# Tent Campers! Let's See What You've Got!



## Mechanicaldawg (Aug 15, 2008)

Here is my set up:







The red tent is a 2 room, 7' tall walk-in with cyclone venting. It is equipped with a queen sized folding frame that is 30" tall complete with air mattress. 

No more crawling in and out of the tent and plenty of room to relax and read when the weather kicks up.

We have a bug net for the picnic table and the little gray tent is the "guest house".

The folding kitchen makes cooking and washing dishes a breeze.

Everything is stored in plastic tubs with an inventory list taped to the inside lid of each tub and it all fits, barely, in the bed of my crewcab F-150.

If we make a snap decision to go camping it takes 10 minutes to be loaded up. Setting up camp takes just over 1 hour and putting it all back int the truck takes a couple of hours.


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## BubbaD (Aug 15, 2008)

Nice!!


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## Randy (Aug 15, 2008)

I like the way you make her carry all the stuff while you sit around.

I am much simpler.  I have a one man tent if it is just me for one day.  I have a two man tent if it is me for a few days.  I have a three man tent if my wife or girlfriend wants to go.

I don't do all that washing stuff.  It's paper and pastic for me.  And most times it is quick easy foods.  I am not camping to eat.  I will roast a hotdog over the fire but most times it is cold sandwiches and chips.  I never camp more than about 3 days anyway.  More than that and I'm getting a motel.  

Just this year I got an air mattress.  I usually just sleep on a thin sleeping pad.


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## Mechanicaldawg (Aug 15, 2008)

Randy said:


> I like the way you make her carry all the stuff while you sit around.
> .



If you only knew.

As far as the eating goes? We really enjoy camp cooking. Chili, steaks, fresh fish (when we're lucky), grilled veggies, pancake, omlette etc. 

Not much better than a fine meal in camp.


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## Mechanicaldawg (Aug 15, 2008)

Here's a pic of the bed:


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## BubbaD (Aug 15, 2008)

Jeff Young said:


> If you only knew.
> 
> As far as the eating goes? We really enjoy camp cooking. Chili, steaks, fresh fish (when we're lucky), grilled veggies, pancake, omlette etc.
> 
> Not much better than a fine meal in camp.



For some reason the food (Especially Breakfast) taste better while camping


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## Minner (Aug 15, 2008)

BubbaD said:


> For some reason the food (Especially Breakfast) taste better while camping




Sure does. I especially love deer tenderloins when I'm camping. We do a lot of deer-burger steaks as well.

Jeff, I don't have any pics of my camp set up but it's a decent sized tent that will hold two twin sized air mattress with plenty of room left over. It's probably about 6.5 feet tall in the center. 

Here's what I want to acquire next for my camping set-up: http://www.cabelas.com/cabelas/en/t...&parentType=index&indexId=cat20112&hasJS=true


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## BubbaD (Aug 15, 2008)

Minner said:


> Sure does. I especially love deer tenderloins when I'm camping. We do a lot of deer-burger steaks as well.
> 
> Jeff, I don't have any pics of my camp set up but it's a decent sized tent that will hold two twin sized air mattress with plenty of room left over. It's probably about 6.5 feet tall in the center.
> 
> Here's what I want to acquire next for my camping set-up: http://www.cabelas.com/cabelas/en/t...&parentType=index&indexId=cat20112&hasJS=true



Dude! You just made my day! Now I know what to ask the family for Christmas! Done! I'll print it and give it to them tonight so they do have to ask later 

Oh yeah and anything...especially deer, taste better off the grill while at camp


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## Mechanicaldawg (Aug 15, 2008)

Minner! That is cool!

The raccoons will really enjoy the nylon cupboard!


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## BoxCallWillie (Aug 15, 2008)

Jeff Young said:


> Here's a pic of the bed:




Hi Jeff,
I have a queen size air mattress
where did you find the air mattress support, I think
id like to get that for mine.

How sturdy is it ?

Thanks ...
 BCW


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## FERAL ONE (Aug 15, 2008)

here is a shot of ours on a "chickie" in the okefenokee swamp and in the port st joe state park.  my bride was not with us in the swamp just a couple of buddies. if it is just me and ethan we use the 3 man. if it is all of us we use the coleman 10x12 and use the 3 man as a gear tent. it works good for us. i guess i am getting old because i cant handle the ground anymore, gotta have an air mattress to get any sleep !!!


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## Mako22 (Aug 15, 2008)

This is us at Owl Creek near Sumatra Florida. The green tent is a 15 year old Eurika we got as a wedding present and the orange tent is an old early 80's Coleman 10x11 a friend gave me last Spring. My wife put a new roof on the Coleman tent that's why it is garnet colored.


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## Hooty Hoot (Aug 15, 2008)

I got back in to tent camping a couple of years ago. I really enjoy it during the mild weather of early fall. Sold my camper last year, so this year, it will be a tent camp for me. I like my comfort. I have a 30 foot tarp for cover. Pitch the tent on one end and still have plenty of room for tables to cook and wash dishes, store food etc... I sleep on an army cot. It is great. I'm done with the ground business. I've slept on my share of roots and rocks.

