c/camping-gear-reviews

I finally figured out why my old camp stove felt so heavy

I was packing for a trip and my buddy pointed out I was still using the same Coleman two-burner I've had since college. He said, 'That thing is a tank, you're carrying an extra five pounds for no reason.' I looked it up, and the newer models of the same basic stove are almost half the weight. I guess they've been quietly making gear lighter for years without changing the look much. Anyone have a favorite lightweight car-camping stove that's actually durable?

My tent zipper gave out in a thunderstorm at Lake Tahoe

I was camping near Emerald Bay last month when a huge storm rolled in around midnight. The wind was crazy and my two year old tent's main door zipper just broke, leaving a six inch gap. Rain started blowing straight in, soaking my sleeping bag. I had to get creative fast. I used a carabiner and some paracord from my pack to tie the door shut from the inside, but water still got in. Spent the rest of the night huddled in the corner trying to stay dry. It was a long, cold night. Has anyone else had a tent fail like that, and what's a good brand that won't fall apart after a couple seasons?

Appreciation post: My Coleman stove almost started a fire in the White Mountains

I was boiling water at the Zealand Falls campsite last fall when the fuel line on my old Coleman Classic leaked. The whole burner area caught a small flame for a second before I smothered it. Everyone says these stoves are bulletproof, but that moment changed my whole setup. Now I only use stoves with a shut-off valve right at the canister. Has anyone else had a close call that made you switch gear completely?

My brand new tent pole snapped in half during a storm in the White Mountains

I bought this tent last month for a trip up north. It was supposed to be a good brand, cost me about $180. The first night out, a heavy wind came through around 2 AM. I heard a loud crack and the whole side of the tent sagged. One of the main poles just broke clean in the middle. I had to spend the rest of the night holding the thing up with my hand so it wouldn't collapse on my face. The rain got in and soaked my sleeping bag. I packed up at first light and drove home wet and mad. Has anyone else had a pole fail that fast? I'm looking at other tents now but I don't know who makes strong poles anymore.

Question about using a tarp instead of a tent footprint

I used to buy the matching footprint for every tent, but after my Big Agnes Copper Spur got a small tear anyway, I stopped. Now I just use a cheap 6x8 foot poly tarp from the hardware store, and it works better for half the price. Anyone else make this switch and find the same thing?

A ranger in Yosemite saw my old camp stove and said 'That thing's a survivor'.

It was a Coleman from 1998 that my dad gave me, and he told me a story about fixing the same model with a paperclip in a storm. Anyone else have gear that's older than they are?

I took a cheap 2-person tent and a quality 1-person tent on a 3-day hike in the Adirondacks and the smaller one was better.

The extra space in the cheap tent meant nothing when the rain fly leaked and the poles snapped in a 20 mph wind, while the single-person tent stayed dry and solid, so what's a good 1-person tent under $250?

Changed my mind about those cheap foam sleeping pads after a cold night in the Adirondacks

I always thought an R-value rating was just marketing, so I grabbed a $25 pad for a trip last fall. Woke up at 3 AM shivering on a 40-degree night because the ground sucked all the heat out. Looked it up later and that pad had an R-value of 1.5, while my buddy's pad with an R-value of 4.5 kept him totally warm. The number actually means something for real insulation. Anyone have a good budget pad that actually hits an R-value of 4 or higher?

Hot take: I think a lot of people are buying sleeping bags rated for way colder temps than they actually need.

I see it all the time in reviews and at the store. Someone heading out for summer camping in 50 degree nights buys a 0 degree bag because they think 'colder is safer.' But then they're sweating all night, the bag gets damp, and it's actually less warm and way heavier to carry. I learned this after a miserable, sweaty weekend at Lake Tahoe with my bulky winter bag. Now I match the bag's comfort rating to the expected low, not the survival rating. What's your method for picking the right temp rating?

I gave up on my fancy ultralight sleeping pad after a cold night in the Adirondacks

I used to think a 12 ounce inflatable pad was the only way to go for backpacking, but that changed last October. I was on a trip near Lake Placid and the temps dropped way lower than forecast. I spent the whole night feeling every rock and the cold ground through that thin pad, maybe it's just me but I couldn't sleep at all. Now I carry a closed-cell foam pad that weighs a bit more but never fails. Has anyone else switched back to simpler gear after a bad experience?

My tent zipper broke in a downpour at Lake Tahoe

I was setting up my old two-person tent when the main door zipper just gave out, right as the sky opened up. I had to get creative fast, so I used a carabiner and some paracord from my pack to hold the flaps shut. It wasn't perfect, but it kept most of the rain out until morning. Has anyone else had to do a quick fix like that on a zipper?

My old tent finally gave up after eight years

I bought a basic two person tent for about $80 back in 2016 and used it maybe twice a year. The zipper on the fly started sticking last fall, and this spring it just gave out completely on a trip near Bend. I replaced it with a similar model from the same brand, and the difference is wild. The new fabric feels thinner but way stronger, and the poles snap together much easier. Has anyone else noticed big changes in basic gear from the same company after a few years?

