Camping is one of the best ways to spend time in nature as well as bond with your friends and family. It’s something that many people will also remember doing when they were kids and will continue to do throughout their life. There are many things that you need to bring on your camping trips like food, a sleeping bag, clothes, and other gear. One important item you should also bring is a camping lantern. This article will be about the benefits of having a camping lantern as well as a quick guide to buying one.

When it comes to having available lighting on camping trips, most people will use a flashlight. While this is something that is necessary to bring along, for certain things, it can be inconvenient since for the most part, you have to hold them. Let’s say after the camping fire has died out and you’re wanting to spend some time inside your tent just to share some stories with your friend. You will need something that will provide you with light. This is wear a camping lantern can be useful. Since you don’t have to hold it, it’s a lot more convenient.

During the night, if you wanted to go to the bathroom, having a lantern will be a lot more convenient as well since the light spreads in all directions, not just in a straight line like flashlights do. They are also very durable as well.

In terms of buying these lanterns, you can find them at any store that sells camping gear as well as online. You will have different choices of camping lanterns such as battery operated and oil lanterns. Each of these have advantages and disadvantages but in general, you will be better off with a battery operated one. The cost of these lanterns can vary depending on the size, the brightness level, and the type but you can expect to pay around $30 or so for a decent one. So the next time you go out on a camping trip, make sure you pack a lantern as well.

It may be cold, but life doesn’t “freeze”. The winter months are considered hunting and fishing season. So there are a lot of hunters, fishermen and campers that will gather their equipment and set course for the outdoors. For these winter camping, hunting and fishing trips, what is the idea camping equipment to pack?

Here are 5 essential winter camping products that will work best on your next outdoor trip.

1. Fleece inserted sleeping bag

This sleeping bag has a soft fleece inner and thick padding to keep you warm against the cold night. It also has a built-in cushion for extra comfort and it straps onto stretcher taffeta fabric. This sleeping bag is suitable for most people as it is 2100mm x 950mm x 70mm in size. Thus, making it a must have item on your winter hunting or camping trip.

2. Canvas tent

The 4-Man Canvas Tent is one of the best options. It will keep the wind and cold outside. This tent is made of 600 x 300d polyester and a PVC coating. It has a seam tape of 1000mm and also a water column. The groundsheet is made of PE and is waterproof. It is a comfortable size at 2400mm x2100mm x 1300mm and is supplied with a fibreglass pole and steel pegs. This tent is designed and made to keep the wind, cold and rain out.

3. Mini Skottle Braai

Nobody enjoys eating cold food. With the Mini Skottle Braai that is no longer a problem. The Mini Skottle Braai is small and compact. It can be set up anywhere and connects to a gas cylinder between 1.7kg and 3kg. You can easily and quickly prepare a braai, heat up cold food and boil water on it which makes it perfect for the outdoor environment.

4. Fisherman’s Lamp

We all know the beauty of the night sky, but along with the beauty follows the dark. So lighting becomes a very important need when outdoors. The Fisherman’s Lamp is the perfect item for this purpose. It has 500CP strength and can screw directly onto a gas cylinder size of between 1.7kg and 6kg. It is the perfect lamp for lighting up open spaces and can be set to the brightness of your preference.

5. Cylinder/Parabolic Heater

Keeping warm is essential when you are outdoors in winter. But we all don’t want the smoke and smell that comes from making a fire. The solution is simple. The Cylinder/Parabolic Heater is the perfect item for this. It screws directly onto a 1.7kg to 6kg cylinder and is perfect for camping, fishing and hunting. It comes standard with a large ceramic panel that will push out sufficient heat to warm you up when you are outdoors. It is also compact and can be packed away easily when travelling.

6. Portable toilet

The lavatory, a need and must-have necessity no matter where you are. So this is camping equipment that you will definitely need if you don’t want to sit outside in the bushes in the blistering cold. You can keep the toilet in a tent and use it like a bathroom. It has a 10 litre capacity at the top and 20 litre at the bottom. Please remember to get the toilet chemical as well.

