10 Things We Don't Bring Anymore (Learn From Our Mistakes)
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- Опубликовано: 13 май 2020
- Not quite sure what to pack when teardrop camping? Today we will share the 10 things we don''t bring anymore hoping you can learn from our mistakes.
When we first started taking out the teardrop camper we thought we had packing all figured out. Three years later we have new thoughts on the camping toilet, camping solar panels, propane, trailer security, camp chairs, you name it, we probably have went through two or three different versions of every product to find the right fit for us.
As usual we are heading out in this episode of Playing with Sticks to enjoy our beautiful state of Alaska. Not the prettiest time of year, but we definitely can't complain. Let us know what items you first took out with you when camping in your small trailer that you no longer take out. The more you share, the more we learn!
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Most comfortable lightweight toilet we do not take out anymore amzn.to/2WzFNFY I am not sure why it is so expensive on Amazon. You may need to shop around.
Our current toilet amzn.to/2T5HAA9
Our Clam Instant Pop-up Tent with Bug Netting amzn.to/2LuwnFb
The larger Clam that many folks own (love this one because wind/shade flaps built in amzn.to/3fP69LE
Clam tent attachable wind/sun awnings (fits most Clam tents) amzn.to/2Wy6I52
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Our Rockpals 300 watt solar generator amzn.to/2T69Gvr
The 500 watt solar generator from Rockpals amzn.to/2Z3NAgJ
The 100 watt solar panels we use amzn.to/2Wv157A
Manchester Propane most affordable is through Ace ship to store (about $60) amzn.to/3fRw8Sr
5lb propane amzn.to/3dFwkCu
Keyed alike Reese towing set amzn.to/2T8mPUu
Keyed Alike Masterlock amzn.to/3bvrbvd
Portable Buddy Heater (right now you can get refurbished for about $50 at Cabelas) amzn.to/361no87
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If you are new to the channel we have quite a few small camper playlists we think you would enjoy. Thanks for subscribing and joining us on the journey. 
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✅Check out our video about "3 Years of Camping Gear Abuse: What is Standing and What We Left Behind" ruclips.net/video/Go2AF2HiJL4/видео.html
your kids are adorable. keep up the good work dad.
@@MrSGL21
Watching from California. Great video on tear drops
Have you tried treating the tent with Permethrin, years ago you had to mix it with water yourself, but now they have premixed bottles that can treat your clothes, tent and gear, although it isn't quite as effective, it still works better than any off or insect repellent. The only real downside is you have to make the tent/clothes damp enough (soaking works much better) and allow them to completely dry while not wearing or using them. Enjoy not having to use insect repellent or having to worry about ticks ever again. As always make sure to check before you camp for any allergies before you go camping.
Much cheaper to make your own, but a spray bottle of pre-mix is only about $16 a bottle, which may seem expensive, but how much insect repellent do you use on 3 or more trips Because two cans of deep woods off is $10 and contains deet which isn't a good chemical but is the one that actually works best against mosquitos. You end spending much more on off, they recommend you treat your clothes and use off, but I find I don't have to myself. They claim it lasts through 6 washes so even if you get 3 washes, you win even if you spend a bit more. Again I don't really have many issues with mosquitos unless they are swarming, but hate ticks and haven't seen one in years since finding this solution. So your mileage may vary compared to mine, but wanted to get your input if you would be willing to try it. I think more people need to know about treating clothing as an option, again you can also treat your clothes with deet, but again it is deet and you should only use deet on pure cotton clothing which is almost nothing that we own today. deet will actually destroy water resistance and eventually the clothing itself, so make sure to do research if you go the deet route, which works even better but again nothing but downsides that you should be aware of.
Good info!
I lightened my load about 200 lbs. and an enormous amount of stress by no longer bringing my ex wife! It's amazing how much more smoothly everything goes. I kid you not. I magically became competent to pick a camping spot, back up the trailer, set up camp, light a fire etc!
This had us laughing because an hour or two earlier we had a very similar comment, but it was from a woman describing leaving her man behind :)
Hahahahaha
Yup. My campsite is incredibly compact when I’m on my own.
Yep, traded mine in for a ktm 350 exc/f street legal enduro motorcycle, awesome ride😎
I did the same thing except it was my 250 pound ex-husband that I left behind!!
Don't bring generators camping. Your neighbours will hate you. Last time I went, some gronk in a BUS was running a noisy generator right next to our camp site while we were trying to wind down for the night. We ask him to turn it off. He does, but then he starts the bus engine to be his generator. It wasn't better. The noise was so bad that everyone that side of the camp ground confronted him at the door of his bus and told him, in no uncertain terms, to turn it off, or go away.
We camp in a tent. One thing I Love is a fake grass door mat outside the door, Really helps keep it cleaner inside
Nobody has ever shared this tip. Thank you Becky!
Great idea thanks
I thought my dad was the only one lol
tarp.
Varmington bear protection in a tent- we have a bunch of dry sticks all around your tent like a fortress that Tiff the varmint or predator tries to come in the stick start breaking and you hear it first you have time to wake up and protect yourself
I've started to bring a pizza stone. I can cook on it, make a table with it, put hot things on it, and use it as a safe base for a quick fire.
That is a great idea!
I never thought of that! Nice!
Thanks :) It is definitely in my top 5.
I do something similar, but can't cook with it. I bring a 12"x24" ceramic tile. It's a cutting board, place for hot pots/pans, and a few other things.
Always cool when you can repurpose an otherwise overlooked item.
Yes nice idea 💡
Solar string lights are actually the best at night. Gives off a warm yellow glow that doesn’t blind and doesn’t attract bugs like bright led lanterns do, and easy to string up overhead since light should be placed above and not on the floor. Also reusable zip ties, can get just about anything else done too aside from making a fire.
Just found your channel, love how 'real' your videos are. Kids talking in the background, side conversations, real footage not mico editing to perfection. What a breath of fresh air!
Love this comment Chantal. Great timing with this. We literally, just two comments ago had someone not to happy with us about what you were just describing as positive. Luckily we only get about 1 or 2 of those comments a year. But, we do also understand their perspective as some folks are just looking for bullet points and information.
Agree 100%! I just wonder how he tricked a "Miss America" to marry him?!!
Yes I too love to hear complaints about camping in a camping video. Exceedingly refreshing for sure.
Some people go too far with the little "cutsie" moments. This was fine.
This is exactly the type of content anyone planning a tiny campervan needs.
That is so cool to hear. We often say the best camp setup comes from taking a little bit from each camping niche. A little van life here, some small camper trailer there, and sprinkle in some backpacking principles.
“When did you get so strong? “ , the words of a great Mom.
