tips for camping

[Lawson Laslo]

Hello
wanted to see what all tips y'all have for packing lightly, and or equipment you have found that doesnt take much room, for overnight flyin events like Oshkosh, SunnFun, Ranger...

The only camping trip Ive done so far was down at the Ranger Texas weekend flyin, Luckily a buddy was driving down so they brought the bulk of my equipment (tent, sleeping bag, chair)

My Ercoupe doesnt have the extended baggage stc so only has a 3' long by 10'' or so canvas bag behind the seats for storage, any my bruce canopy cover takes up about 1/3 of this area...

any suggestions that you have are greatly appreciated!
I feel this info could be useful for those flying Cubs, Aeroncas, Luscombes, Ercoupes etc...
Thanks

 

[Cogito]

I camped at OSH, Sun N Fun, Johnson Creek, etc. in a Light Sport with backpacking gear. An REI or Big Agnes Tent will fit in your plane and weigh about 3 lbs. Rule of Thumb: get a tent one person larger than the number of people that will actually use the tent. ie, if you're two people, get a 3 person tent. Consider used if you have the time, backpackers are always getting new gear, trading that 3lb. tent for a 1lb version.

 

[Racerx]

I camped at OSH, Sun N Fun, Johnson Creek, etc. in a Light Sport with backpacking gear. An REI or Big Agnes Tent will fit in your plane and weigh about 3 lbs. Rule of Thumb: get a tent one person larger than the number of people that will actually use the tent. ie, if you're two people, get a 3 person tent. Consider used if you have the time, backpackers are always getting new gear, trading that 3lb. tent for a 1lb version.

So my 122lb canvas tent I live in for 2 weeks elk hunting wouldn't work?
https://www.kodiakcanvas.com/12-x-9...e-awning-estimated-restock-date-sep-1st-2021/

 

[Lawson Laslo]

Ive got a single person tent that folds up real small
after reviewing my equipment the main thing im searching for is
-a sleeping bag that folds up very small, but will keep me warm for fall flyins

 

[Lawson Laslo]

So my 122lb canvas tent I live in for 2 weeks elk hunting wouldn't work?
https://www.kodiakcanvas.com/12-x-9...e-awning-estimated-restock-date-sep-1st-2021/

looks a little small

 

[Daleandee]

This tent is very similar to the tent I used at SnF. Worked well:

https://www.amazon.com/Backyard-Mou...df0ba&pd_rd_wg=1KDqR&pd_rd_i=B08THSTKHY&psc=1

 

[kyleb]

I camped at OSH, Sun N Fun, Johnson Creek, etc. in a Light Sport with backpacking gear. An REI or Big Agnes Tent will fit in your plane and weigh about 3 lbs. Rule of Thumb: get a tent one person larger than the number of people that will actually use the tent. ie, if you're two people, get a 3 person tent. Consider used if you have the time, backpackers are always getting new gear, trading that 3lb. tent for a 1lb version.

This is great advice. I have a 3 person backpacking tent that has a relatively low profile. That gives it good wind resistance, which helps at Oshkosh with the (seemingly) annual big thunderstorm which crushes lesser tents. IMO, the tent is the key. If it keeps the wind and rain at bay, you're gonna be OK for the week. If the tent leaks or fails, you're screwed, no matter how good your other gear is.

Beyond the tent, I have a selection of camping pads - the Thermarest base camp being the heaviest/most comfortable and a variety of inflatable camping mattresses packing much smaller and lighter depending on how light I need to pack. There are very lightweight chairs available that do fine in both campsite and walk-around applications.

Here are a few links to products I have or similar products:

https://www.amazon.com/Ultralight-P...ghtweight+camping+chair&qid=1624241246&sr=8-6

https://www.amazon.com/RikkiTikki-L...inflatable+camping+pad&qid=1624241424&sr=8-29

https://www.rei.com/product/185633/rei-co-op-half-dome-sl-3-tent-with-footprint

 

[EdFred]

If you're not camping in the extreme cold go with a bivvy instead of a sleeping bag. The bulk of my weight I bring is food and food prep.

 

[Huckster79]

I take dried milk, cereal, ramen noodles, potato pouches like 99 cent ones of flavored mashed potatoes, stove stop stuffing and the like with maybe some canned chicken or ham so no need for ice.

