Haulin’ the Gear with a StowAway Hitch Cargo Carrier

So you just got a new tent, did you? And you’re itching to try it out this weekend on a little family camping trip? Great! But with all of your other camping gear (sleeping bags, pads, food, cooking gear, camp stove, coolers, lantern, flashlights, furniture… holy cow!) plus the other campers, where the heck are you going to put it?

Well don’t have a tent tantrum just yet. An easy way to solve your cargo conundrum is with a StowAway Hitch Cargo Carrier. An easily accessible hitch mount cargo box, the StowAway is the perfect combination of storage, security and convenience. The StowAway slides quickly and securely into the receiver hitch of nearly every make and model of SUV, minivan, truck and RV. With up to to 16 cubic feet of storage capacity, it can carry loads of up to 200 lbs., ensuring your new tent and all your other gear will be safe and secure, and your passengers comfortable.

Offering easy ground-level access to all your gear, the StowAway makes it a snap for any family member to grab what they need at rest stops, and provides easy access to your tent for quick set-up when you reach the campground. Say sayonara to that inconvenient and fuel inefficient rooftop carrier. A secure locking mechanism keeps your gear safe while you’re at rest areas, trailheads and other roadside attractions, and protects your food from the wildlife while you’re out in the wild. Manufactured in the USA, the ruggedly constructed StowAway won’t wobble or sway as you’re heading down a rugged Forest Service, back-country or logging road to your favorite remote camping area. A weather tight seal keeps everything nice and dry should things get wet, with a well-placed drain plug for clean-up.

So maybe you’d like to take the bikes along and need even MORE room? No sweat. The StowAway Hitch Cargo Carrier has been designed to be used simultaneously with the StowAway Hitch Bike Rack, a 4-bike and bike gear rack that can also be used separately for non-camping excursions.

So grab that new tent and everything else you need and head on out. With a StowAway Hitch Cargo Carrier you’ll have plenty of space to haul all your gear safely and securely to your next outdoor adventure.

Eating outdoor: what food to bring, how to cook

In the last tutorial we saw how to equip themselves to sleep in a trek … But now we woke up and it’s time for breakfast!

Of all the things that you are walking into a door, the heavier the water!
In the Alps, this is not usually a problem, we must take account of the Apennines, and make the most of each source and the source along the path.
The water you drink, not eat! You may object to you, since we’re here to talk about food … It is a flawless argument ;-)
However, it is the availability of water depends largely on the type of diet that we do: we have to cook plenty of water, while eating cold stuff we need a lot less.
Another thing is extremely heavy stove with fuel, and all the paraphernalia for cooking.

In summary:
- We want to be happy, it can not be happy with a backpack is too heavy.
- But to be happy is also a belly full of good things.
- Much of the weight of the pack is given to water, food and stuff to cook.
- Optimizing the food we eat well and greatly affect the weight of the pack … And then our happiness.

Cooker yes, no stove
The cooker weighs, it weighs the fuel, the pan / pot weighs, but it’s nice to cook something hot, but need a lot of water.
These are the factors that must be considered when deciding whether to take the stove or not.
Personally, I avoid it over the short trek, 2 days, I think for those of 3 and I always long for those, aged 4 days or more. So if the stay is not a port ever, if three or more beyond the port, if the second depends on:
It ‘easy to find water for cooking? Or you risk having to carry around for hours as well because the only source meets at 11 am?
How many of us to be willing to cook and divide the weight of stove and various outbuildings?
It’s cold and at breakfast we all want a hot drink or hot weather and the furnace will use it only for dinner?
In the end, ask yourself these questions above to see if the cooker will be a pleasure or a burden.

Cooker … which?

What alcohol to let him lose, does not have the power you need us. Remain gas and gasoline.
The best, in my opinion, is to gasoline: a yield higher than gas, is less waste (empty cylinders), the gas while the gas is everywhere not (if in Mongolia or in Costa Rica we had the gas stove, we’d be back a lot thinner). Finally, it is true that costs more than twice, but it lasts as long as 1 euro gas recharge from 9-10 Euri gas!
Fine, but it must be said that the return from New Zealand on our beautiful gasoline stove we have seized the airport.
When you travel by air with the gas, simply can not bring bottles that are purchased at destination, the gasoline must be drained and then leave it long so that the fuel to evaporate until the last drop.
This went well at airports across the world, including those of the U.S. paranoid, but not those s * # @ § c §^$#the heads or the children of t% $ AoA in Auckland because “sniffing carefully, you could still perceive traces of the smell of gasoline. ”
To console us told us that their gas stoves and gasoline will confiscate hundreds … So even we would remove the gas, but at least what it costs over 100 euros!

