol.

I've been to 3 places over the last 2 months. That's enough. Hauling it and setup is a chore. I'm still learning how to fully setup once we pull in, but luckily I have my dad for that. He's a master. The deal was I pay for the spots, he provides the RV and we both handle setting it up.

I'm dealing with the same thing regarding the leveling jacks. Factory ones are junk and rusted to hell, they need upgraded asap.

Here's the exact trailer, but ours is a 2018.

https://www.rvtrader.com/listing/2017-Forest+River-Rockwood+Windjammer+3008W-5021303129

Zunardo Senior Member

815 posts 15 reps Joined Nov 2010

Thu, Aug 11, 2022 11:14 AM

posted by Automatik
Hauling it and setup is a chore. I'm still learning how to fully setup once we pull in, but luckily I have my dad for that.
Here's the exact trailer, but ours is a 2018.
https://www.rvtrader.com/listing/2017-Forest+River-Rockwood+Windjammer+3008W-5021303129

My sentiments exactly. We took ours to a weekend spot one time. Decided right then I did not want to hook up and unhook over and over. A month later we were in a full-time spot where we can leave it during the winter

That Windjammer is nice for the price! Really like the layout. Kitchen might be a bit cramped if two people are trying to prep food or do dishes, but it looks great. Love the fireplace/TV, and the sofa opposite the recliners. And the second slideout is for the bedroom? Must be great being able to get dressed without hitting two walls at the same time, lol.

Our 23' was Rockwood Mini Lite. Very well-made, perfect for one person or a younger couple. Our 32' is a Keystone Outback. Three things I don't like:

- Have to crawl way under the slideout to reach the black/gray water drain. Even with the slide-out closed, it's still invisible unless you wriggle past the outside wall and tire well (the other gray water outlet can be reached easily)

- TV antenna input box is located next to an outside wall with no insulation - when the sun gets warm, the box gets hot and the antenna/cable connections stop connecting, so I have to keep putting fake icepacks in the box every 3-4 hours to watch TV until evening.

- Hot water heater right next to my side of the bed for some reason, so I turn it off by 7 PM in order to get any sleep. Why they didn't put it near the kitchen, I don't know.

Serves its purpose, though.

justincredible Honorable Admin

37,969 posts 250 reps Joined Nov 2009

Thu, Aug 11, 2022 2:11 PM

You mentioned a teardrop. This one is the current apple of my eye. I’m thinking I could build one with help from my mom’s boyfriend but I don’t know if time investment is worth it.

My build out on here was about $27k. I think it would cost close to $20k to build everything out myself so I’m probably okay paying someone else to do the work for me.

https://cedarridgecampers.com/vega/

Automatik Senior Member

15,737 posts 98 reps Joined Nov 2009

Thu, Aug 11, 2022 2:48 PM

posted by Zunardo
My sentiments exactly. We took ours to a weekend spot one time. Decided right then I did not want to hook up and unhook over and over. A month later we were in a full-time spot where we can leave it during the winter
That Windjammer is nice for the price! Really like the layout. Kitchen might be a bit cramped if two people are trying to prep food or do dishes, but it looks great. Love the fireplace/TV, and the sofa opposite the recliners. And the second slideout is for the bedroom? Must be great being able to get dressed without hitting two walls at the same time, lol.
Our 23' was Rockwood Mini Lite. Very well-made, perfect for one person or a younger couple. Our 32' is a Keystone Outback. Three things I don't like:
- Have to crawl way under the slideout to reach the black/gray water drain. Even with the slide-out closed, it's still invisible unless you wriggle past the outside wall and tire well (the other gray water outlet can be reached easily)
- TV antenna input box is located next to an outside wall with no insulation - when the sun gets warm, the box gets hot and the antenna/cable connections stop connecting, so I have to keep putting fake icepacks in the box every 3-4 hours to watch TV until evening.
- Hot water heater right next to my side of the bed for some reason, so I turn it off by 7 PM in order to get any sleep. Why they didn't put it near the kitchen, I don't know.
Serves its purpose, though.

I didn't even realize when linked, that one has a completely different living/kitchen area. Our kitchen is smaller. Where you see the loveseat we have a U-shaped booth, then a loveseat where the table and chairs are. Everything folds flat for extra sleeping area, although we've never used it.

Instead of the open area at the V-shape front, we have a separate kids bunk / TV room. That's my room when my parents are here. It's shitty, I wish the entire section was open. I've been staying here with my gf, when I'm in the kids room I have to sleep at an angle to fit. lol....it's not ideal.

Another thing I just learned when we arrived at the latest RV park. Power outlets. I've only been connected to 50w, but none available here. So now we are running 30w using a converter. That means both ACs won't work at the same time and when one is on, it's not pushing as hard as it would on a 50w. It's 100 fucking degrees in Denver right now and by 10am this thing is boiling even with the AC on.

Automatik Senior Member

15,737 posts 98 reps Joined Nov 2009

Thu, Aug 11, 2022 2:51 PM

posted by justincredible
You mentioned a teardrop. This one is the current apple of my eye. I’m thinking I could build one with help from my mom’s boyfriend but I don’t know if time investment is worth it.
My build out on here was about $27k. I think it would cost close to $20k to build everything out myself so I’m probably okay paying someone else to do the work for me.
https://cedarridgecampers.com/vega/

I love this style. Prices, features and layouts are all over the place. Some are very outrageous. I like the ones that are more geared towards offroad.

https://timberleaftrailers.com/classic-teardrop-trailer/

Also, these are badass. One was parked next to us in Golden. Not sure what you would call them, pop-up trailer hybrid?

https://taxaoutdoors.com/habitats/mantis-overland/

justincredible Honorable Admin

37,969 posts 250 reps Joined Nov 2009

Thu, Aug 11, 2022 3:42 PM

posted by Automatik
I love this style. Prices, features and layouts are all over the place. Some are very outrageous. I like the ones that are more geared towards offroad.
https://timberleaftrailers.com/classic-teardrop-trailer/

Also, these are badass. One was parked next to us in Golden. Not sure what you would call them, pop-up trailer hybrid?
https://taxaoutdoors.com/habitats/mantis-overland/

I've seen the Timberleaf before. Definitely a nice trailer.

The Taxa is new to me and I really like that layout.

My wife seems to be onboard with a teardrop-style camper, but the lack of a bathroom is going to be the biggest hurdle. She's probably fine with an outdoor shower, but I know she'll be weird about pooping outside.

Automatik Senior Member

15,737 posts 98 reps Joined Nov 2009

Thu, Aug 11, 2022 3:53 PM

From my experience, doing your business outside in your own setup is wayyyyy better than dealing with the outhouse style bathrooms you see at more primitive campsites.

Automatik Senior Member

15,737 posts 98 reps Joined Nov 2009

Sun, Aug 14, 2022 11:14 PM

Drove Trail Ridge Road through Rocky Mountain National Park over the weekend. Started in Estes Park then stayed at Grand Lake. Got shut out of camping due to some heavy rain so overpaid for some mediocre lodge at Grand Lake.

Overall, would highly recommend! Fucking awesome drive. Both Estes Park and Grand Lake are very cool towns.

Camping / Outdoor Stuff Thread

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