Bucking the trend of non-stop adrenaline-fueled aesthetics, this short film about a kitesurfing adventure in Rugged Point Marine Provincial Park takes time to appreciate the stunning beauty of the Vancouver Island locale. Read the rest
Taras Kul tried out a "campfire in a can," essentially an enormous four-pound tea light used in places where firewood is unavailable or prohibited. Read the rest
In 1952, the U.S. military packed a sleeping bag in a tin that looks like a giant can of SPAM. Fast forward 65 years to when Taras Kul decided to open it, and he does not disappoint. Read the rest
Stock photography is always good for a laugh, as artistic license often gets in the way of reality. Instagrammer @YouDidNotSleepThere, aka Luisa Jeffery, finally got fed up and started cataloging the most staged campsite images. Read the rest
These easy to hang LED lanterns are great camping, working under a car, or really anyplace that is dark!
Invariably I am searching my tent or van for some small item I critically need, but can not find in the dark. These hanging lanterns make it easy for me to just turn on a light and find what I need.
Solidly made, I take one camping wherever I go and have put the spare in my emergency bug out bag.
2 Pack E-TRENDS Portable LED Lantern Tent Light Bulb for Camping Hiking Fishing Emergency Light via Amazon Read the rest
I've been in love with Coleman liquid fuel stoves since I was a boy scout. They are nearly indestructible and last decades with some simple maintenance. My old Powerhouse 414 was in need of some love, before serving a group of pals next week, and this video came in handy!
You can run any Coleman liquid gas stove on white gas or unleaded fuel, but the unleaded will clog up the generator after a while unless you have a dual fuel model. I prefer white gas and it stores very well, but the gasoline option is very nice.
If you need one, I recommend the 414 model. While it puts out slightly more heat, the real joy of the 414 over the 425 is space for 2 10" frying pans or pots. The 425 is very crowded.
Coleman Guide Series Powerhouse Dual Fuel Stove Read the rest
I love space saving gadgetry when camping. I fell for this collapsible silicone kettle.
This silicon kettle folds down for easy storage. I can boil water in a pot, but this adds just the missing touch to morning tea while camping.
LevelOne Collapsible Silicone Outdoor Camping Kettle via Amazon Read the rest
This converted Sea King helicopter on a camp site in Stirling, Scotland is available for overnight stays at the rate of ~$200/night. Unfortunately (or fortunately), the helicopter doesn't fly. From Helicopter Glamping:
We snapped up the decommissioned Sea King in an online MOD auction for £7,000 in March 2016. The giant helicopter was then transported 320 miles by road before being craned into position on our picturesque Thornhill campsite a month later.
Over the summer months, we have lovingly restored her exterior to its former glory. We sourced some original rotor blades and replaced her tail rotors with some we discovered on Ebay, as we wanted her to still look like a helicopter from the outside. Her once peeling paintwork is a thing of the past after several days spent sanding her down and completely repainting her, whilst making sure we kept all her original signage. We thought we might have trouble finding the right shade of grey, but it turns out farm oxide paint – normally used for farm buildings or fencing – is a perfect match for her military colour.
We’ve kept and restored all of her original lighting, so when you see her lit up a night she looks as if she is ready to take off. Meanwhile, we’ve transformed her spacious interior into a remarkable holiday home that sleeps a family of five (2 adults and 3 children) with a double and a triple bed as well as single bed in the tail.
(via Uncrate)
I am very happy with the solar power solution I've adapted for my van camping needs. I can power all my toys! Read the rest
Amazon has a good deal on this four-pack of LED lanterns. They take 3 AA batteries and collapse to a compact size. With 350 reviews, they've got an average rating of 4.7/5 stars. Read the rest
Nothing seems real to me now until it's been youtubed on a cellphone camera; that special mix of artifacty shadows, blown highlights and uncanny detail everywhere else signifies the zenith of media-era simulated authenticity. Elliott's there, though, and it's terrifying!
