[Poll] What's Your Current Mode of Camping?

Questions on how we spend our money and our time - consumer goods and services, home and vehicle, leisure and recreational activities

What's Your Current Mode of Camping?

Don't go camping
74
38%
In a tent, carried in a backpack
27
14%
In a tent, carried in a car
58
30%
In a pop-up tent trailer
9
5%
In a travel trailer
11
6%
In a pickup truck camper
3
2%
In a camper van
4
2%
In a motorhome
7
4%
 
Total votes: 193

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SimpleGift
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[Poll] What's Your Current Mode of Camping?

Post by SimpleGift »

Do Bogleheads go camping? I'm interested not only in your current mode of camping, but also why you selected the particular equipment you use. What specific features of your current camping equipment and setup do you like or dislike? Do you have recommendations for others?

Feel free to include a small photo of your camping setup or equipment — it may serve to inspire others who may not get the chance to explore the great outdoors this summer!

Image

Personally, now in late middle age, we camp with a small fiberglass travel trailer and jeep — an excellent combination for exploring remote, less-traveled regions of the Inland Northwest.
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Re: [Poll] What's Your Current Mode of Camping?

Post by chaz »

We go on cruise ships.
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Re: [Poll] What's Your Current Mode of Camping?

Post by Sheepdog »

I voted that we don't camp. I did at one time, a lot of years ago, when there were kids. It was always...always....enjoyable, except when a son set a hollow tree on fire with a hot ash on a fall day with drying leaves on the forest trees. The tree looked like a volcano with high flying roaring ashes spreading out. It was pure panic.
We camped with a tent carried in our car.
Jim

p.s. The spouse and I now camp on ships, trains and hotels.
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Re: [Poll] What's Your Current Mode of Camping?

Post by nisiprius »

Tent (and stuff) carried in a car. On several occasions, tent and stuff shipped out to a destination and then carried in a RENTAL car. Our motivation in camping is simply to enjoy ourselves and save a buck; we don't feel any inclinations to purism of any kind. We rather enjoy shopping in unfamiliar supermarkets, and buy supermarket food, including convenience food--maybe we will cook a bannock by the campfire but we are just as likely to put some slices of supermarket ham between some slices of supermarket white bread, and sometimes eat out at local ethnic-restaurant-in-strip-mall places.

You left out a possibility, sometimes called "camping lite," which involves renting a fixed shelter--often a yurt in the U.S.--at the campground. We've never done that in the U.S. but we had a great vacation in the Netherlands in which we rented a "trekker's hut" in a strange complex that seemed to include RV hookups, fairly fancy vacation cabins, permanent mobile parks, athletic facilities, and a (good) restaurant. It was great! The "hut" was almost like a big dollhouse; unlike the usual U.S. "rustic" theme, this was just a miniature house of finished plywood, maybe 12' square, with a small sink, a trickle of cold water, a toilet, a two-coil cooktop, and one dim fluorescent ceiling light. If you paid for the kitchen, you got a key to unlock cabinets with plastic dishes and cheap cutlery and some pots and pans, and if you paid for heat, you got a key to turn on an electric heater.

As time goes on I might be more and more inclined to do it again when traveling in the U.S., as the cost of shipping camping equipment even by ground has gotten to be really... prohibitive.
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Re: [Poll] What's Your Current Mode of Camping?

Post by crow »

My idea of roughing it is a hotel without room service :). I've been camping once in my life and that was more than enough.
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Re: [Poll] What's Your Current Mode of Camping?

Post by Jake46 »

Embassy Suites
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Re: [Poll] What's Your Current Mode of Camping?

Post by Lon »

I just love going out into a wilderness area, finding a nice hotel with a big comfortable bed, clean sheets, hot water, wi fi and room service. I just love camping out. :happy
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Re: [Poll] What's Your Current Mode of Camping?

Post by Andyrunner »

Wife and I usually drive into a local campground and pop the tent. Use that as home base for hiking/fishing trips. Always considered backpacking but just never got around to it. Now that we are expecting our first kid, we might be taking a break for a few years.

Definatly plan on sticking to the tent. To me anything other then a tent really isn't 'camping'
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Re: [Poll] What's Your Current Mode of Camping?

Post by frugaltype »

Only been in desert areas where it never rains, so no tent. And no motorized vehicle.
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Re: [Poll] What's Your Current Mode of Camping?