Various foods

Normally we use the stove, if any, to dinner and for any tea for breakfast, while lunch break is shorter and informal. What to bring for breakfast and lunch?
The answer is simple: food scraps that do not contain heavy foods that contain water useless, nutritious foods, and complete. Practical examples:
A tin of beans is the worst thing you can come to mind: it contains a lot of water that will be thrown and then there is the metal box to carry it behind for the rest of the trek (which, in addition to being a useless burden, if not well washed well begins to stink!).
The jam, honey and other spreadable things are great, but usually in glass jars are unnecessarily heavy, and should be transferred to plastic containers. You can use a small plastic bottles of fruit juice, or the wonderful homemade baby food cans, which are found to negoazzi of items for mothers and children.
Let’s see ‘the foods that I would suggest:

Cookies
Chocolate
Jam, honey, olive paste and other spalmini, all racked into sealed plastic containers.
Bread for the first few days
Wasa to replace stuff like the bread in the days following
Cheese, mature enough to bear out of the fridge.
Salami, these seasoned enough to bear out of the fridge, so no pre-sliced ??hams or stuff: a good whole salami behind you, you can take it for a month, without ruining it!
Dried fruit at will.
Fresh fruit weighs little and takes but a few fruits for the first two days are like. Apples last a little ‘more.
Nuts, seeds several (Bruscolini the inevitable, or the roasted pumpkin seeds).
If you peace, powdered milk and muesli for breakfast.
Hard-boiled eggs.
Tea and sugar or honey.
Anything else you can think of to be light, nutritious and does not go bad.
Foods without cooker
We said that in 1 or 2 nights trekking there bring the bowl, well, for one or two dinners we can take just about anything: a rice already prepared, the ingredients for a Greek salad, a bag of pork … You can indulge your fantasy with everything that is holding a day or two out of the fridge and not too heavy … that is to say almost anything.
Any third night can be a copy of the meal: the trek is short and we are hungry, there is no risk that the food we be bored … and then we can take 3 different types of meats and 3 different types of cheese is not it? Fortunately we are Italian and in our country there are more varieties of these foods than in the rest of the world put together! :-)

Foods to cook

The pasta is good for 2-3 persons maximum, as well as cookware requires too big and bulky. The rice is always good and you can do in a thousand ways. The same applies to the cous cous, I do not like, but it is an excellent resource.
Even the freeze-dried foods are a good solution, if it were not for the fact that generally suck. We made several tests and finally the best (or least bad) were the envelopes of the Coop, also in the list of ingredients that contain a lot less crap than the average … In our hiking dehydrates the pasta and beans Coop never fails :-)
Of course, to think that these bags are not specific hiking stuff, but there are those who eat well at home, is a bit ‘scary … Or am I that are exaggerated?
Of course when I talk about brands tell you my personal opinion and I do not expect everyone to agree with me.

How much food to bring

Do not deal with the weight, but looking at the food in front of you: if I eat my breakfast of biscuits and half pipe trekking lasts 4 days, so I bought 2 tubes of biscuits.
It ‘full of tables where it says how many grams of this or that serve every day is the best way to go wrong all accounts!
Prendette the food in question in hand, imagine what you will eat one and multiplied by the people and for days. Then, with the experience, it just gets easier.

From walking to trekking

Speaking with many people who love walking, but never do nights, I realized something quite bizarre: many consider a course of several days more difficult than a long walk. According to them have not necessarily done a lot of walking puts you in a position to face a trek with overnight stays, ready to face a Night Out!
Paradoxically … is exactly the opposite!

How many times have we heard repeated what should be the basics of who goes to the mountain?
1 – We start at dawn and come back soon
2 – Never leave the path
These two basic rules are used to ward off a terrible nightmares of hikers: Get lost! To lose the way and not know to go back. If I go back soon, and the hours I lost my way in the event wildcard, if not abandoned the path, well, it’s much harder than I lose.
But losing is not alone, is paired with another nightmare: Bad weather, the time change without notice taking us by surprise!
And indeed these two are perhaps the most tangible risks for those who enjoy hiking.
Well, in a trek these risks do not exist!