She is a pretty sweet mama. She balances me out well. Without here I would be saying "hurry up, keep up with me!" 😀
My fault, but I thought this was something else cuz a lady away talking in a diff language and it was kinda bizarre, confusing, and honestly the lady was all lights out. When I saw the comment," when did you get so strong, great mom" (paraphrase) i laughed hard. After ,"playing with sticks" answered and said what he said i got a clue and was like, ha ha ha ha ha ha ha , look at this comment bae bae, roflmao, in my tracks dead then I stopped and was like , "aye bae stop laughing this is a commercial and he's talking about his mom, gotta keep it at a whole dollar, I respect this dude, watched his homesteading show from inception. On real reality tho, I want to say thank you for all the knowledge and keeping your talk walk and being transparent with the business product. Salute.....
I try not to lie to my kids, he was being helpful, why call it strong, when you have all the weight on your handle that was above your head.
Dude is strong 💪 that’s a fact. You should see him today, he’s lifting semi trucks!
That look on the kids face when Mom skipped the rock, like he just discovered Mom is magic...
Your older son is hilarious. Love that you guys kept the clips in where he just appears and takes over.🤣
Thanks Adrianne. Glad you enjoyed it. It is fun for us as well looking back on these moments and seeing a bit of the behind the scenes moments.
I agree❤️👍
6:25 !!!!
Wooden clothes pins are so useful. I use them to close food storage bags, hang up damp towels or socks, and more.
Great suggestion. We do not have 1 wooden clothespin in our camper. Going to have to try it out.
Ooh yes, I also use them to hold small candles. Like I bought all these candles (cuz hey, I like em) and could not find holders to fit them bc they're so skinny...clothes pins worked, and you can stand them upright bc the pins created a solid triangular base.
I use rubber bands, they can be used for all sorts plus hair, shirts that are too big for kids, furmenting top with coffee filters, fold & roll all bags, zip locked bags, clothes rolled. Oh, I could just go ON & ON! Plus you dont have to worry about the medal poping off your clothes pens & can use them for what they do best.
@@lizishmathuser thanks for this tip. It's a really good idea. I usually put my skinny taper candles in a small pot of salt. I never thought of using a peg. Simple but effective.
Clothes pins work for lots of things. Even hanging Christmas lights on the roof or if you want use them for your camp light strings in trees. Easy to put up and take down.
The tried and true trick method is go through everything you took on a trip as you unpack it and capture what you used a lot, a little and not at all. Over the years we’ve whittled down how many clothes we pack along still ensuring we have adequate layering alternatives. Our camp kitchen kit has also been streamlined quite a bit. Also cut way back on food stock and rely more on occasional resupply shopping every 4-5 days. We now leave behind the large cooler and minimize our amount of perishables. With a little planning and intentionality, you can really limit or eliminate need for a cooler or fridge (make a hobby of I dehydrating). We still pack a roll top style camp table, but find we rarely ever use it anymore. The one area to never compromise is being dry, warm and comfortable are night; nothing will ruin an outing faster (except dehydration or illness I suppose). In this vein, I’ve learned a decent pillow is definitely worth having.
Thank you for sharing all of this Devin. We still have a long way to go on the cutting down of our clothes and camp kitchen. We are pretty good at maintaining a low amount of food. Like you we resupply every 3-4 days. This summer we are experimenting with a 12 volt fridge/freezer to cut down on our ice. We had a tip yesterday from someone who said they pre-freeze their food in a 1 gallon ziplock bag ensuring the food is flattened before freezing for much better storage. We have also made the mistake of using backpacking pillows for years. Time to bring out some "real" pillows this camping season.
@@PlayingwithSticks I've only bring what I use in my kitchen all the time. 1 of everything. I plan my meals & bring what I would use to make that meal. Or I make the meals at home & put in zip lock bags (freeze if needed) then finish making at camp or finish cooking at camp.
@@PlayingwithSticks A thermal peltier refrigerator uses ~30-50 watts continuous. I recommend a 1kWh battery,(about the size of a standard RV battery) and I would recommend doubling up on the solar panels.(200 watts or more) Those beautiful foldable arrays won't add much weight, or take up much space. It doesn't matter what kind of inverter you have, you won't use it. Those refrigerators run directly off the 12 volt battery.
@@vincentrobinette1507 The thermoelectric ones like that will chew through the 1kWh in about a day. You can get a great 12v compressor fridge now for $200-$250. My 50 liter Vevor (Alipcool CX50 clone) with LG compressor draws 0.20kWh per day (8.4 watts average due to mostly being cycled off) running 24/7, holding 32F in a 72F room (but it can be set to -4F). The 22 liter Vevor (as reviewed by Jasonoid in his 11-fridge comparison) is often under $190 delivered. My 50 liter with wheels (which I removed) was $253 on eBay delivered. So if you're willing to go with 1 day of fridge power in your battery, you can get a $200 battery pack instead of a $1000 battery pack just by getting a compressor fridge. It has a real thermostat holding your set temp, unlike just holding a fixed differential from the outdoor air temp as the thermoelectric (peltier) coolers do. Running an 8W fridge or 15W freezer vs a 50W cooler saves you a lot of battery and solar needs. It's a light enough draw you can even just use the vehicle battery if you're the least bit careful about monitoring the voltage (which most fridges tell you) and also the fridges let you set a cutoff voltage to protect your vehicle battery.
@@EfficientRVer You're exactly right about the power consumption of the Thermal Peltier fridge taking ~1kWh per day, which is why I specified that battery as a bare minimum. I have not had any experience with compressor fridges that small. You also pointed out one MAJOR advantage of compressor fridges, and that is their ability to freeze. While technically possible, a thermal peltier freezer would need much more than 1 kWh per day! Does the fridge you're talking about run directly on 12 VDC or, does it require an inverter?
I love my 5 gallon bucket toilet. I tent camp by my self and I use a Kia soul. I found putting a toilet seat on the bucket didn't work good. I put a pool noodle on it and it works great. I'm 70 and it is a good height. I put a garbage bag for easy removal of waste. I keep extra garbage bags in the pail, and a roll of toilet paper.
How do you deal with the smell with no lid? Do you just empty every time?
I use Luci lights which are portable and solar charged. Another easy step I haven't seen mentioned is to put coffee into tea bag filters you can buy online so all you need to do is pour hot water in your mug and let steep. You can also make dehydrated meals that you just add hot water, (in your bowl). My husband and I are gluten intolerant so I make my own. A favorite is dehydrated chicken, bullion and veggies. You can also add rice.
Big fans of Luci Lights as well. Unfortunately we only get to use ours in April, September, and October. We haven't heard the tea bag coffee method before. That is awesome.
Thank you for not editing that out, when he held it up and said this is a lock. That was so cute.
Thank you! I know there are a few on here who felt we should have edited it out. We appreciate your tolerance.
@@PlayingwithSticks .... that is what family camping fun is all about. Have the whole family involved and not eliminate family members from participating in making a great video.
Oh he's a cutie.
Hey, its your channel! You're not pizza, you can never please everyone! Just make yourself happy! 🤩🤩
Thank you! We appreciate that comment
Someone had comment about food storage and keeping food cold.you can make alot thing's ahead of time ,then freeze them in 1 gallon ziplock bag's freeze them flat and you will be surprised how much you can get in a cooler.