If you’ve camped before, you know how important it is to have good quality sleeping gear. The goal is to be able to sleep comfortably inside your tent no matter what weather. This way, you’ll be fully recharged for another fun day outdoors.

One of the most important sleeping gear is the mattress – the right feel and thickness will contribute greatly to your quality of sleep while camping. So if you’re looking to invest in one, keep in mind these important things to consider when buying a camping mattress:

Consider your camping situation

If you’re buying a mattress for a trip, there are some important factors that you need to consider. How big is your tent? How many people are camping with you? Will you be sleeping in the mattress alone or with someone? Answering these questions will help you approximate the space and find the right size for you.

Decide on what type is right for you

To get the most out of the air mattress you’re about to buy, it’s highly important that you get one that best fits your camping and your personal needs. Doing research is a must – as there are so many different types, models and brands to choose from. You would also have to consider the weight, size and ease of use. Don’t forget to visit forums and read product reviews!

Choose between a low profile or platform mattress

The low profile type is the cheaper option and a good choice for first time mattress owners. They’re a good size, compact and easy to pack. A platform mattress is bigger and heavier, but offers better comfort because it protects better against the ground, changing temperatures and bugs.

Set a budget

As with purchasing anything, it’s important to set a budget when buying a camping mattress. If you plan on going outdoors often, it’s good to invest in one that is a little more expensive, meaning better quality and longer lasting. But whatever your budget is, it’s important to look for different options where you can find your money’s worth.

Consider other features

Apart from the size and weight, you should also consider other important features such as bounce, noise, heat transfer, edge support, motion isolation, quality of materials etc. These extra features will affect your sleeping more than you think!

Remember these 5 important things to consider when buying a camping mattress!

In recent years, gazebos have become increasingly popular. Many people long for the fancy redwood trimmed wedding styled gazebos to be in their backyard near a fountain or stream. However, often the price does not comply with their dreams. If you’re looking for a gazebo but you either don’t have the budget or don’t have a lot of room, see why a canopy gazebo (or first up gazebo) might be right for you.

Advantages of a Canopy Gazebo

A canopy gazebo provides a similar function to a regular gazebo at a lower cost. They are most similar to tents seen at fairs – they have an aluminum, powder coated steel, or wrought iron framework. The cover is usually made from canvas, vinyl, leather, or a similar material. They are much quicker to set up – you assemble the frame, install the cover, and it’s ready to go. This also makes them very portable – so you can place them wherever is most convenient at the time. Finally this type gazebo usually offers a fully screened-in space – so you can eat or relax without worrying about bugs.

Disadvantages of a Canopy Gazebo

For starters, there are different types of canopy gazebos – and the cheapest ones have coverings which may only last a few months. Next, being a lightweight portable structure means it will not withstand heavy weather – so you will have to put it away when a big storm comes. Another possible disadvantage is the look – they look much more like tents than they do a conventional gazebo, so you will likely not find it an attractive part of your landscape. More likely it will actually detract from your landscape.

When to Choose a Canopy Gazebo

If your main priority is to have a place for outdoor parties and eating, a canopy gazebo can provide good protection from the elements – especially bugs. This is something you can assemble before the party starts and take down afterward. A canopy tent gazebo can also be used for fishing trips and other special occasions – whenever you have an event which calls for temporary shelter.

If you are looking for a permanent addition to your landscape that can be used any time of year, a canopy gazebo is likely not the best option. For this, a garden gazebo should probably be your first choice.

Remember also that by spending a little more money on a gazebo you will receive better building materials, especially the cover itself. This will make the difference between a canopy gazebo which lasts about one season and one that lasts years.

We all need revelation of the word of God. When we know and understand it things can change for us and this is our goal to be better and to grow in the Lord.

