Hot Coffee is Essential on a Camp Out I’ve dedicated quite a bit of space on this blog to my love of coffee. It started with what I’ve found to be a most convenient way to boil water quickly. More recently, I sang the praises of a lightweight and affordable way to make great tasting coffee in camp. With the YETI Rambler Lowball I’ve finally found my favorite vessel for holding that sweet, sweet coffee when I’m lounging in the woods….
Okay, This Gear Makes Me Happy Campfire Guy Here. From June to late September, weather in North Texas is a little too “scorched Earth hot” for camping. I take this time to reflect on the gear I used over the cooler months and make adjustments for trips I have planned this fall and winter. Remember, I am the serial gear returner. For this gear to still be under my roof is seal of approval. I currently own and use everything…
Campfire Guy here. The season for gearing up continues with the next installment of, “How to Gear Up For Car Camping”. Aside from a tent, your sleep system is the second most important step in the path to camping bliss and a good night’s rest. A sleep system consists of some sort of mattress or pad on the ground with something to cover up with on top. Put Something Between You and the Ground If you ever camped out…
Campfire Guy Here. We are planning a camping trip with some friends for this coming Fall. During our correspondence (fancy way to say Facebook Messenger), they asked me, “we are new to car camping, where do we start with buying gear?” My inner gear dork squealed with glee. Every time Campfire Guy gets to dispense gear advice, either an angel gets its wings or Campfire Wife rolls her eyes and groans. I can’t remember, though I’m pretty sure it’s the wings…
Campfire Guy is Bad at Math, but Good at Getting Trained Campfire Guy here. Four score and six years ago….wait, that doesn’t sound right. Zero score and six years ago, I began walking the path to become a trained Cub Scout leader. While the infographic below starts a little more formally, mine started with chopping onions on a Cub Scout campout. From the Couch to the Woods If you’ve followed my antics on this site for any length of time,…
Find the Right Shoe for the Right Situation Campfire Guy here. I was asked a question on my Facebook Page last week about hiking shoes. It reminded me of the stress of trying to buy the right pair of shoes. As with most of my gear, I’ve bought and returned an embarrassing amount of hiking footwear. I truly am like Goldilocks. They have to be near perfect. If the shoes aren’t comfortable walking around the house, no way they are…
A Few Things I Wish a Man From the Future Had Told Me Campfire Guy Here. I’ve spent a lot of time in the outdoors over the past six years. Along the way, I’ve made a ton of mistakes. From packing too much or buying then returning an embarrassing amount of gear, I have done a lot of failing. Fortunately, I have managed to learn a few lessons along the way. After popping out of a Delorean, here are five things…
Outdoors is Better Than Indoors Campfire Guy here. Some of my favorite memories growing up took place in the great outdoors. While I never had the pleasure of being chased by a bald headed bear or matching wits with trash can-dwelling raccoons, I hope to pass on my love of nature to our kids. So Much Concrete, So Little Space to Roam Living in a suburb of Dallas,TX it’s easy to forget that there are some great places close by where…
Pros CheapDurableEasy to set up Cons The dimples can be hard to cleanThe pad doesn’t come with a strap to keep it closed Ground Control To Mattress Pad Campfire Guy here. If a sleeping bag keeps you warm and a tent keeps you dry, what keeps you comfortable in the outdoors? Unless you are a hammock camper, sleeping outdoors often means sleeping on the ground. No offense to the ground, but it’s generally cold, hard and pokey. Ground speed aside,…
So You’ve Got This New Scout, Now What? Campfire Guy here. One of the questions I get asked by families joining a Boy Scout Troop is, “What kind of gear are we going to have to buy”. Gone are the days of Cub Scouts where you crammed the family truckster full. Packing for Boy Scouts is going to look a little different than what you may have been used to. Here’s What You Need Below represents what most Troops will…