Unlike some things that are heavier in the cheap version the nice thing is cheap Walmart crap is light! tents n such…

 

[pnancoz]

Lightweight hiking tents will work well. There are many to choose from. My current hiking tent is (2 lbs 14 ozs):
REI Co-op Quarter Dome SL 2 Tent | REI Co-op
Make sure you get better stakes than what comes with any tent.

A good sleeping pad will help make an extended stay more tolerable. I've used several pads over the years and this is what I found best(1 lb 5 oz):
REI Co-op Stratus Insulated Air Sleeping Pad | REI Co-op
It's more comfortable and lighter than most self inflating pads. I also highly recommend the Sea to Summit Air Stream Pump Dry bag to inflate the sleeping pad. You can use it for storage when you're not inflating the pad (1.7 ozs):
Sea to Summit Air Stream Pump Dry Sack | REI Co-op

I have several sleeping bags and I'll choose which one based on the time of the year and expected temperatures. A 35 degree bag is fine for Oshkosh. I use a 15 degree bag for colder times of the year. Make sure you use a compression bag. It will reduce the size by half.
There are many lightweight camp chairs available. Go to a camping store and try them out to find what you're comfortable with.

Keep us posted on what you use.

 

[mondtster]

Ive got a single person tent that folds up real small
after reviewing my equipment the main thing im searching for is
-a sleeping bag that folds up very small, but will keep me warm for fall flyins

Look at the backpacking sleeping bags. Small, lightweight, and plenty warm. Do not get cheap in this area, there is a big difference between a quality sleeping bag and the ones you’ll find at a department store.

 

[murphey]

For OSH, plan to be comfortable, pick what you want to be comfortable then ship it to yourself at OSH. Either FedEx or UPs has a booth on the field. Then ship everything back home after the show. Target is across the street (north side) with just about everything else you want. Plus there’s a large grocery store in the same strip mall as Target. Goodwill is there, same strip mall.

 

[Stewartb]

I’ve got an assortment of mountain camping gear but for flat-land camping? A tent tall enough to stand in, a cot to sleep on, a nice warm weather bag, an MSR Dragonfly stove, some lightweight camp kitchen stuff…and a good bottle of Bourbon. I prefer frozen vac-bagged meals to freeze dried. The cooler is an important item.

 

[EdFred]

I take dried milk, cereal, ramen noodles, potato pouches like 99 cent ones of flavored mashed potatoes, stove stop stuff and the like with maybe some canned chicken or ham so no need for ice.

Unlike some things that are heavier in the cheap version the nice thing is cheap Walmart crap is light! tents n such…

You also have like 6 pounds of payload, I'm around 600.

 

[Capt. Geoffrey Thorpe]

Cheep stuff ("Coleman" brand) - tent, sleeping bag, air mattress, and a pan from the local discount chain (Meijer). A really small stove cheep that runs on bottled gas probably from Amazon. Some bottled water, random food that does not require refrigeration. Small plastic trash bags for the event that I need to deal with "solid waste". Hadn't thought of Raman Noodles, good idea.
Some tools, tiedown lines, stakes from rebar (three for each wing, two for the tail (kinda heavy)), extra rope just because.



From 1974...

 

[Dana]

What the others said, backpacking gear is what you want. This is the list for my last few fly camping trips:

Camping Gear

• Hyke & Byke 32° down sleeping bag
• Outdoor Research bivy sack
• Therm-a-Rest NeoAir air mattress
• Marmot inflatable pillow
• Trangia-style alcohol stove
• Bottle of fuel for stove
• MSR Seagull cook pot
• Collapsible silicone cup (for coffee)
• Plastic spoon
• Paper cups (for oatmeal, saving cleanup)

Food
• Instant coffee
• Instant oatmeal and dried cranberries
• Bacon jerky
• One liter water (in baggage compartment)
• One pint water (pocket-size flask in cockpit
• Flask of single malt whisky

No lunch or dinner food because I got that elsewhere. Otherwise, I have a few go-to backpacking meals, or the freeze dried stuff is OK, my meal plans depend on whether water is available. I’ve only used a bivy sack, no tent, for years, but I just bought a new 1 man screen tent (also from Hyke & Byke, check them out) anticipating a trip in bug season… which didn’t happen.

 

[RussR]

The others have given good advice on exact stuff to take, but in your case I think it's really important to prioritize.

For example,

any my bruce canopy cover takes up about 1/3 of this area...

Given your storage limitations, I'd just leave this at home. The airplane will be fine for a few days without it. Besides, there's nothing more frustrating than seeing a cool airplane but not being able to get a peek inside due to a canopy cover!

