Suggestions for family camp stove and other accessories?

[silenus]

@SmellMyWort

Single burners are great but they don’t offer the wind protection of a stove.

Never used a Peak One, have you? I’ve fired those puppies up in gale force winds.

If you can find the Coleman Stainless Steel Roadtrip Pro grill, get it. We got one for car camping and it has turned into our regular home grill as well.

[Ceejaytee]

@SmellMyWort

In my experience, the stove preference boils down to the convenience/safety of propane over the slight economy of liquid fuel.

We’re used to liquid fuel anyway, because we have a Whisperlite stove we use for backpacking. I figure the Coleman can’t be harder to use than that.

@SmellMyWort

I’ve never thought of putting the tarp down on the inside instead of under the tent. Campsites aren’t always grassy and unless the ground is very dry the bottom of the tarp can get pretty dirty and wet. I’d much rather deal with a dirty tarp than the dirty bottom of a tent. I have a separate Coleman picnic blanket thing that’s waterproof on one side and fleece on the other. That’s my inside the tent liner.

The picnic blanket sounds great. Is there anything Coleman doesn’t make?

@Harmonious_Discord

Something like these. The roof is almost as large as the footprint so it has good rain blocking area. The poles go together and then clips attached to the screen house are clipped into place on the pole making set up easier than designs where you have to slip all the poles into sleeves sewn onto the screen house. A twelve by twelve foot screen house is a good minimum size to get. Be sure that you will be able to stand everywhere in the screen house. Having to duck everywhere but the center is not a good one.

These look great. I think we’ll have to go to our local camp store (go Campmor!) and stand in some. I know they have a bunch set out on the floor.

@Harmonious_Discord

Have a separate cooler for stuff that can not get warm no matter what. The other cooler is the one for soda fruit and whatever else won’t spoil when opened a lot and can be allowed to warm if ice is in short supply.

You’re the second person to suggest this, and it’s a great idea. I can’t imagine why we didn’t think of it sooner. Thanks!

[WhyNot]

@Ceejaytee

Is there anything Coleman doesn’t make?

YES! Camping safe mugs that nest in a space saving stack. And a *small *screenhouse. I want a 7X7 screenhouse with zip away panel sides that’s tall enough to stand upright in, please. Or a similar sized cabin tent with ginormous screen windows. I want it for a kitchen, you see, able to be closed up to thwart rain, animals and hungry hippies, but with enough air flow to safely run a stove in.

[Green_Bean]

Costco often has great big coolers at this time of year. They also have some really great “family camping” gear sometimes. (let me know if you’re not a member. I’ll hook you up.)

Another food packing tip–In the second cooler that you’re not going to be opening–If you freeze some of the foods before you pack the cooler, they will help keep the other stuff cool. (This is only a good idea for certain types of food, obviously.)

[Ceejaytee]

@WhyNot

YES! Camping safe mugs that nest in a space saving stack. And a *small *screenhouse. I want a 7X7 screenhouse with zip away panel sides that’s tall enough to stand upright in, please. Or a similar sized cabin tent with ginormous screen windows. I want it for a kitchen, you see, able to be closed up to thwart rain, animals and hungry hippies, but with enough air flow to safely run a stove in.

You don’t ask for much, do you WhyNot? I was thinking that the 15x15 seemed really big too.

@Green_Bean

Costco often has great big coolers at this time of year. They also have some really great “family camping” gear sometimes. (let me know if you’re not a member. I’ll hook you up.)

Another food packing tip–In the second cooler that you’re not going to be opening–If you freeze some of the foods before you pack the cooler, they will help keep the other stuff cool. (This is only a good idea for certain types of food, obviously.)

I was wondering when you’d show up. We’ve got a Costco near us? We joined BJs, which is quite awesome, because we couldn’t find a nearby Costco. Enlighten me.

Freezing stuff is a great idea. Frozen meats for hiking–what a concept.

