c/camping-gear-reviews

Realized my sleeping bag rating was off after a cold night in Flagstaff

I always bought sleeping bags based on the comfort rating number on the tag. Last month I camped near Flagstaff and it hit 28 degrees. My bag said 20 degree rating but I was freezing all night. I looked up the actual EN standard ratings and found out most brands list the survival limit, not the comfort zone. Now I add 10 to 15 degrees to any rating before I buy. Has anyone else had a bag that didn't live up to its temp claim?

Appreciation post: That guy on trail who told me to ditch the heavy tent for a tarp

He said my 6 pound tent was why I was miserable each day, and after 3 nights under a cheap 10x10 tarp in the Smokies, I slept better and saved my back, so has anyone else had a stranger’s gear advice actually work out that well?

Just checked REI's tent repair stats and was shocked how many returns are for stuff you can fix yourself in 5 minutes.

Found a report on their site saying like 40% of returned tents have issues like a broken zipper or a snapped pole that could be fixed with a ten dollar kit, has anyone else looked into how much gear gets trashed over minor stuff?

Friend swore by a $20 tarp for rainy camping, I doubted him until a storm hit last week

I was planning a 3 night trip to the Sierras and my buddy Dave said skip the expensive rain fly, just grab a cheap blue tarp from the hardware store. I thought he was nuts, I had a $120 tent with a built in fly. Well, a freak thunderstorm rolled in around 2 AM and my tent started leaking at the seams. Dave's tarp setup kept his whole site bone dry, and I ended up huddling under it with my gear for 2 hours. Has anyone else found that some simple, cheap gear works way better than the fancy stuff in a real pinch?

That fancy titanium camp cup was a total waste of $45

Tbh I bought into the hype last summer and grabbed one of those tiny titanium cups for my backpacking trips. After three trips I realized I was just burning my lips every time I tried to drink hot coffee from it. Switched back to my old $8 enamel mug and honestly wish I had that cash back for something useful like a better stove. Anyone else fall for the ultralight cup trap?

Swapped my Coleman for a MSR tent last season and regret waiting so long

I finally ditched my heavy Coleman dome for an MSR Hubba Hubba after fighting with wet gear for 3 trips. The weight difference is like 4 pounds and my tent stays dry inside now. Anyone else made the switch and noticed a big change in pack weight?

Why does nobody talk about how heavy those budget sleeping bags are

I picked up a $30 sleeping bag at a big box store thinking I got a steal. Carried it 4 miles into a site near Lake Tahoe and my back was KILLING me the whole way. Has anyone else dealt with a cheap bag that weighs like 8 pounds?

I finally hit 100 nights in my hammock setup

Everyone says hammocks are for short trips. Not me. 100 nights spread over 3 years. Used it rain, snow, summer heat. No tent ever. People told me I'd get cold or hate sleeping curved. Never happened. Got a good underquilt and tarp setup. That was key. Anyone else stick with a hammock way longer than expected?

My coleman stove hit 500 meals cooked on it last night

Ive been using the same two burner coleman for like 8 years now and it just passed 500 meals. Still fires up first try every time even after all that use. Anyone else got a piece of gear thats way outlasted what you expected?

Learned my tent rainfly was on wrong for 6 years after a nasty storm

Last month I was camping up near Lake George and a big thunderstorm rolled in at 2am. I woke up with water dripping on my face and was soaked by morning. When I packed up, a guy in the next site walked over and showed me I had the rainfly too tight against the tent walls. He said that's what causes condensation to build up and leak through. Now I leave gaps for airflow, hasn't happened since. Has anyone else had a similar dumb realization about their tent setup?

That REI employee changed my mind about sleeping pads

Was in the Denver store last week grabbing fuel canisters and overheard a clerk talking to some guy about R-values. She said most people just buy whatever pad is on sale and end up cold. I've been using a hand-me-down Therm-a-Rest for like 8 years and always wondered why I wake up stiff. She explained the foam ones lose insulation over time. I checked mine and it's an R-value of like 2. Now I'm looking at new pads but can't decide between inflatable and self-inflating. Anyone else realize their gear was way older than they thought?

Old coleman propane lantern vs. LED lanterns on a rainy trip last week

I brought both to a campsite near Trout Lake last week and the old coleman absolutely wrecked the LED one in the fog. The LED just bounced light back at me, but that propane flame cut right through. Anyone else stick with the old gear for certain weather?