But other stuff can be left at home as well. For example, some have mentioned stores right off the field at Oshkosh. Depending on the fly-in, you may be able to eat all your meals in restaurants/food trucks/etc. on the field. Obviously at this point you're paying more for food and other supplies, but if you don't have room in the plane, what are you going to do?

Yes, some people do ship their stuff UPS, so that's an option. The bigger fly-ins are well set up to handle this.

I flew with a guy who filled the back of a PA-32 with stuff. I mean, he had every possible camping accessory. Easily 3 times the amount of stuff I had. But guess what? We both had a great time.

Also, YMMV, but I've found I spend very, very little time at the plane. So I don't need a bunch of lounge chairs and drink coolers and all that kind of stuff. I sleep in the tent, but then the rest of the day I'm "around". So I found out that I don't need a lot of those "convenience" items. However, there are definitely people who DO hang out at the plane, so it kinds of depends on you.

I know at Oshkosh (and probably at Sun N Fun too), some people rent storage units off the field to keep their stuff in year-round. Obviously that's a whole different level of complication than you're asking for!

 

[bflynn]

Lightweight hiking tents will work well. There are many to choose from. My current hiking tent is (2 lbs 14 ozs):
REI Co-op Quarter Dome SL 2 Tent | REI Co-op
Make sure you get better stakes than what comes with any tent.

I have camped twice at Oshkosh with this specific tent and survived some real frog strangers. It works and kept me dry. Lightweight and should easily fit in your space.

As far as sleeping goes, IMO the #1 most important piece of equipment is an air mattress. After that, sheets and blankets are fine, I don't need a sleeping bag. The mattress is heavy and bulky, but I think it's mandatory.

 

[Llewtrah381]

Among other things, one of these has proven very good for making coffee in the campground - and $13!

Extremus Portable Camp Stove, Compact Wind Resistant Camping Stove for Backpacking, Hiking, Camping, and Tailgating, Ultralight https://www.amazon.com/dp/B093D5S8DH/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_glt_fabc_6WKK4JQRMJGW9HJZ721X

We use a Stanley camping coffee pot we got from WM for about $13 as well and it fits it perfectly but there are other options out there too.

 

[Huckster79]

You also have like 6 pounds of payload, I'm around 600.

thatll make a difference

 

[painless]

On the techie side, one of those rechargeable battery bricks that you can charge your phone from.

 

[Llewtrah381]

Among other things, one of these has proven very good for making coffee in the campground - and $13!

Extremus Portable Camp Stove, Compact Wind Resistant Camping Stove for Backpacking, Hiking, Camping, and Tailgating, Ultralight https://www.amazon.com/dp/B093D5S8DH/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_glt_fabc_6WKK4JQRMJGW9HJZ721X

We use a Stanley camping coffee pot we got from WM for about $13 as well and it fits it perfectly but there are other options out there too.

Actually, shoulda looked closer: Amazon actually paired the exact same Stanley pot I mentioned with that stove:

Stanley Adventure Camp Cook Set - 24oz Kettle with 2 Cups - Stainless Steel Camping Cookware with Vented Lids & Foldable + Locking Handle - Lightweight Cook Pot for Backpacking/Hiking/Camping https://www.amazon.com/dp/B005188T9...abc_D0PM83X8R5KH5FE1WCYS?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1

 

[Kevin Eggert]

For OSH, plan to be comfortable, pick what you want to be comfortable then ship it to yourself at OSH. Either FedEx or UPs has a booth on the field. Then ship everything back home after the show. Target is across the street (north side) with just about everything else you want. Plus there’s a large grocery store in the same strip mall as Target. Goodwill is there, same strip mall.

Best advice so far!

 

[Llewtrah381]

On the techie side, one of those rechargeable battery bricks that you can charge your phone from.

Yes - and a smallish solar panel (15-20w) works well for recharging it during the day.

 

[Bob Noel]

Hello
wanted to see what all tips y'all have for packing lightly, and or equipment you have found that doesnt take much room, for overnight flyin events like Oshkosh, SunnFun, Ranger...

Sleeping bag, tent... those are pretty important items. Those will cost weight.

Other items can nickel and dime you to death (in terms of weight).

Clothing. How many pairs of shoes/boots do you think you need when camping? Can you go with just one pair? How many changes of clothes? The more you take, the more it weighs..

