Camping special: How to make a safe campfire, choose fuels and beginning Dutch oven equipment, pick a sleeping bag, build a camp latrine and get the right raingear

Camping special: How to make a safe campfire, choose fuels and beginning Dutch oven equipment, pick a sleeping bag, build a camp latrine and get the right raingear

SurvivalCommonSense.com

Update

April 31, 2013

For many of us, spring signifies the beginning of camping season. (Pantenburg photo)

Make a safe campfire

My idea of a good time is sitting around a campfire, chatting with friends and playing traditional and Bluegrass music on acoustic instruments.

But campfires are dangerous. Here is how to make a safe, probably free, campfire container out of a steel dryer basket.

Here is what we have in this special section:

The best fuel - propane or gas?
Dutch oven starter kit basics
How to choose a sleeping bag
Video: How to do number two in the woods
The best rain gear for you

I camp year round, as do many of my friends. But for most people, spring is when they get the idea that it's time to head for the wild places.

How comfortable you are, and how pleasant the experience, is will depend, in part, on your equipment.

In camping gear, you usually get what you pay for. But you don't need to spend a fortune aquiring the best, name-brand, high-tech equipment.

Here are some tips on choosing the best camping equipment that will work for your needs.

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Go camping! - Leon

The best fuel - propane or gas?

I can't make up my mind

which fuel is best - propane or gas. I have appliances, heaters and lanterns that use both types of fuel. And the time of year and circumstances dictate which fuel is more effective.

Here's how you can decide which is best for your camping needs.

Starter gear for Dutch oven cooking

Probably the most common question about Dutch oven cooking is: What do I need to get started? Here is a video and list of the Dutch oven gear I take to elk camp in October.

It is a bare-bones collection.

Start here, and add more stuff as you practice and get better at campfire cooking.

How to choose a sleeping bag

One of the things you don't want to have to improvise is a good sleeping bag. If you can't sleep at night because you're cold, the next day is guaranteed to be exhausting. Too light a bag can put you in danger of hypothermia. Too heavy a bag may be too hot for comfort and impractical for easy transport. Here's how to pick a good bag to meet your specific needs.

How to do Number Two in the woods

One of the most

intimidating aspects of the outdoors for novice campers or beginners is very basic: Where's the bathroom? If you're camping, or setting up a campsite, one of the first and most important tasks is to set up the latrine.
You need to take along some basic items and know where to set up the structure.

Here's how to make a camping latrine

Choose the best rain gear

It rains outside,

so carrying rain gear should be a no-brainer.

But what is the best rain suit for your needs? Or, is a rain suit the best choice for you?
Would you be better off with a poncho? Here's how you decide.

I never claimed to know everything!

But there are many experienced outdoors experts out there, and their knowledge should be passed along.

I am a veteran newspaper reporter, photographer and interviewer, and my goal is to make sure this vital survival information is available - free - to everybody.

Leon Pantenburg

I have decades of experience in backpacking, canoeing and just knocking around wilderness areas throughout the United States.(Check out my bio!)

I've also learned a lot from making mistakes and hope to pass on that knowledge to you and your family.

The content of SurvivalCommon Sense.com is reader-driven. Toward that end, there is a special email address: survivalcommonsense.com@gmail.com for specific survival-related questions.

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