Camping

Jesus Wept

Treadhead wrote: »

Festivals are most definitely not camping! They're an endurance test at best. Been there, done that, had my head wrecked...

Can't beat a nice night out up in the mountains with a fire, a couple of friends and maybe a wee drop of whiskey... Of late I don't even bother bringing the tent. A tarp and a nice warm (waterproof) sleeping bag do the job nicely...



Without going into long winded explanations, it's the amount of water it can keep out - higher number = better at withstanding rain... It's not like a waterproof watch and rated to a depth...

As for recommending a tent, that'd depend on what you want it for....

bit of camping with the lady friend
few dead arms
how's your father

the_syco

RustyNut wrote: »

Staying in a tent at Oxegen is festivilling, a very worthwhile experience but definitely not to be mistaken with camping.

Huh? Are you then going to say anyone staying in a campsite isn't really camping?

Seaneh wrote: »

Or if you're worried about weight you can get a Thermarest Trail Lite inflatable mat for about €45 if you shop around. I slept on one every night for about 5 weeks in the South America and it was grand.

Looks fairly thin. Find if you're camping out, a thick air mattress is need to avoid the large clumps of grass.

Akrasia

pablo128 wrote: »

the women won't go as there's no electricity, and don't mind us going as there's no women up there to tempt us. Except Baaa-bara of course!:pac:

two words - Brokeback Mountain

Akrasia

SEPT 23 1989 wrote: »

nothing beats lying in a water tight tent when its lashing down outside

until you hear that first 'drip', and then the second 'drip' and then you're lying awake imagining the impending flood.

Nah. I love camping. It's not something to do if you like sleeping, but it's different and refreshing and it gets the kids so excited, chasing rabbits around sand dunes all evening, and later you get to wake up at the crack of dawn, stumble out of your tent and look straight out onto a sunrise at the beach at fanore (except the sun is rising in the east so you can't see the beach and the sunrise at the same time, but it's still cool ok!)

Akrasia

Toots* wrote: »

The only camping I've ever done was at Oxegen in 2004. Jesus christ it was like some sort of horrible torture camp. Trudging back to the tent after the acts were finished, ground all soggy but it hadn't rained, well at least from the clouds. It had rained piss, though. Running the risk of getting gonorrhea from the porta-pottys. I didn't poop for 3 days. Eejits with guitars thinking they were Christy Moore, howling drunkenly during the night. Awful. Just awful.

I'd actually be fairly open to doing some proper camping. Anyone I know who's done it has had good things to say about it.

Ah, so you were the guy who thought it would be a good idea to put up a tent there 'because it's close to the toilets'

Barely There

I like a bit of camping and generally facilities are much nicer now than 20 years ago.

Did a good bit of camping when backpacking a number of years ago.

Stayed in one campsite (really someone's back garden) in Brazil where there was only me and the OH and another Brazilian couple.

They used to have really loud sex every night we stayed there, which culminated in the girl shouting "Oi Oi Oi" over and over again.

Sometimes now when we're fooling around one of us will should out 'Oi' and it's enough to make us dissolve into laughter.

Day Lewin

Really the main argument for camping is that it is CHEAP: the resource of students and broke young couples or families
If you know how to do it WELL, then it can be very enjoyable. You need to like doing it, simple food, early rising, wildlife, travelling light, moving on, etc.
But if you are hoping for a simple sort of hotel, then for goodness' sake, find a real one. Or one of those "campsites" that are really a holiday centre with lighter weight accommodation.

jimgoose

Barely There wrote: »

...They used to have really loud sex every night we stayed there, which culminated in the girl shouting "Oi Oi Oi" over and over again...

Bet she was from Croydon, and yer maun was inadvertently knocking on the tradesman's entrance! Oi!! :pac::pac::pac:

Seaneh

the_syco wrote: »

Looks fairly thin. Find if you're camping out, a thick air mattress is need to avoid the large clumps of grass.

I'm a big lad, was bigger and has never been a problem.

A good mat will sort out any problems.

mariaalice

jimgoose wrote: »

Bet she was from Croydon, and yer maun was inadvertently knocking on the tradesman's entrance! Oi!! :pac::pac::pac:

I though Oi! was a class of racist music that supporters of the BNP listened to in the UK.

mariaalice

katemarch wrote: »

Really the main argument for camping is that it is CHEAP: the resource of students and broke young couples or families
If you know how to do it WELL, then it can be very enjoyable. You need to like doing it, simple food, early rising, wildlife, travelling light, moving on, etc.
But if you are hoping for a simple sort of hotel, then for goodness' sake, find a real one. Or one of those "campsites" that are really a holiday centre with lighter weight accommodation.

Its what you make it, wild camping would not be me for me but that's where it is for lots of people, you can get some really nice campsites with very good facilities that more the kind of camping I would like...each to their own.

BeardySi

the_syco wrote: »

Looks fairly thin. Find if you're camping out, a thick air mattress is need to avoid the large clumps of grass.

I recently slept out on a stony quarry floor on a 30mm self inflating mat - didn't feel a thing! They're surprisingly comfortable.

As for big clumps of grass - well don't put your tent on them then!

kylith

Used to go every year as a kid, and camped for a month about 10 years ago. I loved it, foreign campsites are much better set up than Irish ones, IME. Haven't been in a tent since the last EP I went to because himself hates going anywhere without wifi. Me, I love opening the tent in crisp morning air, a bit of mist rolling off the hills and knowing that there's nothing to do all day but take a bit of a walk and maybe read for a few hours. It's great for kids too - there's a lot of freedom in a campsite.

I wanna go camping now...

ianobrien

The last time I was camping was in the desert in UAE. It was enjoyable with the camp-fire and a few "social ones" (a member of the group had an alcohol licence).