Great Idea, I may have to try that one, Thank you
This is a great thought William. We have never even considered freezing things flat. We will be trying this out soon!
You can do the same thing with water, put it in a heavy ziploc baggie freeze it flat, when it melts you have clean water and a clean storage baggie if needed.
Also, it will keep that "last item" you put in the very top of the cooler,( but inevitably works its way to the bottom,) from getting waterlogged.
This is very true. I cook double once or twice a week then I freeze specific portions with our names on it due to amount we eat, as well as date and type of food. Our freezer can take about 10 days food so we don’t cook often. When we are packing I just take out whatever we need.
@@hazelem1266 Love it. We just got a new smaller 12 volt refrigerator/fridge. So freezing and packing flat is our new way of travel.
I had a good time reading good natured comments from all your fans, thanks for that too.
Glad you had a good time William. Our favorite part is the comments from the good natured folks in this small trailer community.
We down sized our kitchen stuff to bring only 2 forks, knives, spoons and plates, pot and pan and 2 cups. If people drop over they can bring their own utensils and cups, etc.
Great point. We have found even our friends who drop by from outside the campground tend to bring their own food with them even when we say we have food. In the last three to four years I bet we have only used the extra utensils maybe 3 times. Because of that we now carry on a few paper plates just in case someone shows up. But, if not the plates come in handy for child crafts, fire starter, and the roughest backup toilet paper ever!
@@PlayingwithSticks that's some real John Wayne stuff right there! Rough and tough and don't take sh*t off of nobody 😆
@@PlayingwithSticks makes sure it’s the paper plates that don’t have the coating on them! Wouldn't want to burn whatever chemicals thats made of and put that into the air. Especially if that's the same fire you decide to cook over. Bleagh.
I made a "camp kitchen box" that holds 95% of the cooking gear, stove, plates pans, washbasin etc.. Mostly we have two of everything (just me and the wife) with three sets of utensils. I do have a slot just for enamelware mugs though of which there are seven ( one marked for use as a measuring cup) and I have a big steel coffee pot. We usually camp with friends and I always make a big pot of cowboy coffee in the morning and I like to be able to offer a cup to anyone who stops by, whether or not they remembered to bring their own mug.
Your lil assistant conquers😊
Good dad. Doesn’t get angry when his kids act like kids. I could learn from these parents
I'm with you on the chairs. We used to buy the $10 cheap camp chairs and they were always so uncomfortable, and flimsy. Definitely spend a little money on some good chairs.
Your kids are so cute! When he said "This is a lock." my heart just melted to the ground! Kids should definitely know about camping and stuff.
Aww thank you!
My husband grew up camping as an Eagle Scout, but didn’t camp for a while. We went this weekend and it was a mess, but still fun😄 we slept in the jeep and I barely got any sleep! I think it will workout eventually but we just did not pack correctly!! This makes me excited for the next time 👍🏼
My wife enjoys camping and has never been uncomfortable. She is so glad she married a Boy Scout....lol
For more years than I care to remember, I've used an ordinary 5 gallon pail, (free), and a salvaged toilet seat (no lid), for #2 and a gallon wide mouth jug for number 1. To conserve space, the 5 gallon pail has several extra 13 gallon trash bags, toilet paper in a coffee can, and a bag of kitty litter, (or absorbent of your choice). I cut a piece of 1/4 inch plywood a little larger than the pail so that the pail can be used as a short term seat also. Now that I'm older and the bathroom is not always as close as it needs to be, I have several of these in sheds around the farm.
Thanks for sharing. Since posting this video we have gone with a similar setup as we realized if we aren't comfortable we might as well go back to how we used to do it. We are also using the #1 jug for nights.
I am from Iowa and lived out of my teardrop trailer for about five months last winter in the desert southwest. I brought along too many clothes. Just did not go through them like at home. When your out in the desert for days on end who cares if you're clothes get dirty. Second thing I will not be taking along is my TV DVD player and movies. I brought about fifty movies. Don't know what I was thinking. Only watched half of one movie the whole time I was gone. Other than that I had a great time. Now that the country is opening up again it's time to start planning my next adventure. Happy trails.
Thanks for sharing this Gary. We have had similar experiences to you, even up here in the colder climate. Even though we have paired down our clothing, we still are packing too much. Like you said we find we really don't need to change our clothes everyday, especially our shorts or hiking pants. We also find we don't shower as much as we thought we would (basically at home we are daily shower takers). Because we don't shower as often we now take much less water with us on the road then we thought we needed. And, if we need it we will just pull it from a stream.
It is so beautiful to be outside in nature I can see why you wouldn't watch videos. Its inferior to nature ;-)
Thanks for some great tips with this video. Heres some of mine. Some of the things I’ve found with my van conversion. We spent bunches on an electric 12v frigerator and it did not last. Then we got a coleman ice chest and instead of ice we use those refreezable things from amazon. For those who don’t like cooking while camping like us; we make burritos, hamburger patties, etc., all at home and warm them up in a lunchbox stove that we plug in to our 12v system or warm on a camp fire.
We found overdoing it on cooking equipment caused us stress unpacking and just digging through that stuff all the time. A iron skillet and a camping cook set is all we need.
We gave up to gourmet menu and settled for great tasting foil meals. I do have to say on our last road trip we took too much stuff after 6 weeks on the road we were about ready to drop that stuff off at goodwill. Great channel your fantastic at weaving a story line into information. Seeing clips of the kids adds charm. Love it.
That is funny we are kind of the opposite. This winter we decided we have been under packing in terms of cooking equipment. We are big pre-made meal folks, but realize it may be fun to make a few meals at camp. This is all in theory, in the end I have a hunch we may go right back to warming up meals made at home. One of our new favorite meals is playswellwithbutter.com/quinoa-black-bean-tacos/. Day one we eat it as a quinoa salad and day two as tacos. We have never really been quinoa and bean people. But we are hooked. Really filling and tastes like something from a restaurant. Not to mention super easy to make and a very low cost complete protein. Thanks for the kind comment. We love knowing people appreciate the story weaving. It is a part of this that we really enjoy.
p.s seems to be a lot of folks interested in Runaway Campers lately. We have been sending folks your way almost daily. Really cool to see how much Runaway is growing. I wonder if it is the change to their new composite campers?
Don’t let the overlanders know that they could get by without a full kitchen.
Hangin with Herky
We camped across the US twice. Our cooking equipment was a tiny folding stove and a pot.
@Hangin we take the basic cooking items...stove, frying pan, saucepan and stovetop espresso...for cooking a mix of fresh and pre-cooked. Win Win.
I don't have a camper. We tent with limited storage (small truck) Also pull small motorcycle trailer.
For meals I have been using a small butane stove and mostly just boil water for coffee, ramen and I like those dehydrated meals from REI (Alpine Aire). So simple, good warm food for dinner and simple bowl/plate/spoon. Actual cooking/cleanup is too difficult in my situation and skill level. I suppose everyone is different but I love this setup.