My Coleman lantern almost ruined a whole weekend at Lake Chelan

I packed my old reliable propane lantern for a trip last fall, but the mantles kept tearing and it gave off this weak, flickery light that made cooking after dark a real chore. A friend let me try his newer LED camp light, and the bright, steady glow over our whole site was a total game-changer. Anyone have a favorite lantern that's actually tough enough for real use?

I finally gave up on my old camp stove and tried a new one on a trip to the Red River Gorge

For years I used a big two-burner propane stove that took up half my car trunk. Last weekend I borrowed a friend's small single-burner butane stove. The butane one boiled a liter of water in under four minutes, while my old one took nearly eight. Packing up was so much faster, and it fit right in my cook pot. Has anyone else made a switch that saved a ton of space and time?

Question about a Coleman lantern from the 90s I just cleaned up

It was barely putting out any light, but after I replaced the old mantles and gave the generator a good soak in vinegar for a few hours, it's bright enough to read by now. Anyone have a good trick for keeping the glass globe from getting sooty so fast?

A friend in Bend told me my sleeping bag rating was basically a lie

I was complaining about being cold in my 20-degree bag during a trip to Mt. Hood, and he asked if I was using a sleeping pad with a good R-value. I had no idea what that even was. He explained that the bag rating means nothing if you're losing all your heat to the ground. I switched to a pad with an R-value of 4.5 and slept warm the next weekend. Anyone have a favorite high-R-value pad for colder weather?

Honestly, I just realized my old 0-degree bag has kept me warm through 27 nights below freezing, and that's a number I never expected to hit.

Ngl, I bought it on a clearance rack a decade ago and figured it was a cheap stopgap, but after tracking my trips, that thing has seen me through some seriously cold nights in the Adirondacks without a single shiver.

My old sleeping bag finally hit 100 nights out

Honestly, I just counted them up in my trip log and it was exactly 100 nights over eight years. It's this basic synthetic bag I got for like $80 back in college. Ngl, I thought the zipper would give out years ago, but it's still going strong even after a wet weekend in the Smokies last fall. Anyone else have a piece of gear that just keeps surprising you by not dying?

My cousin's comment about his tent made me stop using a footprint

I was helping my cousin set up his old tent in his backyard in Portland. He didn't have a ground cloth, so I offered him my spare. He just shrugged and said, 'I stopped using those years ago. The floor on this thing is 70 denier, and I've camped on gravel for a decade. Never a hole.' That hit different because I'd been buying a specific footprint for every single tent I've owned, thinking it was non-negotiable. I realized I was spending an extra $40 to $80 each time for protection I might not need, especially on shorter trips to established sites. Now I check the tent floor material first and only bring a tarp if the ground looks really rough. Has anyone else ditched the dedicated footprint for most car camping?

Shoutout to my old Coleman stove that saved a rainy weekend in the Smokies

Got stuck in a downpour for two days straight last fall near Gatlinburg, and my newer camp stove just gave up in the wet. Pulled out my dad's old Coleman 425 from the car, and it fired right up on the first match, boiling water for coffee and soup when we really needed it. That thing is maybe 30 years old and still runs perfect. What's your most reliable piece of gear that just won't quit?

Question about the new park rules at Lake Tahoe

I was camping at Emerald Bay last weekend and saw a ranger give a $75 ticket to a guy with a regular cooler. The new rule says you need a bear-proof model, but the signs are tiny and hidden behind trees. It felt like a trap more than a safety thing. Has anyone else gotten hit with this fine?

Tried a new ultralight tarp in a Colorado thunderstorm

It held up fine, but the setup time with those tiny guylines was a nightmare in the wind. Anyone have a go-to knot or trick for managing thin cord in bad weather?

I finally gave up on my old camp stove after a windy morning in the Cascades

So, last week I was up near Snoqualmie Pass trying to make coffee, and my ancient two-burner Coleman just would not stay lit in the wind, you know? I had to huddle behind my car door for 20 minutes just to get a lukewarm pot, which was pretty miserable. I realized I'd been putting up with this thing for like 8 years because it 'still worked,' but it was making every morning a chore. I drove straight to an outdoor store in Seattle and bought a new stove with a built-in windshield for about $80. The difference is crazy, I boiled a full liter in under four minutes in my backyard yesterday with a breeze going. Has anyone else had a piece of gear they held onto way too long just because it wasn't totally broken?

Showerthought: I tested a cheap foam pad against a proper insulated one on a cold night in the Tetons.

I brought both pads on a trip last fall, planning to use the foam one as extra protection. The first night got down to 28 degrees, and I woke up freezing on the foam pad. The next night I switched to the insulated inflatable pad, and the difference in warmth was immediate. It was the same sleeping bag, so the pad was the only change. Has anyone else found a specific piece of gear that made a huge difference in staying warm?

My 3-year-old camp stove's fuel line split open on a trip to the Sawtooths last weekend.