Anyone lived in a tent/"went camping" for more than a month? What was it like and any advice/tips?

Posted: April 5th, 2011 | Author: | Filed under: Camping Tips | 4 Comments »

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4 Comments on “Anyone lived in a tent/"went camping" for more than a month? What was it like and any advice/tips?”

  1. 1 Willie D said at 2:36 am on April 5th, 2011:

    I lived in a tipi for 2 summers. June-August. It was pretty good. I did need to build a fire on a few nights. When It was hot outside I could adjust the tipi flaps and liner to create a nice updraft and cool the tipi down inside. Because it was part of a historical program at our summer camp I couldn’t use a sleeping bag or anything modern. So we used 1870′s style blankets, deerskins, and mats made from willow branches to sit and sleep on/under. We usually ate breakfast and dinner in the tipi village, but often would grab lunch at the camp mess hall. We did build a sweat lodge that the staff used as well as the river for swimming and getting the big dirt off. The campers weren’t allowed to use the sweat lodge "for liability reasons". We did use the camp showers every 2-3 days once the river water didn’t do the trick.

    I’ve also done extended backpacking trips. Sometimes I’d go 6-8 days without a shower. You smell the same after 3 days, so once you get past that threshold you’re good…but day 3 is usually tough on the olfactory nerves.

    Make sure you keep your food cache well protected. If you are in a pristine area and plan to stay there for a few nights, it is a good idea to move your tent a foot or two each day (if possible) to disperse your impact. Be sure of the long-term camping regulations in the area. In the US, on National Forests you can only stay in one spot for 14 days. Use designated campsites if possible or mandated by law. Be familiar with Leave-No-Trace principals and take measures to limit your impact as much a s possible.

  2. 2 Mountain man said at 2:36 am on April 5th, 2011:

    I lived in a 10×12 canvas wall tent with a wood stove I had made out of a small barrel( depth charge trainer)I spent an entire winter in a section of the foot hills of the rockies known as the Selkirk’s. If you are going cold climate I would suggest this type of tent arraignment, very cold and you’ll need to wrap your tent with visqueen ar something to create a dead air space of course with air holes…I dont like dome tents because they either leak over long periods of time or draw moisture. Spring , summer a stove would not be that necessary , if at all. All cooking is done away from your sleeping quarters and never is food allowed inside your tent for any reason.I camped out of site from any road or trail, kept a 458 win mag loaded by my bed at all times, since this is the grizzly recovery zone for washington, I wasnt taking any chances, as well as my trusty dog that was constantly at my side to alert me to danger….By the way I had no idea at that time that where I was, it would be snowing every day for at least four months, it was like an eternal christmas….Take a small am/fm radio for company at night as it do get lonely. I took a job in town playing music at a tavern for $ 25.00 a week, once a week…that helped break the bordom but I was eleven miles in and it werent hardly worth the drive out…gas was at that time just starting to go up…….some days were diamonds,some days were stone.

  3. 3 Wayner said at 2:36 am on April 5th, 2011:

    I stayed in tents in Antarctica.

    My biggest advice would be to keep your living space in the tent clean and organized. You’d be surprised how you can lose stuff because you misplaced it in a 4 ft x 7 ft space.

  4. 4 meonyahooanswers said at 2:36 am on April 5th, 2011:

    take vitamins,

    food, food and more food
    and look up long term food storage on youtube or
    bring lots of canned goods.

    if you do not want to bring canned or freeze dried
    you better bring salts and floavorings for fish and other foods.

    bring a solar shower or black plastic bag for showers it will heat in the sun.

    bring as much supplies as possible.
    look on youtube bushcraft

    another tip
    if you are one of those who will ruff it.
    then you better let someone know where you are and have them check on you somehow every couple of days untill you become a pro and then still have a check in plan. make a plan

    watch videos on survival (youtube)

    identify wild plants in your area.

    find as many ways as you can to stay warm
    on survivalist forums

    bring your gun and get any permits you may need for your area.

    bring pepper spray (big can for bears)

    look up bear safty

    look up how to start a fire in wet conditions.

    practice practice practice
    before you go anywhere.
    bow and drill fires and survival tech is really harder than it looks.
    if you have already practiced then

    don’t go far your fist time out
    use common sence and be carefull

    keep your feet dry

    keep bugs away

    so many tips I could write 10 books so study HARD

    Your life depends on it

    make sure you bring an adult if your young

    take a survival course

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