Guide for Guys: Family Camping Gear

May 27, 2010, By Steve Graham 1 comment

Family camping is different from those campouts you've had with the guys. You need more gear and more foresight for camping with your family. Fortunately, with the right gear, unplugging and bonding in the wilderness is likely to foster wonderful, lasting memories.

It may be tough to drag a 5-year-old (or even your wife) backpacking 10 miles into the woods, but it only takes a few minutes to get far enough from the parking lot that you can't see cars anymore. On the other hand, without a carload of backup supplies within arm's reach, you have to be especially well-prepared with light, high-quality gear to get you through any situation.

• Start with a good, family-size tent. At $450, the Sierra Designs Lightning XT 4 has plenty of room for four and is a better idea than splitting the family into two smaller tents. Younger campers may want the comfort of being with the rest of the family and you only have to worry about finding one flat spot and pitching one tent. The Sierra tent weighs 7 pounds, is easy to set up and is made of a see-through mesh with an optional rain fly, allowing for great ventilation and views while blocking bugs.
• Don't skimp on sleeping pads. If the sunshine doesn't wake you up at dawn, the kids will. You will have needed a good night's sleep free of rocks and stumps digging into your back. I swear by Big Agnes inflatable sleeping pads. They are well worth their $50 price tag, and barely take up any room in a backpack. Just spread a layer of pads across the tent and sleep in style.
• Make sure to keep everybody warm with several fast-drying layers. A couple of smart layers with a waterproof shell is more useful than a heavy parka — and more manageable, too.

Food and cooking gear is typically the heaviest part of a camping trip. Expect to take a second run to the car to get the food and stove while mom is getting everyone settled in. If you don't want to go the campfire route or they are not allowed, try the Coleman Instastart grill. It costs $80 and it's not exactly ultralight, but it lets you grill food for the crew. The other option is to teach the kids about minimalist leave-no-trace camping. Feed them jerky, fruit, granola bars, sandwiches and other cold food. Not everyone needs a campfire to have fun in the woods.

Minimalist camping also means leaving the gadgets at home. Instead of relying on a GPS, get some old-fashioned topographic maps and a compass, and teach the kids some orienteering (though you might need to give yourself a crash course first.) If you worry about entertaining the kids, pack a Frisbee or some plastic-coated cards.

Finally, make sure the kids all have lights after dark, and strap them to their heads so they don't lose them. Go with headlamps rather than flashlights. LED headlamps offer plenty of bright, long-lasting light from tiny bulbs. Black Diamond has a range of styles and sizes, including headlamps designed for kids.