Are you lost? And ‘fallen fog and you can not understand where you are on paper? It’s coming in the evening and you’re not where you thought it was? And ‘the trail disappeared?
And who cares! :-) Pitched his tent, made a nice dinner and we will get back tomorrow with calm.

The weather has changed suddenly? The temperature is falling fast? You walked in flowery meadows, and now you’re in the middle of a blizzard?
And who cares! :-) Pitched his tent, made a nice dinner and we will get back tomorrow with calm.

So you see, a trek of several days makes us easier relationship with the mountain (as long as organized as we will explain soon), but especially in the mountains to sleep makes us more freedom in their relationship with nature!

I do not like waking up at dawn, and in fact I do not, the stages of my treks begin at 10 am, after a pleasant chat at breakfast with my friends … And maybe there is still the sunset on the way, why not?

Sometimes it’s nice to get lost on purpose to abandon the path to explore or climb a rocky ridge to the summit of a mountain looking intriguing. There will be time later to find the path ahead … And if you find your path, you’ll find another, fine same, right?

How to happily spend the night in the open space

Some animals may be attracted by the smell of food and can damage the tent or backpack to get there. A mouse to make an expensive laundry bag like a Swiss cheese takes a few seconds!
For this reason, the night the food you should not keep it with you. The suggestion is to hang on a tree where it remains out of reach of foxes that are the worst thieves.

No ravenous beast assalterà there in the night! We here in Italy, among them bears in North America or anywhere else. As long as you do not have food next to you, this danger does not exist!
The only truly wild animals to fear is the mosquito!

Just be careful to avoid unintentional damage: for example, if you camp in a meadow full of grazing cows do not mount the curtain rods in which a cow might stumble in the dark.

Addressing the three monsters of the night: cold weather and mosquitoes.
These enemies can be present for all three to anyone: If there are no mosquitoes, the weather is fine and my sleeping bag the night temperature is suitable, I just like to sleep on the floor, without install anything, falling asleep watching the shooting stars. .. How nice! :-)

In places hot enough I always carry a mosquito net Ikea: If the weather is nice, is extremely pleasant, even if you do not see the stars as well :-)
If there is inclement weather (rain, wind etc..), You need something more structured, like walking tent or hammock.
If cold weather is just the curtain!

The mat
Coiled on the bag is ugly and uncomfortable, takes up a lot of space … But it is absolutely ESSENTIAL. And if I tell you, that means that something is needed we suffer more, you can believe me.
The reason is that the insulation is only where sleeping bag may swell, creating a sort of cloud that keeps the heat where it is crushed by your weight its insulating power is practically zero! The purpose of the mattress, then, is not so much to be comfortable, but is insulated from the ground.
For this reason I suggest you take that coil mattresses and inflatable ones: the latter, besides being much more expensive, unfortunately, when you pierce (note: I wrote when, not if) you leave the cold and frost.

The sleeping bag
I know you do not write well, but I like it. This, together with the bag and shoes, is one of three important things, which I suggest you spend a bit ‘of money: Do not go too much in the savings or regret it.
Two things need to look at sleeping bag, the material of the padding and the comfort temperature:

- The padding can be of down or synthetic fiber. This duvet is soft and pleasant, but has a serious flaw: if it gets wet it dries more and loses all its insulating power. Personally I suggest the synthetic fiber without hesitation.

- Comfort temperature. Even for those who do not particularly cold trek I suggest low temperatures, such as comfort to -5 C °. Why? Because if it’s hot you can always spend a pleasant night with sleeping bag open, while if it is cold throughout the night will be less than pleasant!
In addition to the comfort temperature is calculated for a person who sleeps fully dressed and terminating all sleeping bag leaving only a small hole for breathing: this means that comfort allows us to sleep in -5 ° to 10 degrees off his trousers and without enclosing like a caterpillar in a cocoon.
If you buy yourself engaged saccappeli of coupled, there are!

