Oshkosh camping list? (Planning for next year)

Looking for a recommended list of items to bring to OSH if one were to go
there to camp for four days.

All this excitement in this group year after year has taken its toll on me
so I am now in the beginning planning stages to fly there next year. My
thought is that if I begin to plan now (as in begin to buy the required
camping gear and schedule the time off), I will be ready come next July.

--
Peter

"Peter R." wrote in message
...
Looking for a recommended list of items to bring to OSH if one were to go
there to camp for four days.

All this excitement in this group year after year has taken its toll on me
so I am now in the beginning planning stages to fly there next year. My
thought is that if I begin to plan now (as in begin to buy the required
camping gear and schedule the time off), I will be ready come next July.

--
Peter



How much weight/cube do you have to work with?

Will this be a one time camping event, or do you think you'll use the gear
for multiple trips to OSH?

The place to start is a good tent. SWMBO and I use a 2 person tent I use
for backpacking. It has adequate room for sleeping and the vestibules allow
for the storage of a lot of stuff under cover. One day I may upsize to a
3-4 person tent just to get more elbow room.

Beyond that, you need to figure out if you like foam mattresses, self
inflating mattresses (my favorite), air mattresses, or cots under you. My
thoughts are that some foams absorb water, which can be a bad thing. Cots
are big, and my back doesn't like air mattresses.

You need camp chairs. Something that is portable but comfortable. And a
cooler.

No need for sleeping bags. I'm far more comfortable using our old sheets and
blankets to get a more controllable layered effect. Sleeping bags have three
settings - zipped up (hot), partially open (most of you is hot, a slice is
cool), and fully open (no cover at all)...

The places not to cut corners are the tent and your sleeping pad/mattress.
Get these two items right and you'll sleep in comfort. Get 'em wrong and
you won't sleep at all.

KB

"Kyle Boatright" wrote in message
. ..

snip

The places not to cut corners are the tent and your sleeping pad/mattress.
Get these two items right and you'll sleep in comfort. Get 'em wrong and
you won't sleep at all.

KB

One addendum: Make sure the tent has a full sized fly. That's the cover
that goes over the top of the tent. Ideally, the fly should either reach
the ground all the way around the tent, or at least come close. The
inexpensive tents you can buy at Wal-Mart frequently have a fly that is is
far too small and allows blowing rain to come in. It isn't any fun sitting
inside your tent getting rained on... ;-)

A second addendum: Aluminum tent poles are far superior to fiberglass.
First, they are usually sold with a better grade of tent and are sized
appropriately to keep the tent from leaning over too far in a windstorm.
Also, fiberglass poles seem to split a lot.

KB

Kyle Boatright wrote:

How much weight/cube do you have to work with?

Good question: I would fly a Bonanza V35 with perhaps one other person (an
aviation buddy, as the wife would not go), so there would be about 250
pounds of available luggage weight.

Will this be a one time camping event, or do you think you'll use the gear
for multiple trips to OSH?

Hopefully multiple.

Your suggestions are exactly the type I need. Thanks.

--
Peter

In article ,
"Kyle Boatright" wrote:

"Kyle Boatright" wrote in message
. ..

snip

The places not to cut corners are the tent and your sleeping pad/mattress.
Get these two items right and you'll sleep in comfort. Get 'em wrong and
you won't sleep at all.

KB

One addendum: Make sure the tent has a full sized fly. That's the cover
that goes over the top of the tent. Ideally, the fly should either reach
the ground all the way around the tent, or at least come close. The
inexpensive tents you can buy at Wal-Mart frequently have a fly that is is
far too small and allows blowing rain to come in. It isn't any fun sitting
inside your tent getting rained on... ;-)

A second addendum: Aluminum tent poles are far superior to fiberglass.
First, they are usually sold with a better grade of tent and are sized
appropriately to keep the tent from leaning over too far in a windstorm.
Also, fiberglass poles seem to split a lot.

Tents (ad adendum):
Replace the original tent stakes that come with the tent. Most tent pegs
are plastic or lightweight aluminum. Get 9- or 12-inch heavyweight
aluminum or steel tent pegs/stakes. Get double what the tent requires.
Also, purchase extra guy line. Once you get your tent set up as per the
directions, use the extra pegs and guys at each attach point on the rain
fly. Extra guy lines are the secret to secure the tent against strong
winds. And AirVenture usually has at least one storm during the week
with strong winds.

In article ,
"Peter R." wrote:

Looking for a recommended list of items to bring to OSH if one were to go
there to camp for four days.

All this excitement in this group year after year has taken its toll on me
so I am now in the beginning planning stages to fly there next year. My
thought is that if I begin to plan now (as in begin to buy the required
camping gear and schedule the time off), I will be ready come next July.

Will you be camping by yourself or with others?

