Tent maintenance has as much to do with your state of mind as anything else.If you buy a really nice high quality tent and take care of it, It will last you a lifetime and you can pass it down to your grandyung'uns. If your state of mind objects to that, you can buy a really cheap tent and throw it away after your trip and buy another really cheap tent next time. You will enjoy your camping experience much, much more with the really nice tent.
Let's look at what's involved in taking care of your really nice tent. After spending some cash for a really nice tent, spend just a tad more and get a footprint for it. That's sorta like a second floor or a floor to protect the floor. The idea is that the footprint will sacrifice itself so that you don't damage your really nice tent. A footprint is not an expensive item to replace. A really nice tent is expensive to replace.
The first thing to do with your camping tent is to set it up an examine all the pieces. Make sure you have all the tent stakes and plenty of line. You will want extra of both these items. Do not store your tent in a hot attic. Long term heat will break down the best of tents. So will moisture, dirt, debris, and UV. Creepy crawlers and critters can ruin your tent while in storage, so take precautions. Stored properly, your tent should be in excellent condition for your next excursion. Just to be sure, set it up and check it out a couple of days before the next use.
Always set your tent up on flat, smooth ground, free of rocks, roots, or any thing that could possibly damage the floor. You'll be a lot more comfortable too. Look up as well as down. Falling limbs can ruin your whole day. Sap is not as disastrous, but it is hard to remove and can wreak havoc with the fabric if ignored.
While set up in your flat smooth ideal camping spot, free of all hazards, be sure to keep debris out of the tent. Leave boots or shoes outside. Be sure to check footwear for visitors when putting them back on. A whisk broom and small dust pan come in handy at this stage. A hand held vac is a good supplement to the broom, especially if you have one of the tents with electrical outlets. Keep seam seal and a waterproofing spray handy in case you notice any seepage or leakage.
Pay close attention to the zippers as these are easily fouled. Clean it thoroughly with a small brush and then lubricate it with bar soap or candle wax.
It is not always practical or even possible to break camp with a dry tent, but just as soon as possible upon your return home you should address the problem of drying your tent. If you store it wet, dealers such as camp-in-tents.com will be glad to see you when you next open it up.
This may seem like an awful lot of fuss to keep up a tent, but it is easier done than written about. If you are just lazy like I am, consider inviting a friend along who has a serious obsessive compulsive disorder. You'll have an immaculate tent and probably get a car wash too.
As long as I'm giving advice for the lazy, let me reccommend one of the tents that you back your car or SUV into. Leave all your stuff in the vehicle and use the tent just for sleeping or lounging. With all your stuff in the vehicle you have plenty of room for a nice comfy air mattress. When you get ready to leave everything is still loaded. You just shove the tent in on top of everything else and go!
Wednesday, December 23, 2009
Thursday, November 19, 2009
Kid's Ghillie Suit- Tis The Season to Seize One
Kid's ghillie suits never really go out of season, but the weeks leading up to Halloween and the weeks leading up to Christmas clearly demonstrate the popularity of these suits. They are a big item for Halloween because they are a great scary outfit all by themselves or they lend themselves well to the more creative yung'uns that seem to be able to make them even scarier. Kids haven't gone into wearing them on the party scene, like "adults", but then I don't reckon kids do that much of the party scene yet.
After Halloween there is a lull before Mom realizes Christmas is coming and her little darling has been begging for a ghillie suit and he won’t be her "little" darling much longer. I keep referring to the kids as "he" but the "she’s" have a lot of fun with them because no one can tell that it's a "he" or a "she" once they put on a ghillie suit. Christmas is definitely the peak kid’s ghillie suit season. As it gets closer and closer to the day, more and more Moms learn that last minute shopping is not the way to go on popular items.
The kid's ghillie suits never really go out of season, it’s just that sometimes they are more in demand than others. Hunters get theirs right before hunting season and paintballers start getting theirs in the late spring. Kids get theirs all year long. They are great for birthdays and any occasion that calls for a gift that never fails to please. They make good rewards for good behavior or good bribes to get good behavior.
