Family Camping

Planning and Conducting a Family Camping Program

 

Chapter Three

 

What Is Family Camping?

The ministry of family camping described in this chapter has two thrusts: (1) Church families camping together, and (2) the individual family camping together as a unit.

 

Family camping can mean one family unit or a group of families together as a "family." Campers are not divided by age groups or by any other means of division. Family camping is family unity. That is, if it is done properly. If not, family camping could result in family disunity!

Family camping is not something you do simply because one member of the family desires it. Actually, family camping is a total life-style for a family. Even in a crowded campground, when the next camper is closer to you than your neighbors are back home, you can enjoy fellowship with other family campers. Family camping is something of a return to "front porch" living. "Front porch" living was the life-style before television. People sat on the front porches and talked to the neighbors or visited with those who walked by. This beautiful life-style is missing in our society; family camping can help to restore it.

 

The ministry of family camping in a church program can be a tremendous blessing. However, church camping has been rather unorganized in previous years. And, this unorganized style has been detrimental to the church's ministry. Many churches are afraid of family camping because so many of their members have purchased equipment and disappeared into the sunset - to be seen in church only on rainy days! Although this practice has been true, the picture may be changed when the church gets into a well-organized family camping ministry.

 

When the church sponsors a family camping ministry, it normally should not conduct camps on Sunday. Exceptions are long weekends and special projects. For, example, the church may use a family camping club as an outreach ministry to those at the campground.

 

Organizing a Family Camping Club

 

Discover the Campers

Organizing a family camping club in a local church is a simple task if it is done properly. The first step is to discover two groups - the family campers and the potential family campers. This discovery may be made by taking a recreation interest survey. This survey may be taken in a simple form by listing a few recreational activities in the church bulletin. Or, the survey may be made more comprehensive by devising a questionnaire with every type of recreational interest listed.

 

Plan the First Meeting

After the group has been discovered, either by surveyor announcement, the first meeting should be planned. This meeting may be at the church or at the clubhouse of the nearby campground. Meeting at the church will remind the group that this is a church-sponsored club and that the focus is on Christ as Lord.

 

The camping director on the church's recreation staff should plan and conduct the first meeting. Because of the many responsibilities of the camping director, he may not be able to remain as leader of the family camping club. However, he is the logical one to organize the group at this first meeting.

 

Elect Officers

The first order of business at the initial meeting should be the election of officers. Keep the officer roster short. Consider having only a trailmaster (president), assistant trailmaster (vice president), secretary-treasurer, and chaplain. These officers may be elected on an annual basis, and should be presented by the church nominating committee. Here are the duties of these officers.

 

Trailmaster

This person functions as president. He sets the meeting time, presides at the family camping club meetings, presides as master of ceremonies at the family camp-outs (unless he delegates this duty to another), and transmits all family camping club data to the recreation staff through the camping director.

 

Assistant Trailmaster

This person maintains the roll of family campers, publicizes the family camping club meetings and events, presides over meetings in the absence of the president, and assumes other duties as the president deems necessary.

 

Secretary- Treasurer

This person collects and disburses any funds relating to the family camping club ministry, takes care of necessary correspondence, keeps minutes of the club meetings, keeps a journal of the family camp-out activities, and keeps all other records necessary for the smooth operation of the family camping ministry (including the evaluation of each family camp-out).

 

Chaplain

This person leads devotions and Bible studies at the family camping club meetings. On the camp-outs the chaplain develops and distributes family devotions used by the campers. This person may delegate these duties to others.

 

This is a simple slate of officers for the average family camping club in a local church. More officers may be added if the club finds it necessary.

 

The first meeting of the family camping club should include initial planning for the club's first camp-out. The campsite should be nearby (not more than an hour-and-a-half away) and the program should be simple. Until the club goes on its first camp-out, it is still a loosely knit group of families. After the first camp-out, the club becomes a unit of brothers and sisters in Christ, with shared experiences and a strong common interest.

 

The first club meeting also should be a get-acquainted session when families share what types of camping they enjoy and types of equipment they have. Some will have motor homes; some will have travel trailers; some will have camp trailers; some will have tents; some will not have anything except an interest in camping. Some families who have extra camp gear may be willing to loan it to the new camping families. They should leave a list of this gear with the trailmaster so that he may help outfit families experimenting with family camping in the church.

