MAN CAMP PRO TIPS

Camping 101

• Moisture is the enemy of comfort. Keep that in mind as you make choices. There are no dryers. What gets wet, stays wet. Wet is cold and miserable. 

• Wear good water resistant or waterproof boots.

• Wool socks stay warm, even if wet. Get a pair.

• A pair of tall kitchen trash bags will make passable boot-liners if your shoes/boots/socks get soaked. Remove your wet foot, dry it with a shirt or anything available, shove the dry foot into the trash bag then put the bagged foot into your sock and all of that back in your shoe. If you’re wise enough to bring an extra pair of socks or have wool socks, put them on before putting your foot in the bag. It's not great but if the weather is cold it might keep you from getting trenchfoot.

• Pooping outside is glorious and natural. We’ll have some portalets but bring wet wipes and take advantage of the outdoors.

• If it is super cold a Nalgene bottle filled with hot water (heated by jetboil or the fire in a pot) will make your sleeping bag super comfy. Just heat the water, dump it in the Nalgene (close the lid tightly) and throw that into the foot of your bag when you get in. Don’t do this until you are 100% ready to go to sleep, you want to soak up as much heat as possible. Don’t heat a plastic bottle or a bottle with a plastic closure by the fire. It could easily develop a leak and your bag will be wet and miserable all night. A more expensive alternative is to toss a couple of these hot hands type warmers in your bag.

• Throw the clothes you're going to wear in the morning into the bottom of your bag too (not between you and the Nalgene). They will help keep the heat in the bag and they will be toasty for the morning.

• If it is going to rain or snow, Cotton is the enemy. Denim is only slightly better. Wear synthetic items if possible.

• We highly recommend Frogg Toggs if you don’t have other rain gear.

• Do not place your tents close to the fire. Sparks can reach them but heat cannot. Sparks can ruin a tent quickly.

• Always stake the tent down (even if it isn't windy).

• Always put on the rain fly securely (even if it doesn't look like rain).

• Always keep the doors zipped shut unless you are actively accessing the tent. You don’t want to sleep with all sorts of critters and bugs.

• Always place your tent on the most level ground you can find. The ground will not be level so place the “head” of your bedroll at the highest point.

• Locate your headlamp and get it on your person (pocket or head) before dark.

• Make sure that anything you bring (clothes, gear, etc) is as versatile and multi-functional as possible. It is much better to bring 5 things than to bring 25 things.

• Don’t put food inside your tent unless you want a nighttime visitor with paws.Most tents have a “vestibule” which is a spot covered by the rainfly outside of the sleeping area where you can store items.

• Put all trash into a trash bag immediately. Things will blow around and get scattered very quickly.

• If you go to bed first, put in your earplugs. Tents do not block sound. The rest of your group should not be expected to get super quiet since you chose to call it a night.