🐿️Pinecone Attack

c/camping-and-outdoors

29

eric_wright77•4d ago

The old maps I found showed the river had moved 2 miles since the 1950s.

I was digging through some archived USGS topo maps at the library last week while planning a canoe trip, and I couldn't believe how much the Mississippi River channel had shifted just in my dad's lifetime. Has anyone else seen old maps of places they know and been blown away by the changes?

5

nathan_torres34•4d ago

That week in the Boundary Waters changed my mind about having a backup plan

For years I was the guy who planned every detail of a camping trip down to the hour. Two years ago I went with my brother to the Boundary Waters in Minnesota for a five day trip. On day two our food bag got pulled into the water by a raccoon and ruined everything except some granola bars. We had to eat fish we caught and wild rice that another group gave us, and I learned I had been way too rigid. Now I bring an extra bag of rice and a backup fishing kit just in case. It freed me up to enjoy the trip more without worrying about every little thing going wrong. Has anyone else had a trip where the unexpected ended up making it better?

24

the_cora•5d ago

My tent poles were a puzzle I could not solve for 45 minutes

I was setting up camp at Lake Tahoe last month and thought I could just eyeball the pole assembly like always. Turns out my new tent had color coded sleeves that I completely ignored, so I spent 45 minutes forcing poles into the wrong spots. By the time I realized the grey pole belonged in the grey sleeve, my husband had already made coffee and was watching me from a lawn chair. Has anyone else had a tent setup that took way longer than it should have just because you skipped reading the directions?

13

mason209•5d ago

Finally figured out why my tent kept leaking after 4 trips

I kept blaming my rainfly for getting wet inside until I noticed I was pitching it too tight against the tent body. Last weekend at Indian Creek, I gave it some slack and kept the vestibule open a crack for airflow. No condensation at all the whole night, even with heavy dew. Does anyone else fight with tent setup tricks this much, or is it just me?

11

wyatt862•5d ago

Cheaped out on a $50 sleeping pad vs. the $180 one I really wanted

Picked the budget inflatable pad for my trip to Shenandoah last fall and woke up with my hip digging into the ground by 3 AM - has anyone actually found a cheap sleeping pad that holds up past the first season?

24

barnes.jamie•6d ago

My tent pole snapped during a storm last weekend and I had to rethink everything about my shelter setup.

I was camping up near Mount Rainier and a gust of wind came through around 2 AM. The main pole on my dome tent just cracked in half, no warning. I ended up crawling into my truck bed with a tarp and sleeping bag for the rest of the night. Now I'm looking at buying a used canvas tent or maybe a hammock system, has anyone else had a pole fail on them in bad weather?

16

olivia573•7d ago

Tried using a cheap tarp as a footprint under my tent last trip

Woke up in a puddle after a 2 inch rain because the water just pooled between the tarp and the tent floor instead of draining away, has anyone else had this issue with non-breathable ground covers?

3

gracecarr•9d ago

Unpopular take: that 'leave no trace' obsession is over-the-top

Last trip at Yosemite I spent 2 hours trying to bury my campfire ashes exactly 6 inches deep, but the ground was so rocky I just gave up and scattered them wide - nobody noticed. Why do we act like a few visible ashes ruins the whole wilderness experience?

4

stella_lee•11d ago

Hit 200 nights camping last year and people acted like that's normal

I mean everyone talks about getting outside more but when I actually hit 200 nights in a tent in 2023 suddenly friends were calling it extreme or excessive. Anyone else feel like the community loves the idea of camping more than actually doing it?

12

carter.julia•12d ago

Finally put the cheap tarp vs. a real tent footprint to the test

I used a blue tarp under my tent for years thinking it was fine. After a rainy weekend in the Smokies last month water pooled under the tent and soaked my sleeping bag. Picked up a proper footprint for $25 and the drainage difference is night and day. Anyone else stubbornly stick with a cheap fix way too long?

14

stella_lee•13d ago

Was super skeptical of bear spray until a 400 lb black bear strolled through my site

Ngl I used to think bear spray was just a gimmick to sell overpriced cans to paranoid hikers. Then last August at Glacier National Park a black bear wandered into my campsite around dusk and I froze up. I fumbled for the canister I only brought because a ranger basically yelled at me to carry one and sprayed a burst toward its face. That bear turned and ran off in under 3 seconds and I knew right then I was wrong. Has anyone else had a moment where gear they doubted ended up proving them totally wrong?

21

wyatt_chen86•17d ago

Why does nobody talk about how rain ruins ultralight tents?

Last month I was out at Big Bend National Park. Forecast said clear skies, so I brought my fancy 2-pound tent. 3 AM rolls around and a storm hits. Water was seeping through the floor by 4. My buddy with a cheap 8-pound Coleman stayed bone dry. All these gear reviews hype up weight savings but never mention how they fail in real weather. Has anyone else gotten soaked by an expensive tent?

32

emeryn83•17d ago

PSA: My uncle was wrong about sleeping on a tarp under your tent

He swore by putting a tarp directly under the tent floor to block moisture. But after a rainy weekend at Lake Thunderbird last month, water pooled between the tarp and tent and soaked everything inside. Turns out the trick is to tuck the tarp edges so they don't stick out past the tent. Has anyone else dealt with water seepage from doing it the wrong way?