Don`t want to hijack the thread but I am looking for a new tent. 10x12 or so and absolutely waterproof. PM any suggestions.


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## seaweaver (Aug 15, 2008)

the new self inflating mattress look nice.
When ever I "tent " it's minimal. Mostly just a 9x13 tarp. it and a light bag will pack into a 6 gallon bucket w/ a lid. A bucket is in valuable.
its a table, it holds water, bait, serves as a good head and keeps things dry.
cw


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## Mechanicaldawg (Aug 17, 2008)

Great looking set ups guys!

Boxcar, I sent you a PM. We're working on finding a link. As far as durability goes, it's an understatement to say that I am a pretty big feller and the frame holds up great.


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## BoxCallWillie (Aug 17, 2008)

Jeff Young said:


> Great looking set ups guys!
> 
> Boxcar, I sent you a PM. We're working on finding a link. As far as durability goes, it's an understatement to say that I am a pretty big feller and the frame holds up great.




Thanks Jeff !

BCW


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## Mechanicaldawg (Aug 18, 2008)

Here you go BCW!

http://www.cabelas.com/cabelas/en/t...h/search-box.jsp.form1&_dyncharset=ISO-8859-1


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## Jody Hawk (Aug 18, 2008)

Dang Jeff, that's a nice set up !!!!!!!!  You look relaxed sitting there with a cup of "tea".


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## DEERFU (Aug 18, 2008)

"First Up Canopy" from wally world with hanging tent. I have two of these and use the other one as a cook shack[open orwith wall kit] or as an escape from the bugs with the screen kit. Inexpensive and easy to use.                                                                                          
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




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## 7Mag Hunter (Aug 18, 2008)

Don't tent camp much anymore since I've had campers, but still
have 4 tents used during my Grandsons Boy Scout days...Cots and air beds galore...Even a hot water machine !!!!!
Did not join a hunt club this year, so I may show up camping at some WMAs and the ONF this fall with my tents....

Love those big ole tents !!!!!


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## BlackKnight755 (Aug 19, 2008)

Randy said:


> I like the way you make her carry all the stuff while you sit around.



...I could only wish to be so lucky 



Randy said:


> I have a three man tent if my wife or girlfriend wants to go.



...ARE YOU KIDDIN' ME?!?!?!?!


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## BoxCallWillie (Aug 20, 2008)

Jeff Young said:


> Here you go BCW!
> 
> http://www.cabelas.com/cabelas/en/t...h/search-box.jsp.form1&_dyncharset=ISO-8859-1



Thanks a bunch Jeff
this setup will work great for me.
A Good price too, materess comes with it..
I have a queen mattress already but like I told ya
getting up from the ground to my wheelchair 
is getting ruff,  Age LOL 
thanks again !!!
BCW


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## letsgohuntin (Aug 21, 2008)

Great post! My son is 4 years old now and I have really been wanting to get into tent camping now to get him in the outdoors.


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## BoxCallWillie (Aug 21, 2008)

Thats great ,
get your son out camping .
Go easy on him make everything easy and fun
and he will love it, make it hard on him or scare
him and he will hate it .

I did this with my son, just fooling around with him
one night while we camped. I hid from him ,he started 
crying for me, I came out from behind the big oak tree
he turned every color he wasn't supposed to be .
I shouldnt have done that at least untill he got older
Had a hard time getting him to go again with me.
He's grown now , we still sometimes bring this up and laugh about it now, but he wasn't tickeld then ... 

My Dad took me out snipe hunting one night with a croaker
sack and left me I was around 5, I finely got mad and stomped home a couple hrs later .  Gave him heck for quiting the hunt with me so soon  ...    

Have fun with your son , teach him all you know
1 day he'll return the favor to his son ...

God Bless
BCW


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## sharon (Aug 21, 2008)

*Be Careful with the little ones!!*

I've loved reading this post...gives me hints for our next trip to the Cove!  For all the "newbies", I thought I'd give a suggestion.  When you put your tarp up, try using short bungee cords, along with your rope to tie up to the tree.  We use to tie straight to the tarp and would pop those grommets, right and left.  Then, we started finding small, round rocks, doubling the tarp fabric over it and tying it off with a small rope (I'm talking the size of a nylon boot string).  Then, we attach a short bungee cord to that.  Both ends, at the tarp and at the tree, at some point, would have a short bungee cord as a "shock absorber".  That way, when the wind gets up or the tarp fills with water, there's a give and not a pulling jerk.  We've used the same 30' x 40' tarp now, for 6-8 years and not had a problem.  
Also, a word of caution...we've camped throughout our 5 kids lives.  When our youngest son (now 22) was about 6, we were in Cades Cove campground, tent camping.  In the middle of the night, someone woke us out of a dead sleep, saying, we've found your little boy and we've brought him back to your campsite.  It was 2:30AM and we didn't know what was going on...pitch black, groggy...When I got the tent open, the couple was gone and Jordan was standing in his boxers, crying.  We ask him all the questions...no answers.  He had walked in his sleep before, but only at our house and very seldom.  We stayed up till daylight and visited every surrounding campsite to see who had found him and what the situation had been.  Needless to say, we were frantic, thinking every negative thought.  That afternoon, we were leaving in the car and met a young couple walking to the bathroom.  Jordan said, "That's the people that brought me back last night".  We stopped and got the whole story...they had been to Pigeon Forge to a rodeo, got back late and was walking up to the bathrooms next to our site.  They heard crying off at the back of the campground in the woods behind the maintenance area of the campground (about 100 yards from our site).  They went to look and found Jordan.  He told them that he had to go to the bathroom and couldn't find his way.  Thank God, they were good, decent folks and they brought him back to the tent...it could've been soooo much worse, not to mention getting lost in the Smokies.  From then on, we used some tiny padlocks to lock the zippers down in the tent.  We're the only ones I know to this day, that ever locked a tent, but it was well worth the peace of mind.  BTW, he's never walked in his sleep since that night!!  Good luck with camping...just watch those babies!!  
I've posted our set-up now that's just me and my best half!  The tent has plenty of standing room and enough space for 4 to sleep comfortably.  We sleep on cots that we've had about 25 years...they've got springs under the pad, so they make for really good sleeping!!


