I don't have a problem getting up and down off of the ground. My issue is sleeping on the hard ground. No matter how much site prep I do, I end up with that rock or that stick in my back all night.

you can get a cheap battery powered one for $15-50
they are great for stoking a camp fire but heavy and often die after a season (wont accept a charge anymore)... more reasons why i love the thermarest




- catman showed me that one

They also have the pumps that plug into your car power plugs.

foot powered too

What else ya got? I'm planning on a little boat camping and I'm particularly interested in ultra-light stuff like stoves.

IMHO can't beat a good old coleman camping stove for value. there are better built and cheaper ones but these are a great compromise

they aren't very heavy at all and the ones with wind walls make a huge difference in cooking time if there is any wind

Are you talking about the backpack size, or the multi-burners (old school)? I have one from the 70s.

Of course, it's never used. I don't even use the stove in the RV at regattas...

On family camping trips, I prefer to cook on a campfire, using another old trick: all you really need is fire, and foil...

Mike

JETBOIL.

I second that. Those things are awesome.

the 2 burner with side wind walls is what I meant.
Cooking on a fire is great but having a burner for coffee or food when it rains is essential gear for me.

And yes there are many smaller and lighter systems, if you are backpacking they are perfect, otherwise they are very expensive for my needs and almost everyone has standard propane fuel (both stores and other campers)...

I don't camp like I did in Boy Scouts anymore, either. We're always in close enough proximity to restaurants if the weather stinks.

My Coleman stove is OLD, old school. Runs on Coleman (liquid) fuel, not propane!

I like cooking on the fire because it's fun and relaxing. If it becomes stressful, I'd do something else...

Mike

I'm in college...I've lived weeks off of beer and pizza alone!

Sounds like a perfect regatta diet!

Mike

+1. Got a two burner (with wind guard) that came with legs so I can cook standing up.

The little propane canisters are good for short trips, and you can plug in the big momma canister for longer stays.

And it really works well to heat up water when the power is out for days... like after Wilma tore through our county.

Fill up the lobster pot and heat to steaming. Mix with cool water and you got one nice hot bath/shower (more water than those solar H20 things, but they work well in concert, too)

I use my coleman stove for melting lead.

sounds like a fun camping pastime

I use mine on my patio with my cast iron pan when I cook fish so i don't stink up the house

A TENT that retails for $449? Dude, you're rich! So you pay your fair share then?

Another Eagle Scout here!

I gave up on Tents years ago.. In my scout troop we 'backpacked' every month of the year.. Light gear was required, and we got tired of tents.. Ran into guys just doing the bivy sack thing and thought we were cool.. Then we discovered Hammocks long before they were cool, and never looked back..

No more sleeping on the ground.. I have a really nice Hennessy Hammock.. Fits me and the wife quite comfortably! But if the weather is nice I often just break out an old king size bedsheet.. Just tie some old line with a..... wait for it... Sheetbend... and you are good to go... I have an old pup tent fly to string over the bedsheet. The Hennessy has a sweet setup with fly, bug screen, ect..

No more sleeping on the rocks on the ground for me.. You will always find me high and dry.

I have a Coleman stove as well, the one that runs off the liquid, probably 30 years old. I recently saw some youtube video on the flammability of that liquid, wow, how many times I could blown myself up.