[Paddlewise] Tenting Tips

Some of the traffic recently on tarps and bivy bags stimulated me to wonder if
it might be useful to tap our collective wisdom in the arena of camping/tenting
tips -- the kind of stuff which makes life in a campsite more comfortable and
easier (or more enjoyable).

Seems plain from some of the postings on tarps that there are different needs
for different regions, so I'd suggest people focus on what works in these
categories:

Temperate climates

Tropical climates

Desert climates

Wintertime in places where it freezes hard
--------------------

I'll kick off with a couple goodies I've run across recently.  They fit
"Temperate" best, though the butane lighter crosses climate zones, I think.

1. scraps of carpet backing -- sold in marine stores sometimes as "non-skid
matting."  We use a piece of this some 18 inches by 24 inches as a "doorstep"
just outside the tent door.  Provides a reasonably non-muddy surface for
shuffling our feet before we don boots on exit, and a spot to stand while
doffing same on entry.  'Cause the stuff's rubber, it absorbs no water and
shakes clean when it's time to move camp.

2. A lightweight fleece liner, sleeping bag size (seems about like Polartec 100
in weight) with a separating zipper down the side and the foot.  I slide this
inside my lightweight summer bag and make it into a winter bag when I'm out
there alone.  She does not know it yet, but my sweetie is getting one to mate
with mine so we can jointly snuggle -- or, so she can use hers for those nights
when she needs more warmth than I do.  The ones I have seen are made by Nordic
Gear, and REI has these on sale right now for US$30, I think.

3. Windproof/wetproof butane lighters, which use a piezoelectric ignition system
(no flint to wear out or fail when wet), employ some sort of metal catalyst
surface for the oxidation of the butane so there is no flippydippy flame, just a
really hot afterburner zone out the nozzle and are **refillable**.  Cheapest
ones I have seen are US$15 each, from Mountain Gear (Spokane, WA).  Ran across
much more expensive versions of this from Japan couple years ago.  These babies
will light a stove under any condition, I think.  The refill feature gets rid of
the throwaway kind.

Let the tips roll in!

-- 
Dave Kruger
Astoria, OR
Usual disclaimer:  no affiliation with any of the mfrs/retailers mentioned.

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