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## Vernon Holt (Aug 24, 2008)

Great set-up Jeff.  That is what I would call "the good life".  You are reknown for doing things well.

Some of my fondest memories have been of family camping trips.
We lived in coastal GA and always headed to the GA mountains for two whole weeks in August.

Always packed our gear in a boat which enabled us to fish, and ski, along with the joy of the total outdoor experience.  We hiked, stream fished, picked huckleberries, gathered wildflowers, ID'd tree and plant specimens, bathed in cold mountain streams, drank water from cold mountain springs, caught spring lizzards, crawfish, and seigned minnows for bait, watched bears take our cooler containing our chicken intended for tomorrows dinner, slept in a secure tent and listen to the rain beating on the tent, picked apples from local orchards, bought veggies from local gardeners, and the list goes on

Most of our camping was primitive.  Folks shudder at the thought of not having "facilities".  I shudder at the thought of camping at a spot where people are packed in like sardines.

The most difficult part of our camping experience was having to pack up, make the trip back home, then get back to the grind.

Happy camping all!

PS: We now live in the lovely spot where we camped over a period of thirty plus years.


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## Nicodemus (Aug 24, 2008)

Enjoyed your post Mr. Vernon! I too, like to get away from the crowds. A lot further.


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## GMARK (Aug 24, 2008)

Great post Jeff.  Thanks for the pics.  That's a nice looking set up.

I have two boys.  My Dad and I have camped out with them many times with the Royal Ambassadors and Boy Scouts.


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## greene_dawg (Aug 24, 2008)

Home away from home. Sierra Designs clip flashlight... This was on Panther Creek Trail near Clayton and this next one was at Pine Mtn Trail...


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## Mechanicaldawg (Aug 25, 2008)

Great post Vernon! 

In my more stealthy days, I roughed it but have learned to be more, well let's say "resourceful", rather than spoiled or soft!

There is an art form to selecting a camping spot at a park where you feel isolated despite the sometimes crowded conditions. I have even gone so far as to pay for the spot adjacent to the one we occupy but usually we've been able to find one at the end of a row or tucked back out of the way.

Admittedly, we enjoy running water and electricity more than we should!

Good looking camps everyone!


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## Georgiagator (Aug 28, 2008)

I have a coleman two room tent or you can make it just a one room with a screen in porch it has two doors one that is inside where ya sleep and one where the screen room is at  We always use a window a.c. in the one that goes into the sleeping area when it is hot  Always works out just fine    Going camping up in Franklin N.C. this weekend looks like it will be cool enough to leave the A.C. home   Just hope the weather stays dry


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## zach987 (Oct 23, 2008)

FERAL ONE said:


> here is a shot of ours on a "chickie" in the okefenokee swamp and in the port st joe state park.  my bride was not with us in the swamp just a couple of buddies. if it is just me and ethan we use the 3 man. if it is all of us we use the coleman 10x12 and use the 3 man as a gear tent. it works good for us. i guess i am getting old because i cant handle the ground anymore, gotta have an air mattress to get any sleep !!!



I'd recognize Port St Joe anywhere!!! We usually make reservations to camp there near the beginning of scallop season. 


Does anyone else have a problem when tent camping in a RV Spot?


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## CCGA (Oct 23, 2008)

this was our set up a couple of years back at Sapelo Island. No sign of rain so we didnt put up a tarp.Just two of us in the green tent. I have a big cot that I use and it takes up a good bit of room.All the cooking stuff packs into the black box with the water jug on it(If you put it in right)


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## soopadoopa (Oct 27, 2008)

Hey, what kind of setup is that "hanging tent", and where did you get it. I like the looks of it and we already have a canopy.


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## cj5 buggy (Oct 29, 2008)

here is ours. it's a tough one. i can't for the life of me remember the name brand though.











front porch, can have divided room if you want also.

this is why we need the divided room. he'll get on the bed and push you off.


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