Warning: That free campsite in the Smokies taught me the hard way about bear bags

I pulled into a spot off the beaten path near Gatlinburg last fall, thought I was being smart by hanging my food in a tree with some old rope. Woke up at 2am to a raccoon chewing through the knot, scattered my granola and canned beans all over the ground. Now I only use a proper bear canister, no matter how short the trip. Anyone else learn a lesson from a night in the woods?

Spent 45 minutes trying to find a leak in my tent last night

Turns out it was just a tiny pinhole near the seam where the rainfly attaches. I was checking every zipper and corner but missed that spot twice. Anyone else have a leak that took forever to track down?

Spent $250 on a high-end sleeping pad and it started leaking on the second night in Big Sur

That budget sleeping pad I raved about got a hole on night two of a three day trip in the Smokies

I patched it twice with the included repair kit but it kept deflating by 3 AM and I froze my back off, so has anyone had better luck with the ten dollar foam pads from Walmart instead?

I finally stopped ignoring the guy who told me my tent stakes were too light for windy sites

After losing my tent in a gust at Lake Tahoe last spring and having to chase it half a mile down the beach, I switched to those 12-inch screw stakes and haven't had a blowaway since, has anyone else learned a gear lesson the hard way like that?

Hit 50 nights in my hammock this year and my back actually feels better

Switched from a tent to a hammock setup back in March and just realized I've slept out in it 50 times now. Has anyone else noticed their sleep quality go up after ditching the ground?

Why does nobody talk about how loud those lightweight tents are?

I took my new ultralight tent out to Big Sur last weekend and I swear I heard every leaf moving for miles. It was a calm night, maybe 5 mph wind, and the fabric was flapping like a tarp in a storm. My old Coleman from 2010 is twice the weight but dead silent. Am I missing something with these silnylon shelters or did I just pick a bad one?

Had to pick between a $40 inflatable pad and a $150 foam one for my back issues

I was dead set on the inflatable because it packs down so small. Then I slept on my buddy's foam pad for one night and woke up without that usual lower back ache. So I went with the foam one even though it's huge to carry. First trip out I strapped it to the top of my pack and it worked fine but I felt like a turtle. Anyone else make the switch for comfort and regret the bulk?

Serious question, is the Marmot Tungsten actually overhyped?

I took my new Marmot Tungsten 3P out to Big Sur last weekend and honestly, I don't get why everyone loves it. The first night was fine, but on day two a light drizzle started and the fly let water seep through near the zipper. I had to patch it with a trash bag at 2 AM. For a tent that costs $350, I expected better seam sealing. Has anyone else dealt with moisture issues on theirs, or did I just get a lemon?

Hung my new hammock between two pine trees and almost broke my back

I spent 3 hours at a campsite near Asheville trying to get my hammock straps tight enough so I wasn't lying on the ground. Turns out those cheap straps stretch way more than people say, and I was sagging like a banana all night. Did anyone else have to ditch the stock straps for tree-friendly ones that actually hold?

Hot take: the guy who gave me directions to a campsite last summer was hilariously overconfident

He pointed me toward a trail that he swore was a shortcut to the lake, but 20 minutes of bushwhacking later I ended up at someone's outhouse and had to yell over to a ranger for help getting back lol has anyone else had a local give them completely fake directions?

That one weekend the tent zipper failed in the rain

Last September during a trip up near Gatlinburg, I woke up at 3 AM to find the main zipper on my 3 year old tent had completely separated about 6 inches... water was just pouring in through the gap and soaking my sleeping bag. By morning everything was drenched and I had to cut the trip short by two days. Has anyone else had a zipper suddenly give out like that, or did I just get a defective model?

Why nobody talks about how tent stakes can ruin your sleep

Last summer I camped at Lake Crescent in Washington and spent three nights tossing around. I brought those basic orange plastic stakes that come with most tents. Every time I rolled over, the ground sheet would shift and I'd feel the stake heads poking into my back through the pad. After the second night I grabbed a headlamp and dug around my gear. Turns out the stakes were bending sideways under tension from the rain fly. I swapped to some cheap aluminum shepherd hook stakes I found at a hardware store in Port Angeles. They held solid the rest of the trip and I actually slept through the night. Has anyone else dealt with bad stakes ruining a trip or am I the only one who ignored this for years?