My wife and I are going to start camping from our kayaks. We have not bought
camping gear in years and are looking for recommendations on makes, models,
vendors... Keep in mind that I am 6'4" tall with size 14 shoes... I need a
bit more room than most folks.

We are especially interested in sleeping bags... Make/model... Temp range

Tents ... 4 person .... 3 season

Stoves

Lanterns

Sleeping mats, cots, inflatable mattresses

Anything else you can think of!

"wpatrick" wrote in message
...
My wife and I are going to start camping from our kayaks. We have not
bought
camping gear in years and are looking for recommendations on makes,
models,
vendors... Keep in mind that I am 6'4" tall with size 14 shoes... I need a
bit more room than most folks.

We are especially interested in sleeping bags... Make/model... Temp range

Tents ... 4 person .... 3 season

Stoves

Lanterns

Sleeping mats, cots, inflatable mattresses

Anything else you can think of!


You forgot to ask about Honda generators.

In article ,
wpatrick wrote:

My wife and I are going to start camping from our kayaks. We have not bought
camping gear in years and are looking for recommendations on makes, models,
vendors... Keep in mind that I am 6'4" tall with size 14 shoes... I need a
bit more room than most folks.

We are especially interested in sleeping bags... Make/model... Temp range

Tents ... 4 person .... 3 season

Stoves

Lanterns

Sleeping mats, cots, inflatable mattresses

Anything else you can think of!


As for tents, I would go for something large enough to be comfortable. I
kayak out to spoil islands for 2 and 3 day trips occasionally and was
concerned about getting a bigger tent in my hatch. So, I was thinking I
needed a small two man tent that would break down to a size less than 20
inches (some I saw were about 12 - 14 inches). Then, talking with
someone at my local REI he suggested to just remove the tent poles.
Never dawned on me. So instead of getting compact 2-man I got an REI
model for 3-4. And honestly, more than 2 would have to be very friendly.

I found a Slumber Jack bag 30 - 20 degree) that compacts down to about
the size of a gallon jug and the sleeping bag may be more critical than
the tent.

I have some items listed on my site (they link to Bass Pro shop) but I
have not updated the links so they may draw blank. I would certainly
look at REI's web site and CampMor usually seems to have some good deals.

I think you need to think about storage space in your kayak then your
necessities.

good luck,

atljoe
--
"Atlanta Joe" aka Joe Webb
Flats fishing is Flat Fun!
Visit my site at http://flatsfisher.com

MSR Whisperlite...most impressive lightweight stove I have ever owned.

Forget inflatable matresses. They get a hole and they are worthless.
Some are more worthless than others. I use the thin blue foam ones
instead, if you can find them. I find if I am way out in the wilderness
there is usually no problem finding a soft spot to place a tent. State
Parks are another thing all together...ugh. Ok, ok, inflatables are nice.

Petzel head lamps...free your hands.

Synthetic Fleece...it works great as long as you use a wind shell over
it. Dries fast, light weight, warm. One of the best inventions since...
well....since wool.

Lanterns...I don't use them. I use a small candle lantern (can't
remember the brand.)in the tent. I generally sleep when it is dark.
Use a D cell flash light to get up and pee.

Deet...forget Woodsman's fly dope. Forget OFF. And definitely forget
Avon skin so soft. Go for the 100% DEET but watch your eyes and only use
it when you really need to.

A pair of horse hide work gloves. Make great pot holders and never wear out.

Lots of light rope. Nylon clothes line is fine. Parachute cord is too
skinny for me but works too. It also costs more. Forget bungie cord.
It's for people who are too lazy to learn to tie a knot. It should be
outlawed. IMHO

Pants where the bottoms of the legs unzip to make shorts.

A large military type waterproof poncho. You can live in it if you have
to and stay dry in pouring rain. I usually lay it on wet ground.

Polyethylene plastic ground sheet for when you are living in your
poncho. I like the six mil black. You can get heavy stuff at farm supply
stores.
Duct Tape...I have lots left over from last year when Mr Rumsfeld
terrorized everyone about poisen gas and bioterrorist attacks.
I also have some Howard Dean buttons...what the heck am I going to do
with these things?

North face 3 season sleeping bags..good enough for me.

Still looking for a decent and INEXPENSIVE simple rain proof grommetted
tarp. Most vendors are asking WAY too much for a rectangle of fabric.

Waterproof clear plastic zip lock sleeve to store charts and maps.

A couple of good dry bags...any brand will work.

A sturdy pair of metal tongs for picking up hot food and pots and moving
pieces of burning wood around.

I use liter bottles of store bought water and store them where ever I
can find a place. Never used a water maker.

I use a three person Kelty tent. It's pretty flimsey but I've stayed dry
in some horrendous rain storms. You have to set up and tension the fly
exactly right though.

A beautiful wife and a good book. Is there anything else you need?

wpatrick wrote:
My wife and I are going to start camping from our kayaks. We have not bought
camping gear in years and are looking for recommendations on makes, models,
vendors... Keep in mind that I am 6'4" tall with size 14 shoes... I need a
bit more room than most folks.

We are especially interested in sleeping bags... Make/model... Temp range

Tents ... 4 person .... 3 season

Stoves

Lanterns

Sleeping mats, cots, inflatable mattresses

Anything else you can think of!

Are you going to be camping in the summer? spring? winter? That
will make a big difference on the tent and bags.