17

angela_park•18d ago

Warning: don't buy a cheap camping hammock without checking the fabric weight rating

I dropped $40 on a hammock from a random online shop last spring before a trip to Shenandoah. First night out, I set it up between two trees, sat down, and the fabric ripped right down the middle. I hit the ground hard and landed on a rock, bruised my hip for two weeks. The listing said it held 300 pounds but the stitching was garbage and the fabric felt thin as a t-shirt. I ended up buying a proper one from a known brand for $80 after that and it's been solid for two seasons now. Anyone else get burned by cheap gear that looked fine online? What do you look for in a hammock to avoid this? Maybe a weight rating for the fabric itself is something to check but I never see it listed.

3

felix385•20d ago

Had to pick between a hammock and a tent for a solo trip in the Smokies

Last month I was heading to the Smokies for a 3 night solo trip and couldn't decide if I should bring my hammock or my little 2 person tent. I went with the hammock because I figured it'd be lighter and more comfortable. Big mistake lol - found a spot but the trees were all too far apart and I ended up sleeping on the ground under the tarp. Has anyone else had a setup fail like that mid-trip?

26

spencer_wood•22d ago

PSA: Stop using dry bags that aren't fully waterproof

I used to think any old dry bag would keep my gear safe until I did a 4-day trip on the Buffalo River in Arkansas last spring and woke up to a soaked sleeping bag after a light rain. Now I only use bags with roll-top seals and test them in the bathtub before every trip - has anyone else had a cheap bag fail on them at the worst time?

24

the_amy•1mo ago

Saw a family cooking on a campfire at Rocky Mountain National Park and it totally changed my mind about freeze dried meals

I used to swear by freeze dried backpacking meals for their convenience, but last weekend at Rocky Mountain National Park I watched a family prep fresh trout and veggies right over the coals. The smell alone made my standard pouch of mac and cheese taste like cardboard in comparison. Has anyone else switched to fresh camp cooking and actually stuck with it?

30

eric_carr•1mo ago

Snapped my tent pole on day one of a week-long trip...

Was setting up at a site near Lake George last Friday and the main pole just cracked in half. Had to rig it with a stick and some duct tape for the whole week, worked okay but the sag drove me crazy. Anyone else ever jury-rigged gear and had it actually hold up?

22

viola_cooper62•1mo ago

My buddy laughed at my tent setup and now I'm rethinking everything

I was camping with my friend Dave last weekend up near Lake George and he saw me struggling with my old Coleman dome tent for like 20 minutes. He just shook his head and said 'you know they make tents that set up in like 2 minutes right?' I mean I knew about instant tents but always figured they were flimsy or way too expensive. He showed me his setup from last year and it honestly looked solid. Has anyone else switched from a classic pole tent to one of those hub style pop ups? I'm wondering if they hold up in real wind or if I'd regret ditching my old one.

2

faith_perez•1mo ago

A stranger at Big Sur told me to ditch my tent and sleep under the stars

I was setting up camp at Pfeiffer Beach last summer when this older guy walked over and said I was missing the whole point of being there. He pointed at the clear sky and told me to just throw a sleeping bag on the ground and look up instead of hiding in nylon. Do you guys ever skip the tent and just go straight ground sleeping when the weather is good?

7

wyattbennett•1mo ago

Old timer at the campsite told me to boil creek water for 10 minutes, not 5

Last weekend I was camping up near the Trinity Alps and ran out of clean water. A guy in the next site saw me filling my pot and said you gotta boil it for a full 10 minutes, not the 5 I always heard. I figured he was just being overly cautious since I've done 5 minutes for years without getting sick. Well I did the full 10 and the water tasted way different, less like dirt and minerals. Now I'm wondering if that extra time actually kills more stuff or just changes the flavor. Has anyone else been told a different boil time and noticed a real difference?

9

sullivan.elliot•1mo ago

Got caught in a sudden storm on the Appalachian Trail near Blood Mountain and my rain jacket failed in 10 minutes

Was hiking a section of the AT last month and the sky opened up out of nowhere. My cheap Walmart rain jacket was soaked through before I could even get the hood up. Everything in my pack got wet including my sleeping bag liner. Had to turn back 4 miles to the car. Now I'm shopping for a real rain jacket but don't want to spend $300 if I don't have to. Anyone have a solid mid-range option that actually works for downpours?

8

kevin_sullivan•1mo ago

Old timer told me to ditch my foam sleeping pad for a closed cell one. I laughed at him and then froze my butt off for 3 nights in the Smokies.

Met this guy at a camp store near Gatlinburg last spring. He was probably 70, looked like he'd lived outside for decades. He saw me buying a new inflatable pad and said I'd regret it. Told me closed cell is the only thing that works when temps drop below 40. I figured he was just stuck in his ways. First night at 3800 feet it hit 34 degrees. Woke up shivering with my pad half deflated. Next night same thing. Third night I gave up and drove home early. Has anyone else had a similar experience where you ignored a simple piece of advice and paid for it? Or is closed cell foam really just for the old school crowd?

14

allen.amy•1mo ago

Spent $60 on a 'survival shovel' that snapped on the first hole I dug at a campsite in Shenandoah

Bought this fancy folding shovel from a camping expo thinking it'd be great for digging fire pits and tent trenches, but the handle broke clean off the first time I put any real weight on it. Anyone else had bad luck with those multitool shovels or is there a brand that actually holds up?

2

ivan873•1mo ago

Ran into a guy at Glacier National Park who swore by sleeping with his food in the tent

He said bears are smart enough to smell through dry sacks anyway and he'd rather have a bear rip his tent open than his pack, and I still don't know which side is actually smarter on this - anyone else heard arguments for both?