While it’s a good thing to get kids the things they've been asking for when they deserve them, I think it's an even better thing to get them something you are pretty sure they will like for no other reason than you love them.
After Halloween there is a lull before Mom realizes Christmas is coming and her little darling has been begging for a ghillie suit and he won’t be her "little" darling much longer. I keep referring to the kids as "he" but the "she’s" have a lot of fun with them because no one can tell that it's a "he" or a "she" once they put on a ghillie suit. Christmas is definitely the peak kid’s ghillie suit season. As it gets closer and closer to the day, more and more Moms learn that last minute shopping is not the way to go on popular items.
The kid's ghillie suits never really go out of season, it’s just that sometimes they are more in demand than others. Hunters get theirs right before hunting season and paintballers start getting theirs in the late spring. Kids get theirs all year long. They are great for birthdays and any occasion that calls for a gift that never fails to please. They make good rewards for good behavior or good bribes to get good behavior.
While it’s a good thing to get kids the things they've been asking for when they deserve them, I think it's an even better thing to get them something you are pretty sure they will like for no other reason than you love them.
Thursday, November 12, 2009
Are You a Collector Collecting Collectibles?
Anything that exists is fair game for collectors. It seems everyone collects something. For some of us that is debt. The best known items for collecting are stamps and coins. Both are interesting and readily available to all, but the really great stuff is too expensive for us worker bees.
Collecting is at least as old as mankind and probably predates us. Among collectors there is a distinction between collecting the really old (antiques) and the not so old (collectibles). While it seems to me that anything one collects would be a “collectible”, those who collect antiques feel the need to be separated from the great unwashed. That’s OK by me though I do wash regularly.
Anything that attracts your interest is a good candidate for collecting. Porcelain figurines are a very popular area of interest. Most people get very specific with their figurines. They choose all angels, or dragons, or fairies, or whatever. Unlike stamps and coins, the best collectible figurines are not confined to the most expensive. Sometimes a majority of a collection may be porcelain, but enhanced by other things. I once knew a lady who collected owls. Many of the owls were porcelain, but many others were of other materials such as wood, fabric, different metals, and some pictures. It just had to be an owl to qualify.
I have over the years collected some things other than dust and debt such as glass insulators, chess sets, and for a while, rocks. Not gemstones mind you. Rocks. These were all brief interests. I'm like an old hound. My attention is focused until the next rabbit runs.
Collectibles generally need to be either pretty, unusual, or have some historical significance. Pretty usually attracts the female collectors, historical to the males, and unusual grabs everyone, with overlaps in all categories. There of course, are other reasons for collecting and in some cases, no apparent reason at all. If asked, you may not be able to answer why you collect whatever it is that you collect. At any rate, the only criticism you have to listen to is your own.
Most people are collectors without being aware of it. If you should take note and realize that you have a lot of snuff boxes laying around that just seemed to accumulate, then you are in fact a snuff box collector whether you ever dipped snuff or not. Now you need to organize. Catalog each item and document every single fact you have, no matter how insignificant it seems. You may or may not be interested in the value of your collection, but over time, if you have really good documentation, your progeny may actually do something with your "stuff" other than dunping it.
Some people plan their collections in that they research the item before deciding to collect or not. These people are concerned with the collection as an investment. This is a risky business as collections of anything are only worth what someone is willing to pay. Beware of publications listing prices of collections. They can be disastrously misleading. Once you find yourself collecting something though, cataloging and researching each item will enhance not only the value of the collection but your pleasure as well.
Collections are not limited to tangible, inanimate objects. Many people collect fish, birds, dogs, cats, and other living things. Others collect intangibles such as travels, memories, sightings, and such. The intangibles would be hard pressed to be collections without documentation. While these collections have no monetary value, their worth cannot be measured by those doing the collecting.