 

Plan Subsequent Meetings

After the club organization is completed at the first meeting, subsequent meetings may include these activities:

·         travel log

·         films

·         slide or movie presentations of favorite trips slides and/or movies of previous family camping outings

·         club camp-outs

·         camping equipment displays and demonstrations

·         mission trip planning meeting

·         campcraft training session

·         fellowship with a contest of camping skills program presented by forest ranger or park ranger

·         family camping planning meetings

·         an outdoor cookout for the church

·         a study of witnessing methods for campgrounds

·         an ecology program

·         a study of camping etiquette

·         a display of nature crafts

·         a study of first aid relating to camping accidents

·         an address by an attorney on the legal aspects of camping (liability, use of shoreline property, use of land that is not posted)

 

Plan the First Camp-out

The first camp-out, however, is the most important planning item of the family camping club. The steps to organizing and conducting this event are:

1.    Enlisting a camp-out committee. - The camping director of the church recreation staff, or the trailmaster of the church's family camping club will enlist a camp-out committee for this first camp-out. (Each family camping club event probably will involve a different committee.) The leader and the camp-out committee will then set the goal for the camp-out, project the plans for the camp-out, and enlist other leadership as necessary to carry out the program.

 

The camp-out committee should include a person for each of the following program areas: administration, finances, site selection and preparation, promotion, transportation, and program activities.

 

2.    Identifying the duties of the camp-out committee. - Committee members should understand their responsibilities as identified here.

 

Administration:

1.    Set policies for the camp-out.

2.    Set dates for the camp-out.

3.    Order any printed material needed for the camp-out.

4.    Secure any needed equipment for the camp-out.

5.    Check any legal aspects involved (insurance for campsite, liability of camp director, safety and sanitation code of local county health department if commercial site is not used).

6.    Secure insurance as necessary.

7.    Evaluate camp-out.

 

Finances:

1.    Plan the budget.

2.    Recommend fees.

3.    Supervise handling of funds.

4.    Collect fees.

5.    Pay all bills.

6.    Keep records of all income and expenses.

 

Retreat site:

1.    Locate facilities suitable for the program and campers.

2.    Visit the site with the trailmaster and the committee to insure its suitability.

3.    Reserve site.

4.    Develop master plan layout of actual camp. (Group motor homes together, travel trailers together, families with teenagers together, and families with small children together in a quiet area. Place tent campers near latrine and shower facilities.)

5.    Develop a disaster plan for camp-out and campsite. (Plans should include actions to take in the event of disasters which are common to the area - thunderstorm, tornado, forest fire, flash flood, and others.)

 

Promotion:

1.    Make the church aware of the coming camp-out.

2.    Promote attendance for the camp-out, paying particular attention to enlisting new, noncamping families.

3.    Keep potential campers informed of the camp-out dates and the pre-camp meetings.

4.    Make posters, brochures, and other promotional materials needed to accomplish the task.

 

Transportation:

1.    Arrange transportation for those who need it. Camping families may wish to go to the campsite early and leave the working members of the family to ride out in car pools later. Some new camping families may need to ride to the site with the family which is going to escort them in their first camp-out.

2.    Arrange for any emergency transportation which might be needed on the camp-out. Have an emergency car parked at the campsite entrance with the keys and the driver available at all times.

 

Program Activities:

1.    Plan the activities of the camp-out.

2.    Make a detailed schedule of activities and publish it in bulletin form.

3.    Secure any program leaders needed.

4.    Work with the trailmaster in all phases of planning to see that the activities are suitable to this particular campsite and camp-out.

5.    Evaluate the activities at the end of the camp-out.

6.    Include representatives of the camping group throughout all planning stages and also in the evaluation.

7.    Work with the family camping club chaplain in

8.    developing family devotional materials to be printed and distributed to the camping families for use at the camp-out.

