Long trip tent camping essentials

[Iowajes]

We are going to try our first camping roadtrip this summer- 17 days, tenting all the nights. We'll be staying anywhere from 1 night to 5 nights per campsite.

Thus far I've only done 3-day and 5-day trip. What do I need to make sure I have to make sure this trip will go right? Any tips for food especially?

We won't have electricity, and will be camping in bear country, so everything has to be stored in the car each night. Apparently they don't even let you leave chairs out...

 

[2goofycampers]

Sounds like a great trip. It is gonna take alot of planning. First thing that came to my mind was military rations. Food you eat right out of a can/package. DH says cookies!

 

[peg110]

military rations

MRE's? (Meals Ready to Eat).
It's amazing how much non-military people love these things, but when they are your only (or at least main) source of food for a couple of days, you get very tired of them very quick. Of course I have heard they have gotten better since I had been in the Army back in the late 80's and early/mid 90's. Personally I preferred the C-Rations (even older) to the MREs, but hey... when you need food, I guess being fussy doesn't play to well in the equation.

If you are not looking for military rations, you can get the freeze dried food, but it's real expensive. If you have a "Dehyrdrator" you can make good use of that in advance and then store the stuff in vacuum seal bags (saves space and weight, but you then may want to re-hydrate them before use).

My other thought is also a Filter. Maybe because when I used to go camping (in younger years), it usually involved "Hiking" and stores with water bottles or water coolers weren't always available. A filter pump (for the Nalgene bottle or the Camelback) was a must. You can make the creek water safe to drink and in a pinch, (I speak from direct experience here) you can drink the water from the small puddle. (long story short, we were hiking, it was really hot, everyone was out of water, and we couldn't find a stream or other water source. Found a small puddle that seemed to have a small spring... It was dirty, but we made the puddle "Bigger" let it settle a bit and "Pumped" it clean through the filter!)

 

[Iowajes]

Thanks for the replies. This is really still cadillac camping, just no hookups; but I've never been anywhere that had electricity camping so I just specified this because even Tent sites that people post at the fort are usually filled with TVs/ACs and Heaters.

We will be able to go grocery shopping a few days, so likely will get meat a couple of times, but I think we will also have a small store of cans of chili, soup, and some boxes of mac and cheese for lazy days. Breakfast will likely be granola or just add water pancakes. I can't bring eggs from Iowa into Canada, so we'll only get them if we buy them there, but I'm worried about having to run out daily for ice, so I don't know how much we'd do that either. I really need to figure out meal ideas; but we are not doing backpacking food. We can even go out to eat a small amount, but won't be able to go to a sitdown restaurant because we have a dog, so only take out. Lunch seems to be the hardest meal to plan for, as that is when we usually do sandwiches and hot dogs, and I'm worried about storage on that.

The sites have potable water, but I have a 5 gallon fold flat jug that I take so I don't have to haul it much. I've added a mylar sheet under our sleeping pads to add some warmth as apparently it can be anywhere from just below freezing to 80+ degrees F during the time we are there (which makes planning really easy!)

I think I need to find basin-type things to wash dishes in. That's usually something we skip on short trips and just wipe off dishes until we get home.

I'm just trying to think of what I need on a long trip that I might not bring on a short one.

 

[Judique]

Thanks for the replies. This is really still cadillac camping, just no hookups; but I've never been anywhere that had electricity camping so I just specified this because even Tent sites that people post at the fort are usually filled with TVs/ACs and Heaters.

We will be able to go grocery shopping a few days, so likely will get meat a couple of times, but I think we will also have a small store of cans of chili, soup, and some boxes of mac and cheese for lazy days. Breakfast will likely be granola or just add water pancakes. I can't bring eggs from Iowa into Canada, so we'll only get them if we buy them there, but I'm worried about having to run out daily for ice, so I don't know how much we'd do that either. I really need to figure out meal ideas; but we are not doing backpacking food. We can even go out to eat a small amount, but won't be able to go to a sitdown restaurant because we have a dog, so only take out. Lunch seems to be the hardest meal to plan for, as that is when we usually do sandwiches and hot dogs, and I'm worried about storage on that.

The sites have potable water, but I have a 5 gallon fold flat jug that I take so I don't have to haul it much. I've added a mylar sheet under our sleeping pads to add some warmth as apparently it can be anywhere from just below freezing to 80+ degrees F during the time we are there (which makes planning really easy!)

I think I need to find basin-type things to wash dishes in. That's usually something we skip on short trips and just wipe off dishes until we get home.

I'm just trying to think of what I need on a long trip that I might not bring on a short one.

Don't forget the bug spray and/or the bug zapper and pots of bug candles -I can't remember the name right now!

If you are able to buy fresh farm eggs that have not yet been refrigerated, you can keep them without a fridge for a while. Or if you have a five day cooler it will work well.

You don't say what time of year or where in Canada. I would be very interested in your trip as we are going next summer in 2017 and may do some camping as well.

 

[Iowajes]

We are going to Alberta in July. 5 days in Lake Louise, 2 days in Jasper, 2 days in Kootenay.

Not sure what kind of food we can buy - we can't bring any poultry in from our state, so we'd have to buy that there. I'm not sure what the restrictions on other meats are. I think when I looked most fruits and vegetables were okay, but I need to check the restrictions before I go.

 

[peg110]

http://www.inspection.gc.ca/food/in...-into-canada-/eng/1389648337546/1389648516990

 

[Bianca and Bernard]

Some lunch ideas:

Couscous and instant rice are easy. add bouillon and dried veggiesl.
Tuna or salmon pouches are quick proteins; also, you can get peanut butter in single serving packets.
GORP is an easy staple for snacking.

My guys like to use foods from here: http://www.packitgourmet.com/Trail-Meals.html The Tuscan stew is amazing (we made one at home to try before purchasing a big order). Having their warmer bag is a must if you order. We also get just their dehydrated veggies and put them with ramen.

Jetboils are awesome at heating a cup of water quickly, for coffee or couscous or the trail meals I mentioned.

 

[chartle]

Laundry supplies unless you are bringing 17 days of undies.

 

[chartle]

Also what is your cooking situation, propane, Coleman fuel, open fire?

But ice in the cooler is going to be an issue. Starting out you can start with block ice but we have always had issues finding it once on the road.