[WhyNot]

@Ceejaytee

You don’t ask for much, do you WhyNot? I was thinking that the 15x15 seemed really big too.

I’ve had 10 years of not having quite the right set up to think about what I really, *really *want. Yes, 15X15 is great and comfy, except that I like to camp in wooded sites on campgrounds during festivals - and my 12X9 cabin tent already feels like I’m hogging a lot of real estate. Not to mention that a 15X15 screen tent is pretty damn big and heavy to pack away, and while yes, I’m car camping, I’m car camping in a Saturn hatchback with a family of four for 2 week trips. *Space *is at a premium, if not weight. I want a small tent with lots of ventilation that I can stand up in. Is that really too much to ask? (Apparently, yes, it is.)

What I’ve used the last two years is an extra large beach shelter from Eureka. It’s almost okay. It packs up very small, which is nice. It doesn’t close up tightly from rain, but I can position stuff inside so that’s not a big deal. It’s not quite tall enough to stand all the way inside, but I position the stove so that I can stand underneath the little awning in front while I cook. But the zipper just got FUBARed, and that’s a deal breaker, so I’m once again looking for a kitchen tent.

It’s certainly big enough for a couple of chairs and a checkerboard, though.

[SmellMyWort]

WhyNot, these might fit the bill. The screen tent is a little larger than you want at 10x10, but close.

REI screen house.
Rain fly for screen house

This looks like it would work, but might be a bit short.

[Ceejaytee]

@SmellMyWort

WhyNot, these might fit the bill. The screen tent is a little larger than you want at 10x10, but close.

REI screen house.
Rain fly for screen house

Ooh, it’s got a rain fly. I like that.

[silenus]

A rain fly is essential, no matter what the weather report is.

CJT, you will need to really free up your mind when you start making up menus. With coolers and no weight limit, you can get creative with things like lunch and dessert. Wine with dinner? No problem if you don’t have to pack it in (and out). But still plan something special for the last few days, as a treat.

Somebody upthread mentioned LED lights. Get a headlamp for every member of the party, and bring lots of spare batteries. Headlamps are much more useful than flashlights 95% of the time.

[Green_Bean]

@Ceejaytee

I was wondering when you’d show up. We’ve got a Costco near us? We joined BJs, which is quite awesome, because we couldn’t find a nearby Costco. Enlighten me.

I’m so predictable.

Costco is up on 22, sort of behind some stuff. Take 22E into Union, past that big P.C. Richards that’s shaped like a ship, then take the U-turn. Get right quick and take the first hard right past Rio 22. You’ll see it.

[Gary_T]

@silenus

Headlamps are much more useful than flashlights 95% of the time.

Depends on what you’re doing 95% of the time.

Headlamps are great for certain tasks, e.g. driving in tent stakes. Less so for other tasks, like walking to the outhouse. They have two significant drawbacks: 1) they attract bugs right to your face; and 2) they blind and aggravate people when you look at them. Headlamps can be useful, but I would take them in addition to, not instead of, flashlights.

[Ceejaytee]

@Green_Bean

I’m so predictable.

Not predictable–a friend, who’s interested.

@Green_Bean

Costco is up on 22, sort of behind some stuff. Take 22E into Union, past that big P.C. Richards that’s shaped like a ship, then take the U-turn. Get right quick and take the first hard right past Rio 22. You’ll see it.

Thanks!

@Gary_T

Depends on what you’re doing 95% of the time.

Headlamps are great for certain tasks, e.g. driving in tent stakes. Less so for other tasks, like walking to the outhouse. They have two significant drawbacks: 1) they attract bugs right to your face; and 2) they blind and aggravate people when you look at them. Headlamps can be useful, but I would take them in addition to, not instead of, flashlights.

We’ve got headlamps. My kids love them and we got special ones for them that have 2 different kinds of lights–the kind that will blind you when your kid looks at you, and the kind that will only partially blind you.

silenus I know! I’m used to dehydrated backpacking stuff. This is like a whole new world. I’m very excited.