I have a Walrus Two Star (I think). It's technically a 3-season but
I've used it several times in the winter -- Montana, Wisconsin,
Minnesota, Colorado. With the rain-fly it isn't too bad. I couldn't
afford two tents and I'd rather be cold than sweaty and sticky. Plus,
I sleep with a hot (90 deg Celsuis) water bottle at my feet in the
winter, so I rarely have trouble.

Get a sleeping mattress. I have a 3/4 thermarest (light) and 3/4
thermarest (regular). You don't lose much heat through the contact
between your legs and the ground, so I don't use a full-length. The
light has been fine for me well below 0 centigrade. If you won't be
winter camping much, get a light -- unless you think the added
thickness is important for comfort. I normally let my girlfriend use
the regular.

I have a couple North Face bags (Cat's Meow and Flight 3D). They're
great. Sierra Designs and others make good Polarguard stuff. Don't
get down since you'll be kayaking with it -- it doesn't work wet.
Even if you bag it up, they'll get wet somehow.

It's important that you go to a store and check out the tents in
person if you're concerned about fitting. If you boat with it, you
shouldn't spend too much extra for small packing size or weight. Get
something roomy and comfortable. Space is always nice in a tent.

Stoves -- I have an MSR Whisperlight, but I think it's more of a
backpacker stove than what you need. You can find others that are
easier to setup and tear down that may not be as small but are fine if
you've got a vehicle (kayak).

Cheers,
Jake


wpatrick wrote in message ...
My wife and I are going to start camping from our kayaks. We have not bought
camping gear in years and are looking for recommendations on makes, models,
vendors... Keep in mind that I am 6'4" tall with size 14 shoes... I need a
bit more room than most folks.

We are especially interested in sleeping bags... Make/model... Temp range

Tents ... 4 person .... 3 season

Stoves

Lanterns

Sleeping mats, cots, inflatable mattresses

Anything else you can think of!

Jake Janovetz ) writes:
Are you going to be camping in the summer? spring? winter? That
will make a big difference on the tent and bags.

you can buy two lightweight sleeping bags and put one inside the other for
winter camping. I've heard of three sleeping bags being used this way on
cold nights.

--
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
William R Watt National Capital FreeNet Ottawa's free community network
homepage: www.ncf.ca/~ag384/top.htm
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I'd get the biggest tent you can carry in your kayak. I wouldn't worry
about weight because the water will be carrying it, not you. And I
wouldn't worry about winter grade because its pretty hard to paddle a
kayak in frozen water. However I would worry about space, especially when
you're caught in bad weather (too much wind and rain to paddle) and have
to spend some time cooped up in the tent. I'd get an el cheapo and replace
it every few years for less than teh cost of one of the high priced
expedition tents, unless a person has money to waste or wants to impress
other campers. What often happens is someone buys the best equipment, uses
it for a couple years, and then loses interest in camping and has to give
the high price merchandise away for some ridiculously low price.

I used to like to travel solo by automobile staying at campgounds and had
a cheap 10 person tent which was just the right size to spread my stuff
around in, hang stuff to dry and air out at night (it gets wet with dew
outside), and sit in a folding chair and read on cold, wet days. I soon
got tired of lying down all night and all day on month-long trips. Of
everything I took, the oversized tent was best.

--
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
William R Watt National Capital FreeNet Ottawa's free community network
homepage: www.ncf.ca/~ag384/top.htm
warning: non-freenet email must have "notspam" in subject or it's returned

In article , William R. Watt wrote:
I'd get the biggest tent you can carry in your kayak.

It can be darn difficult to find a place for an oversized tent.
Sometimes you are lucky to find any flat area suitable for one man to
sleep on. Oversized tent would be the worst thing ever on places like
these:

http://www.kolumbus.fi/timo.noko/bellabe1.jpg
http://www.kolumbus.fi/timo.noko/kasa.jpg

wpatrick wrote in message ...
My wife and I are going to start camping from our kayaks.
snip
We are especially interested in
snip
Stoves
snip

Anything else you can think of!

Insy-Grill could help:
-Simple
-Light weight
-Compact
-Adjustable
-Portable
-Multi-fuel
-Flavor
-... http://www.hbci.com/~sew4uicn/grill.html


--Bob Stan http://www.hbci.com/~sew4uicn ...I love simple things

I'd suggest a coated-nylon parawing. For just the two of you a 12x12
parawing would provide plenty of room for two bodies, some gear and
even a kitchen area.

Tarps are great of course for rainy days, but also for use as a
sunshade, and wings are more stable in the wind and drain water more
efficiently that a flat tarp. A 12x12 coated nylon tarp packs down to
the size of a small football and can be set up effectively with only 2
"poles" (staking the two unpoled corners to the ground with a short
piece of line).

For kayak camping you can devise a way to use your paddles as poles
for the two high corners (or better yet your spare paddles, which will
allow you to leave the tarp set up while you day paddle and explore
away from camp).


wpatrick wrote in message ...
My wife and I are going to start camping from our kayaks. We have not bought
camping gear in years and are looking for recommendations on makes, models,
vendors... Keep in mind that I am 6'4" tall with size 14 shoes... I need a
bit more room than most folks.

We are especially interested in sleeping bags... Make/model... Temp range

Tents ... 4 person .... 3 season

Stoves

Lanterns

Sleeping mats, cots, inflatable mattresses

Anything else you can think of!