There is a wealth of information on collecting on the internet. Much of it is general in nature, but with diligent searching, one can find information on collecting the specific of their choice. A starting point for your search is http://www.uniquegiftsandfigurines.com/
Collecting is at least as old as mankind and probably predates us. Among collectors there is a distinction between collecting the really old (antiques) and the not so old (collectibles). While it seems to me that anything one collects would be a “collectible”, those who collect antiques feel the need to be separated from the great unwashed. That’s OK by me though I do wash regularly.
Anything that attracts your interest is a good candidate for collecting. Porcelain figurines are a very popular area of interest. Most people get very specific with their figurines. They choose all angels, or dragons, or fairies, or whatever. Unlike stamps and coins, the best collectible figurines are not confined to the most expensive. Sometimes a majority of a collection may be porcelain, but enhanced by other things. I once knew a lady who collected owls. Many of the owls were porcelain, but many others were of other materials such as wood, fabric, different metals, and some pictures. It just had to be an owl to qualify.
I have over the years collected some things other than dust and debt such as glass insulators, chess sets, and for a while, rocks. Not gemstones mind you. Rocks. These were all brief interests. I'm like an old hound. My attention is focused until the next rabbit runs.
Collectibles generally need to be either pretty, unusual, or have some historical significance. Pretty usually attracts the female collectors, historical to the males, and unusual grabs everyone, with overlaps in all categories. There of course, are other reasons for collecting and in some cases, no apparent reason at all. If asked, you may not be able to answer why you collect whatever it is that you collect. At any rate, the only criticism you have to listen to is your own.
Most people are collectors without being aware of it. If you should take note and realize that you have a lot of snuff boxes laying around that just seemed to accumulate, then you are in fact a snuff box collector whether you ever dipped snuff or not. Now you need to organize. Catalog each item and document every single fact you have, no matter how insignificant it seems. You may or may not be interested in the value of your collection, but over time, if you have really good documentation, your progeny may actually do something with your "stuff" other than dunping it.
Some people plan their collections in that they research the item before deciding to collect or not. These people are concerned with the collection as an investment. This is a risky business as collections of anything are only worth what someone is willing to pay. Beware of publications listing prices of collections. They can be disastrously misleading. Once you find yourself collecting something though, cataloging and researching each item will enhance not only the value of the collection but your pleasure as well.
Collections are not limited to tangible, inanimate objects. Many people collect fish, birds, dogs, cats, and other living things. Others collect intangibles such as travels, memories, sightings, and such. The intangibles would be hard pressed to be collections without documentation. While these collections have no monetary value, their worth cannot be measured by those doing the collecting.
There is a wealth of information on collecting on the internet. Much of it is general in nature, but with diligent searching, one can find information on collecting the specific of their choice. A starting point for your search is http://www.uniquegiftsandfigurines.com/
Saturday, October 31, 2009
The Details of Ghillie Suits and Shadows
Anyone can put on a ghillie suit and do a fair job of concealment. Those who pay attention to detail will do a much better job of concealment. You will find that as you pay more attention to detail, a lot more detail appears that needs attention.
The first detail to pay attention to is your ghillie suit itself. It may look great just hanging there empty, but when you insert your body into it, things get distorted and gaps may appear. Make good use of a full length mirror and a good friend to find places that need a little help. Keep some extra thread on hand and fill these places with thread or leaves or rags or whatever is called for. The improvement of your suit should be an ongoing affair. Bulk it up over time by adding more thread and in colors that will enhance its effectiveness.
Once you are semi-satisfied with how it looks in the mirror, take it outside along with the aforementioned friend and a video camera. You can see your shortcomings on the video as you and said friend talk about it over beer and nachos. These tactics will most likely be scoffed at by the hard-core military types since they have been trained to do all this on the fly under somewhat trying conditions. Lesser mortals may take their time and have their friends critique their progress over beer and nachos.