Isaiah 54:2-3 says enlarge the place of your tent and let them stretch out the curtains of your dwelling. Do not spare, lengthen your cord and strengthen your stakes for you shall expand to the right and to the left and your descendants will inherit the nations.

Enlarge the place of your tent. This is where you live, our home. Our home is our Spirit so we enlarge or make bigger our Spirit by not limiting it. We can quench the Spirit by not allowing it to be free to move. We can keep it in bondage by our traditions.

And let them stretch out the curtains of your dwelling. The (them) is the fruit of the Spirit, which is love, joy, peace, longsuffering, kindness, goodness, faithfulness, gentleness and self-control. These fruits will keep us in line to the word of God making it easy for us to be enlarged. Each fruit is like a curtain in our dwelling place, which is our Spirit, and it will stretch or open so we can receive more from the Lord.

Do not spare. This means to not fall into unbelief. Unbelief stops the flow of the fruit of the Spirit. Our minds can try to tell us that we will not receive from the Lord but the word said in 2nd Corinthians 10:5 casting down arguments and every high thing that exalts itself against the knowledge of God bringing every though into captivity to the obedience of Christ. When our thoughts does not line up with God’s word then we are suppose to cast it down. Casting down doubts gives the Holy Spirit free will because we are not stopping Him; we are open to Him enabling Him to do mighty works through us. To spare means to draw back or save but when we allow the Holy Spirit to freely move, we are not sparing Him.

Lengthen your cord and strengthen your stakes: lengthen our cord means to extend our faith. Faith is like a cord and a cord is something that will hold or bind us so we are held by our faith. Length is distance so we give our faith distance by not quenching the Holy Ghost.

Strengthen your stakes: the stake is what is in the ground. It is the foundation that all things rest upon. The stakes will be the word of God. Therefore, we should wrap our cord or faith around God’s word and become settled or established in what it said; this will be to be strengthened. When our faith is only in God’s word we will be strengthen.

For you shall expand to the right and to the left: this is the conclusion. When we enlarge or make bigger our home, allow the fruit of the Spirit to have free will within us, do not draw back or save, give our Spirit distance by taking it out of a box and becoming strengthen in God’s word, He will expand us meaning we will get more than we have ever had. We will have more than enough for us. It will enable our descendants to inherit the Nations by being the head. They will be a part of productivity in other Nations making them more wealth than us.

Bearing in mind the things said about enlarging our tents, stretching out the curtains of our dwelling, not sparing, lengthening our cords and strengthening the stakes can we believe that God can bless us a thousand times over, a million times over, or a billion? Well He can and will if we can believe. Consider this God sowed one seed, Jesus Christ. He gave His only Begotten Son so He could receive more sons and daughters. Since Jesus death, burial and resurrection there have been innumerable born again believers and we are one of them. We are sons and daughters of the Most High God and we can from that one seed sown. By that one seed sown God have gotten back countless Children because what is sown will in like manner return.

Now everything that the Father has belongs to us. We are in His likeness so we can do what He can do so why we cannot get a thousand time return on our giving. We can if we would enlarge our tents, do not spare, lengthen our cord and strengthen our stake.

Jesus said in John 10:10 I have come that they may have life and that they may have it more abundantly. If someone will give me a hundred dollars, I will certainly appreciate it but if my light bill is one hundred and twenty dollars that is not abundance because twenty more dollars is needed to pay the bill but Jesus gives in abundance with nothing missing or nothing broken. Therefore, our faith needs to be lengthened and enlarged so we can get and live in the more abundant realm of the Spirit.

By Lizzie Ducking

Just by following some basic family camping tips, you can make your trip a memorable experience for you and your loved ones. Camping with the family is a word-wide popular recreational activity. But, you must be well prepared to enjoy such trips. Otherwise, you may end with a miserable experience. You have to be very careful about everything – the way you pack things, what kind of things you are packing, which facilities you want inside and around the camp, the location of the camp, and many other such things. Following is a brief rundown on how to go about it.