Post by pennstater2005 »

If I go camping it is never at a campground. Last time I went it was a 45 mile river trip with kayaks. Right smack dab in the middle of the Allegheny National Forest. That's camping. Of course that was years ago and now I'm afraid of bear attacks because I read too much. I'd rather go to the beach now.
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Re: [Poll] What's Your Current Mode of Camping?

Post by robjer »

Holiday Inn Express
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Re: [Poll] What's Your Current Mode of Camping?

Post by G-Money »

Jake46 wrote:Embassy Suites
Same here. I might rough it at a Hampton Inn. :beer
robjer wrote:Holiday Inn Express
Too brave for me. :D
Don't assume I know what I'm talking about.
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Re: [Poll] What's Your Current Mode of Camping?

Post by White Coat Investor »

Tent and stuff carried in a boat. Tent and stuff carried on my back. Tent and stuff carried in a car. Holiday Inn Express. No tent next to car also quite common. Depends on the trip. I don't go camping to go camping. It's just how I sleep when I'm out doing what I'm doing. I never really understood camping for camping's sake.
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Re: [Poll] What's Your Current Mode of Camping?

Post by Default User BR »

In the old days, I did rough camping in the wintertime. I'd go to the state parks, cook over the wood fire, sleep on the ground either by the fire or in a crude pup tent made from a tarp. The state parks would have outdoor restrooms (brr) and maybe a water source.

I miss those days. A health issue makes it a dicey activity these days.


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Re: [Poll] What's Your Current Mode of Camping?

Post by Sam I Am »

Message deleted.
Last edited by Sam I Am on Sun Oct 06, 2013 11:01 am, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: [Poll] What's Your Current Mode of Camping?

Post by tyrion »

I'm surprised to see all the anti-camping comments.

I grew up hiking and backpacking. iPads and laptops and DVDs are great entertainment, but there's something about sitting around a campfire or laying on your back watching the stars that beats all that technology. And to this day I've never had a meal that tasted better than pizza from a hole in the wall on the way back from 8 days of backpacking.

Right now the kids are still young so we're car camping. I hope to get them backpacking when they are a little older. The further you get from the cars, the fewer the people out there. But they are more interesting and more thoughtful. At least that's my experience. And I don't like camping next to late night party drunks, which isn't a problem when you need to carry everything on your back.
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Re: [Poll] What's Your Current Mode of Camping?

Post by doug91 »

Although I aspire to "glamping," we currently just put a tent in the car.
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Re: [Poll] What's Your Current Mode of Camping?

Post by Niko »

When I am alone or with friends who backpack, I always carry my tent to the most remote and beautiful place I can find. When I'm with my family, including my young daughter, we car camp. Until a kid is 8 or 9, it is tough to backpack with them.

Never give up the backpack; it will keep you young.
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Re: [Poll] What's Your Current Mode of Camping?

Post by nisiprius »

The nested nature of some of the choices suggests singing, all together now, 'round the campfire:

There's a trailer being towed by a car
There's a trailer being towed by a car
There's a trailer--there's a trailer
There's a trailer being towed by car.

There's a boat on the trailer being towed by a car,
There's a boat on the trailer being towed by a car,
There's a boat--there's a boat--
There's boat on the trailer being towed by a car.

There's a bag in the boat on the trailer being towed by a car...

There's a tent in the bag in the boat on the trailer being towed by a car...

There's a lantern in the tent in the bag in the boat on the trailer being towed by car...

There's a mantle in the lantern in the tent in the bag in the boat on the trailer being towed by a car...

There's a spider on the mantle in the lantern in the tent in the bag in the boat on the trailer being towed by a car...

There's a leg on the spider on the mantle in the lantern in the tent in the bag in the boat on the trailer being towed by a car...

There's a ventral tibial apophysis on the leg on the spider on the mantle in the lantern in the tent in the bag in the boat on the trailer being towed by a car...
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Re: [Poll] What's Your Current Mode of Camping?

Post by CABob »

Don't go camping and haven't for a number of years. Roughing it is a 4* hotel sleeping with the window open.
When I did camp it was a sleeping bag only. Pull into a spot, toss the sleeping bag on the ground and that was it.
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Re: [Poll] What's Your Current Mode of Camping?

Post by livesoft »

Backcountry wilderness camping, preferably on skis. That means: skis, backpack, tent, stove. Have you ever been to Yosemite, Sequoia, etc where you saw only 2 people the entire week you were there?
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Re: [Poll] What's Your Current Mode of Camping?

Post by ruralavalon »

Hotel room, with a comfortable bed and indoor plumbing.
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Re: [Poll] What's Your Current Mode of Camping?

