Tent Camping

themojosupreme

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Aug 10, 2012
We're going back to the basics and using a tent after years in our travel trailer. We'll have a two room tent and we'll be setting up a screen room to use as a camp kitchen area. We love being outdoors but the sleeping on the ground wasnt going to work for us anymore so we definitely have an air mattress! Any suggestions/pics that will help us enjoy our back to the tent experience would be appreciated. Thanks!
 
That's tough. It depends on what you mean by "Enjoy our back to the tent experience"

My tent experience is mostly a 2 man tent and not a 2 ROOM tent. Not an air mattress more like a "Pad" (Mine is actually a "HALF" length pad for Hiking as it's lighter weight. My feet don't need the "Cushion").

That said, I would think based on the time of year you may want a heater or a fan (or even both) Also a "coffee pot" and/or Toaster oven seems appropriate for most. Unlike many other primitive campsites (at other campgrounds) FW has utilities available for tent sites. So you may want to take advantage of it. A Power Strip is probably a good idea too, if for nothing else to charge the various electronics you may have (Phones, tablets, cameras, etc..)
 
I apologize as I should have mentioned that we started out as rustic trail backpackers 25 years ago in a two man tent and moved up to a two room tent and sleeping bags for the family until my cancer removed me from camping for awhile. We bought a trailer and continued camping but with the kids grown now, we are ready to get back to our roots in tent camping but with some accomodations for my health. The comfort items that can upgrade us to "glamping" are what I was hoping to learn more about from our fellow campers. And, I thank you for your suggestions, especially as the heater will be a sure thing for November!
 
what are the dimensions of your tent? There are several tent specific mattress that I know of.

Here is a picture inside my vestibule. I like the larger vestibule for getting dressed / keeping stuff dry but not IN the tent. I got the mini fridge off craigslist but I really like it since it has a "real" freezer and not just one of those little cubbies inside the refrigerator. I use the fridge for breakfast food and to bring sandwiches in to the park for lunch sometimes. I am in the process of getting a small 5000 BTU window AC unit to cool off the tent.

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I also bring surge protectors and plenty of outdoor extension cords.
 


I did just what you're talking about, ten years ago-- two adults (a couple), and a two-room tent-- we used one room for cooking/dressing, the other acting as the bedroom. We were also there in winter (Jan, Feb, March). It was wonderful! I think you'll love it.

Here are some things that really made the stay nice that come to mind-- and please excuse me if I'm saying stuff that's obvious to you, as a seasoned camper. I'll skip the basics and try to think about the "glamping" elements (love that term!). I've also done lots of camping/hiking/roughing it...and it was so fun to have such a posh setup at Disney!

Tent:
Two-room is great! Mine was tall enough to easily stand up straight and walk around in, which to me (also having done lots of camping in small tents) made a HUGE difference. So much nicer to get dressed, cook, just move around when you're not hunched over / banging your head. Also the door was really big, not requiring crawling in and out --also nice on the back!

I liked having the kitchen inside the main tent, and not in a screen tent, mainly because it's often quite cold out at night that time of year. It'll be cold cooking breakfast and dinner (and sometimes chilly at lunch) in a screen tent. I used one of the rooms in my main tent, which had plenty of ventilation anyway between the vented roof and large windows. That way, I could put on my nice heater and be all toasty while cooking. Also no worries about scurrying back and forth through the wet if it's raining.

Bedding:
Instead of an air mattress, I brought a king-size memory foam topper (a 4" thick one), which filled the "bedroom" nicely. Bulkier to pack than an air mattress, but imho waaaaaay more comfy. Tho it was a just little thin for side sleeping-- you might be able to improve on this idea. A thought-- I've bought memory foam mattresses (the bed version, not a "topper") from Sam's Club online-- inexpensive, often with free shipping. They arrive with all the air sucked out-- quite compact, at least on the trip down. You open the container, and it "inflates" over the course of a few hours. If you can find the room for it, I'd far recommend memory foam solutions over an air mattress (having slept on both long term). This might be the biggest "glamping" tip I've got-- you wouldn't believe how awesome it is to camp and be in a truly comfy bed every night! (A very weird feeling after all my time camping atop rocks, bumps, etc!)