 

3.    Establishing the program schedule. - The program of this first family camp-out (or any family camp-out) should be kept simple. Activities should be kept to a minimum. The purpose of the church's family camping club is to help families grow stronger. Therefore, the program should allow a great deal of time for the families to be together - enjoying each other and the natural beauty of the campsite. Here's an example of a typical schedule:

 

First Day 

 

12:00 P.M. Trailmaster arrives at the campsite, makes his camp, and gets the campground ready to receive the camping club members. This process may entail marking individual campsites by name for the registered camping families. And, it may involve erecting signs to label certain portions of the campground for certain types of camper residencies (motor homes, tents, and so forth). Some campers will be arriving in the afternoon, but some may not be able to come until after working hours. This means that the campers are allowed to arrive at their convenience, make their camp, prepare dinner, and prepare for the formal opening of the camp during the first service in the evening.

 

8:30 P.M.   Campfire meeting: Begin this service with fun music, folk music, and fellowship. Fun drama and group games may be a part of the early period. After all of the group has arrived, gradually change the mood of the campfire service through the singing of choruses, worship, and the sharing of testimonies. Close the campfire service with an inspirational message.

 

10:00 P.M. Fellowship and feast: Place tables near the campfire. Put coffeepots and cold drinks on the tables. Instruct campers to bring a cake, pie, or other dessert adequate for their family. Spread these desserts on the table for a delightful dessert feast. Plan some recreational activities for the children during this period. The adults generally will be content to sit around the campfire, relax, and talk.

 

11:00 P.M.  Quiet time: By this time all campers should be in their respective camps. Campers can go to bed when they want to, but the rule of the camp should be: No noise after 11:00 P.M. Parents with younger children usually will have to leave right after the campfire service to put their children to bed.

 

Second Day

 

Anytime A.M.: Family devotions: Allow families to work out their own homes for devotions. The families may use the morning hours at their own discretion until 11:00 A.M.

 

8:30 A.M.  Optional activities: Several activities may be scheduled for the morning hours. However, these activities should be optional. Do not require campers to attend, but invite anyone who wishes to learn the skill or take part in the activity. Here are some possible activities: horseback riding, outdoor cooking, fire craft, tool craft, ecology, swimming, fishing, hiking, nature walk, bird watching, outdoor photography, rope craft, nature craft, outdoor health and safety, and outdoor games.

 

11:00 A.M. Worship service for campers: This is a time for singing, testimonies, and perhaps an inspirational message. At the end of this worship service, formally dismiss the camp-out and invite everyone to be in Sunday School and church on Sunday morning. If your family camping club is to succeed as a church activity, it must not only encourage people to attend the local church but also serve as an enlistment arm to outsiders.

 

12:00 P.M. Lunch: This may be a covered-dish lunch for the entire group, or it may be an individual family activity. When lunch is over, the campers are free to leave.

 

Plan Future Events

After the first camp-out, you will find that the group has a more spontaneous fellowship than before. At the next family camping club meeting, show the slides and movies taken on the initial camp-out. These visuals will be quite entertaining, and they really will draw a crowd. This type of program will help to enlist others in the family camping program. Let the campers complete evaluation sheets related to the first camp-out. Keep these sheets on file for use in planning the next camp-out.

 

Here are some varied types of camping trips you may consider for your club:

·         camp-out at missions rallies

·         trip to visit home mission areas

·         camp-out in state or national parks

·         camp-out at state or national conventions

·         camp-out at Baptist assembly

·         camp-out on church member's farm

·         camp-out and fishing rodeo

 

Other Camping Ministries

The family camping ministry in a church affords many service opportunities. The potential for

mission service is tremendous. The Home Mission Board and the Sunday School Board cooperate in a venture called "Campers on Mission." This organization includes a nationwide group of Baptist family campers who are committed to using their camping skills and equipment in ministry for the Lord. Each year the organization sponsors national Campers on Mission rallies. These rallies provide fellowship and inspiration. They also include training sessions for those who wish to use their family camping hobby as a ministry of outreach in the Lord's service.

 

To join the Campers on Mission organization, write to:

Campers on Mission

Home Mission Board of the Southern Baptist Convention

1350 Spring Street Atlanta, Georgia 30399

 

Those who write and request membership will be given a decal for their camper and will be placed on the mailing list for future newsletters and camper caravans. They also will receive a computer printout of the other Campers on Mission members in their particular state.

