How to buy camping equipment.

Without any question, camping equipment is one of my very favorite things about camping. Nothing makes me happier than to head off to my favorite outfitter and spend a "whack" of money on my favorite gear. It's taken me a while to collect everything but I've finally got most of the stuff I need, that is, at least two of everything.

As I've stated in other sections of this site, I think camping gear is something that is worth spending some money on and I think also that you should buy your stuff from a camping outfitter and preferably not some department store clerk. There are a couple of reasons for this.

First of all you tend to get what you pay for. You could buy a cheap sleeping bag at Wal-Mart and it'll work fine for the mostpart, but in the end it's going to be big and hard to pack, hard to carry, it maybe won't dry as easily and won't last as long in general. When you buy from a specialty store you're paying more for what you buy, but when you figure in the life expectancy, the extra room created for packing, the quick drying aspect or even the fact that the bag may actually still keep you a little warm when it's wet help make up for the difference in price.

Another reason to spend money on camping gear is because you get stuff that is designed to be packed efficiently. Stoves and lanterns and coffee presses are quite a bit smaller when bought from an outfitter. For example, I have a couple of camp stoves. One is a Coleman, one is a Markill. The coleman is good if I'm taking my kids out for a camp maybe using the car as a base. It has two burners, it's the better part of a couple of feet long and it requires a fairly large propane bottle. My Markill stove on the other hand fits in my front pant pocket, has a piezo igniter, requires a much smaller can of fuel and burns hotter. It's only one burner but I can just use another one if I need two, it fits in my pocket after all.

I understand the temptation to try to save money when buying camping equipment. It's not cheap and you work hard for you money. I guess what I'm trying to say is that by spending more money now you'll be spending less money later.

I can remember heading to my favorite outfitter a few years ago. A few friends and I were planning a four day getaway and I was excited to get some new camping equipment for the upcoming trip. Well I bought a new tent and backpack, waterfilter, sleeping pad, and a bunch of other stuff. It cast me the better part of $1000, because I believe in spending the money. I use my camping equipment as it's meant to be used and I use it a fair bit. All the stuff I bought then is still in very good shape and holding up well.

I had bought some things from a department store to help introduce my kids to camping. I wish now I had spent the money on good stuff because in the end I'm buying the same gear twice, a cheap version, and finally a good version when the cheap version breaks.

Now I'm a fairly hardcore paddling, hiking, back country type of camper and not so much a family campground type of camper. When you're buying camping equipment for yourself you need to assess what level of camping you want to experience and buy your gear accordingly. I 'm the type of guy that knows when I spend $1000 on camping equipment, I'm going to get many years of enjoyment out of it. If you're the type of person that knows you're following an urge to see the great outdoors and escape civilization then chances are you should be spending the money too. You know already that you will use it as long as you can.

I have several tents,sleeping bags, sleeping pads, candle lanterns, headlamps, whatever camping equipment that I think is important, I own more than one. If you're anything like me I'm sure you're going to find yourself drawn to the outfitter stores, looking in the windows even as you drive by. Don't sit and wonder whether or not you should buy there, do it. You'll be glad you did because you now have camping equipment that works like it's supposed to and will continue to work for years to come.

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