Electricity
One of the most ridiculous glamping things at Disney is that you have electrical outlets just a few feet away, at every tent site! Bring one power strip for each "room" so you can set stuff up once and leave it. Super convenient, but I was a little concerned about safety in the rain/wet. I'd recommend getting an outdoor circuit breaker/fuse (GFCI) to protect you from short circuits in the rain...also waterproof plug covers are good for peace of mind (example). I made sure that all my cords went UPhill on their way into the tent so that rain couldn't run down them towards a plug. You can use clothespins, binder clips, or clip-style clamps to secure your cords in "uphill formation" at the door to your tent(s): Clip one binder clip just inside the door, down low, to hold the cord in position where you want the tent door to close around it (but choose a position as high off the ground as possible-- definitely not ON the ground). Then clip a second binder clip a foot or so off the ground, to hoist the cords uphill, just inside the door. Use zip ties (re-positionable!) or twistees or string or chewing gum or what have you to attach the cords to the clips. I hope that makes sense!

Heat
I researched and found that a Vornado heater like this one was a great fit for the tent. It is super-quiet, and gently uses a vortex fan to fill the whole space with heat. It turns off if tipped over, and the whole thing stays completely cool no matter the setting. Perfect. This thing was AWESOME. OK, maybe this one is the best glamping tip! Toasty warmness plus memory foam...STYLIN'! In the two-room tent, I put it on the "bedroom" side of the door between the rooms, but it could easily heat both rooms by opening the door between rooms a bit, or turning it around to blow into the kitchen room while cooking. Was plenty for the space. Also great for drying laundry / towels / bathing suits that you've got hanging in the tent!

Work Surfaces
I brought two folding tables (example), and floor protectors (example) to protect the tent floor from the table legs. They come in all different lengths and foldability (some fold in half for packing), so you can get whatever you think would be a good fit. But having two or more is really helpful, so you're not at a loss for workspace.

Lighting

Clip lights (wired) on the edge of your work tables are really handy.

Cooking
A double-burner hotplate (electric cooktop) with automatic safety shutoff (if left on) was great (example). It lets you boil pasta or make rice while cooking stew/sauce etc.

Silicone potholders - bring a pair for picking things up, but also a couple that you can leave on the table surface, for when you're serving or just need to get something off the burner right away. Silicone because they don't get damp/moldy if it's rainy, and easily washable, quick dry.

Use a clip to pin up a small garbage bag, to a table leg by your cutting board, for example.

Foodstuffs
I used a dehydrator so that I could bring homemade stews along with me. Just add water and simmer for a bit! It's "fast food" that doesn't need refrigeration.

Random stuff:
Zip ties - repositionable (I mean the ones that you can tighten but also loosen again-- waaaaay more useful)
bungee cords
clothesline, clothespins setup (or twisted bungee clothesline that you tuck corners of clothes into without needing clothespins) for inside AND outside the tent
plastic clips / clamps (or binder clips, cheap tho they rust eventually)


That's what came to mind immediately...Any questions, please ask! I hope you have a great time.
 
Wow - exciting ideas to keep me shopping for the next months till we head out. Love the freezer in the fridge and it seems like a good idea to do the cooking within the tent especially if it gets cold and wet! .
I used a dehydrator so that I could bring homemade stews along with me. Just add water and simmer for a bit! It's "fast food" that doesn't need refrigeration

I eagerly looked at all the products that were presented and am hoping for some help on the dehydrator. We used to dehydrate fruits but our machine would not work for liquids. What a great idea.

Our tent is 10 x 14 and I am using movers blankets as "carpet" on the floor as they can be easily cleaned and were cheaper than most floor coverings. Also they should keep the worry about tearing the tent floor but the floor protectors would be good insurance.

Do y'all lock up or leave things out when you are away from your site? Thinking those zip ties would do the job of securing things too. Thanks!
 
Well hello Mojosupreme!

Some people need very little when the tent camp. Some need what I need and that is full on comforts! Sure we would be fine without half the stuff but we go on long camping trips and I want my site to feel "home like" when we are resting back at our site. I created such a "home like" experience for our children they were telling kids they meet after a few weeks..."hey come over to our place, we live at 1509". Now that is us!

