R-pod Owners Forum : Tent Camping https://www.rpod-owners.com/ This is an XML content feed of; R-pod Owners Forum : Camping Adventures : Tent Camping Copyright (c) 2006-2009 Web Wiz Forums - All Rights Reserved. Sat, 05 Sep 2026 04:56:54 +0000 Mon, 19 Dec 2022 01:03:32 +0000 http://blogs.law.harvard.edu/tech/rss Web Wiz Forums 9.64 360 https://www.rpod-owners.com/RSS_post_feed.asp?TID=15551 R-pod Owners Forum https://www.rpod-owners.com/forum_images/web_wiz_forums.png https://www.rpod-owners.com/ Tent Camping : When we sold the rpod in 2021... https://www.rpod-owners.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=15551&PID=150372#150372 Author: offgrid
Subject: 15551
Posted: 19 Dec 2022 at 1:03am

When we sold the rpod in 2021 we weren't using it. We had recently bought our little farm and found we couldn't get away for more than a couple of days at a time, And didn't want to spend that whole time dragging a trailer around. But after awhile the travel bug hit us again. 

So what to do? I had recently bought a 2 seat airplane so now we could get places within around 500-600 miles in under 3 hours, allowing us to go on 2-3 day trips again. 

One problem solved, but where to stay when we got there, we both dislike staying in hotels. The airplane luggage compartment is limited to 100lbs of gear. The solution  involved a return to the camping we did in our twenties. Back then we we avid backpackers,  so a couple of trips to REI found us supplied with all new ultralight backpack gear.


 I can tell you that sleeping comfort has come a long way in 40 years. In particular, there are lightweight high quality air mattresses now that completely eliminate that sleeping on the ground feeling us older folks recall from tent camping in the past. And the tents, sleeping bags,  food, clothing, cooking etc gear have also advanced a lot. So have the prices though too, it's not cheap to outfit these days. 

We found we could camp for 3 or 4 days with a total weight of around 50lbs for the two of us. Add in a couple of folding e-scooters for local  transportation and we're still under our 100 lb limitation (barely).

Here's what we've found after half a dozen or so airplane camping trips this summer and fall. After a couple of times we can set up and take down camp in about an hour each. Not as fast as RV camping but acceptable.  Sleeping is very comfortable. Rain hasn't  been a problem, we pick weather windows for our flying trips anyway. Backpacking food is fine, lots of choices, and vey easy to prepare and clean up. That probably saves as much time vs RV camping as we spend setting up camp. Most campgrounds have showers as do the pilot facilities at small airports, so getting cleaned up hasn't been a problem either.

There are far more and better (for us) camping locations  open to backpackers  than RVers. We enjoy solitude while camping, and that's hard to get in RV campgrounds. Tent campsites tend to be much more private and quieter. And often there are walk in sites too. In most national forests and some parks you are free to camp where you want as long as you are a minimum distance from trails, lakes, and streams, so you don't have to backpack for miles to find nice campsites. The new ultralight water filtration systems work like magic so you don't usually need potable water either. 

The two problems that we've found bother us are the getting up in the middle of the night to urinate and the cold in the morning getting into our hands cooking or breaking camp on chilly mornings.  Those weren't problems  back in our twenties but in our 60's they are, and both get worse in the fall with longer nights and cold mornings. Flip top mittens and headlamps help, but all the camping tech in the world  won't solve getting old. 

Some things you just have to live with I guess. So, we'll continue to use the ultralight gear for camping, but probably limit that mostly to summer. We also just bought a class B rig which I plan to outfit for boondocking and park at selected small airports next year. That will allow for more camping comfort as well as better local transportation at our flying destinations. We'll see how that goes. 
]]> Mon, 19 Dec 2022 01:03:32 +0000 https://www.rpod-owners.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=15551&PID=150372#150372 Tent Camping : I bought the R-Pod after a few... https://www.rpod-owners.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=15551&PID=150368#150368 Author: hank*pod
Subject: 15551
Posted: 18 Dec 2022 at 10:19am

I bought the R-Pod after a few years tent camping for a few specific reasons:
- A place to pee in the middle of the night that didn't involve a trek to either the bath house or the nearest shrub.
- A warm and dry place to make coffee on a cold and/or rainy morning.
- Quicker set-up and tear down in the rain

It's also helped free up some room in my short-bed F150. 
]]> Sun, 18 Dec 2022 10:19:48 +0000 https://www.rpod-owners.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=15551&PID=150368#150368 Tent Camping : I still have my 15 below bag;... https://www.rpod-owners.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=15551&PID=150365#150365 Author: hogone
Subject: 15551
Posted: 17 Dec 2022 at 10:19am

I still have my 15 below bag; always prepared!!  Hopefully when I head up to northern Missouri in February Ill need it.  Wish I was in Duluth right now!!  jon]]> Sat, 17 Dec 2022 10:19:56 +0000 https://www.rpod-owners.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=15551&PID=150365#150365 Tent Camping : Our journey into the Gastropod... https://www.rpod-owners.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=15551&PID=150364#150364 Author: poohbill
Subject: 15551
Posted: 17 Dec 2022 at 9:46am

Our journey into the Gastropod was through five tents used so much they wore out. We still use the last one occasionally and tent camping still has its role in our love of the outdoors.]]> Sat, 17 Dec 2022 09:46:45 +0000 https://www.rpod-owners.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=15551&PID=150364#150364 Tent Camping : Agree, camp now, as you cannot... https://www.rpod-owners.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=15551&PID=150363#150363 Author: jato
Subject: 15551
Posted: 17 Dec 2022 at 9:46am

Agree, camp now, as you cannot predict the future when it comes to your health.  We try to camp simply with our 12 year old 177.  No solar, no generator, no A/C, no microwave/convection oven, no entertainment system and normally camp with no amenities like electric or things of that sort.  Pretty much like when we had a pup tent, or slightly larger BUT we do enjoy sleeping OFF the ground and being asthmatic, having a slightly less humid environment to sleep in as well as having fresh water to drink out of our FW tank, hot water, a propane stove, a flush toilet and shower and a fridge (rarely use the electric part and never use the 12v option).
]]> Sat, 17 Dec 2022 09:46:31 +0000 https://www.rpod-owners.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=15551&PID=150363#150363 Tent Camping : In the Federal campground we are... https://www.rpod-owners.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=15551&PID=150362#150362 Author: David and Danette
Subject: 15551
Posted: 17 Dec 2022 at 8:37am

 In the Federal campground we are now camping at in central Florida tent campers out number trailers and motor homes by about 4 to 1. There is no water or electrical hookups at the campsites but the price per night is much less than a full service campground. It was 36 degrees this morning so I am sure those in tents were zipped up in their sleeping bags. Living in a thin walled camper isn't much warmer it's like living in a tin can having not much insulation. Have thought about buying another tent but still thinking that over sure would be easier than hauling a camping trailer around. There was a man in the campground about eighty years old who bought all new camping gear a tent, gazebo and a kayak for the roof of his car he said he is having a great time. He decided if he didn't do it now he would not be able to do it later. That's being adventurous!]]> Sat, 17 Dec 2022 08:37:57 +0000 https://www.rpod-owners.com/forum_posts.asp?TID=15551&PID=150362#150362