That very bad oder is the smell of moisture breaking down the waterproof coating. Even a small amount of condensation can cause mildew to grow, so never store a wet tent. After a rainy or humid night, drape the fly over a tree and turn the tent on its side to let the sun dry the bottom. Once you get home, hang the tent on a clothesline or shower rod. Once it’s dry, store it loosely in a cotton pillowcase or mesh storage sack.

Those small steps will make a vast improvement on the oder coming from your tent on your next camping or backpacking trip.

Sleeping bags should never be kept in their tight fitting stuffsacks any longer than necessary, if you do you are losing that precious loft that gives a sleeping bag it’s warmth retaining abilities. When your bag smashes flat, you get cold, and that will take money out of you pocket when you go back to the store for a new bag.

Many better manufacturers will supply a large cotton storage sack with their sleeping bags, which are great at allowing a bag to fluff out and breathe out any trapped water. Problem is for most people they take up too much storage space, and don’t always allow a bag to max out it’s loft. Try this storage method to help your sleeping bag reach its maximum warmth on those cold nights outdoors.

Look for places you can let your sleeping bag stretch out flat and breath. Most people have room under their beds. Tie a plastic bag over the broom head to keep the sleeping bag clean, slip it inside the sleeping bag, and push it under the bed. Then slide the broom out leaving the sleep sack.

It can be a little dusty under some beds so vacuum first or make a cover for your sleeping bag made out of an old bedsheet. Also consider the space under a large sofa or futon to store your sleeping bag in the same manor.

Do take some precautions when storing your bag. Always make sure your bag has dried out first and be careful if storing on a cold basement floor as is might absorb to much moisture.

If you are like most people you forgot something on your last camping trip. This might put an end to it.

Did you forget something on your last camping trip again? Maybe if you made a Camping Checklist before the last trip you would have brought something to start that camp fire. A list of the things that you should bring with you whenever you go Camping can be a trip saver. A checklist helps keep you from forgetting things that you should have brought along without just tossing items in your bag at the last minute.

Most Camping Checklists will vary depending on the length of the Camping trip, people in your group, and your preferences. That list will make sure you bring only what you need and save you from over packing.

Basic Camping Checklist:

Clothing

* Jackets / Vest
* Gloves / Mittens
* Socks / Camp Shoes
* Hats / Caps
* Hiking Rain Gear

Sleeping Gear

* Sleeping Bags / Sleeping Pads / Camping Cots
* Camping Lanterns / Candles
* Camping Tent / Bivy Sack

Provisions

* Food /Dehydrated / Prepackaged / Snacks
* Drinks / Soups
* Cooking /Stove / Cookware
* Storage Containers / Ziplock Bags

Tools & Devices

* Maps
* Flashlights
* Compass
* GPS Device
* Pocket knife
* Batteries
* First Aid Kit
* Lighter / Matches

Altrec.com
Altrec.com always offerers a great selection of outdoor recreational items, along with good buying advice and tips. Check out what’s new from Marmot, Patagonia, Nike ACG, Mountain Hardwear, Mountainsmith, and Arc’teryx. Free shipping today

Backcountry.com
A top online shop that offers lots of winter and ski gear as well as climbing, hiking, and backpacking gear. Usually free shipping on orders over $50.


Bassproshops.com
Not just a fishing gear store. They now offer some of the best camping, hiking and backpacking gear along with kayaks and paddling equipment.

Campingworld.com
Probably the best selecting of car camping gear in the world. They have every item that will make your camp feel like home.

Moosejaw.com
Moosejaw brings you great quality, higher-end mountain apparel and outdoor equipment from top manufacturers like Kelty, The North Face and Marmot .

REI.com
By far the largest selection of outdoor gear in the U.S. They have you covered from tent stakes to dehydrated foods. Backpacking to cycling they cover all outdoor activities.

Sierratradingpost.com
Nobody beats Sierra Trading Post when it comes to discounted outdoor clothing and gear. It seems that they get the best closeouts from outdoor gear companies and passes the rock bottom prices on to you.

Summitonline.com
These guys lean more toward sports but they usually have good camping gear for sale if you look through the site.

Sleeping pad types usually trade-off weight for different degrees of warmth. Pads have advantages and disadvantages, the big key is to find the type that best meets your needs.

Open-Cell Foam:

These sleeping pads are made of a lighter but fragile foam which is comparable to a sponge. They’re being light and plush is an advantage. The disadvantages are they can absorb water vapor, which can be a big problem if they don’t get a chance to dry out completely. Insulation is better than empty chamber air mattresses but not as good as a closed-cell foam sleeping pad. You will need a lot thicker open-cell sleeping pad to have a comparable insulation value of a closed-cell foam sleeping pad. This makes them much more bulky.

Closed-Cell Foam :

Durable and dense foam materials make up a closed-cell sleeping pad. The plus of closed-cell foam is that it insulates well because the small cells trap warm air from your body. Closed-cell foam is less likely to absorb moisture, so the whole pad won’t get soaked when water seeps up through your tent floor. A disadvantage is they’re a little heavier and they’re not as plush because they don’t compress as easily under pressure. You will need more closed-cell foam to get the same level of comfort as with open-cell foam, which means a little more weight.

Self-Inflating Pads:

This type of pad is made with open-cell foam sandwiched-and-sealed between sheets of plastic. You store them rolled-up/compressed when not in use so when they’re unrolled and the inflating valve is opened the expanding foam causes air to be drawn inside and they “self-inflate”. With open-cell foam being sealed between plastic it insulates better than open-cell foam alone. The sealing between plastic also helps keep the inside drier. Be aware though, by blowing into a self-inflating mattress to make it firm faster will dampen the inside of the mattress and could encourage mold and bacteria growth.

I hope this will help you decide on which sleeping pad is best for you.

When out in the field, brush zippers off before pulling the slider. When at home, clean the teeth with water and a toothbrush, or use a vacuum cleaner with a brush attachment. Do not apply any lubricant to zippers as it will attract much more grit. From time to time the looped wires form the zipper tracks will separate or bend under stress. You can simply straighten the damaged coils with a large needle or a small knife blade.