| We have all seen great lists of camping essentials, but | | | | driftwood or a large chunk someone else had and |
| in our opinion there are five items you absolutely should | | | | couldn't cut up. The axe will split large pieces. The |
| not do without. | | | | hatchet cuts the larger pieces down to size. The saw |
| Your camping trip sometimes may end up being a total | | | | can be used to salvage long pieces. My saw was a |
| write-off for the simplest reason. That's because we | | | | Sandvik saw with a 12 inch blade. It had very sharp |
| don't get to do it very often. The average camper | | | | large teeth that cut through small logs easily. It never |
| may get to spend 15 or 20 days per year sleeping out | | | | dulled. |
| in the great outdoors. Judging by the many | | | | Fire sticks and fire paste. Both are very effective but |
| accessories in today's RV's, roughing it may not mean | | | | one or the other will do. Excellent camping essentials. If |
| the same as it did years ago. | | | | you want to be able to start a campfire every single |
| As a couple who have had a great many nights under | | | | time, these products will do the job. We have never |
| the stars we have compiled a short list of five items | | | | had a failure. They are very inexpensive. A package |
| we would not leave home without. Your list may differ | | | | of 12 sticks will last the entire summer. Prepare the fire |
| from ours but that's human nature. | | | | with tiers of kindling and a few pieces of larger wood. |
| Our five most important camping items. | | | | Cut a one inch piece of fire stick. Slip it under the |
| A large tarpaulin with plenty of rope. We camped on | | | | kindling and light it. It will burn until the fire is blazing. |
| the west coast of British Columbia, as well as many | | | | Propane camp stove with an eight pound tank. Two or |
| years on Cape Breton Island in Nova Scotia. In these | | | | three burner. Both are excellent. We wore out two, |
| two areas it rains plenty. On the east coast we simply | | | | white gas stoves over the years. The kind you pump |
| put up with the rain. On those days we put up with it | | | | up to use. The fuel is simply called Camp-stove fuel. |
| or went home. The ground would get wet. Everyone | | | | They were a bother. They could be dangerous. The |
| was bored while trapped inside the tent. Not until we | | | | propane stove is much superior product. We suggest |
| camped in British Columbia did we learn what to do. | | | | the eight pound tank as it is very cheap to fill at the |
| Our first spring weekend trip took us to a beautiful BC | | | | local service station, will last hundreds of hours, and is |
| Provincial park. The couple next door to our site had a | | | | easy on the landfill. Carry a one pound canister just in |
| huge tarpaulin set up and lashed to the trees. Two | | | | case you run out with the eight pound tank. |
| extension poles raised the center up high. It covered | | | | Last but not least. Check your equipment. One year |
| the entire site. It rained that night. Next morning they | | | | we opened up our large tent during our first trip of the |
| had a campfire going and ate breakfast under the | | | | year only to discover the entire upper corner had been |
| tarp. Their site was perfectly dry. Definite high on our | | | | torn up and used as nesting material by squirrels during |
| list of camping essentials. | | | | the winter. That trip was ruined. Check your stove, gas |
| An axe, a hatchet and a small bucksaw. Very | | | | container, lamps, flashlights, tents and RV's. Leave |
| important tools. You purchase a bundle of firewood. It's | | | | nothing unchecked and you will enjoy a great camping |
| either too large to burn, or too small and burns quickly. | | | | season with your camping essentials. |
| You may need to find a dead tree, a piece of | | | | |