Prepare A List Things That You Must Have During The Trip – Before you start hunting for family camping tips, you should first prepare a list of essential things. These include large insulated cooler, French presses, coffee drip cones, manual coffee grinder, rope, hammer or hatchet, wash basin, flashlights, 5 gallon water jug, lighter, toilet paper, basic eating utensils (plates, bowls, and cups), wok, pot holders, hot mitts, pressure cooker, basic cook kit, camp lantern, camp stove, air mattresses, sleeping bags, and obviously an all season tent. There can be several other things as well, such as sunscreen, insect repellent, rain tarp for eating and cooking area, camp knife, folding shovel, first-aid kit, flashlights with spare batteries, pillows, sleeping pads, and sleeping bags.

Preparing Your Kids – If it is the first time you are talking your kids for an outside camping, you have to be very careful. There are several family camping tips that you must follow in order to prepare your kids for such first-time experiences. You had better start out with backyard camping first. Take them outside only when they have developed some basic camping skills, such as knowing how to pack and unpack a sleeping bag and how to set up and take down a camp.

Separate Tents For Teenagers – If you have teenage children, you must respect their privacy. It is wiser to get a separate tent for them. When it comes to family camping tips, you should always remember older children want their own space even when while camping.

Packing – You must pack everything in a way that prevents items from getting misplaced while keeping the travel space tidy. For example, while organizing the art supplies of your children, such as pencils and crayons, you had better use a small fishing tackle box with pull out compartments and drawers.

Cooking Kit – You may also be looking for family camping tips for a cooking kit because sometimes even the basic utensils can be very difficult to store and organize. Your pressure cooker is the best cooking kit. You can store cups, small utensils, and bowls inside the pressure cooker. This will not only save a lot of space but it will also keep things safe and easily accessible.

Overall, if you keep in mind the above family camping tips, you will definitely have a great time with your loved ones.

In Europe, hotel charges bite far deeper into budgets than you would sometimes expect. In Britain there is the inexpensive alternative of bed and breakfast. This does not exist to such an extent in the rest of Europe.

One way of getting around this, particularly for friends planning to travel together around the Continent, is hiring a car and, in summer, staying at camp sites.

Europeans are fond of the outdoors and there are camp sites wherever people holiday. There are, perhaps, three types of camping: luxury, pretty snazzy and bring your own tent. Which you select is up to your budget and style. But note most carefully that if you are taking your own tent you MUST camp in a proper listed camp site. You cannot pull into a field and hope for the best. It is illegal and strongly discouraged.

The three classes

Eurocamp is primarily intended for motoring holidays and is particularly suited to a group travelling around Europe by car. Eurocamp provides a choice of six-berth tents or six-berth caravillas, which appear to be of a very high standard.

Luxury first: Eurocamp, http://www.eurocamp.com, a subsidiary of the Next group of clothing stores, has well over 100 sites in France, West Germany, Spain, Yugoslavia, Belgium, Luxembourg, Italy and Austria. Many are away from the population centres in the Swiss Alps, the French Riviera, Tuscany, Innsbruck and the German Black Forest, but Eurocamp also has sites in Florence, Paris and Munich.

The caravillas – 9.5 m long by 2.5 m wide — and tents — 5.2 m by 4.9 m – come with cooking facilities, pots, pans, crockery and cutlery. The caravillas have showers and toilets. Both forms of accommodation include a double bed and four single beds.

The campsites come with a variety of amenities — most have restaurants, bars and either a swimming pool, lake or beach. All campsites have running hot and cold water, modern washing facilities and fresh water taps close to the tents. For some this will be paradise. For others, perhaps, a form of hell.

Many of the sites are in France, in the Loire Valley, Dordogne, Riviera, Provence, Pyrenees, Brittany, Normandy and Picardy. Free child care is provided at about half the camp sites.