Toiletries - use sample size bottles/tubes. Don't bring the heavy leather bag for it. For one camping trip, I even went so far as to cut off part of the handle of my toothbrush.

Plates and utensils - a coolwhip container makes a great light cheap bowl/plate. A plastic fork, knife (and do you really need a spoon?).

Lots of ways to save weight on equipment.

 

[GaryM]

Plates and utensils - a coolwhip container makes a great light cheap bowl/plate.

Ah, the timeless classics! I remember going on an 8 day canoe trip from a Boy Scout high adventure base in the early 1970's. Packing guidance specified a cool whip bowl; no plates, mess kits, etc.

 

[Matthew]

Two years ago was my first at OSH. Because of the sloppy field conditions, there were no camping spaces left and my buddy and I ended up in Fond du Lac. No problem there, but we both learned something. If you don't place your whole tent behind, or in front of, the trailing edge of the wing (we brought a 182), expect condensation to drip off the wing and onto your tent. All.night.long.

Because there were just two of us in that 182, we were able to bring two tents and a couple of coolers (no ice). We picked up ice at the FBO when we got there.

Don't forget bug spray and sunblock.

 

[Capt. Geoffrey Thorpe]

sloppy field conditions

Oh, yea. Fergot. I have reasonably fat tires for the weight of my ride, but if you drive a more typical Pipessna a three squares of plywood to keep the wheels from settling into soft ground while parked may be a good idea.

 

[Matthew]

Oh, yea. Fergot. I have reasonably fat tires for the weight of my ride, but if you drive a more typical Pipessna a three squares of plywood to keep the wheels from settling into soft ground while parked may be a good idea.

We rocked the plane out of the ruts where it had sunk. Wasn't bad, but it did help to get us rolling easier under power. Other people did not do that and really had to add power to get out of the holes.

I made a set of hold downs, but by the time I added the stakes, ropes, and hammer, it wasn't a very light package.

Oh, and if you can, add some reflectors to the hold down ropes and any tent guy lines. It's very easy to get tangled up in all that stuff at night if you need to get something from the airplane.

Another lesson learned - if you are camping at a place with fuel and will need some before you depart, consider doing it as soon as you can. It's no fun when you are ready to leave and the fuel truck is running a couple hours behind and the wait at the self-serve pump is nearly as long.

 

[rwellner98]

I camped at OSH, Sun N Fun, Johnson Creek, etc. in a Light Sport with backpacking gear. An REI or Big Agnes Tent will fit in your plane and weigh about 3 lbs. Rule of Thumb: get a tent one person larger than the number of people that will actually use the tent. ie, if you're two people, get a 3 person tent. Consider used if you have the time, backpackers are always getting new gear, trading that 3lb. tent for a 1lb version.

I've had two or three REI half dome plus tents. The "plus" meant I got to lie flat, the "normal" was just a couple inches to short for me to do that. They have been great tents, and to your point, they are two person tents that I use for just me. That's absolutely the way to go. They weigh in at 5lbs. Even on a rainy afternoon I'm comfortable to chill out in my tent, with all my gear with me and out of the elements.

So my 122lb canvas tent I live in for 2 weeks elk hunting wouldn't work?
https://www.kodiakcanvas.com/12-x-9...e-awning-estimated-restock-date-sep-1st-2021/

Is there a stove option for that? I didn't see one.

On the techie side, one of those rechargeable battery bricks that you can charge your phone from.

+100. Battery weight adds up quickly, but is useful load very well spent IMO.

I really enjoy flying places and cooking real meals instead of trying to pack light and eat simple stuff. I've posted some of these before, but since this is exactly the kind of videos I make, here are some of mine.

 

[pnancoz]

Sleeping bag, tent... those are pretty important items. Those will cost weight.

Other items can nickel and dime you to death (in terms of weight).

Clothing. How many pairs of shoes/boots do you think you need when camping? Can you go with just one pair? How many changes of clothes? The more you take, the more it weighs..

Toiletries - use sample size bottles/tubes. Don't bring the heavy leather bag for it. For one camping trip, I even went so far as to cut off part of the handle of my toothbrush.

Plates and utensils - a coolwhip container makes a great light cheap bowl/plate. A plastic fork, knife (and do you really need a spoon?).

Lots of ways to save weight on equipment.