Post by Blues »

ruralavalon wrote:Hotel room, with a comfortable bed and indoor plumbing.
We just opted to move into a home surrounded by state and national forests literally minutes away. :twisted:
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Re: [Poll] What's Your Current Mode of Camping?

Post by Blues »

livesoft wrote:Backcountry wilderness camping, preferably on skis. That means: skis, backpack, tent, stove. Have you ever been to Yosemite, Sequoia, etc where you saw only 2 people the entire week you were there?
Yes. When my former backpacking partner and I trekked up to Vogelsang Pass during Thanksgiving week some years ago. We didn't see a soul for a week until we hiked out to Tioga road in fresh snow. Same in the Adirondacks in winter. (I've gone a month in the Wind Rivers of Wyoming without seeing anyone who wasn't in my party.)

In Alaska, after two weeks in the Wrangells the first people we came upon were a group of folks I had hiked with up in Maine earlier that year.
(Admittedly, they had copied my plans for a route in the Kuskulana River area.)
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Re: [Poll] What's Your Current Mode of Camping?

Post by livesoft »

^Very nice!
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Re: [Poll] What's Your Current Mode of Camping?

Post by Blues »

livesoft wrote:^Very nice!
Thank you. :sharebeer
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Re: [Poll] What's Your Current Mode of Camping?

Post by roymeo »

My wife got tired of picking slugs off the bottom of the tent so she built a teardrop trailer.

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Re: [Poll] What's Your Current Mode of Camping?

Post by mike143 »

My motto has been it isn't camping until you have a bm in woods. My wife won't camp but I have a 4 person tent and a cot. Sleeping on the ground hurts for a big guy like me and I don't trust air mattresses. Camping usually consist of an assortment of firearms, over indulgence in alcohol and cooking a large hunk of meat of over the fire.
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Re: [Poll] What's Your Current Mode of Camping?

Post by roymeo »

As for camping STYLE...my most recent experience was much more interactive than "glamping", it was "constramping" which is the combination of construction and camping. Camp Tipsy http://camptipsy.com/ involves camping and building rotten boat-like-structures out of junk.
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Re: [Poll] What's Your Current Mode of Camping?

Post by pjstack »

I used to camp a lot when I was able bodied. I had a Ford Econoline van with a bench seat in the back that converted into a bed. The rest of the stuff (5 gal. water jug, Coleman stove and lantern, cooler chest, etc.) was bungee corded to the walls. I covered the bare walls with indoor-outdoor carpeting to kill the sound while driving.

It was my mobile steel tent and I went on many happy trips with it.
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Re: [Poll] What's Your Current Mode of Camping?

Post by covertfantom »

I'm a Sierra Club leader and do a lot of backpacking. My equipment has evolved over time to much more lightweight gear. There's no bad gear at REI, but you start to realize that you need to lighten the load and the best way is to shell out $$$$ for a piece of gear that weighs 1 pound less. If it's a hobby you intend to stick with, I would skip the entry level stuff and go straight to the ultra light stuff.
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Re: [Poll] What's Your Current Mode of Camping?

Post by Trev H »

As as Kid my family did some camping. My Dad had one of those Camper Tops that sit on the back of a Truck. It had a small kitchen, and a bed below and bunk beds over the top of the cab area. It was a lot of fun as a kid.

As a teenager and young adult I camped some in a tent, doing a long weekend at the lake fishing... enjoyed that too.

Now -Married - and my wife is not a ruf-n-it camping type gal... If I had a camper with a hottub, kingsized bed and nice kitchen she'd probably go along :-)

Since I am not going to spend that kind of money on a camper.. we will just have to ruf-it at a nice hotel when we go.

Trev H
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Re: [Poll] What's Your Current Mode of Camping?

Post by VictoriaF »

I did some car camping in Washington State, Alaska, Utah, and Virginia. I also backpacked in Nepal where Sherpas were carrying tents, food, etc. Now, I am planning backpacking without camping. I will be carrying a pack with the necessities but stay in auberges and refugios.

Victoria
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Re: [Poll] What's Your Current Mode of Camping?

Post by VictoriaF »

covertfantom wrote:I'm a Sierra Club leader and do a lot of backpacking. My equipment has evolved over time to much more lightweight gear. There's no bad gear at REI, but you start to realize that you need to lighten the load and the best way is to shell out $$$$ for a piece of gear that weighs 1 pound less. If it's a hobby you intend to stick with, I would skip the entry level stuff and go straight to the ultra light stuff.
I know what you mean about lightweight gear. I was at a local REI today and bought a new backpack. My old one is about 8 lbs, the new one is 3 lbs.