Love the topic and wish the keying alike were easier. Roof boxes and bike locks are not easy to match to a padlock style. The place where I saved a lot of space and $ is a camp sink/dish rack storage system. The smallest Rubbermaid Roughneck Hi-Top tote (about 2 gallons) is big enough for your camp pans, kitchen utensils, and things like dish cloths, dish soap, scrubbies and at least one heavy leather glove for handling hot handles burning logs etc. I also keep a folding saw and a small hatchet as well as fire starter (egg trays filled with paraffin wax), Oh and a 1/2 roll of TP in a ziplock bag with some wipes). When you set up, empty the tote (I use mesh bags to keep things organized) then you have a wash basin and the lid is an excellent drain rack (deep grooves for drainage). If I am backpacking or canoe tripping I bring it along and it will just fit nicely in the bottom of my cargo backpack. I also substitute a couple of multipurpose cheap frisbees to use as fire fanners, cutting boards, plates, and toys! If you are cutting on them they don't last as long but I get them for a couple of bucks so when they are worn out the dog gets them. I keep my tote loaded and ready to go so I know I have my complete kitchen. PS Thrift stores are a great place to get really good utensils cheap.
A subscriber shared this one with us yesterday. BOLT locks www.boltlock.com/ Basically you use your vehicle key to unlock all your other items. They can match it to trailer locks, padlocks, cable locks, etc. Pretty neat. Your solution for your kitchene is great. In our system we have a bag tailored to each activity. Basically a backpacking bag, a teardrop galley, a mud motor river bag, and an ocean bag. This system is a real pain because it takes up space and we have duplicate items in each system. Love how you are able to take your one system and make it work for everything. We second that Thrift Store Comment. We are about to take another Thrift run this week to get our newest renovated small trailer road ready!
One thing I will *always* throw in my bag is a cheap 9x12plastic sheeting or drop cloth. Only a couple bucks and saved us from getting soaked at Scout Camp when our flap tent started leaking after a long soaking rain. Draped it over my mosquito net and stayed dry all night, despite having to dump some water in the middle of the night.
Have always brought along an extra tent footprint. Great to set things out on, step onto, and keep items dry on damp mornings. Folds up tiny.
An extra long foot print feeds water right under your tent. ???
Loved this. Very helpful and the cutest moment was when he said.... "This is a lock 🔐 😃!"
Glad you enjoyed it. May said the same thing about the lock scene. We hope one day to look back at these videos as a way to catch glimpses of the little guys growing up in the outdoors. Even in the last year it has been really fun to look back at our first videos and see how much East has grown.
That was the best part of the video. 👏
Loved how your opening framed your subject so well. And as other have shared, seeing the family in action was fun, too. My wife and I have not camped in decades, but we are prepping for a large-family camping trip in June now that we are vaccinated and things are opening up. I got some great tips from your video and the comments from others. Great job. I'm subscribing.
Keep raising your family in the manor that you two have been, just great parenting and info for others.
Great video! On a side note...given how far combination locks have advanced in recent years (and the variety) I'd ditch keyed locks altogether and go w/combination locks! No longer hassling with carrying keys (or worse), forgetting keys and/or losing keys, makes changing over to combo-locks pretty much a no brainer :)
Funny we never thought of that. Great idea. Any brands you would suggest. Our keys are starting to get out of control!
@@PlayingwithSticks - Master Lock & Brinks offer some really nice brass (and steel) individual rotary dial combination locks, as well as heavy-duty combination locks that resist cutting from bolt cutters, which is more ideal for trailer hitch latches. Most of the combination locks actually feature a changeable combination option, which allows users to pick a combination that is not limited to the factory combination and/or allows for changing the combo when too many people (or the wrong people) learn the original combination.
@@PlayingwithSticks Unless you buy very fancy locks, consider learning how to pick a basic 5 pin lock. I am not fast at it, it could take me ages, but i can do it!
Good ideas- also a proper height folding table.
Yes, so true on proper height. And so hard to find!
100% agree with the Little Buddy heater. Go for the larger unit with an adapter for a 5lb propane bottle.
Thanks for the video.
I just bought a Clam Quick-Set pop-up 6x6 screen shelter. Well made, and I can set it up by myself in about 45 seconds! Packed up, it's 53" long, and fits into my Prius Camper. Before that, I had a large Coleman screened shelter which fit over a picnic table. It packed up small, but was hard to set up (needed two to four people), and the poles broke twice. Before that, I had a screen shelter which used aluminum poles. It was always a head-scratcher trying to figure out how to set it up. A wind storm bent the poles. The Clam is so easy to use, and comes with wind/sun guards for the sides.
For cooking, I now leave my Colman two burner stove and pots and pans at home and use a 900W microwave, which runs off a 1kW inverter hooked up in my Prius. To avoid washing dishes (which wastes soap and water and takes time and a sink-tub), I've gone to all paper dishes and bowls (I use Dixie, which is heavy duty paper), and plasticware. If needed, I rinse off the plasticware. The paper can be tossed in the fire. I use the microwave to zap soup or other things right on the paper plate or in the paper bowl.
I leave my camp shovel at home, have almost never needed it. I use a pee bottle (with a lid) at night, and have a portable toilet. Yes, it's bulky, but I fill it with other toiletries when traveling. Instead of the stinky chemicals that come with it, I use a leak-proof plastic bag liner with kitty litter. When not being used as a toilet, it makes a great chair. I also bring folding camp chairs and a small folding table.
I've never used a generator. They are noisy and yes, disturb the quiet of the campground. Instead, I have folding solar panels (AIMS Power 120W) and a Bluetti EB70 LiFePO4 700W Power Station, which powers my Dometic refrigerator.
All this packs up nicely into my Prius. Which I also sleep in - except in bear country - then I sleep in a 9x7 tent with food locked in the car.
I rebought my Clam.. I forgot one at a campsite. When Boondocking in AZ desert I lashed it down to my van, in high winds.. It held up.. Awesome tents.I have a Manchester,. Love it..
Like you, we wouldn't leave home without the Clam or Manchester. And yes, those Clams are tough. We did end up ripping one of the screens this year because I tripped on the a piece of gear with a stove in my hand and the sharp metal on the stove ripped right through the screen. But, a little bit of duct tape and she is tough as nails again. Neat to hear about your high wind. Always wondered about that, as we don't get a lot up here in the areas we camp.
My daughter asked my why I pack so much? Me: but I need my flag and pole, and fairy lights, and windmills, and 20 different camping lanterns, and Half a library. Yes, we have a library in our tent. Xx
Love it. And you sad May's favorite 2 words "fairy lights"!
I HAVE to have my seasonally appropriate field guides.
You're my kind of camper🤣❤
@Patriots Rising You're missing the whole point of camping: To spend lots of money to pretend you're homeless!🤣😂😁
The 1lb propane cylinders can be refilled from a 20lb tank and the adapters are only like $10.