 

Other ministries of individual family campers, family camping clubs, and churches may include:

 

Home Mission Activities

Sometimes campers will take their vacation time to go to a home mission area and work with a small mission church. They may spend the weekend or longer. Some retired campers will work for several months with a small mission church. Their ministry may include maintaining or repairing the church building and property, visiting, assisting in Vacation Bible School, day camp, backyard Bible clubs, and church surveys, assisting in revivals and other special mission projects.

 

The Home Mission Board has a special category of mission service for those willing to spend several months working with a church at their own expense. This group is called "Sojourners." Some retired families have discovered a mission service opportunity and spent almost their entire year traveling from church to church assisting as needed.

 

Some family campers have become involved in building mission churches. Through contact with your state mission leaders and/or the “Campers on Mission organization”, you can learn of churches needing outside help in a building program.

 

Disaster Relief

This is a vital ministry for church camping families and family camping clubs. When natural disasters-tornadoes, floods, or hurricanes strike, homes, communications, and electrical

power are lost first. The camping family with self-contained camper equipment is the natural one to move into the area to help. This type of camper is not a drain on the local resources; rather, the self-contained unit will contribute to the resources of the area.

 

If you are interested in this type ministry, you should contact your association, state convention, or the Home Mission Board for information on the disaster plans for your area. If your area has no such organization, your inquiring might help in getting one started.

 

Disaster relief ministries are not done by camp­ing families alone. They must be done in coopera­tion with some type of disaster organization since individuals usually are not allowed into a disaster area during a time of crisis. However, if campers are identified as a part of a disaster group, they are welcomed with open arms.

 

Headline Helpers

When the headline reads, "House Burns; Family Loses Everything," it means disaster for that one family. Though the disaster is personal and not widespread, it is nonetheless very serious. Some church camping clubs look for these "headliners." When they discover a need of this nature, they contact the family and offer them the use of a fam­ily camper unit for several weeks. Church campers not only give the family a place to live during the reconstruction but also offer assistance in the re­building of the home. This type of activity leaves an open door for a spiritual ministry.

 

Resort Ministries

Our culture has become very recreation oriented. Business is booming in the campgrounds and resort areas of America. Many people who go to these areas are trying to escape the problems of life. Church family camping groups have an excellent opportunity to witness to these people. They are more open to discussion of spiritual things than usual.

 

Some church groups will go to a resort area and have campfire services in the evening. They begin these services with popular music, folk music, and fun music. Then they make a transition to gospel songs after the crowd has gathered. The campfire service leader needs to identify the sponsoring group. The campfire service may continue with a drama, testimonies, inspirational message - or a combination of any of these elements.

 

Remember, do not plan activities which take the family camping group out of the regular worship services of the local church. The only exception to this rule would be when the local church sends the family camping group out for a mission ministry.

 

One example is a holiday weekend. In this case, the group might conduct their own organizational meeting at the campground Friday evening, visitation on the campground on Saturday morning, a mini day camp in the afternoon, a campfire service in the evening, and Sunday School and worship on Sunday morning. The group would dismiss after Sunday morning, return to the church for the evening worship service, and make a report to the congregation.

 

Travel Camping

Another ministry of family camping is the assistance which a family camping club can give to groups who undertake various service trips. Some of these trips may be for educational purposes in mission areas; others may be for actual mission service. In any case, family campers can help.

 

The family camping club can show the traveling group an inexpensive way of living. One good example is a youth choir trip. The group could use travel camping as a method to avoid having to rent motel rooms and buy meals in restaurants. The group could camp out at night and prepare meals in roadside campgrounds. The group could cook breakfast and dinner, and prepare a sack lunch after breakfast. This type of trip has many side benefits. The camping families with youth will be together. Some youth who have been deprived of a wholesome home life will get to experience the loving, tender care of concerned Christian parents. And, the camping families will discover an area of personal ministry.

 

The family camping ministry of a church can have a powerful impact for Christ. However, it must be coordinated with the activities of the local church and conducted under the guidelines set out by the local church. Try to involve church staff members in your family camping activities as much as possible. This practice will strengthen the fellowship and deepen the ministries of the church staff among the camping families.

 

Remember the first rule of family camping: Use family camping to magnify the ministry of the local church - not to detract from the ministry of the local church.