We had an RV and sold it then acquired a couple tents and a whole-lotta-stuff to make our trip comfortable. In fact, we ended up loving the tent camping more than staying in our RV. One reason and the main reason that comes to my mind is we spent under $300 on fuel with the tent camping verses almost $1,400 something in fuel in the RV. That being we stacked and packed our mini van and pulled a trailer with our golf cart too.

The first thing that comes to my mind is a good deluxe cot. We need a firm support and you don't get that with an air mattress.

We brought electric blankets, heaters, and two tents. One for sleeping and one for food storage and small appliances. I too like carpet within a tent and we had 5X7 rugs. I plan to bring an extra large outdoor rug or two for our next trip and create a pathway so I don't have to get sandy on the way in and out.

I have lots of pics of our tent set up, just click on my signature link below. While some would call it glamping I wouldn't. My idea of glamping is bedspreads and tea lights and elegance within a tent. Our set up was kid friendly and comfortable.

Snowmedic on here also tent camps with his family and he has a really nice tent set up too. You can use the search bar and that will bring up some more helpful info.
 


I second the idea of a cot for sleeping. Love tent camping but got so tired of sleeping on the ground and air mattresses deflating in the night. A cot has made all the difference in the world! I sleep better camping now than I do at home.
 
Do y'all lock up or leave things out when you are away from your site?
I have heard little in the way of theft at Fort Wilderness. That's not to say it doesn't happen but I feel very safe and comfortable there. That being said, anything of real value (money, small electronics, etc..) you could just lock in your car. The bigger thief, I think, at FW are the squirrels, as I am sure than one person can attest to.

Also, When I first read your post I was looking for pictures of an awesome tent campsite setup that I had seen on here. I couldn't find it but I am so glad that @ilovedisneymm posted here because the link in her signature (and here --> http://www.disboards.com/threads/tr-2-tents-21-days-pictures.3377254/ ) is awesome. You should definitely check it out.
 
Wow, such great ideas here. I love the idea of putting down carpet, both inside and out of the tent!

I also didn't have any problems with theft, or anyone ever bothering my stuff at all, but I also left valuables locked in the car.

I like the idea of a cot, but do they make those for two? I remember seeing lots for singles but not so great for a couple. On the idea of having memory foam on the ground-- along with back-pillows it made for a really comfy "living room" to lounge in and read etc in the evening. You could just sprawl out. But I bet a cot would be sweet because you could store things under it. Guess it depends if you're more into the more formal look, vs my "Matahari" vibe...

As for food dehydrators, I had an Excalibur, and liked it very much. (Lots of reviews if you search "food dehydrator" on Amazon. Also an oldie but a goodie review on Mother Earth News) Dehydrating stews and sauces was easy-- just make sure you chop everything so that all veg/meat chunks are small (1/2" or less?), and cook with as little water as possible (make it thick!) to speed things up. You just put plastic wrap down on the dehydrator trays, and spread out the stew...when it's dry, you just crunch it up into big flakes, and put it into the storage container of your choice. I had loads of ziplock bags-- label and date them because the dry version can be hard to identify-- and kept them in a large tupperware plastic box to keep critters (squirrels!), ants etc out. They take up very little space! It was neat to have gourmet Indian food, and other favorites from home, in a tent at Fort Wilderness! Yum.
 
You just put plastic wrap down on the dehydrator trays, and spread out the stew...when it's dry, you just crunch it up into big flakes,
I haven't dehydrated anything along the lines of stew or chilli (yet), however, personally I don't think I would use plastic wrap. I think I might lean toward parchment paper instead. Of course there is always the "Fruit Leather" trays (or whatever they are called) that you could use.

Another tip I read was, of course to keep rotating your trays every couple of hours, but also when it "Firms up enough, that you should "Break it up" before it's fully dehydrated. The reason is that you can get a crust around the outside that, much like "Searing" a steak, seals in the moisture on the inside. By breaking it up you help to expose it for better dehydrating.
 
I haven't dehydrated anything along the lines of stew or chilli (yet), however, personally I don't think I would use plastic wrap. I think I might lean toward parchment paper instead. Of course there is always the "Fruit Leather" trays (or whatever they are called) that you could use.