In the field, remember you are trying to imitate a bush. You have to overcome the fact that even with a ghillie suit on, you have protrusions that scream to the world that you are a fearsome two-legged beast. Some ghillie suits are made in one piece that covers from head to feet and therefore conceals your two-leggedness. Other suits are jacket and pants sets and you will have to take the advice your Mother gave your sister. Keep your legs together.
The problem of the head sticking up out of the bush is easily overcome by vegging out the area between the top of your head and the outside of the shoulders.
Another little detail is the shine from your smiling face. Frowning doesn't help. It still shines. Facepaint and a veil should stop that little worry. Don't forget the hands at this point.
There are two schools of thought on movement. I will point them out and leave them for beer and nacho discussions. One thought suggests that you imitate the movements of the big cats on a stalk. Quick, short moves with total stillness in between. Another says to imitate the movements of the sloth. Slow, fluid, and continuous. I suggest experimenting and using what works best for you.
One detail you should never forget and be creative in finding answers for. Peter Pan may have lost his shadow, but you are not going to be able to do that. Just be aware that it is always there and learn to work with it. Whenever possible, merge your shadow with another.
All the while ask yourself if you are blending in. Are you the only "green" bush in an area full of brown bushes?
The color doesn't matter for hunters, but paintballers and other war game folks should pay heed.
Choose your ghillie suit according to the activity you have planned for it. A paintballer is going to need a lot more mobility than a hunter under most circumstances. While a full body poncho is great for a still hunt, it might be overly restrictive to a hyperactive paintball warrior. The warriors will need a jacket and pants set or in some cases, a head and shoulders poncho.
The more you put into your suit, the more you'll get out of it.
The first detail to pay attention to is your ghillie suit itself. It may look great just hanging there empty, but when you insert your body into it, things get distorted and gaps may appear. Make good use of a full length mirror and a good friend to find places that need a little help. Keep some extra thread on hand and fill these places with thread or leaves or rags or whatever is called for. The improvement of your suit should be an ongoing affair. Bulk it up over time by adding more thread and in colors that will enhance its effectiveness.
Once you are semi-satisfied with how it looks in the mirror, take it outside along with the aforementioned friend and a video camera. You can see your shortcomings on the video as you and said friend talk about it over beer and nachos. These tactics will most likely be scoffed at by the hard-core military types since they have been trained to do all this on the fly under somewhat trying conditions. Lesser mortals may take their time and have their friends critique their progress over beer and nachos.
In the field, remember you are trying to imitate a bush. You have to overcome the fact that even with a ghillie suit on, you have protrusions that scream to the world that you are a fearsome two-legged beast. Some ghillie suits are made in one piece that covers from head to feet and therefore conceals your two-leggedness. Other suits are jacket and pants sets and you will have to take the advice your Mother gave your sister. Keep your legs together.
The problem of the head sticking up out of the bush is easily overcome by vegging out the area between the top of your head and the outside of the shoulders.
Another little detail is the shine from your smiling face. Frowning doesn't help. It still shines. Facepaint and a veil should stop that little worry. Don't forget the hands at this point.
There are two schools of thought on movement. I will point them out and leave them for beer and nacho discussions. One thought suggests that you imitate the movements of the big cats on a stalk. Quick, short moves with total stillness in between. Another says to imitate the movements of the sloth. Slow, fluid, and continuous. I suggest experimenting and using what works best for you.
One detail you should never forget and be creative in finding answers for. Peter Pan may have lost his shadow, but you are not going to be able to do that. Just be aware that it is always there and learn to work with it. Whenever possible, merge your shadow with another.
All the while ask yourself if you are blending in. Are you the only "green" bush in an area full of brown bushes?
The color doesn't matter for hunters, but paintballers and other war game folks should pay heed.
Choose your ghillie suit according to the activity you have planned for it. A paintballer is going to need a lot more mobility than a hunter under most circumstances. While a full body poncho is great for a still hunt, it might be overly restrictive to a hyperactive paintball warrior. The warriors will need a jacket and pants set or in some cases, a head and shoulders poncho.
The more you put into your suit, the more you'll get out of it.