 

Why Be a Camping Family?

There are many advantages to being a camping family. First, camping helps a family to be a family. The hectic schedules of many families today allow little time for true fellowship in the home. Conflicting schedules, television, extracurricular activities at school, and working parents tend to disrupt the unity a family needs to experience.

 

Some events advertised as "family times" do not really foster family unity.  Family camping offers a true family experience.

 

Family camping is a form of recreation in which the family members learn to cooperate with one another for the mutual benefit of the entire group. Parents are able to develop and maintain a teaching relationship with their children. Each family member discovers his or her role in the family, and he is able to understand the importance of being a part of the family. Family members discover personal strengths and weaknesses. In the family camping atmosphere the entire family has a common experience, building an "experience" bank from which they will draw happy memories in years to come. These kinds of experiences will help develop and maintain family closeness over the years.

 

Family worship is another benefit of family camping. Having Bible study around the campfire or in the tent, experiencing family prayer at the beginning and ending of each day, sitting together on the beach and watching a spectacular sunset, and singing "How Great Thou Art" are some of the happenings which add extra dimensions to family devotional life.

 

Family camping also affords an excellent opportunity for nature study and the conservation of our natural resources. Very few of us are trained naturalists; we know very little about the earth sciences. But, a family camping together in God's natural world may take along a few reference books or books of nature identification and learn many things about our world. Learning together as a family can be a joyful experience.

 

Helping a Family Get Started in Camping

Many, many books are available on how to camp as a family. It is impossible in this book to give an exhaustive treatment on the art of family camping. However, this book does give a brief sketch of how a family may get started in camping. The camping director on the church's recreation staff can use this book for that purpose.

 

Equipment

New family campers always are concerned about what equipment they will need. Many are discouraged when they make a list of what they think they need. The total cost seems prohibitive. It is discouraging to look at a camping equipment catalog and see all of the equipment offered for camper use. A piece of equipment is illustrated and is described in such an attractive way that you feel you cannot have a successful camp without it.

 

The best way to begin is to sit down with an experienced family camper and discuss the basic equipment needs of each family member. If you do not know an experienced family camper, you may use the information in this chapter as a "family camping checklist." Think about the need of each family member in the area of clothing, shelter, and food. Once you have a list of the basic equipment needs of your family, try to locate equipment you don't have. If you do not know a person from whom the items may be borrowed, consider renting the major items for the first trip.

 

Shelter

1.    Tents. - Tents come in all sizes, styles, and types of material. Tryout several sizes and styles to discover the proper tent for your family (another reason for renting first). Tents vary in size from a one-man mountain tent to a model that looks like a canvas hotel. The size of your family determines the size tent you need; your budget may determine the style and material. Another factor in tent selec­tion is the amount of space the tent takes in your vehicle.

 

If your family selects backpacking as its method of family camping, you will want a nylon tent since weight is a major factor. Do not expect your tent to be absolutely waterproof. If the tent were waterproof, body moisture would condense on the walls and ceiling during the night, as though it had rained inside. A waterproof plastic tent, without proper ventilation, can lead to a most miserable camping experience. Most canvas tents will leak a little when the rain begins. But as soon as the fabric becomes damp and the threads swell with moisture, the tent becomes watertight. However, if you touch the sides of a fabric tent during a rain, you break the surface tension of the water and start a drip which will not stop until the rain stops. Most good tents have a plastic rain fly or they have a waterproof rain fly which can be stretched over the top of the tent to prevent leakage.

 

Beware of "budget" tents which have no sewn-in floor, little or no ventilation, no double-stitched seams. Tents are like many other things-you only get what you pay for.

 

2.    Tent trailers - A tent trailer offers an excellent, low-cost, secure type of shelter. Many good ones are on the market. Use caution in purchasing the "hard-top" models. Some of them are excellent, but some do not offer adequate ventilation, causing condensation problems on the inside at night. Tent trailers tow easily behind a vehicle and offer extra storage space. They may be left locked at a campsite while the family goes touring, and they may be stored at home in a relatively small area.