You're so right, parchment paper sounds way safer / less chemical-y than plastic wrap. I was doing this 10 years ago-- it's an interesting reflection on how our awareness of such things has changed! We were all still sucking down BPAs back then...

Another tip I read was, of course to keep rotating your trays every couple of hours, but also when it "Firms up enough, that you should "Break it up" before it's fully dehydrated. The reason is that you can get a crust around the outside that, much like "Searing" a steak, seals in the moisture on the inside. By breaking it up you help to expose it for better dehydrating.

Yes, you're reminding me also of how I would remove the plastic wrap (parchment paper) as soon as the stew or what have you was dry enough to not need it anymore. Really speeds things up. I also rotated trays-- you'll see right away that some areas go faster than others within the dehydrator for whatever reason. I can't remember intentionally breaking it up during the drying --though it does also happen naturally as it dries, with something like a stew that's not all one piece-- but that makes total sense to me. Have fun!
 
Hey, I just remembered another camping trick-- you may know this one already. I pre-prepared a mix of instant oatmeal, dry milk and spices (I like powdered cinnamon, cloves, cardamom, coriander and nutmeg). Keeps indefinitely without refrigeration in a tightly sealed container.

Throw some in a mug with hot water that you're already making for coffee, and Bam! Breakfast. Add a handful of raisins for extra yum. You can even use your hot coffee in place of hot water, if you get like me and don't want to make an extra dish to wash while camping.

I've tried this also with instant coffee pre-mixed with dry milk (to have coffee with milk, without needing refrigeration), but didn't love it. But I wonder if this wouldn't be decent with the much-better new instant coffees one can get from places like Starbucks? Or with some spices?

Bottom line is that instant milk is handy, at least for mixing with other things. Not exactly delish on its own.
 
I've tried this also with instant coffee pre-mixed with dry milk (to have coffee with milk, without needing refrigeration), but didn't love it. But I wonder if this wouldn't be decent with the much-better new instant coffees one can get from places like Starbucks? Or with some spices?
As I was reading your reply above before I got to this part, I was thinking exactly this. What I would do is mix Instant Coffee, Non-Dairy Creamer (Flavored if you like), Sweetener (if desired) and instant Cocoa together (You may have to work to get the right proportions if you are fussy. Me, not so much). Put a couple of teaspoons of the mixture in your cup and add hot water and stir. Nice Mocha Coffee. Again, no refrigeration needed.
We used to do this all the time when I was younger as I spent a lot of times camping in a tent. (Boy Scouts, Civil Air Patrol, or just with friends)
 
Ohhh yeah-- I forgot about powdered non-dairy creamers, and flavored, even! And cocoa mix-- brilliant! Though this is starting to sound more like dessert... ; )

(Civil Air Patrol? Whoa! I had to look that up, but that sounds cool!)
 
Tent camping at the Fort is great, Probably not as great and being in an RV, but it is still great. We have a outdoor rug that we use on the outside of our tent and then have a commercial grade carpet that we got from on of the home improvement stores for the inside. We have had our raised queen airbeds for a couple of years and it still holds air well. We are looking into getting a new one and found this one from Cabela's : http://www.cabelas.com/product/Camp...tresses/_/N-1100679/Ns-CATEGORY_SEQ_104186880. We have two electric tea kettles that we use to heat our water, takes about 3 min. for boiling.

This is a pic of our set up a few years ago

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And here is our set up from last Nov.

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We strung white Christmas lights on the inside of the tent and on some para-cord on the outside of the tent along the trees for outside lighting, and then some blue Christmas lights around the front of the canopy for light during the night.
 
Hey Snowmedic -- thanks for the pics and info. Y'all keep a very neat tent! How was the weather in November last year, wondering as I didn't notice a heater in your set up? Great idea to string lights on the inside of the tent!
 
We where there the first week and a half of Nov. It did get cold at night, not for me but for the rest of the family. DD 8 had the most blankets on her cot and she was still cold, we put all of her blankets on her sister, and she came and snuggled up with me and DW for four nights. living in Vermont it would have to get pretty cold in order for me to run a heater. It did warm up during the day.
 

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