Right now, REI runs a promotion. If you spend over $100 between 21 and 30 June, you will get a $20 gift card that has to be used between 3 and 15 July. The offer is available only to REI members and applies to online and in-store sales. Here is a link.

Victoria
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Re: [Poll] What's Your Current Mode of Camping?

Post by Bob's not my name »

livesoft wrote:Have you ever been to Yosemite, Sequoia, etc where you saw only 2 people the entire week you were there?
I've spent five days in the BWCA without seeing a single other person, but on most routes you do pass other parties.
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Re: [Poll] What's Your Current Mode of Camping?

Post by frugaltype »

EmergDoc wrote: I never really understood camping for camping's sake.
No civilization, no people. Just nature.
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Re: [Poll] What's Your Current Mode of Camping?

Post by JMacDonald »

VictoriaF wrote:
covertfantom wrote:I'm a Sierra Club leader and do a lot of backpacking. My equipment has evolved over time to much more lightweight gear. There's no bad gear at REI, but you start to realize that you need to lighten the load and the best way is to shell out $$$$ for a piece of gear that weighs 1 pound less. If it's a hobby you intend to stick with, I would skip the entry level stuff and go straight to the ultra light stuff.
I know what you mean about lightweight gear. I was at a local REI today and bought a new backpack. My old one is about 8 lbs, the new one is 3 lbs.

Right now, REI runs a promotion. If you spend over $100 between 21 and 30 June, you will get a $20 gift card that has to be used between 3 and 15 July. The offer is available only to REI members and applies to online and in-store sales. Here is a link.

Victoria
I have a pickup truck with a camper shell that I use as my tent.
Here is a website for light weight gear: http://www.golite.com/gear/packs
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Re: [Poll] What's Your Current Mode of Camping?

Post by VictoriaF »

JMacDonald wrote:
VictoriaF wrote:
covertfantom wrote:I'm a Sierra Club leader and do a lot of backpacking. My equipment has evolved over time to much more lightweight gear. There's no bad gear at REI, but you start to realize that you need to lighten the load and the best way is to shell out $$$$ for a piece of gear that weighs 1 pound less. If it's a hobby you intend to stick with, I would skip the entry level stuff and go straight to the ultra light stuff.
I know what you mean about lightweight gear. I was at a local REI today and bought a new backpack. My old one is about 8 lbs, the new one is 3 lbs.

Right now, REI runs a promotion. If you spend over $100 between 21 and 30 June, you will get a $20 gift card that has to be used between 3 and 15 July. The offer is available only to REI members and applies to online and in-store sales. Here is a link.

Victoria
I have a pickup truck with a camper shell that I use as my tent.
Here is a website for light weight gear: http://www.golite.com/gear/packs
Thank you. Here is my new pack.

I like buying equipment at REI, because they help me choosing and fitting the gear and have a generous return policy. Today, the guy worked with me for an hour and a half making various adjustments until the pack became virtually weightless.

Victoria
Last edited by VictoriaF on Fri Jun 28, 2013 8:37 pm, edited 1 time in total.
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Re: [Poll] What's Your Current Mode of Camping?

Post by Gnirk »

At my age, no more camping. It's now the Holiday Inn Express. :D
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Re: [Poll] What's Your Current Mode of Camping?

Post by wingnutty »

We have a tent trailer, but haven't been able to use it this year because we had twins this spring. Camping with a 4 and 6 yo is hard enough, but with twins babies it just takes the fun out of it :shock:

I did promise the girls that we would set up the tent in the backyard tonight and then go fishing in the morning though so that is about as close as I can come in the near-term to getting out and going camping.
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Re: [Poll] What's Your Current Mode of Camping?

Post by shmidds »

Hammock camping in a Warbonnet Blackbird hammock. The only way to go.
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Re: [Poll] What's Your Current Mode of Camping?

Post by Rick Ferri »

The history of man through camping:

Teens and 20s - I was a single, hardcore backpacker
30s - wife and young family; drive up, park, set up a large tent
40s - wife and teenagers; pop-up trailer
50s - wife only; pull trailer with queen bed, air conditioning, microwave, potty in the back.

Man, am I getting soft! :shock:

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Re: [Poll] What's Your Current Mode of Camping?