 

3.    Travel trailers. - The variety of travel trailers is as great as or greater than the variety of tents. Some models are nothing more than a sheet metal tent on wheels; others may be as exotic as the "fifth wheel" trailers which have a split-level bedroom and are fully self-contained. The term "self-contained" usually refers to a camping unit which has its own water supply, bathroom with sewage holding tank, and an electrical supply (12-volt D.C. or 120-volt A.C. electricity).

 

When buying a travel trailer, keep in mind the number of sleeping spaces you will need, the size of tow vehicle needed to pull the trailer and the price. Consider the hidden costs in owning a travel trailer. These costs include depreciation, maintenance, insurance and license fees. If you use a travel trailer only two or three weeks a year, consider renting one. However, most families who own travel trailers will use them more than just at vacation time. The travel trailer offers more privacy, storage space, and utility. Travel trailers enable you to make camp much faster, and they are also excellent for use in the ministries mentioned in the family camping club section of this chapter. Travel trailers have one advantage over motor homes: They may be left set up while you use the tow vehicle for sightseeing or errands.

 

4.    Pickup truck campers and motor homes - Like tents and travel trailers, these types of mechanized camping equipment have tremendous variety. Some pickup campers are no more than an aluminum tent or cover over the pickup bed, while motor homes may be as well-equipped as a house or apartment and have elaborate mechanical and utility systems. Here again, rent before buying. One word of caution about mechanized camping equipment: Continual maintenance is necessary. With air-conditioning, power plant, refrigerator, kitchen and bathroom plumbing, and practically everything else that you have in a house, you can expect continual maintenance needs. A house develops maintenance problems just sitting still. When you subject those systems to the vibrations of road travel, you create even more problems.

 

The type of shelter you and your family select should be based on the size of your family, their physical needs, the type of camping you wish to do, and your budget.'

 

Sleeping Equipment

In travel trailers and motor homes, conventional bedding is sufficient. However, sleeping bags can be more practical in a motor home, especially when you have to make the bed in order to put up the dinette for breakfast.

 

"Canvas campers" should use a sleeping bag with a comfort rating (the lowest temperature at which a bag may be used comfortably) for a lower temperature than you expect to encounter on your trip. The filler used to stuff the sleeping bag is extremely important. Prime northern goose down has been the favorite for many years. Down bags are very expensive, very light, and very warm as long as they are dry. If a goose down bag gets wet, it becomes a lumpy, cold mess. When it is wet, it looses its ability to insulate.

 

Sleeping bags filled with DuPont Fiberfill II and Polargard are almost as light as goose down sleeping bags, and they will keep you warm even when wet. Both are synthetic fibers which will not absorb water. If you get them wet, you simply shake them out, unzip them, and crawl right in. You will feel damp and chilly at first, but in a few moments, your body heat will warm the inside of the bags. Many sleeping bags are on the market for a wide range of prices. Since your health and your comfort depend a great deal on your sleeping bag, you should buy the best.

 

The sleeping bag is only partly responsible for your sleeping comfort. It is important to have a moisture-proof ground cloth beneath your sleeping bag. Moisture from the ground can penetrate your sleeping bag and chill you. Another key item for sleeping comfort is the cushion between your sleeping bag and your ground cloth. Some backpackers prefer an Ensolite pad (one with a closed cell structure .which will not absorb water). Air mattresses are nice; but they are too heavy for backpacking, and they are not as warm as Ensolite. Some family campers still prefer cots. The cot is elevated and generally more comfortable than a sleeping pad on the ground. However, the cot allows air to circulate under the sleeper. On cold nights, this circulation could be a problem. Cots would be very practical for summertime family campers in a warm climate.

 

What you wear in your sleeping bag also is very important for personal comfort. You should not sleep in the underclothes in which you hiked during the day. The moisture in these clothes will tend to chill you. Nor should you sleep in underclothes which you expect to wear on the hike the next day. As the moisture from your body evaporates, it condenses in the underclothes and makes them damp. The next morning if it is cold, you will be chilled until this moisture dries out. If you get chilled in a bag, put on a wool watch cap (no synthetic fibers, only wool). If the chill does not subside, put on a pair of wool boot socks. If the chill persists, put on insulated underwear.

