Before Camping Got Wimpy

**Bruce Wayne** · 08-05-2012, 02:19 PM

http://www.collectorsweekly.com/arti...ing-got-wimpy/

**Andy** · 08-05-2012, 02:31 PM

An excellent article, thank you

**Argonaut** · 08-05-2012, 02:35 PM

Originally Posted by Andy

An excellent article, thank you

+1

**huntingdan** · 08-05-2012, 03:24 PM

Great article, everyone needs to get out here and there to enjoy a little nature.

**JoshuaNY** · 08-06-2012, 01:26 PM

I don't know what you're talking about I always rough it.

Great article

**Dirk-Lerxst-Pratt** · 08-06-2012, 03:12 PM

Very nice. I just rediscovered light weight backpacking this year. Love being able to keep the weight down and hike big miles.

**Doc4** · 08-06-2012, 03:41 PM

Even minimalist car-camping is something to get back to. Back in 2006 my father, brother and I went on a 3-week camping trip to the Yukon, NWT, and Alaska ... one pick-up, loaded with a vintage collection of tents, tarps, pots, pans, and fishing poles.

One night is particularly memorable, in Denali Park in Alaska ... there was us with our tents and campfire, surrounded by a sea of giant motorhomes, each one with a generator running all night (inconsiderate schlubs!) and not a cooking fire to be seen.

Bizarre!

**jtb** · 08-06-2012, 03:52 PM

Last time we went camping we went with another couple. I pitched our little 2 man rolled out our little mats and sleeping bags, fired up the whisperlite stove and was ready. The other couple, pitched a 2 man tent, inflated air mattresses, tossed on some nice linens, then actually fluffed some pillows. I must have had a very perplexed look on my face cause they kept asking me what was wrong.
So since then, my wife refuses to go because I don't like all the "fluff".

I prefer backpacking, so all the accouterments they had shocked me.

**Argonaut** · 08-06-2012, 07:17 PM

You're not "camping" unless the local flora and fauna has the upper hand. Everything else is temporarily squatting.

**nymtber** · 08-07-2012, 08:58 AM

I have both lightweight backpacking gear (far from ultralight-but still light) to heavy everything ya need car camping. When your camping in a state park for a week, with a car, might as well take anything you might want :)

But nothing compares to just having the lightweight bare essentials. Get back to nature...

**Doc4** · 08-07-2012, 12:30 PM

Originally Posted by jmallen5

You're not "camping" unless the local flora and fauna has the upper hand. Everything else is temporarily squatting.

You are not really "camping" unless there is some temporary squatting involved.

**Phog Allen** · 08-07-2012, 12:54 PM

Great article. And it reminds me of how wussified we have become. NO one really used purpose specific camping gear years ago when I was little. We went to Canada when I was about four years old(1967) and my Da, me, and brother slept in tents and Ma, grandma, and sis slept in the back of station wagon. A 1959 Ford. With the back seat folded down it made a tolerable camp bed with some quilts laid down for comfort. Oh sure, sleeping bags and other items were kind of specific but other than a roll of Charmin the rest was essentially picnicking gear. We survived just fine.

I don't know about the rest of you chaps but the older I get the more I refuse to do much of any out of doors activities in the summer heat. This year has been miserable in cattle country with a good number of days over 105F. Many well over the century mark. It is just miserable trying to sleep through that. But we did it when I was young. We didn't have a home with air conditioning till 1985. Now we are spoiled. For me, bring on the chilly October evenings and I would be willing to backpack miles a day. And I agree with the chap who said the local flora and fauna playing a role make it more authentic. But so does my carrying enough medicine to "cure" the problem.

Cheers, Todd

**The Count of Merkur Cristo** · 08-07-2012, 06:02 PM

Originally Posted by Andy

An excellent article, thank you

Originally Posted by jmallen5

+1

Jason:

...I think I've had enough camping time...but what do I know...I was only 'in the field' and on many deployments in my former uniform Service days.

"[Being a former boonie rat]...has opened the earth to me and let me sense the rhythms and hierarchies of nature". Charles Fergus

**73mountaineer** · 08-08-2012, 10:24 AM

Great read, thanks for sharing the link!

**Kit Walker** · 11-06-2012, 10:39 PM

Camping has gotten wimpy?

Since when?

**DukeGrad** · 11-07-2012, 09:38 AM

Joshua NY that is awesome.

I am retired from the Army, my whole family ( wife and both kids, grown ups now.
All do the tent scene. and have always enjoyed it.
This makes me happy.
Both are in professions now, and still do the same.
I have a favorite brother in law.
Roughing for him in the outdoors was going to the Mirror Lake Inn in Lake Placid

IMO, RV do not cunt

Nice day my friends
Jimmy

**Deltaboy** · 11-07-2012, 10:24 AM

When I go by myself I ruff it but with the Girls we KOA Camping Kabin it.

**CB1** · 11-07-2012, 12:40 PM

Originally Posted by jtb

Last time we went camping we went with another couple. I pitched our little 2 man rolled out our little mats and sleeping bags, fired up the whisperlite stove and was ready. The other couple, pitched a 2 man tent, inflated air mattresses, tossed on some nice linens, then actually fluffed some pillows. I must have had a very perplexed look on my face cause they kept asking me what was wrong.
So since then, my wife refuses to go because I don't like all the "fluff".

I prefer backpacking, so all the accouterments they had shocked me.

Well I enjoy camping and when I suggested to my girlfriend of 7 years we go camping I wanted to make sure I wasn't going to hear what your wife was saying. I therefore acquired a nice big canvas tent. I put the air mattress etc in there. She loves it! It's not like outward bound camp in Colorado I enjoyed as a kid but I still get outdoors and can enjoy all the activity's like hiking, biking, fishing, canoeing etc.. So it's a good trade off!

**CB1** · 11-07-2012, 12:42 PM

Originally Posted by Phog Allen

Great article. And it reminds me of how wussified we have become. NO one really used purpose specific camping gear years ago when I was little. We went to Canada when I was about four years old(1967) and my Da, me, and brother slept in tents and Ma, grandma, and sis slept in the back of station wagon. A 1959 Ford. With the back seat folded down it made a tolerable camp bed with some quilts laid down for comfort. Oh sure, sleeping bags and other items were kind of specific but other than a roll of Charmin the rest was essentially picnicking gear. We survived just fine.

I don't know about the rest of you chaps but the older I get the more I refuse to do much of any out of doors activities in the summer heat. This year has been miserable in cattle country with a good number of days over 105F. Many well over the century mark. It is just miserable trying to sleep through that. But we did it when I was young. We didn't have a home with air conditioning till 1985. Now we are spoiled. For me, bring on the chilly October evenings and I would be willing to backpack miles a day. And I agree with the chap who said the local flora and fauna playing a role make it more authentic. But so does my carrying enough medicine to "cure" the problem.

Cheers, Todd

I made the mistake of camping in the Key's here in Florida when it was smoking hot with humidity - never again!! But we get excellent winter weather that's perfect for camping!

**Phog Allen** · 11-09-2012, 12:42 AM

Wow CB1 I can hear those mosquitos in my mind right now. I made the mistake of letting my wife talk me into staying at our local lake in a camp spot a couple of summers ago. Never again. Noisy campers, humidity off the scales, chiggers, skeeters, and not ten minutes of decent sleep. Right about now it is finally getting to be good outdoor weather here in cattle country. 50/60s for high temps and 30/40s for lows. Now I could camp but the women of the house would be cold.

Cheers, Todd