Flame King makes a 1lbs that is designed to be refilled. The Coleman ones are not... you can do it, but it is not as safe. I got 4 of the flame king ones and could not be happier.
@@BLASTIC0 how is it not safe? The science is the exact same as refilling a lighter
@@duckmeat4674 The valves are basically designed for limited use (disposable design). I've unscrewed some generic ones when I was done cooking and it wouldn't even reclose and all the gas leaked right out. I only buy the Coleman ones now, haven't tried refilling any (use a 20lb on a hose for some stuff). Interesting about the flame king and the 11lb pancake tank
I have a 5lb tank. It was $50 and you can refill it at uhaul
Now that I have a family that I would like to take out outdoors this is definitely very informative, thank you.
Kayak camping was the game changer for me. There just wasn't room to pack all the things we had used on previous trips. I ousted a lot of things and never looked back.
This is so much fun to watch - I usually go hiking or travel by public transport, so my camping gear fits in a backpack 🙃 recently got a car, but it is a two seater convertible with a booth the size of, well, two hiking backpacks, pretty much 😆 That means some of these items I never even considered (like, you'd bring a heater? Whoa! So luxurious lol) but still an enjoyable video and the comments have some helpful tips as well!
My husband. Not sure why I ever took that...
Love it! We had a similar comment from a guy on here who said his ex-wife.
@@PlayingwithSticks Well aren't we destined to meet...hmmm...maybe not...LOL
I know, right?? I divorced mine and had a wonderful time camping!
Sad
I'd never have that problem; my husband is so city spoiled he says he won't go camping unless there's an air conditioner, bed, and pool. Pffft.
You guys are awesome, real people, salt of the earth.
Thank you for sharing your lives with us...
Thank you Doug. Love the sweet comment.
Love watching your videos, wife and I just moved from tenting to a teardrop. I used to pull a 6x10 enclosed trailer with all of our gear thinking if I have it ill use it and even had back-ups of things. We got rid of about 85% of our crap. Moving into a teardrop was great, we love it. We are brand new to the teardrop world and watching a lot of RUclips videos to learn. You are right by saying, just buy the right, quality, one the first time. Buying cheap wont last, save your money and buy a good one. I have the keyed alike locks you are talking about and they are the best. I had ten locks all keyed the same. Thank you for making the videos and keep them coming, take care!
Great information! I like that you put your family moments into the video and didn't cut out the interruptions and especially the little people. Keep up the good work!
Thank you! I know not everyone appreciates the candid moments, but those are the parts that make this fun for us.
@@PlayingwithSticks In twenty years you’ll REALLY be glad you didn’t edit out those precious moments!
Thanks for the info. Your family is adorable.
You are so kind! Thank you Shirley.
Such an useful video! Thank you so much! I am looking into starting to camp and I had no idea where to start, I had questions about the topic that no one wants to or talks about (#2) and you answered my question without me even having to research specifically about it.
im so excited to see these kinds of family.
Great idea for a video! Figuring out what you don’t need can be expensive lol. I camped for years off of adventure motorcycles, so you can only bring the most important things. Now that I’m spending more time camping out of my 4Runner, that packing discipline has paid off, but I have still parred down my kit from things I didn’t use. Everybody camps different and requires different things, we all just gotta go through the process of figuring out what that is.
Great insight Steve on the different camping styles. Sounds like you are living out some pretty fun adventures. I am assuming when you are referring to adventure motorcycles you are talking bikes like KLRs and BMW's? We have quite a few buddies into that as well. One of our all time favorite shows is Long Way Round with Ewan McGregor and Charley Boorman. I assume you have seen that as well. Back in the day May and I used to ride a lot of smaller bikes across country in Asia. Like you said, the minimal packing from those trips has really impacted our packing today for our teardrop life. We have noticed though over the past few years that we have started to slowly move away from complete minimalist packing and add a few creature comforts here and there.
I have 2 Runaway campers and a Casita... my first view of you channel, look forward to more! We've learned many of the same lessons as it seems you have!
You sounds a lot like us. If you have a chance to peruse our videos you will see quite a few Scamp and teardrop videos. We love them both! For us, each one has a different function and fits a different need for our family. We haven't found the perfect trailer yet, so we thought why not bounce between a few and get the best of all worlds. Glad to hear we aren't the only crazy ones running around with multiple trailers :)
What do you do with all those campers?
When i was growing up, a , Manchester tank mfg Co was 2 miles from home in Lynwood CA., later I worked in a steel plant that stamped & welded bigger compressed gas cyl casings( CGC)
Sooo true about the tent. I splurged and got myself the Gazelle T4 Overland Edition and love it!!! There were some issues with strong wind pushing in one of the sides but that wasn't anything a guy line on each side didn't fix.
love your videos and attitude. i think a vlog of random little trips would be very entertaining!
Glad you enjoyed it. The vlogs sound fun. We don't have the best camera setup for run and gun. But, we will definitely try to integrate more of daily routines into our content. We are actually really excited to take a bit more time this summer to capture our lifestyle in Alaska in more of a narrative, visual story.
Thanks for sharing tips. I over pack and I'm learning to leave stuff behind. Tell us more about the one key fits all thingy. Safe travels.
I think you are referring to this company www.boltlock.com/
this is way MORE helpful than some people telling you what to bring. thanks!
What a delightful family! Helpful video, tysm!
I have a teardrop & occasionally use a buddy heater & also found the heat going up causing the roof to get uncomfortably warm so I purchased a small usb fan & clamped it on the handle ,
Sometimes it is these simple solutions that we overlook. Thank you for sharing this!
i used a couple 12v computer cooling fans. a little loud but it was dirt cheap
This fan uses the heat of the fan - so no power required. www.amazon.com/dp/B0762PR6XT/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_fabc_vke0FbJ4YNXQ7
The dumping sounds of the rocks in the lake after the toilet segment thO! Clever ;)
In hindsight we could have edited that much better. Could have had the sounds while I was talking and then move into the lake for a more obvious connection. Glad you caught it!
Ohhhh my boys are grown men now.... I felt so sentimental watching your little family! We still love camping! And have just come back from our Easter weekend in Sunny Yarrawonga Victoria! Thank you for your video 👍❤️
That is awesome! I always wonder if my folks feel that way about me. Feels like I have been an adult forever. But, watching my kids grow up so fast realize my mother probably still sees me as her little boy who spent all that time running around the woods growing up.
Dude! Everytime that I search for "teardrop trailer camping", your channel comes up more than any other! Thanks for sharing your prospective and experiences!...
Love hearing this! That is really neat.
I've had my tong jack like you have for 30 + years on my 5' X 10' Utility trailer. It's been through the wilderness. The trick I learned frm smeone to put all the clamps on the frame and weld the main bracket with the crank to the trailer frame. That way it will not move.
First time watching your videos and I am do happy I found you! Exactly the information I have been looking for. Plus your family interactions are so fun and pleasant to watch! Love the kids and how awesome mom's conversations with them are! Makes me smile big! Will be watching all the time now. I needed this info desperately! 😊
Glad it was helpful Kate! Thank you for the really sweet comment.