Wednesday, October 21, 2009
The Rest of the Ghillies and Stuff
This is the 6Th and final episode in a series of 6 episodes in which I describe and discuss the virtues of the more popular ghillie suits. In this episode we'll talk about the ghillie suits and accessories that I have not covered, but are every bit as good as the ones I have covered. The
first 5 were the ones in most demand.
There are a lot of jacket and pants sets in jute as well as synthetics offered as separate pieces.
Ghillie ponchos are available in all the usual colors;woodland,mossy,leafy,desert, and snow white.
For those who are concerned about mobility and less concerned about total camouflage, there are several different head and shoulder ghillies. There is a ghillie to cover your back pack and a ghillie blanket to cover most anything.
If you had rather do your hunting or whatever from behind a blind, Ghillie blinds and frames can be had in woodland, mossy, leafy, or desert. Plenty of room inside for a picnic or a card game.
Don't forget the smaller pieces, such as rifle or gear wraps, face veils, and Boonie hoods. To finish off your camouflage you'll need some face paint(green or brown), scent neutralizer, and camouflage colored golf balls. How would that go over at the country club?
And let's not forget the kits that come complete with instructions for building your own ghillie suit.
If you can't find exactly what you want, let your needs be known. Consider a custom built suit. We're always going to try to accommodate you at http://www.ghilliesandstuff.com/
first 5 were the ones in most demand.
There are a lot of jacket and pants sets in jute as well as synthetics offered as separate pieces.
Ghillie ponchos are available in all the usual colors;woodland,mossy,leafy,desert, and snow white.
For those who are concerned about mobility and less concerned about total camouflage, there are several different head and shoulder ghillies. There is a ghillie to cover your back pack and a ghillie blanket to cover most anything.
If you had rather do your hunting or whatever from behind a blind, Ghillie blinds and frames can be had in woodland, mossy, leafy, or desert. Plenty of room inside for a picnic or a card game.
Don't forget the smaller pieces, such as rifle or gear wraps, face veils, and Boonie hoods. To finish off your camouflage you'll need some face paint(green or brown), scent neutralizer, and camouflage colored golf balls. How would that go over at the country club?
And let's not forget the kits that come complete with instructions for building your own ghillie suit.
If you can't find exactly what you want, let your needs be known. Consider a custom built suit. We're always going to try to accommodate you at http://www.ghilliesandstuff.com/
Tuesday, October 13, 2009
The Kids Ghillie Suits
This is the fifth in a series of 6 episodes in which I describe and discuss the virtues of the more popular ghillie suits. In this episode we'll talk about the Kid's Ghillie Suit.
There is no other ghillie suit out there that brings as much pleasure, excitement, plain fun, or which fulfills dreams as much as the kid's ghillie suit. That probably has more to do with the recipient than it does with the suit.
Young boys have always played at war or games of conflict of one sort or another. They also always had their camouflage to go along with that play. The kid's ghillie suit came available and brought to those boys a "real" ghillie suit. Though home made camouflage is every bit as effective and sometimes better, in a boys mind it isn't the "real" thing.
The first kid's ghillie suit was your basic ghillie built on a mesh base and included the pull-over top, pants, a hood, and a rifle wrap. It was available in woodland and desert patterns and one size with drawstrings so that it would fit most any young hunter out there.
There are others now and as you would expect, improvements such as a zippered jacket, and a more expensive version with a liner. Actually, most of the ghillie suits available would work nicely for kids if you got the smaller size, but most are probably cost-prohibitive for a kid's suit.
In 2008 everyone ran out of kid's ghillie suits, but this year there are 2 sources instead of one. The original from BushRag is still available. We also have one from the nebulous "Stealthsuit".
Get your "kid" a kids ghillie suit from http://www.ghilliesandstuff.com/ while he is still a kid. Next year may be too late.
There is no other ghillie suit out there that brings as much pleasure, excitement, plain fun, or which fulfills dreams as much as the kid's ghillie suit. That probably has more to do with the recipient than it does with the suit.