The tent
Our portable home, that sheltering from rain, snow, humidity, wind, frost … In short, all the possible unpleasant vagaries of climate, well, at least in part, from the cold.
The wind resistance is the first thing to think about: tents of two pounds, camping, can be easily damaged by wind in the mountains. As a basic rule you prefer a tent low, not exceeding 1.3 meters in height approx. Then, of course, more professional, the better, but I put it between the three things in which to invest (shoes, bag, sleeping bag) purpose: for things are not really extreme 4 season tent, well kept and mounted with bolts , can take you hiking on extremely challenging!
The second important thing to watch is that it has the “ground water table,” meaning that outside arrivals to rubbing the cloth on the ground instead of stopping a few inches in height: this allows the tent to retain heat much better, especially in windy places.

Tent poles

There are several variants of poles for a tent. Sticks can be made of fiberglass, aluminum or duralumin.

1. Fiberglass poles

Fiberglass sticks have the advantage that they are very light. But the disadvantage is not as strong as those of aluminum or duralumin.

Large tents, more than five persons are, in general, with sticks made of bottles, because the costs of duralumin sticks would raise the price very much the whole tent. But there are models that are used most of duralumin. Fiberglass poles are to be avoided, since they have a lifespan much shorter than those of duralumin.

This kind of sticks can also be found under the proprietary names, such Durawrap. Durawrap sticks are made of reinforced fiberglass.

2. Aluminum poles

Aluminum poles are extremely strong, but are heavier than fiberglass. This material is no longer used today, being replaced by those of duralumin.

3. Duralumin poles

Duralumin is more durable than aluminum, so the thickness is smaller poles to achieve the same resistance. In this way the sticks are lighter. Duralumin, as well as chemical composition is enriched with magnesium aluminum, copper, manganese, iron, silicon, etc.. These additions give the metal alloy formed a high initial resistance.

Duralumin sticks are preferable to glass fiber. Duralumin is stronger; the tent will be more “steady” and if a fight breaks can be repaired. You can buy kits to repair the tent, allowing repair of duralumin sticks. Even for occasional camping, duralumin is recommended because it has a lifespan far greater than fiberglass.

Inconvenient: duralumin is slightly heavier than fiberglass and more expensive.

You can find sticks of duralumin and proprietary as well as DAC Featherlite 7000 Series Aluminum.

Family Tents

The subject of family tents may be controversial and not without a real motivation. In fact, a buyer must weigh the need for a product extremely bulky and heavy, with 2 or 3 bedrooms, 2 or 3 tents are smaller and more versatile.

If a model that weighs 15 kg, its transportation to camp (or as is camping in the mountains or the seaside) is usually only by car. Use it in trekking almost impossible. 2 or 3 smaller models allow their use on several occasions. You can go with a large group, and then you will get all, or you can just go with a girlfriend / boyfriend and then you will get only one.

Another problem relates to its stability. Large dimensions and shape make it extremely aerodynamic least have reduced stability. Tall and fairly wide hallway creates them as little wind resistance. Moreover, greater length of staffs requires manufacturers to avoid using duralumin sticks, due to rising prices. Durawrap are fiberglass or materials used to build rods. However, some manufacturers use duralumin sticks.

In terms of price, a family of nine Handful model can be cheaper than three of every 3 persons, with diminishing quality above. The size of the rooms may be smaller than a 3 person tent.

Thus, family patterns are not recommended unless you want those who will use them to travel by car camping location.

But for those who want to buy such a tent, make some recommendations.

Outer film to be made of polyester, with a minimum of 3000 mm waterproof water column. Floor all polyester film with minimum water resistance 5000 mm of water column. Durawrap duralumin sticks or, at least three nodes (intersections), to provide both a high stability, and a longer life than fiberglass.

Subdivision must provide the required number of rooms, not only the required number of occupants. Thus, if you go along with 2 other families, should have three rooms, one for each family.

It is also recommended light colors. Mounting must be met before leaving on vacation. These models are mounted in a considerable time, sometimes between 45-60 min. It is necessary to have the installation manual when lifting the tent. Each producer has thought way they assemble independent components.