Great helpful video. Wife and I enjoy watching all of your videos. Thank you!
Thank you! Glad it was helpful. Also cool to hear you both enjoy watching these videos. It has been fun to see this year a bit of growth in our female participants within the channel.
You guys are a beautiful family!
Tent camper here. I started with a mummy style bag and inflatable air mattress because I thought that was the real deal camping. The mummy bag was too constricting and the air pad was not very forgiving. Moved on to a big rectangle bag and recently a super nice Thermarest Mondo Kind 3D XXL 4” thick air/foam pad. Highly recommend the CLAM too, mine is the pavilion and while big, it’s a lifesaver.
You sound very much like us. We have about 5 mummy bags we use between us and friends. Unfortunately we learned like you that we really don't enjoy them. But, after investing that much in sleeping bags it is hard to justify switching to the nice old square versions. We also still own our old 3/4th thermarests for backpacking, but like you have moved over to the larger, thicker versions. Wish we got the Clam earlier. Just amazing little tent!
@@PlayingwithSticks I would think so too. I started in an Impreza but after camping I moved up to a GMC Canyon for more room for more stuff and future towing aka a pop up! +1 sub from me, you guys make some great vids.
Good stuff, sub'd. We tent camped for years, and upgraded to bigger and glampier setups, before (re)building a 16' vintage camper, to sleep 4. But we also do primitive canoe camping. Living and camping in Florida, one thing I should have purchased years ago was a Thermocell. They work great at keeping mosquitoes away, about as well as Off Deep Woods, but without living with a residue and smell on your skin. To deal with the heat, again years ago I wish I would have discovered this, is to string up tarps across the campsite as shade (also helps with our random summer thunderstorms that pop up in minutes). With modern materials like 1.1 oz silpoly, a large rain fly packs away to a very minimal space. We finished our camper just over a year ago, and I'm already going to replace the tongue jack. I feel you on that one.
Now that our camper is sufficient as a bug-out shelter, I'll be purchasing a small generator for hurricane duty. A 2k watt unit is plenty for running our tiny a/c and fridge in the camper, which makes life so much nicer when your house is without power for a week.
Thanks for sharing all this Patrick. We are in the final stages of finishing up our 13' foot vintage camper to sleep four as well. Should be in one of our next videos coming out. Love canoe camping. The portaging part we don't love as much as we used to. We seriously considered a Thermocell last year, but decided to wait awhile as May was pregnant. Because the product was newer, we didn't want to take the risk that 10 years down the road they say they cause birth defects or something. Will have to pick us up a thermocell soon. Great suggestion on the tarps. We are still hoping those silpoly tarps start decreasing in price a bit. They can be a bit of an upfront investment. We would agree a 2k watt unit would be just right for the bugout trailer. We haven't had to use ours yet, but it is nice knowing it is there when the next thing goes down.
@@PlayingwithSticks if you have a sewing machine, or know someone with one, check out ripstopbytheroll.com. I bought the material and learned to sew a silpoly awning for the camper (also learned to sew curtains and cushions, too), and it was pretty straight forward. Saved a lot of money, and gained some skills. I should have made a video series, haha. Pics: instagram.com/p/Bx5CV2PhWQl/?igshid=1igov15pi2urc
Appreciate these budget friendly tips! Will have to check out that solar panel
concise, informative, pleasant and helpful! thank you very much.
Glad it was helpful Marge!
You can easily refill the small propane cylinders(from the standard BBQ size tank) with an adapter you can buy at the hardware store. That's what we do.
This is a great suggestion. We eventually want to highlight this on the channel as an option for folks as well. Thank you for reminding us Laura.
Seems you have to weigh it while you refill?
I took the 20 pound bottle off my mini camper ( taking much weight off the tongue) and use the 1 pound bottles for most of my trips. 2 of them is enough to do most of what I need to do. While the 11 pound bottle is a good suggestion ( yes it can be used on regular grill) they are priced very high compared to a 20 pound bottle so for now I am sticking to my small 1 pound bottle they can be purchased all over the country with ease and do the job for me as well.
Doing away with the cast iron dutch oven. Haven't used it the last 3 times out and it's heavy. Most of my cooking is done on sticks or at the coleman
Thanks for sharing John. It is funny we go back and forth with our cast iron. Like you said, we toss it due to weight, but then we bring it right back for ease of cleanup and much better cooking.
@@PlayingwithSticks I never had the "ease of cleanup" with cast that people talk about, and I have seasoned the pans thoroughly.
@@johnh7918 We would agree if you aren't using boiled water to remove the items. But, then again I have never put boiled water on a regular pan, maybe it does the exact same thing.
@@johnh7918 use dutch oven liners... your welcome... bring back the dutch
Proper use and they clean up very easy. Nothing sticks not even cakes. I only bring mine when I have a dinner I plan to cook in it. It is not in the every time I go category.
Love your video! I used to bring marshmallow roasting sticks, but now I just find deadwood sticks and sharpen the ends with a pocket knife. Burn the tip a bit before using and you won't have to worry about slivers. Saves space and weight, and kids love looking for the "perfect" smores stick.
We found sticks and used a knife to carve it up a little and our axe to make it smooth. It was a fun little project 🤩
drew, that's a great tip. i did hold off buying a tent until you came along video gave me good insight on what to buy. it meets my criteria and i can set it at the rear of the travelodge with that camo sheet over the area to protect from sun and rain. mainly a tent with bug and mosquito mesh net. thanks again and your community for sharing their ideas.
Your are most welcome! We held off on the Clam tent for quite some time due to the price. But, after seeing it in person the quality really does match the cost.
Per solar Panels I will say that while foldables take up less space they tend to be more expensive than normal panels and if a connection between panels breaks your energy input will be reduced significantly.
I like that you’re getting away from the 1 lb propane throw away green tanks! However, if you still need them fir the Mr Buddy Heater and you don’t use the hose system, please look into Flame King refillable 1lb tanks. I’ve used mine since October and refill it with a 20 pounder, my cost is now below 90 cents per fill. Thanks for the video. Skillet
@@Fjord_Driver thanks for recall notice. I’ll check out my serial numbers. Skillet
I got away from the one pound propane and use butane stove and butane cans they are recyclable. You can refill a one pound cylinder if you have the adapter but you still need a 20 pound bottle with you, you are not allowed to travel with a one pound cylinder if it was refilled. It's not breaking the law if you don't travel with a cylinder that was refilled. If it's empty it's legal. The buddy heater is the only thing I would use a one pound cylinder. I did buy an adapter for my gas grill to use one pound cylinder but I'm not taking it camping my stove is all I need to cook. Maybe down the road I may convert a butane stove into a butane grill I don't understand why it's not available yet. You can use the same burner from the stove to heat the lava rocks. I guess a habatchi grill would be better, you only need one side for two to four people.