It's 4am in the centre of Turkmenistan's Karakum Desert, I'm sitting on the rim to what could be described as the world's largest campfire -- known locally as the 'Door to Hell', or officially as Darvaza Gas Crater.
"Bit windy," he says. Read the rest
My daughter and I are planning a road trip to Yellowstone this summer in our VW Westy. When I asked her what would make it more fun, she said a fan.
I saw the $84 Happy Camper fan and passed as it was far too expensive (even for 2.) Just a few products down the list I found what appeared extremely similar for a mere $13 shipped. I decided to take the risk on this "Image Portable" version.
It arrived in a Happy Camper box, with Image as the manufacturer.
The fan is great. Takes 2 D cell batteries and should run for a long time. The LED lamp is bright enough to be used to light up the whole cabin when hung from the Westy's tent frame. With the pop-top down you might be banging your face into the fan, but the hanger/stand is really adjustable. You can turn it into a table top fan in seconds.
I showed it to my daughter, she sighed and she told me she meant a hand fan, the kind we get in Chinatown.
Image Portable LED Camping Lantern with Ceiling Fan via Amazon Read the rest
I just ordered a thermal cooker, they sound like wonderful camping tools. Anyone got recipe suggestions? Read the rest
I'm looking for feedback on this solar panel. I am looking to charge a 37 qt ARB portable fridge while rolling about Baja in my Vanagon. I believe this panel, with good sun, should out put more than enough power to run the fridge.
The Dometic fridge that has been in my VW for 29 years has sucked for 29 years. It barely gets cold enough for cans of soda.
Forums on line claim the fridge peaks around 1.5Ah use on hot days, and this panel should deliver (80w/18v) 4.4Amps. My smallish deep cycle battery is a 44Ah unit. I'm hoping that 6hrs of strong sun a day will get me to just around 24hrs of power.
Unless I get flagged off in the comments, I'm going to order one tomorrow or the next day, and run a test load on the system at my house this weekend. I can't be sure to have strong sun in the SF Bay Area, however.
ALLPOWERS 80W Foldable Solar Panel Sunpower Solar Charger with iSolar Technology via Amazon
ARB 37 Quart Fridge/Freezer via Amazon Read the rest
Paul Elkins built a bike-towed micro-camper for $150 and has made the plans available.
From YouTube:
Paul Elkins fell for micro-camping in 2002 when he toured the country in his cabover “stealth camper”. Sure he could make something more affordable, this year he began building a nomadic micro-shelter based on the Airstream design.
Using 4 recycled fluted-plastic campaign signs from a recent election, a $20 secondhand bike, 6 pine boards ($1 at Home Depot), screws, Duct tape and zip ties, he built his latest micro mobile shelter for only $150.
Calling it a “micro Airstream bike camper”, it’s a 60-pound “home away from home”, complete with butane stove, bread-pan sink, counter, food storage shelving, clothes-storage bins, LED lighting, bed, windows, pee jug, bubble insulation, stereo with MP3 player, and a skylight made out of a 1 gallon plastic tub.
The Gidget Retro Teardrop Camper, with a slide-out queen size bed, is made in Australia. It costs between $13,000 and $16,000.
From Gizmag:
Read the restMany small teardrop interiors have little more than a cabin-filling bed with some cabinet space and maybe a TV/entertainment system and fan. Gidget's slide-out module gives its trailers the space for a seated lounge, a feature usually reserved for larger camping trailers. The foot of the queen-sized bed folds up, creating a bench with help from the under-bed footwell. The slide-out table completes a lounge area useful for eating, playing games and more.
Gidget's use of sliding hardware isn't limited to the cabin extension. Slides help keep the design of the tailgate galley neat and organized. The main counter of the galley houses only the glass-top sink, while appliances like the two-burner gas cooktop and cooler slide out from underneath the counter behind curved timber drawer faces. The kitchen sink is hooked up to a pressurized cold water system fed by the 80-liter/110-liter (21/29-gal) water tank. The trailer also has a 40-liter (10.6-gal) waste water tank.