Equipment for the mountains – the tent

Attrezzatura per la montagna – la tenda

Another companion of many adventures for a hiker is undoubtedly the tent. The right choice is mandatory for a sport, because if it is true that for most hikers do not make a big difference model to another, for some it can be the difference between life and death.
How to choose your tent? As with all the equipment, you should always ask in the first place you want to go, how long will you stay, what are the worst conditions you expect to find … (thought? Well all multiplied by two!)
My first advice is to avoid mono canvas tents (in case of rain you will be more even short dry out) and those that are throwing open (try to launch it when the wind blows).
Therefore found that the tent must be double towel let’s see the main features:

1. Summer Tent
aluminized outer cloth outward
doors with mosquito nets
solid bowl
flap will not ground to air
increasingly large side windows for air
possibly a ‘large apse in front (to cook in case of rain)
fiberglass poles

2. Tent for winter or high altitude
cloth outer dark outside and aluminized inward
does not need mosquito nets
aluminized on the inside bowl
ground water table overcoatable wind and snow
small side vents condensation
double apse
duralumin poles
small size (height 120-130 cm)

The curtain goes for the higher-shaped igloo for its resistance to wind and weather in general. Very easy to assemble by one person even in the most adverse situations (tested and guaranteed).
My first tent was rather a “Canadian”-shaped house and was so great that we called “the circus tent”; weighed a ‘magnitude and mount must be at least two. After the assembly was a great comfort: it could hold 4 people with their baggage, but he was born as a tent so hard we could not think to take it apart and reassemble it often. Its cotton cloth was very thick and had to pass every year treatment with anti-silicone spray water and its structure was rigid with a very aerodynamic shape.
The tent igloo can overcome strong winds: think that a night in the mountains (alone) took a wind so strong it broke the branches of beech trees of 15 cm in diameter. I had the fiberglass tent poles that were bent and the whole tent was almost flat but every time the wind subsided for a moment, the blind regained its original shape. The morning I found an area of ??a pole but broke riparai with some duct tape around and came back like new. The replacement of the sectors is also very easy and since then I always carry a spare pair with me.
The duralumin poles, tents prerogative of high-level, is much more flexible and durable but also more expensive. I did a test with poles this: I bought a set of fiberglass and I have included within that of duralumin. Result: highly resistant and very flexible poles to the limit … unbelievable.
Very important is also keeping the rain in mm of water column.
Soon we will see how and where to pitch a tent, especially in extreme conditions.

2 Person Tent Reviews

The basis of reviews 2 person tent.
How to choose a tent with a wide range available there are now so many camping tents on the market that seems an almost impossible task to try to pick one. You might also want to visit some local stores to determine the pop-up tents on display. Once you’ve finished with this page, you ‘ll be able to find the best tend to fulfill all of your camping tents eureka special needs.

4 – season tents can also come in elegant lines, are usually a dark color to absorb heat better and are lighter. The 3 – Season over – against the 4 – Season.
Most campers still like the 3 – Season Tent because it makes a great family tent. The Guide tent will guide you through the myriad considerations when it comes to purchasing blinds and curtains open path in addition to driving tent. Thinking to learn more about the selection of the tent pole and how to use the poles of the tent? The cost is also referred to as an experienced camper you are.

How to choose family coverage your family camping tent will be your home. The rain can be diverted from tables and cooking areas and the same tent when the tent is equipped with a tent. The land: the flooring material must have a waterproof jacket polyurethane face wear. These come in a dizzying array of shapes, designs and sizes. The most common type of large tents used for family vacations are three seasons tents able to withstand light to moderate weather conditions in spring, summer and autumn. Fun modern tents can be camping cabin tents standing in five to ten minutes. Wonder what 3 – or 4-season – means the season? Tents kmart outdoor holidays happy!

2-person tent that review, we actually made two purchases tent, one for me and my wife and one for my two children.

Guide to purchase the best tent

Have you decided to spend holidays in tent now, or just for a picnic or fishing? Do you just … tent itself. Because it is good that it use a longer period of time, be careful when you choose to know that you gave money.
Each chooses the tent according to your needs – how large is the family, how many things they usually leave them to feel better, you or the car to move and where to put and tent will be who back him, etc. .. However, tents are on the market at this time are made of lightweight materials, not like the Polish tents used back in the days (for those who do not know Polish tents which weighed from 5 kg up!).
How many people?
Tents are designed to accommodate from one person to 5. But my advice is to choose a tent for a greater number of people even with a strict than you need. I mean, if you want a tent for you and your partner, do not take one of two people but three, and so on. That’s because more space is always welcome when you’re in the tent – you have to fit luggage and to have the place to go back, breathe, etc..

