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Multigender camping etiquette

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Whilst camping in Stornaway after week of island hopping my wife demanded that we book into a hotel! It had rained consistently for the week and we weren't that well prepared so got a bit soggy. (I hadn't found this site back then!) Unfortunately my ill preparedness has cost me as she now point blank refuses to ever sleep in a tent again.
Comedy moments on that trip were the girls hotwiring the washing machines in a campsite to plug their straighteners in and spending an hour plus doing their hair only to step outside the wash block to be blown away by gales and torrential rain! and the locals in Uig locking us all in the pub and playing the duelling banjos was amusing...on hindsight...
 
unfortunatly I'm the old fashion type. even though all my "nessacary kit" fits into a small 10 litre pack I still end up offering to carry the bulk of the load if other people bring too much (though I usually let them carry it for the first few miles so they can see how big a mistake it was before offering lol) I just see it as good exercise myself (got to keep fit after all lol).
 
Despite my notoriety for being able to carry a large amount of gear on my bike when I go camping, I am actually capable of travelling light. Yes, really, Dave & Spike! If I have to carry it, then believe me, nothing unnecessary will be taken along.

I've never done proper rough camping, because:

* I haven't got a hammock or a bivvi bag
* I've never been invited and don't fancy going on my own
* I am nesh and don't like getting cold.

Gimme a nice warm summer night and I'll give it a go.
 
From the female perspective, I have met loads of GUYS who dislike roughin it. I believe they're called 'modern men' or some sh*t lol.
Also sometikmes the blokes i know expect me to be 'all girly' and even offer to carry my stuff....nah uh its my kit, i packed it, i'll carry it thanks lol (anyway its often lighter than the blokes'kit) come on girls back me up here lol
maybe i don't go camping with the right guys :¬)
 
Well. In all fairness i will have to say it isn't the amount of stuff a "regular" woman needs to bring along, its more the "yikes....can you pleeaasssseee get rid of that spider" thing.


Just kidding. Haven't met many girls who will rough it, nor do they have to. I don't either. But they will carry their own load, aswell as their share of group-equipment. If they can't, they will have to train until they can. The same thing goes for any male-participant.

The "problems" arise, when something unforeseen happens, e.g. they break through the ice or they injure themselves, or just the basic washing and cleaning yourself in the middle of a group of guys.
Not that the accidents are a problem. They can happen to anyone, but i have stood there stripping a woman butt-naked in the middle of a forest, stuff the woman in a sleeping bag, find her spare clothes and stuff that into the sleeping bag with her, all due to her breaking through a patch of ice on a small lake.
Now if i were the only guy around, she could probably just have let the routine-drill happen, but what to do with 5 or more guys standing around not knowing what to do with themselves?

Actually the guys where more embarrassed than the woman, and i never gave it a thought until afterwards, but then again: Swap the woman out with a 15 year old girl-scout, and what do we find ourselves in now? A whole lot of potential trouble afterwards i can tell you that much.

Sleeping and bathing arrangements are also other cumbersome issues that common people will have a different view upon, especially speaking of younger participants on trips/hikes and whatnot.
I have never made any difference whatsoever in the way different genders are handled on trips, but nonetheless it is almost lawgiven that difference shall be made.
 
Spikey DaPikey said:
Went helping a mate in the woods the other week, and a lass there did nowt but moan all the bloody time ! :cussing:

She did quiet down when i told her i did have a shovel, and had 9 acres of wood to plant her in :naughty:
Click to expand...

Spikey, your such a Gentleman, 9 acres all to her self. I hope she realised what a generous spirit you are. Obviously you would of let her dig her own hole to her own specifications.

Andy:You_Rock_
 
"From the female perspective, I have met loads of GUYS who dislike roughin it. I believe they're called 'modern men' or some sh*t lol.
Also sometikmes the blokes i know expect me to be 'all girly' and even offer to carry my stuff....nah uh its my kit, i packed it, i'll carry it thanks lol (anyway its often lighter than the blokes'kit) come on girls back me up here lol
maybe i don't go camping with the right guys :¬)"

Amen to that sister!

I've had blokes offer to carry heavy stuff for me (not camping but in jobs and stuff) and it's really sweet of them, so sometimes I let them for a laugh.

I do feel sorry for them when they struggle after a short while and end up giving it back to me really embaressed cos it's too heavy! At least they tried......;) :D

Camping wise I know one tough bloke, a real 'man', who point blank refuses to camp cos he once got a bit wet. And yet I once took a female friend out for a couple of nights basic roughing it camp and she loved it and got proper into it! Now this woman is a real girlie lady[/I, I thought she'd hate it but even now a couple of years later she still goes on about much she loved that trip.

BTW I always carry my own kit; you pack it you carry it:)
 
Okay, I admit to being incredibly spoiled. I get out a lot, and my own basic kit is a 55L and if it weighs more than 14kgs full then I take stuff out. I *hate* carrying weight. My favourite camping partner, who I try to outdo Magikelly to take out, laughs at my pack and says that's what he uses for a day pack.
More and more my pack is getting heavier, and since the car is usually near by, and we pack a 'chute and firebowl and the cast iron pots too when we're going to be sociable, there's no way I could carry it all but I'm not going to burden someone else with my load.

So, I have different sets of kit. The ultralight and maybe not so comfy stuff, that I can carry wherever I want to go, and the full bhoona load that needs the car or pack train. Kind of overkill I suppose, but the shinies keep appearing :o :D

If it's quiet and not many around I happily find a quiet space for washing and loo stops, but too many bodies and I want at least a designated private area or a loo and a tap.

Strip me in public if I got frozen soaked? If its done with a blanket there's no need for nudity/ embarassment, that's just being ill prepared. A weigh nothing silvery survival blanket would do quite easily and get the job done effectively.

Good wool or silk underwear is warm even when wet. Just wring them out and put back on used to be the advice.........is it still ?


cheers,
Toddy
 
I carry my own stuff. :P I'm strong enough too and I'll even offer to help carry someone else's if needs be. I can't be doing with heavy stuff, um... No I've said that, my pack is pretty heavy and I need a new sleeping back as the one I use at the moment, is as big as my pack so I have to carry it in my hand which is a bit annoying when it rains.

If I can put the car closeish to where I kip, then I'll take the heavy cast iron frypan, the extra tarp and what not, but if not, it's just me and my pack :D
 
I remember when I was in Slovenia once this poor guy and his ladyfriend I passed. The lass had maybe a 10litre bag, the poor old sod was carrying an 80+L bag stuffed to the brim. Yikes.

I generally offer to carry the larger bag, and then hope secretly she declines...
 
Well, on the subject of camping etiquette, I have to say that Mad Dave and Spike were very patient when I had my first experience of using a hammock. Especially the bit where I was wriggling to get into my sleeping bag and ended up upside-down, looking at the floor through the mozzie net, swearing like a trooper and generally being very grumpy, whilst Dave and Spike tried very very hard not to laugh.

British Red - yes I did fit the duvet in the underblanket bit of the hammock, but I won't be trying it again - it was too much and caused no end of problems in the 'saying upright' department.

Despite my bad start, I was still very warm and comfy, eventually.

Oh yeah, and Dave & Spike, I'm really sorry for being a really grumpy git, and thanks for hauling me back upright again :cool:
 
Most of my outdoor buddies are females, extreme sports too, MTB and rock and ice climbing etc. They swear by - tying the hair back, wearing merrino 'no smell' thermals and avoid growing long nails. They are NOT fair weather only either.

Nick
 
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