Mid-level comfort

Self-Drive motoring holidays in Europe (http://www.drive-alive.co.uk/) for the independent motorist. These are camping and mobile homes in France, Italy, Spain, Switzerland, the Netherlands and Luxembourg. The minimum stay is three nights. The cost of your camping is included in the package price.

To check out prices I invented a family, parents and two kids, with a saloon car coming from Britain in May and spending five nights camping. The answer came back: The price of your holiday is EUR404 ($US508) including accommodation and crossing, but excluding insurance and maps.

Bring your own tent in true camping style

Interhike, http://www.interhike.com, covers UK, Ireland, Spain including the Canary Islands, Germany, France, Portugal, Czech Republic, Denmark, Poland, Sweden, Norway, Finland, Switzerland, Italy, Greece, Belgium, Holland, Luxembourg which is pretty well most of Europe.

Note that this is both a listing of camping sites and a booking centre. It does not guarantee the quality of the sites although, from experience, outside of the annual European holiday in August they are generally quite splendid and civilised. In almost every case you have to take your own tent and gear.

This is just a brief sampling. You can explore the Internet until your eyes grow dim. Use a Google search and just type in camping Europe. Then pick and chose.

There’s more ways to enjoy the family RV than simply taking it on the road during the warmth of Summer Sun and Winter RV Camping holidays are a great option for those that like to explore cooler family time possibilities while on the go! The chief reason for the rise in popularity of winter RV camping is that the huge crowds that summer camping sites have on them, which can be hassle-some experience for many families that feel overwhelmed by large teeming numbers at a holiday spot to really enjoy the space a camping experience should ideally afford. For such families, the idea of a planning out a winter RV camping trip is the best way to go and the right camping gear fits in just fine with the rest of the plan.

The most fun-filled and winning winter RV camping gets a boost from choosing the right RV for the season as a smaller vehicle has the advantage of keeping the heat in and passengers warm as opposed to the gigantic 45′ counterparts. Once you have worked out the logistics of making your winter holiday a safe and successful one, its not too difficult to consider how hard it may be to maneuver on slippery cold roads when guiding a truck and trailer or the camper shell as opposed to driving along a big, lumbering motor-home! So, practicality, above all other features, is most essential in making your winter RV camping trip a smashing success, don’t forget!

Do find out about the specialized RVs that are more suited for braving colder climes as they have high-grade insulation to provide extra protection when traveling through extreme weather conditions that consist of chilling winds and toe-numbing night-travel. Packing weather-appropriate camping equipment will ensure your winter RV camping experience is a well-thought out and carefully planned one, giving you great holiday memories.

You may want to consider looking up camping grounds that afford you electrical hook-ups in the winter as not all campsites offer this facility off-season so for those with RVs that are need extra heating capacity to keep passengers safe and warm, you may want to buy a generator to juice-up the temp! A bit of market research is called for here, so you determine by cross-comparison of various models which is the most efficient and functions best in specific temperatures so you get the right one to meet your winter travel needs.

Besides the above, do pay close attention to the kind of winter RV clothing you take along: boots, clothing, sports gear and add-ons for snow-bound areas besides extra pairs of trekking shoes (if you’re planning on the hiking) are ideal extra gear you can take with you so you’re not short on stuff should some get wet!

Food is the last, but most important item on your winter RV camping trip checklist and do remember to store adequate supplies of long-lasting food products, just in case you are stranded in unexpected weather or travel conditions as it pays to be safe!

Do you find planning a camping trip stressful?

Trying to remember everything you need to pack and at the same time finding the space to store it isn’t easy. I know I have been on many camping trips and each time the first thing I pack is my toddler camping bed. Of course, I do pack other important things too. But next to the tent this is the most important item of all the camping equipment, to me.

You see it’s all about convenience for me. Why? Because I don’t want to spend my holiday fighting with camping equipment. I want to enjoy the time with my kids. After all, you can’t get the precious early years back can you?