I checked my information from 2019 -

Sleeping bag - 2.3 lbs
Sleeping pad - 1.75 lbs
Clothing/Toiletries - 12 lbs per person (Was at OSH for 9 nights)
Charging brick w/ solar panel - 4 lbs
Chair - 2 lbs

You can rent tie down's when you arrive. I did that in 2019 and had no issues.
I don't bring any food with me. I attend the first lecture each morning from ATC (they have free coffee and doughnuts). I buy lunch on the grounds and go into town for dinner. If you really need to have your own coffee in the mornings, a hiking stove, fuel and a pot will add a couple of pounds.

In past years I was limited by weight on how much I could bring so I packed pretty light. This year, I'm not really limited by weight. There will be 2 of us in a Skyhawk with an 1,100 lb useful load. Other than a cooler, I can't think of anything else that I feel I need to bring.

 

[Dana]

after reviewing my equipment the main thing im searching for is
-a sleeping bag that folds up very small, but will keep me warm for fall flyins

This is the one I got, packs to 6.5 x 10":
https://www.hykeandbyke.com/collect...y-bag-for-thru-hiking-backpacking-and-camping

Great price for a down bag! Though, being down, ya gotta keep it dry. I stick with synthetic bags for backpacking, but my fly camping trips are reserved for good weather forecasts.

If you don't place your whole tent behind, or in front of, the trailing edge of the wing (we brought a 182), expect condensation to drip off the wing and onto your tent. All.night.long.

What I learned is that water drips off the bottom of the wing pretty much at random before it ever runs down to the trailing edge.

If you really need to have your own coffee in the mornings, a hiking stove, fuel and a pot will add a couple of pounds.

Ah, but having that first cup of hot coffee before even crawling out of your warm sleeping bag...

 

[bflynn]

So, a camping question: When flying commercial, what to do with single use stove fuel cans? Buying them on the drive in is simple enough, assuming you can find them.

When done, it appears Wisconsin says that they must go to hazmat recycling, but every local collection site I see says they require a citizen sticker of some kind. So, you have to recycle them, but they won't let you recycle. They can't go on the big plane with me back home.

I know, burn the gas up, puncture them, and flush with water. At home, I just throw that in the recycle bin.

Their process doesn't seem to be well thought out.

 

[Dana]

That's one reason I like my alcohol stove, buy fuel at any hardware store or walmart, just dump out out and let it dry before returning.

 

[Arrow76R]

My MSR International stove burns avgas, mogas, kerosene as well as white gas. So I drain some avgas into the fuel bottle at the camp site and simply return the unused fuel back to the plane when done. That way I don't have to carry extra fuel or pressurized cannisters.

 

[Llewtrah381]

My MSR International stove burns avgas, mogas, kerosene as well as white gas. So I drain some avgas into the fuel bottle at the camp site and simply return the unused fuel back to the plane when done. That way I don't have to carry extra fuel or pressurized cannisters.

I have an MSR too, that I seldom use because starting it up creates so much soot. Am I doing something wrong? Any tricks to avoiding that? I wondered about maybe priming it with alcohol or something.

 

[455 Bravo Uniform]

Mmmmmm, 100LL scrambled eggs & bacon. The only thing better is biscuits and burnt rubber gravy when we used to camp overnight at US41 drag strip.

 

[pnancoz]

I have an MSR too, that I seldom use because starting it up creates so much soot. Am I doing something wrong? Any tricks to avoiding that? I wondered about maybe priming it with alcohol or something.

I have a MSR Whisper lite stove and never had soot. I've only ever used white gas. It only take a few seconds after starting for the fuel to start to vaporize and burn clean. You might be over-priming. I don't put anything on the stove until I get a nice blue flame.

 

[Llewtrah381]

I have a MSR Whisper lite stove and never had soot. I've only ever used white gas. It only take a few seconds after starting for the fuel to start to vaporize and burn clean. You might be over-priming. I don't put anything on the stove until I get a nice blue flame.

I probably need to play with it more. It's that startup "few seconds" that has been giving me problems. Maybe I'm putting too much fuel in the cup to start it. Thanks!

 

[Dana]

My MSR International stove burns avgas, mogas, kerosene as well as white gas. So I drain some avgas into the fuel bottle at the camp site and simply return the unused fuel back to the plane when done. That way I don't have to carry extra fuel or pressurized cannisters.

Though I usually use the alcohol stove nowadays, I have an old Whisperlite, not the international version, so it burns only white gas... but I'm not crazy about the idea of cooking over leaded gas.