Just get the adapter hose for the mr buddy AND MAKE SURE YOU GET THE HOSE FROM THEM! (Non mr buddy hoses deteriorate over time and will clog your unit). I hook my 20lbs tank right up for a 5-6 night trip and it’s fantastic. You can use a 5 or 11 lbs tank too if you’d like 👍
This is silly just start a recycling program and recycle them spent cylinders. I would not travel with any propane bottles unless they are kept outside the vehicle or trailer.
@@ronb6182 please start a recycling program and we’ll join it.
If you don’t travel with 1 lb propane tanks in your vehicle, how do you get them home? Just asking.
Thanks for the information on the solar panels though.
I haven't bought any but I find your information on them useful in decision making.
We have a small tear drop and a portable gas grill that uses those small propane cylinders. I'm with you, hate buying them and wanting something else. We're looking at a slim 6lb that would fit in our trailer's storage tub, won't take up a lot of room, and will save us money in the long run. One thing my wife and I keep doing is after each camping trip, we identify something else we thought we needed but didn't. It's all about minimization for us. Take what you need to be comfortable, but too much stuff and you become more focus on the stuff and not the adventure. Safe travels
Good points all around. One of our fears with adding gear is that at some point they will become the focus like you said. There is a balance and we are still trying to figure that out for our family.
I got a new camper for my wife...best trade ever!
Wait, we traded our wife for a camper? Or you got your wife a camper?
@@PlayingwithSticks It's an old joke, but a goodie!
If you're still supporting your now ex wife it's not a very good trade.
HeLl yeah you go TOM
tomj528 New or used?
I love how encouraging you are with your kids. My ex-wife and I were same. You're a good kid, um man Charlie.
Thank you. We appreciate the kind words.
YOU'RE (not YOUR) a good kid.
@@Switzer1234 Good catch. I was swiping and need to proof read.
I spent a lot of time and money on putting a toilet and blackwater tank in my van but recently we got 2 of those 5 gallon bucket toilet seat things and my God those are awesome. I don't regret the van toilet at all, but there's something about comfortably shitting in the middle of a beautiful forest that frees ones soul
Love it! We agree completely about the comfort of the bucket toilet and especially open air.
That was a great video! Real life with kids as well ! No false advertising, just straight forward "this is what we learned and this works for us" . So I will be subscribing! Thanks again!😊👍
Glad you enjoyed it Vivian! Thank you 🙏
Loved this video :) We're planning to go to Great Sand Dunes, and my three boys are so excited :) Your video is so informative and inspiring :)
That trip sounds amazing! Your boys will never forget it.
Great video! We found in our camp kitchen, cheap "camp" cutesy cutlery and plates didn't last long or we weren't happy with them. Upgraded to a real but mismatched cutlery from thrift shop and quality stainless plates and are much happier. Have you ever tried cutting up a steak on a crappy plate with cheap cutlery? Enough said and they will last forever.
We are just realizing the same thing. After multiple meals sliding off of our plate into the fire or onto the ground I think we are due for a thrift store run as well. Thanks for sharing your insights Melissa!
@@PlayingwithSticks The MSR Alpine Plates have a lip on them so they can handle pasta and beans on your plate like a pro.
@@PlayingwithSticks Dollar Tree has large Stainless pet bowls (6-7" across base). For me, it's wide enough to use as a small plate, and well ... it's already a bowl - 2 for 1!!
@@thechristinediane pet bowls I wouldn't trust if they are food grade metal. I don't cut in my plastic food containers I use kitchen pair of scissors to cut meat for me and my wife I do that at home also when alone. We eat in the living room mostly watching tv so already cut meat is better. I don't use scissors in restaurants or in company with family or friends. I try not to leave cut marks in my dishes. I don't do steak too much so other meats cut easy.
@@meln3771 I got stainless steel pie plates, good ones, work for almost everything, small mixing bowls (stainless) for cereal, oatmeal, soup
Excellent video sir! Very helpful, honest, and informative!!
Glad it was helpful!
My camp cookery consists of medium and large discount house frying pans, 4 qt cheap pot and cover, 9 cup perk coffee pot. Metal pie pan, small metal bowl, metal cup, fork, steak knife and table spoon for each person. Plus whatever cooking tools seem right. Medium size metal pail. Cheap reasonably light weight and nothing breakable or melty. Been working for me for over 50 years.
Yours cookery sounds very similar to ours. We have no more and no less than you, honestly almost the exact same. However, we don't have a metal pie pan. What do you use that for?
You do a lot of stuff really well. I came from a long distance backpacking background, so having nothing built-in was natural to me. Your set up is a great example of why modular is better than built-in. I mean, I get it, it looks cooler when you have a built-in stove, sink, battery...etc. But the fact is, where you park your camper isn't always the best place to bathe, wash dishes, cook or generate electricity. The added build-in components add weight and cost, and they limit flexibility and storage.
One question I'd like to ask: how to you prep your food ahead of time and how do you protect your food? What sort of cooler(s) do you use? Are bear bags in the equation? In my experience, if you find a place with good sun and water (and you showed up with a full propane tank) food it really the only limiting factor, so I'm really curious about your solutions. Great video and thanks as always.
Love that you came from a long distance backpacking background. We have always had the desire to do a trail like the IAT or the AT, but never got the chance. We got the taste for it doing a 110 mile trail. That was definitely one of our most favorite adventures.
Love your take on modular vs built-in. This is something innately we both knew, but you finally put it in words for us. Actually sounds like a great future video topic.