Camping equipment has come a long way in recent years – thank goodness! Tents can now “Pop-up” it has to be said this is one of the best advances in camping equipment. It’s fantastic for all us folk who don’t want to spend hours trying to find out which pole goes where!

Even better the toddler camping bed inflates and deflates in seconds. Perfect… no more foot pumps to inflate beds and even worse trying to deflate it when it’s time to go home.

So when I get to the camp site I want to see the tent up in minutes and the inflatable beds up even quicker. Everything else falls into place after that.

After all, the sleeping arrangements are the most important of all aren’t they?

Making sure you’re sleeping area is wind proof, air tight, waterproof and of course comfortable is of the highest priority for any parent. Staying dry and cosy in the tent can’t be beat – believe me I’ve had the opposite experience in the past and it’s not a lot of fun.

The main priority for me is that my kids have a great time and they get to experience the great outdoors. But I do like to make sure we have the best home comforts when we go back to our camp site. I’m sure I’m not alone in thinking this – all parents want to create great memories for their kids. And, of course, make life a bit easier for themselves too.

To ensure you have the best trip it’s essential to plan ahead. Don’t leave anything to chance – start thinking about what you need weeks in advance. This way you will greatly reduce the chances of having a “camping disaster.”

5 Top Tips to make your camping trip a success

1. Plan your trip in detail and this means you will be able to enjoy your holiday to the fullest

2. Always make a travel checklist – tick of each item as you pack it

3. Pack the car the night before so that you’re not in a rush the next day

4. Remember rushing means you’re likely to forget something

5. The day before go to the garage and fill the car up with gas, while you’re there check the tyres and oil/

You have some days off. You want to get rid of the town you are used to, you want to get away from the same house you live in, you want to do something to get rid of the routine, you want to feel a bit adventurous and take matters into your own hands. You feel like you want to go camping. You have decided that, you have the weekend off or maybe you took a short vacation from work and you have chosen the perfect spot for camping. But something is missing. Camping should be planned from A to Z taking into consideration unpredictable situations. Even if something bad may not occur, it is best to be cautious, better be safe than sorry, that’s my motto when it comes to camping.

You haven’t been camping for some time now or maybe you haven’t camped in your whole life. There is no need to panic or feel ashamed, there are just a few tips and tricks that you need to know and you have to bring with you some gear and equipment fit for camping, (it is more for your own safety) in no time you will get used to this and camping will come naturally.

What are the essential things that you should bring with you?

Let’s start with the beginning. You need a tent. You have to check for the tent`s capacity. How many persons will come with you? If you are a family, you should choose a tent in accordance with the number of your family members. If you camp by yourself you can pick a standard tent that has the capacity of two persons; this way you have more space for yourself. Of course, if the weather allows it, you can just bring a sleeping bag with you, but it might prove to be uncomfortable.

Don`t forget to buy a big backpack. The backpack is practical and make sure to choose a backpack that is spacious because all that you carry with you will be put in that backpack. Don’t travel with too many things, just take what is essential. You don`t need to stuff your entire house in a backpack because in the end you will find yourself lacking useful things, you cannot start a fire with a lipstick or a trendy locket.

What you should carry?

When it comes to clothes you must always carry with you-at all times- a waterproof jacket. The weather can be moody and a waterproof jacket is light and doesn’t occupy too much space. A waterproof jacket can make the difference between being soaking wet and then catching a cold or being warm and enjoying the rain, knowing it will end soon. Being prepared for every scenario possible gives you a good vibe and it makes you enjoy even the nasty weather.

If you have picked a mountainous area for a camping site make sure to bring along some resistant boots because they`ll keep you warm and they`ll help you climb mountains without slipping in the mud and spraying your ankle.

When it comes to gadgets you can either pick a compass that will point you the right direction or if you camp in a more travelled area you can always bring along any gadget that supports the GPS system. Make sure to have a pocket knife with you and a box of matches.