We are taking the car and not planning on camping more than 100m from it. So... mattresses. We're also going to be doing about 2 weeks of camping in the summer... so... mattresses.
Even long-term camping, cots are ridiculous and tie you to being close to a place where a car dropped out off. Get a sleeping mat instead. ;^)
Sometimes, that's what you're looking for, or hell, you're the one with the car in the first place. Not every camp is a hike or a route march.
Yeah basically this. Though the only time I've really used cots is for scout summer camps which were in simple canvas tents with pallet bottoms. It was also a week long and you only have 1 camp site.For most things I'd probably not bother.
Most of what I've done (mostly scouts stuff) is single campsite for a weekend that's basically car accessible. I'm not sure I'd see the appeal of backpacking (where a cot would be the worst idea) for just a weekend even a long one . It seems like too much work for too little pay off. If I'm going to camp for just a weekend I'd rather not deal with making and breaking camp multiple times. I'd prefer to spend that time doing short hikes or hanging out.
I'm gearing up for our 6th Annual Mountain Man Jamboree at Branbury State Park in western Vermont in about six weeks.
It's my favorite camping spot: there are drive up campsites at the lake at the bottom of the mountain, then a half-mile up the trail there are some more campsites that overlook the lake, and we've camped there a few times, but then another mile up the trail is ANOTHER LAKE with some campsites around it and nothing else for miles around. Such an amazing spot; its right up there with PAX as one of my favorite weekends of the year.
My favorite kind of camping is backpacking/kayaking. Paddle to different points on a lake over the course of a week or so and camp at different spots. Gorp all day long.
Mattresses... When I was a kid and went camping at a drive-up place, we used air mattresses and it was terrible. If they weren't leaking they were touching the edge of the tent and getting wet or some other such inconvenience. Several camping experiences later, as far as sleeping arrangements go, a trusty ridgerest is all I need.
We have a kick-ass air mattress that holds up to even Pete's mighty destructive force. Haters.
I'm going to echo the "depends on the type of camping" people. We have a midsized nylon tent with large poles and a canvas tent that is supported by lumber poles. The canvas is for "pull up, unload, and go park the car somewhere" camping. The nylon is more portable, but not for long distances. If we were to go backpacking, we would be getting a small nylon with light, plastic flex poles. Likewise, we usually use our air mattress for stationary camping, but I also have a 3/4 length sleeping mat for backpacking.
Backpacking is minimalist camping. SCA camping is (often) maximalist camping. Use whatever equipment suits your purpose.
I have done stupid things like that. When I was a kid I wanted to know what my electric keyboard would sound like underwater. So naturally, I stuck it into my kiddie pool.
I'm just saying, don't blame the item for breaking when you use it in a way it's not supposed to be used.
My swag, when unrolled, fits neatly in the back of my van, so for any non-hiking trip where I have vehicle access, The Mighty Van pulls double duty as a tent. Bonus - I don't have to pack it up and put it in the car.
I've been camping. I don't like camping. I prefer staying in a hotel/motel/lodge near nature, exploring the nature during the day, then going back indoors for sleeping.
Last time I went camping my cardiovascular system freaked out due to dehydartion. All of my muschles cramped at the same time. At that point breathing was the most painful thing I've ever felt. Thankfully my buddy was there to half-carry me back to the truck and get some Gatorade.
A show on transhumanism sounds like a pretty good idea to me. Even if Scott doesn't have much to say about it directly, surely he's experienced enough science fiction to have an opinion on how to best incorporate it into media.
Growing up in the suburban American southeast, there was not much of a culture of summer camp. My summers were much more like what Rym described.
I actually really like having a cot if you're camping near your vehicle and you've got the room in it to carry them comfortably. If you're hiking in, then they're not remotely worth the effort. I don't like air mattresses. They work well for about three nights, then they begin to slowly leak air out over the night. Which means I wake up on the dreaded ground and have to question why I even bothered in the first place.
I think a show where Scott describes his problems with video games he wanted to play that turned out to be failures would be very amusing. He could categorize the failures into groups such as 'poor controls' , 'cliche story', 'poor story telling' etc..
However once he starts talking about crappy controls he better explain why they suck.
Comments
Most of what I've done (mostly scouts stuff) is single campsite for a weekend that's basically car accessible. I'm not sure I'd see the appeal of backpacking (where a cot would be the worst idea) for just a weekend even a long one . It seems like too much work for too little pay off. If I'm going to camp for just a weekend I'd rather not deal with making and breaking camp multiple times. I'd prefer to spend that time doing short hikes or hanging out.
It's my favorite camping spot: there are drive up campsites at the lake at the bottom of the mountain, then a half-mile up the trail there are some more campsites that overlook the lake, and we've camped there a few times, but then another mile up the trail is ANOTHER LAKE with some campsites around it and nothing else for miles around. Such an amazing spot; its right up there with PAX as one of my favorite weekends of the year.
Mattresses... When I was a kid and went camping at a drive-up place, we used air mattresses and it was terrible. If they weren't leaking they were touching the edge of the tent and getting wet or some other such inconvenience. Several camping experiences later, as far as sleeping arrangements go, a trusty ridgerest is all I need.
I'm going to echo the "depends on the type of camping" people. We have a midsized nylon tent with large poles and a canvas tent that is supported by lumber poles. The canvas is for "pull up, unload, and go park the car somewhere" camping. The nylon is more portable, but not for long distances. If we were to go backpacking, we would be getting a small nylon with light, plastic flex poles. Likewise, we usually use our air mattress for stationary camping, but I also have a 3/4 length sleeping mat for backpacking.
Backpacking is minimalist camping. SCA camping is (often) maximalist camping. Use whatever equipment suits your purpose.
I'm just saying, don't blame the item for breaking when you use it in a way it's not supposed to be used.
Growing up in the suburban American southeast, there was not much of a culture of summer camp. My summers were much more like what Rym described.
I actually really like having a cot if you're camping near your vehicle and you've got the room in it to carry them comfortably. If you're hiking in, then they're not remotely worth the effort. I don't like air mattresses. They work well for about three nights, then they begin to slowly leak air out over the night. Which means I wake up on the dreaded ground and have to question why I even bothered in the first place.
I always listen to it.
However once he starts talking about crappy controls he better explain why they suck.