Young boys have always played at war or games of conflict of one sort or another. They also always had their camouflage to go along with that play. The kid's ghillie suit came available and brought to those boys a "real" ghillie suit. Though home made camouflage is every bit as effective and sometimes better, in a boys mind it isn't the "real" thing.
The first kid's ghillie suit was your basic ghillie built on a mesh base and included the pull-over top, pants, a hood, and a rifle wrap. It was available in woodland and desert patterns and one size with drawstrings so that it would fit most any young hunter out there.
There are others now and as you would expect, improvements such as a zippered jacket, and a more expensive version with a liner. Actually, most of the ghillie suits available would work nicely for kids if you got the smaller size, but most are probably cost-prohibitive for a kid's suit.
In 2008 everyone ran out of kid's ghillie suits, but this year there are 2 sources instead of one. The original from BushRag is still available. We also have one from the nebulous "Stealthsuit".
Get your "kid" a kids ghillie suit from http://www.ghilliesandstuff.com/ while he is still a kid. Next year may be too late.
Friday, October 2, 2009
The Grandaddy of Modern Ghillie Suits-GhillieFlage
This is the fourth in a series of 6 episodes in which I describe and discuss the virtues of the more popular ghillie suits. In this episode we'll talk about the grandaddy of modern ghillie suits; The Ghillie Flage.
This suit like most ghillie suits is built on a mesh netting, but this one is the first we've talked about that is made from jute. Jute is an organic fiber second in popularity for all uses, only to cotton. It seemed odd to me that cotton bales used to be wrapped in burlap which is made from jute. Since jute has to be shipped from India, that is testimony to how much cheaper burlap is than cotton. Most people probably are familiar with burlap in its most common use; the "toe sack" used for storing and carrying a variety of goods such as potatoes and other vegetables.
Earlier jute suits were made by "unweaving" the burlap to get the thread necessary to tie to the mesh.These threads in turn had to be dyed to the desired colors. A laborious task.
Jute suits are flammable and as such must be treated with a fire retardant. The Ghillie Flage comes pre-treated and with an extra bag of fire retardant powder. It comes with ample extra thread for those who wish to further customize their suit.
When dressing in this suit as with any mesh lined suit, it is advisable to cover your hands with plastic bags to keep your fingers from hanging on the mesh.
The sleeves have drawstrings and cord locks to secure them to your wrists. This suit has a split up each side to make moving about easy.
This is a great suit for still hunting or stalking. For those concerned about such things ,jute is biodegradable. If you should take it off and abandon it in the woods somewhere, it won't be there forever, and GhilliesandStuff.com will be ready to sell you another one.
This suit like most ghillie suits is built on a mesh netting, but this one is the first we've talked about that is made from jute. Jute is an organic fiber second in popularity for all uses, only to cotton. It seemed odd to me that cotton bales used to be wrapped in burlap which is made from jute. Since jute has to be shipped from India, that is testimony to how much cheaper burlap is than cotton. Most people probably are familiar with burlap in its most common use; the "toe sack" used for storing and carrying a variety of goods such as potatoes and other vegetables.
Earlier jute suits were made by "unweaving" the burlap to get the thread necessary to tie to the mesh.These threads in turn had to be dyed to the desired colors. A laborious task.
Jute suits are flammable and as such must be treated with a fire retardant. The Ghillie Flage comes pre-treated and with an extra bag of fire retardant powder. It comes with ample extra thread for those who wish to further customize their suit.
When dressing in this suit as with any mesh lined suit, it is advisable to cover your hands with plastic bags to keep your fingers from hanging on the mesh.
The sleeves have drawstrings and cord locks to secure them to your wrists. This suit has a split up each side to make moving about easy.
This is a great suit for still hunting or stalking. For those concerned about such things ,jute is biodegradable. If you should take it off and abandon it in the woods somewhere, it won't be there forever, and GhilliesandStuff.com will be ready to sell you another one.
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