As for the food. We have had this question a few times, but have never made a video on it. Honestly we haven't made a video, because we are still trying to figure it out years later. It is an area of our camping lifestyle that we haven't mastered, really we have barely improved in this area since we started taking out the teardrop. Our prep cooking to cooking on site ratio is about 50:50. We tend to make a lot of what we call "hobo meals." Probably not the most politically correct term today. Lets call them "tinfoil meals." We usually have a few meals in mind before we head out that we plan on cooking in advance. 1/3rd of these meals are fully cooked and the other 2/3rds we partially cook the items to be used in the tinfoil meals. We precook the items about 50-75% before leaving home for those items that take quite a while to cook at camp . This way when we reheat them on the open fire or on the coleman stove they aren't overcooked or dried out, but yet we can get them quickly up to temp. This last year we have been using the instant pot a lot more to pre-cook the items, especially potatoes and meats. About 1 meal a day is either reheated from being fully cooked or finished off after being 75% cooked at home. The other large meal of the day is made completely from fresh produce and meat, and sometimes a meat substitute. This food prepping I just shared works pretty well for us. The part that we haven't figured out is protecting the food. We started with coolers with ice cubes. Moved on to one or two solid ice blocks. Dabbled in dry ice, but didn't enjoy storing the cooler in the trailer and couldn't store it in the car due to the gas it releases. From there we learned a trick where you store your ice in small pyrex or rubbermaid tupperware. This was neat in that our food never became water logged, and we had fresh clean ice to use in drinks (the ice also didn't melt as fast as regular ice cubes wrapped around food) However, these little tupperwares scattered throughout the cooler took up way too much space. So this winter we started researching 12 volt cooler/freezers as many of our RUclips friends from this channel have shared that that is what they use. They seem really happy about making the switch and we haven't really heard many negative complaints. We also realized this was an area of camping that we didn't know anything about, so we thought it was time to learn. We currently have the ICECO GO 20 that we will be putting to the test. Yes, this is a small cooler/freezer, but we loved the amount of watts it consumed and we were hoping without all our ice this may be the right fit for our family. Confession here, another thing we do that is definitely not "roughing it, we head out to little ma and pa stores across Alaska about every 3 days. Meaning every three days we either haul the teardrop to the store if the location we are boondocking in feels a little vulnerable or we unhitch and take a quick drive to town to stock up on fresh produce. I am not sure how other families eat, but I have a feeling we consume more fresh fruits and vegetables than the average family. The beauty of the fresh food is you have very little trash to haul out at the end of your trip. But, the downside is it is a bit hard to store. As for bear bags we just make sure everything gets back in the coolers and into the car at all times if we are not eating or cooking. We try to follow basic backpacking rules in terms of how far we camp from a stream, how far we eat from our campsite, etc. Alaska is a bit different than places like Glacier National Park for example. Our bears up here have quite a bit of space to roam and habitual bears are not near as common. When we do find that perfect location with sun and water and geography that makes you want to play in the area every day, we tend to pull out our spare dry food that we carry with us at all times to extend our stays. Not the most pleasurable, but sure beats running to town to stock up. Another confession. We love food so much there are actually times we break the perfect camp just to move on to the next region/boondocking site so we can get some more new food. We sometimes have to do this when the boondocking site is so far from a town that it doesn't make sense to make such a long drive without heading to a new location. Our #1 goal this summer is to focus on camp food. We are quite the foodies both of us spend a lot of our time at home in the kitchen cooking SE Asian food. Our goal is to move more of these home recipes into our camping lifestyle. I think once we introduce those foods outside in the next two weeks our needs will greatly change in terms of stoves, utensils, storage, cooling, etc. We want to make it successful, but we also want to do it in a way that doesn't take up a lot of space and add a lot of weight. We are both actually really excited about this little challenge. Sorry for the super long response. You just touched on a subject that we are currently thinking a lot about and thought why not share.
@@PlayingwithSticks First off, you're right, a video about modular vs. built-in would be great. I'm pretty sure i already know where I land, but I'm certain your audience would be interested.
Secondly, a video about your food prep/protection would be great...especially since you're still figuring it out. I can't speak for anyone else, but for me (and my wife) one of the best parts of your channel is that you're a family figuring things out. You're not a pro trying to sell us something. You're doing your best and sharing the experience. Frankly, some of the things that don't work for you might work for us and vise versa. Our families are different and our travels are different so, naturally, our needs are different. What's really helpful is seeing your process, not just the finished product. Seriously, even a video about you guys building a menu would be great.
Next, if you are looking to head south to do a long hike, I'd recommend some of the stuff around Yosemite first (maybe Tuolumne as a start) and, obviously, the Grand Canyon. I've done the AT twice (once on a thru) and it deserves much respect, but the weather/bugs can be a bummer (Mt. Washington is rough). The PCT is fantastic, but it's really long.
Finally and, perhaps, most importantly, your responses are appreciated. The more detailed and thorough, the better. You need never apologize for a detailed response. Cheers and best to you and yours.
Thank you for sharing these suggestions. Yosemite has never been very high on our list, but it should be. It is such a gorgeous place. Being up here in Alaska we watch a lot of videos in the winter about camping. Most of those videos are deserts and the desert is starting to really have a draw for us. We've also never been to the Grand canyon. Wow, even the Pacific rim trail is really long. We just googled it and had never realized how long it was. we're going to have to start doing some googling and seeing what the youngest kids are who have done some of these through trails. Thanks again for sharing all this. And also sharing what you enjoy about the channel. It is comments like these that help us when planning for future videos.
@@PlayingwithSticks You're entirely welcome for the suggestions. You share a lot of really helpful information with your subscribers. One more suggestion for you, if it's deserts you want, I've got two words for you: Southern Utah. Zion, Bryce, Escalante and Canyonlands alone are a good month's worth of camping and hiking. You toss in spectacular day trips to Arches and Dead Horse...man...it's like nothing you've ever seen. Postcard alley takes 1/2 hour and if you get it during sundown it's just magic. Then the La Sals, they're purple at sunset. Very pretty. That said, if you only do one southern 48 trip, consider doing a rafting trip in the Grand Canyon. A J-Rig (basically a pontoon boat) does the whole thing in 3 days, so you get to see a lot and it's tons of fun plus most of the guides are well educated on the geology & history. Looking forward to your next video and thanks as always.
I come from the Backpacking mind set as well. I like the idea of everything being modular and loading it out depending on your trip. Happy Trails
Hey guys! Just a suggestion, if you do have a need for a few different locks you can go ahead and re-key them all to the same key. It's really easy! If you don't want to bother to learn a new skill, a locksmith should do the job for fairly cheap.
We did not know this. Thank you for sharing this. We were just at the locksmith yesterday getting keys made for the trailer. Wish I would have known this 24 hours ago.
Great info! We all need to think through what we need. We will be back to watch more! Danny and Lynn
Thanks Danny and Lynn! Glad you enjoyed it.
I had a Chalet A frame trailer without a bathroom. I picked up a folding handicap seat with a lift up seat and removable bucket. All that designed for medical use. Light weight metal, but rated to hold over 200 lb person at a height above a toilet. Strong side rails/handles were a bonus.
We were noticing these the other day on amazon when looking at toilets to post in our video links. Thank you for sharing this!
I love seeing your family in the videos! So sweet, plus, seeing your littles makes your videos more authentic!
You are so kind. Thank you Michelle!
The small propane cylinders are probably going to stay in your life for stuff like torches, or maybe lanterns. Might as well refill them with a coupling, that will keep them out of the landfill. You just screw on the coupling, and then before you turn on the valve, make sure the discharging cylinder is inverted.
Brother.. count those blessings, what a beautiful life you and your family are living.
Really great information, thank you for sharing.
Great video! Just a note, you can buy a propane bottle refill adapter that lets you refill the little propane bottles directly from a larger 10-20 lb tank. You can’t deny the usefulness of the smaller more portable bottles for camping. There’s plenty videos on RUclips for the proper refill procedure.
I absolutely agree! Have a Clam. (Wish I'd bought the giant double Clam instead.) Use a portable solar battery. Portable solar panels.
Sometimes we wonder if our family would be better off with just the 2 room Gazelle and no trailer. But, then it always comes back to the nice comfy bed for us.
Found another danger to canister especially in the cold. The canister was old and leaked propane on the hands causing really bad burns. Make sure the canisters are brand new.
Love the video and the family involvement!
Excellent tips. I wish I had seen your video before.
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Salaam to you and to all.
Walekum Salam