How many rooms?
Yes, you’ve seen better! I said rooms …
Tents are also divided.
Most have a single compartment but there are two rooms, separated by a wall of material.
You also have the option of purchasing a tent to have a special compartment at the entrance, before sleeping compartment, luggage or animals. If you have a dog you know that we often take on vacation, this type of tent is vaianta good, not to sleep with your pet to stand in a space that is generous.
There are tents where the waiting area is small – a multifunctional expansion, where you can keep part of the luggage, table and parasol, dishes, etc..
And there are tents that go straight, without any waiting area and are suitable if you know a restaurant to eat more and do not need your table, chairs, etc. with you, or if you car and you you some things there.
Again, choose according to your needs.

What tent?

Classical
You know traditional tents, which usually weigh more because they have more sticks, nails, etc.. Are supported by two or more sticks, one at the entrance, the other at the opposite end, or two forward and one back, depending on model. The advantage of these tents is that if you are for 2-3 people, are quite high, and some can even stand upright inside. If you do not have car but will be quite uncomfortable for you in them who train or back.

Igloo
The name tells you exactly how it looks. In recent years, these tents are preferred by most people because they are easier to install, can be moved without being dismantled completely, they weigh less, occupy less room and packed so tight. Habitat is not what is right so generous as the classic that is not really of how to stand in such a tent. Otherwise, all the advantages of the igloo’s are favorites of many.

Tunnel
This tent is somewhere in the middle, between the classical and igloo’s. The support of the tent is the type igloo principle – with some light poles, which support the arch and canvas tent – and space is generous for classical models, allowing you to stand.

What material?
The material of the tent is made of the most important elements that must be very careful. Do not want to rain on the tent and not die of heat or cold. Most tents have two layers of material – the actual canvas tent and a tarp to put over it that, in order to isolate the habitat.
The materials are made tents, tarpaulins, or at least mentioned, are polyester – resistant to sun, wind, rain, and some are even insulated. Give money (in addition), but do you know! …
Another aspect that is good to watch is ventilation, air will flow way through your tent. Ideal is to have small vents covered with mesh to you not from insects in the upper, entrance and at the opposite end. Also check the “door” your tent has a zipper that works and is backed by another “door”, identical but net. The two should be able to be used independently, so if very hot or quite simply want to see out of the tent, only to close the door post, leaving a close other.

ARB Simpson III Rooftop Tent

Since using such a tent, I thought I post some considerations on the advantages / disadvantages.

Advantages:
- Set-up very quickly. Not as fast as a Maggiolina but not last more than 1 minute. Basically it runs outside the protective cover, expands the scale, pulling it until it reaches the ground. From this moment, there are four fasteners tight inside and eventually mounted on the exterior support rods parasols. I say “possibly” because they are not really necessary unless it is very hot or you want to have a panoramic view!
- Comes with mattress type relax (it remains in the tent)
- Surface and volume very generous. Base (tent open) is 1,4 m / 2,4 m and height is 1.3 m. Locked is 1,4 / 1,2 / 0,4 m.
- Is well ventilated. Parasols generous help a lot when it’s sunny or rainy it is. It has windows on all 4 sides generously.
- Materials used are of highest quality – anodized aluminum frame (ARB vain to bar diameter greater than Simpson 2), double top sheet, high density ripstop. All potentially sensitive areas are reinforced.
- Condensation does not enter the water no matter how much rain
- Special plastic base (most manufacturers use prefabricated wood-based materials)
- Price – although it is one of the best rated, is among the cheapest (I compared prices on the net but all we found ofertelpe the exhibition from Bad Kissingen)
- When it raised only occupy half of the roof-rack if you LWB.
- Entrance is protected, the staircase is covered

Disadvantages:
- The tent is relatively difficult to collect (by comparison with time set-up)
- If the position is not properly made in selling top sheet makes much noise
- Difficult to use in cold areas. Scale from the opposite window and not close completely, the bottom side is covered only on the principle of gravity (cloth is held by a bar embedded with the role of counterweight). In other words, if the wind blows cold, it will come anyway. The solution would be to apply the hedgehog craft to achieve full closure
- Weight – about 60 kg