This year I went by myself. The only things I used we
- two-man tent
- down comforter, lightweight
- fleece sleeping bag
- Thermorest sleeping pad
- cooler
- small backpack
- 3-liter Camelbak hydration bladder
- 1-liter Nalgene bottle

This year I bought all my meals off the airport. I spent less than $100
on food for the five days I was there.
I camp on the North Forty and have ready access to the off-airport
sources. If you are camping south of the N40, you will have to plan your
day to shop or bring everything with you. I have learned that I have
more room in the airplane going and coming if I only pack what I need
for camping and purchase the consumables when I get to AirVenture.

Camping with the family:

Camping equipment:
- two-man tent (1)
- three-man tent (1)
- fleece sleeping bags (4)
- lightweight down comforters (4)
- propane stove w/propane tank (1)
- 5-gallon stainless steel pot w/lid (1)
- Rubbermaid 2.5 gal dishpans (2)
- 12-inch skillet (1)
- cleaning scrubbers (2)
- fluorescent lanterns (2)
- collapsable table (1)
- collabsable chairs (4)
- synthetic chamois (4)

Remember, consumables can be purchased when you get there. Paper
napkins, plates and cups, plastic knife/fork/spoons, dish soap, aluminum
foil.

I shop for dinner at the Pick N Save grocery store every afternoon. I
cook on the grill just as I do at home. Chicken breasts, salmon, fillet
mingon, frozen vegetables, rolls, mashed potatos or rice. I get ice
every evening.

Renting a bicycle from Goodwill the last two years makes getting around
much easier, but I didn't lose any weight this year as I have in the
past from all the walking.

Personal Clothing:
- broad brimmed hat
- sunglasses
- raingear (jacket/pants)
- nylon hiking pants w/zip-off legs
- polyester t-shirt
- synthetic lightweight hiking socks
- lightweight trailrunning shoes
- fleece pullover/zip up jacket
- polyester boxer briefs
- cotton sleeping shorts
- cotton tshirt
- flip-flop shower shoes

This is all you need for one week. None of the synthetic clothing will
hold water. Take it in the shower with you and wash it when you get your
shower. Wring it out, hang it to dry. If damp, put it on, your body heat
will have it dry in a short time.

Peter R. wrote:
Looking for a recommended list of items to bring to OSH if one were to go
there to camp for four days.

We camp relatively light. Tent, air mattress, sleeping bags, towels
(and soap and whatever else you'll need for the showers), couple of
folding chairs, small apparatus for making coffee in the morning,
and a case of wine, four glasses and a corkscrew.

Peter R. wrote:
Looking for a recommended list of items to bring to OSH if one were to go
there to camp for four days.

All this excitement in this group year after year has taken its toll on me
so I am now in the beginning planning stages to fly there next year. My
thought is that if I begin to plan now (as in begin to buy the required
camping gear and schedule the time off), I will be ready come next July.

Oh, and a flashlight (with a lanyard or something) for heading to the
port-o-lets at night and a small battery powered light and fan combo.

"Peter R." wrote:

Looking for a recommended list of items to bring to OSH if one were to go
there to camp for four days.

A tent that you KNOW doesn't leak. Set it up in the back yard and wait for
rain if you have to, to be sure.

We had to cut our trip short this year because my buddy's hi-tech tent
couldn't manage to keep the rain out.

--
Dan
C172RG at BFM

There's been lots of good suggestions already posted. Depending on how much cooking you wish to do on-site versus eating at the on-site food areas (very expensive) or off site restaurants (only a few close, but still not inexpensive) you would want to probbaly bring a long a decent campstove and a small propane tank.

I also brought a small portable-style BBQ that provided for many meals, as well as a good propane lantern that provided evening lighting, and a "table in a bag" (fold up style) that although wasn't much bigger then a camp chair bag, provided alot of usefull off-the-ground workspace for cooking, gear, etc.

As for the tent, my opinion would differ on the aluminum poles versus fibreglass shock poles. During some of the winds we received this year (and I don't think there was any major storms we experienced compared to what I've read about years past) I'm not sure that an aluminum frame tent would survive.

I think that some amount of "give" in the tent is better then it holding-fast and then permanently bending. Aluminum poles don't bend untill its too late.

I did hear about a few people who had their tents get destroyed this year in a few of the storms we *did* receive...and although ours (shock-pole style) did alot of bending and torquing in the winds, it simply popped back into shape when the gusts passed, and survived it all...and we stayed dry just fine.

And I wholeheartedly agree that you need to do a thorough waterproof test ahead of time on the tent. We did get some hefty rainstorms and although ours stayed dry (I tested it at home to ensure it was good) others did not fare so well based on the campground chatter I heard after a night of rain.

I ended up bringing along alot of extra gear that I wouldn't bring again as it was either unused, or we could have just as easilly done without. Unfortunately this was my first time at Oshkosh and I came into the experience rather unexpecting of what would be usefull, and what would not be.

--
Mark
http://www.oshawapilot.ca
RPASEL, Canada