 

Clothing

Rough clothes are in order for camping. For summer camping, every item you need is probably already in your wardrobe. Summer camping clothing should be lightweight, practically styled, and comfortable. Clothing should be made of fabrics that do not show dirt easily, but are easy to wash. Double knits are not practical because they tend to snag. The first impulse of most campers is to take more clothing than they will actually need. Long-sleeve shirts and wide-brim hats are necessary for protection against the sun.

 

1.   Footwear-Footwear comes first if any hiking is to be done. Sneakers or street shoes are all right on the campground, but on a hiking trail sturdy hiking boots with lug soles are a necessity. Wear two pairs of wool socks with these boots. (These socks not only cushion the feet but also provide insulation. Be sure the boots are treated with a waterproofing agent.)

 

2.    Underwear.-Wear whatever type of underwear you are used to wearing. But boxer shorts are less likely to chafe on hikes. Thermal underwear may be added to your wardrobe for high altitude mountain camping.

 

3.    Trousers. - Trousers made with a tough material (no cuffs) are needed for summer camping. For winter camping, wool pants are a must. The trouser legs should be large enough to allow free movement. Any binding of your clothes will cause fatigue before the day is over.

 

4.    Shirts. - Wear long-sleeve cotton shirts in the summer if you are to be in the sun a great deal. Wear short-sleeve cotton shirts if you are sheltered. Wool shirts are necessary for high altitudes or mountain camping. Nonwhite T-shirts are best since they tend to show dirt less easily.

 

When camping, wear several layers of light clothing rather than one layer of heavy clothing. The mornings generally are cool in the summertime. If you wear layers of light clothing, you may shed a layer as the temperature increases. The same principle is true in winter camping. As you warm up with the day's activities, you need to shed layers of clothing to prevent perspiration.

 

Camp Tools

You already will have some mechanical or household tools for routine maintenance on your camping vehicle. You will need additional tools for family camping. It is best to acquire these tools and store them in your camper for use trip after trip. This practice prevents their being lost around the house and having to be reassembled for each trip. Basic family camping tools are needed for pitching a tent, digging holes, cleaning fish and game, building a campfire, cleaning up a campsite, and maintaining fire safety. Some of the tools in the following list are optional.

 

The actual tools you ·take with you should be determined by the type of camping you do and the area in which you do it.

 

1.    Pocketknife. - This is one indispensable tool. It must be of good quality, and it must be kept very sharp. Some campers use a sheath knife; but a good, strong pocketknife, with a handle large enough to cross the palm, is large enough to do most of the camp chores.

 

2.    Shovel. - This tool is required for camping in some national forests. It is necessary for building campfires, constructing latrines, moving coals, and extinguishing campfires. The type of the shovel may vary from the long-handle, pointed shovel to the collapsible GI shovel. The size depends upon the storage area available.

 

3.    Ax. - A small pole ax is best for camping. It should have at least a two-and-a-half-pound head and a twenty-eight-inch handle. The pole ax is sometimes called a club ax because of the flat, hammer-like edge on the top of the head.

 

4.    Saw. - A good camp saw has a blade with large, sharp teeth similar to a crosscut saw. This saw is especially helpful in cutting logs which would be difficult to cut with an ax. This saw is not like the carpenter's hand saw. Varieties include the bucksaw and other camp saws which are collapsible.

 

5.    Wedges. - Wedges are used to split large logs into fireplace-size pieces. They usually are made of cast iron. Do not use wedges unless you have a sledgehammer to drive them into the wood. The ax head is too light to drive the wedges into wood, and the head of the ax may be cracked by the impact.

 

6.    Miscellaneous tools. - A rake, broom, hammer, pliers, nails, spool of light wire, pruning shears, work gloves, and a tent repair kit also may be needed.

 

Cooking Equipment

In campers and motor homes, regular kitchen utensils would be adequate. However, if you are a tent camper, the following equipment is suggested:

 

1.    Stove. - A one- to three burner stove which uses gasoline or L.P. fuel is desirable. Many campgrounds and camping areas restrict the use of open fires. If you use an open fire, be sure to obtain a permit.

 

2.    Cooking utensils. - A Dutch oven with a lid is one of the most versatile pieces of camping equipment. Provide a large coffeepot with a wire handle which can be suspended over a campfire.