Winter camping looking for a place to stay!  Campers know before you go camping

5 Holiday Gifts for the Camping Family

Each year I write a blog about holiday gifts for the camper and traveler.  This year I am basing my blog on you – the camping family.  Don’t worry, these items can still be used by the campers without kids.

Personal Washing Machine for the Campsite

My first item is a washing machine.  Yes, a washing machine.  If you are camping for a week or two, this is better than sliced bread.  I think someone was spinning their salad one day and said let’s make it bigger and wash the unmentionables or the kids’ clothes.  I wouldn’t try washing jeans, but one pair of shorts or a T-shirt at a time might work.  You can just sit it on the seat of the picnic table and keep the kids busy by cranking their laundry clean.  Make it fun by letting them crank once for each year they are or whatever you come up with.   Once it’s spun clean, rinse and then remove the water and spin it again, shake it out and hang on your clothes line, this will allow you to pack less for the family – a real bonus.

Igloo Trailmate Journey 70 qt Cooler, Carbonite

I think the cooler companies are toying with us.  Each year they come out with one that I think is the ultimate and then they do it again.  I like this one, but I think the coolers should come with pneumatic wheels and then they would truly be all-terrain wheels, but this IGLOO brand Trailmate boasts the ability to roll through sand, stones and more.  The price of coolers is also rising, so they all need to up their game if they want to stay in business. Check out walmart.ca for the cooler.

Hats, Hats, Hats

There is always a need for a hat.  No one can deny that, especially when camping.  We tend to be a little more stationary, so covering the head and neck is paramount.  Getting kids to wear hats is a game all in its own.  I have bought more hat types than most people do in a lifetime.  I have a toque (beanie) great for sleeping on cooler nights.  A baseball cap for those sunny walks, a big floppy hat for laying on the floatie and a large, brimmed straw hat for everything in between.  What should we look for in a hat?  A larger hat should have a pull cord to tighten, especially if it’s windy and be thick enough to block the sun and heat but remember straw hats do not have the ability to hold out much rain.  And make sure the brim of the hat keeps the sun off your ears – they can quickly get burned. There are also mosquito repellent hats.

Outbound Drinking Water Jug Hand Pump

What is the one thing common to all camping families?  Getting the children to drink water.  This has got to be one of my favorite items I own.  I take my 20-litre bottle in to the store to fill up to bring camping every trip.  Once at the campsite, I just sit it on my crate that I have emptied out – it’s at the perfect height for everyone.  I wrap a towel on it and use a clothes peg to keep it covered and out of the sun – it helps keep it cooler too.

Therm-a-Rest Compressible Pillow Cinch

I will admit it – I am a pillow snob.  To me, a good night’s sleep starts with a pillow.  I always hated bringing my home pillow camping, so I looked into options.  I have bought a few different ones over the years, and there was always something wrong – too hard, too fluffy, too flat but this was most appealing as it is so versatile for camping, road trips, air travel and anywhere else you want better rest.  If its too flat – cinch it a bit, want it harder – cinch it more.  Also, the best thing is for air travel, it compacts down to fit in my carry-on tote, and I hook a lanyard on it – no more dropped pillows on the plane because I hang it on my seat back. These pillows are available at cabelas.ca

I hope this gives you some inspiration for items for the camper in your life.

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Published: November 21st, 2024

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