Post by SimpleGift »

Glad to see that 60% of Bogleheads go camping! Admittedly from a very small sample size, here's a preliminary breakdown:
  • 40%....Don't go camping
    40%....Camp in some type of tent
    20%....Camp in a trailer or vehicle
Good diversification! Actually, since Forum members tend to be a bit older and wealthier than the general population, I expected there'd be more travel trailers and vehicle-type campers (truck campers, vans and motorhomes) — but those Bogleheads who do go camping must be a hearty lot. This is wonderful, thanks.
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Re: [Poll] What's Your Current Mode of Camping?

Post by Steelersfan »

Don't camp any more but when the kids were younger, for many years we loaded up the car with a big tent, sleeping bags and all the stuff needed for a week-end in the woods.

We usually went to state parks.

Great times, unless (or especially) when we got lost on long hikes.
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Re: [Poll] What's Your Current Mode of Camping?

Post by Raybo »

I didn't vote because I carry my tent on my bicycle.

But, I view my tent and sleeping bag as "emergency" equipment, as well. I only camp when I can't find couchsurfing hosts or reasonably priced motels. I have several camping nithts planned for my next bike ride, which starts just after July 4th, as it goes through National Parks with hiker/biker sites.
No matter how long the hill, if you keep pedaling you'll eventually get up to the top.
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Re: [Poll] What's Your Current Mode of Camping?

Post by mlipps »

My husband and I love camping. We usually go about every other weekend in the summer. Good, cheap fun. Best place so far domestically was Assateague Island, though it was a bit cold in October. We have a cheap $50 tent from Amazon that deserves a 5 star review after withstanding our night at Assateague with howling winds straight off the ocean. Absolutely gorgeous though. Still doesn't compare to the night I spent camped out when in the outback two years ago. Had a party at the shearing shed, then slept on wool bales under the clearest sky I've ever seen. Just doesn't get any better.
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Re: [Poll] What's Your Current Mode of Camping?

Post by texasdiver »

Bike touring with a tent is not one of your options but at this very moment I am riding down the Pacific Coast on a tandem with my 10 year old daughter and 75 year old father who is riding a recumbent. We are mostly tent camping at state parks with the occasional hotel or vacation rental scattered in for rest days or to hide out from rain. I am blogging the trip here if anyone is curious: http://kentalind.blogspot.com/

However we do have a large pop-up tent camper that we use for family vacations around Texas and the surrounding states. It is the largest camper I can park on my property or tow with my van so I am limited out in the camper arms race. Anything larger will require paying for storage and a new tow vehicle which isn't in the cards with 3 girls seemingly quickly aproaching college age.
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Re: [Poll] What's Your Current Mode of Camping?

Post by Bob's not my name »

texasdiver wrote:at this very moment I am riding down the Pacific Coast on a tandem with my 10 year old daughter
Don't text and drive, dude.
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Re: [Poll] What's Your Current Mode of Camping?

Post by White Coat Investor »

VictoriaF wrote:
I like buying equipment at REI, because they help me choosing and fitting the gear and have a generous return policy. Today, the guy worked with me for an hour and a half making various adjustments until the pack became virtually weightless.

Victoria
That's a cool trick. If I could figure out how to make a pack with 20 lbs of camping gear and 30 lbs of climbing gear in it feel weightless it would really improve the quality of my trips. Maybe I should do some more pack shopping. Mine is 20 years old. I'd be willing to spend a few hundred bucks to cut off 5 lbs.
1) Invest you must 2) Time is your friend 3) Impulse is your enemy | 4) Basic arithmetic works 5) Stick to simplicity 6) Stay the course
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VictoriaF
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Joined: Tue Feb 27, 2007 6:27 am
Location: Black Swan Lake

Re: [Poll] What's Your Current Mode of Camping?

Post by VictoriaF »

Simplegift wrote:Glad to see that 60% of Bogleheads go camping! Admittedly from a very small sample size, here's a preliminary breakdown:
  • 40%....Don't go camping
    40%....Camp in some type of tent
    20%....Camp in a trailer or vehicle
Good diversification! Actually, since Forum members tend to be a bit older and wealthier than the general population, I expected there'd be more travel trailers and vehicle-type campers (truck campers, vans and motorhomes) — but those Bogleheads who do go camping must be a hearty lot. This is wonderful, thanks.
When you start a camping thread on a summer Friday, some of your potential audience may be unavailable due to ... camping.

Victoria
Inventor of the Bogleheads Secret Handshake | Winner of the 2015 Boglehead Contest. | Every joke has a bit of a joke. ... The rest is the truth. (Marat F)
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