Wild Camping Supplies

[Tye Possum]

Ok well I've never been wild camping before and the only camping I've done has been in a tent but I've been thinking about switching things up on my next (or maybe the one after that, or maybe not for quite a while) camping trip and doing things a little less... Well, normal, as in not what the teenagers from town tend to do if they were to go "camping" (no offence to teenagers or anything, heck I'm 17 myself), and no I don't mean getting drunk, making fires up to the tree tops and smokin well, stuff... (though I still won't be doing those things just so ya know) I mean sleeping in a big tent, cooking on a propane camp stove and dragging a cooler with as much food in it as the fridge at home.

So what I'm thinking of getting is a tarp instead of a tent because they're lighter and should work well in this situation (as far as I know), and all the things that go with it like mosquito netting, a ground sheet, that sorta thing. So any ideas for that stuff would help, though I live in Canada so just remember that it's a little difficult having to order everything from the UK, so if there are good alteratives in Canada or the U.S. that work just as well, don't hesitate because that could save me a good amount, though if I have to I will buy from over there.

Another thing would be a stove, now I may be able to use a fire to cook which would be great but if I ended up having to use a stove then it would be nice to have some ideas on what to buy, so again if there are local alternatives, that would be great but it doesn't matter too much. I'd like to be able to use wood as fuel to again save me some money plus it just makes more sense to me to use wood and other natural stuff for fuel when I'm already surrounded by it instead of having to bring in fuel.

A good wool blanket, I'm sure most people would say to bring a sleeping bad instead but I think a wool blanket would be fine. Preferably a dark green colour, maybe O.D. green.

And I guess whatever else you folks think I would need for this sort of thing, oh and it will probably be a week long trip so any suggestions on food I could bring and water filtration systems I could use that I wouldn't need a cooler for and that won't cost too much money would be nice.

Oh and about the stove, I have a zebra billy can already so maybe a hobo stove would be good so if someone could give me some tips on making one, maybe like the ones that all fit together, that would be great.

So thanks to anyone who tries to help me, sorry I'm pretty much throwing my entire shopping list to you but really I need all the help I can get. Btw I saw these tarps on bensbackwoods and maybe they would work so if anyone's used one, let me know what you thought of it, and I'm thinking in the 8' x 10' or 10' x 10' size range.

 

[Bravo4]

A good wool blanket, I'm sure most people would say to bring a sleeping bad instead but I think a wool blanket would be fine. Preferably a dark green colour, maybe O.D. green.

I have one of these blankets, good heavy wool for less than $20US, usually listed as an "Italian Officer's Blanket":
http://theepicenter.com/military_surplus.html
I've never purchased from these guys, no affiliation, just the first gooogled source; that particular blanket seems to be widely available, look for the tan stripes. I notice it as a "prop" in many recent Hollywood westerns .

 

[belzeebob23]

Hi tye

U should try and source one of these stoves, I belive you can get them on your side of the pund.
http://sectionhiker.com/2008/12/09/the-honey-stove-not-just-a-wood-stove/

bob

 

[Treemonk]

Tye, seriously mate, if you want to go camping away from regular campsites, then just take your tent and go. If you think about it, by the time you have a tarp, groundsheet and bug net, you pretty much have a tent. Unless you only have access to a massive 4+ man tent, your decent 1 or 2 man tent will probably weigh the same as the tarp/net/groundsheet combo.

Use the gear you have at the moment and see how you get on with it. As you get more nights out under your belt, you can start to pare-down and change your kit.

Don't listen to folk who tell you that you absolutely can't live without x, y or z. With more experience you will get a good idea yourself. An why are you thinking of ordering stuff from the UK when Canada has MEC, the US has REI, and both have ebay and any ammount of other camping shops and surplus dealers?

And as for the sleeping bag / blanket issue. What does a blanket weigh? 1.5-2kg? Warmth for warmth, sleeping bags weigh less and will pack smaller. If you already have one, just get oout there and use it.

For a hobo stove - just search on the forums here for tutorials, and you can easilly make one from a large tin can. Will sit fine with your zebra and will cost you cents only.

 

[Treemonk]

Oh, forgot, as for food - ramen is your friend

cheap, light and almost tasty!

 

[Tye Possum]

Unless you only have access to a massive 4+ man tent, your decent 1 or 2 man tent will probably weigh the same as the tarp/net/groundsheet combo.

Well actually, a 4+ man tent is what I have, my dad got it a couple years ago for free so he refuses to get a smaller one even though it leaks like mad and almost the whole top is netting which makes it a little breezy.

And as for the sleeping bag / blanket issue. What does a blanket weigh? 1.5-2kg? Warmth for warmth, sleeping bags weigh less and will pack smaller. If you already have one, just get oout there and use it.

Well I do have a sleeping bag but it's gotten all torn up (dog) so since I need to get another one I figured that a decent wool blanket might be a little tougher and then I'll be able to (as far as I know) sleep a little closer to the fire, plus I like the less high tech stuff.

An why are you thinking of ordering stuff from the UK when Canada has MEC...

Oh ya, I take it you mean Mountain Equipment Co-op, I'd forgot about them, I'll be sure to check them out more.

I have one of these blankets, good heavy wool for less than $20US, usually listed as an "Italian Officer's Blanket":
http://theepicenter.com/military_surplus.html
I've never purchased from these guys, no affiliation, just the first gooogled source; that particular blanket seems to be widely available, look for the tan stripes. I notice it as a "prop" in many recent Hollywood westerns .

Funny you should mention that one, I remember seeing that in one of Dave Canterbury's (think I spelled that right) videos or on his shop and was thinking about getting it but I hadn't heard of anyone else having one so I didn't know how good it was but now that you mention it, I'll probably go for that one.
@belzeebob23: Oh ya the honey stove, ya it looks like a good one, I might get that (if you can over here) if I fail at a hobo but I think I'll probably manage to make one.

Oh, forgot, as for food - ramen is your friend

cheap, light and almost tasty!

Oh ya, I think I've seen that stuff around, anything like Mr. Noodles? (if you've heard of that) We used to buy Mr. Noodles packs and eat them without cooking as lunches when I was in elementary school, seems like a bad idea now... As long as I cook them they should be fine though and if I can stand to eat em raw then cooked shouldn't be a problem.