The problem was the following morning. about 2 foot from the tent there was the remains of scorpions and a snake. It seems that there was a huge scrap (judging by the marks in the sand) between various scorpions and snakes. I didn't hear a thing, but did turn my boots upside down in case there were any visitors in the boots.

greenflash

Was taken on a few camping holidays as a kid and headed off to the 'wilderness' with scouts a few times. Also done the tent thing at Feile, Reading and Glastonbury festivals. Wouldn't class myself as a camper in any way but always got a bit of a thrill from the whole outdoorsy against the elements feel of it. Now I have kids of my own I can't wait to take them camping in France, squeezed into the back of a car piled high with pillows, sleeping bags, folding chairs, jacks roll, cooking stuff and general shyte.

Campsites with tents all ready for you to walk into is probably the way to go. Or campsites with mobile homes. If the missus has her way we'll have to find a campsite that's really a 4 star hotel with self catering apartments set in the immaculately manicured grounds.

kylith

greenflash wrote: »

Was taken on a few camping holidays as a kid and headed off to the 'wilderness' with scouts a few times. Also done the tent thing at Feile, Reading and Glastonbury festivals. Wouldn't class myself as a camper in any way but always got a bit of a thrill from the whole outdoorsy against the elements feel of it. Now I have kids of my own I can't wait to take them camping in France, squeezed into the back of a car piled high with pillows, sleeping bags, folding chairs, jacks roll, cooking stuff and general shyte.

Campsites with tents all ready for you to walk into is probably the way to go. Or campsites with mobile homes. If the missus has her way we'll have to find a campsite that's really a 4 star hotel with self catering apartments set in the immaculately manicured grounds.

Nooooo! If you don't almost come to blows about putting the 'fecking pole in the fecking loop! It's right there! For Jesus' sake Tommy! In the fecking loop you thick gob****e!' it's not proper camping holiday.

sheesh

kylith wrote: »

Used to go every year as a kid, and camped for a month about 10 years ago. I loved it, foreign campsites are much better set up than Irish ones, IME. Haven't been in a tent since the last EP I went to because himself hates going anywhere without wifi. Me, I love opening the tent in crisp morning air, a bit of mist rolling off the hills and knowing that there's nothing to do all day but take a bit of a walk and maybe read for a few hours. It's great for kids too - there's a lot of freedom in a campsite.

I wanna go camping now...

Irish camp sites have improved alot a lovely one in kerry near gallarus on the dingle peninsula is very quiet and within walking distance of the beach.

Malari

I've been camping twice in my life. Twice too many times in fact. :cool:

kylith

sheesh wrote: »

Irish camp sites have improved alot a lovely one in kerry near gallarus on the dingle peninsula is very quiet and within walking distance of the beach.

Cool, might check that out one of these days.

neamhspleachi

Wild camping is the only way to go, anything else really isn't camping IMHO

Jump on the bike to Glenveagh National Park with a 3 man tent (3000 hydrostatic head rating), air mattress & pump, sleeping bag, wet gear, fishing rod/reel & 5 days supply of boil-in-the-bag meals, tins of tuna/beans, few beers/baccy etc

USB charger with an in-line fuse connected to bike battery for charging phone/sat-nav etc, phone loaded with MP3's/MP4's for entertainment in the tent at night & you're away in a hack

Best way to de-stress from the modern world, days spent hiking & fishing, checking snares etc, sleep like a baby at night

greenflash

kylith wrote: »

Nooooo! If you don't almost come to blows about putting the 'fecking pole in the fecking loop! It's right there! For Jesus' sake Tommy! In the fecking loop you thick gob****e!' it's not proper camping holiday.

I think the pre-made, divorce-proof tent is the only way I'll ever persuade my wife that a family camping holiday could be fun. When kids are in the equation, huffing and puffing over a holiday erection is a thing of the past.

neamhspleachi wrote: »

Best way to de-stress from the modern world, days spent hiking & fishing, checking snares etc, sleep like a baby at night

You mean you cough and snort through the night and wake up every couple of hours needing a feed?

neamhspleachi

greenflash wrote: »

You mean you cough and snort through the night and wake up every couple of hours needing a bottle?

No, but thanks for the :pac::pac::pac:

old hippy

The first time I went camping, I was 16 - went with my mates to Wicklow and it was great fun. Last time I went was '93 at the Feile.

Wouldn't do it now, being so old and creaky.

the_syco

Treadhead wrote: »

I recently slept out on a stony quarry floor on a 30mm self inflating mat - didn't feel a thing! They're surprisingly comfortable.

Will look into it.

Treadhead wrote: »

As for big clumps of grass - well don't put your tent on them then!

It was pitch black when putting up the tent, and couldn't drive the car any nearer. Also find the clumps inescapable in fields This has happened twice. Also sometimes the clump is not visible in the long grass, and you only notice it when the airbed gives up during the 2nd night...

amen

BeerWolf wrote: »

I hate campers... ****ers always get me around corners, always that lucky headshot too! >:(

yeah that why I always let someone else go first.

Toots

Akrasia wrote: »

Ah, so you were the guy who thought it would be a good idea to put up a tent there 'because it's close to the toilets'

No, we were miles away from the toilets. We got there on the friday and by about midway through the saturday people (mostly blokes) decided that going to the designated area to have a slash was just too much effort, so they just started pissing on the side of the path (area that was kept free of tents so that people could walk on it). Of course the monkey see-monkey do effect caught on and the it ended up turning into a pissy swamp.

Pat Mustard

Festival camping is an ordeal endured by drunks with bad equipment. At least, you might be better off being drunk if you want to get some sleep, between the uncomfortable gear, the throngs of people, and the constant noise. And pray that you don't have to test that cheapass festival tent against the elements.

Campsite camping is not all that interesting, but it's something that some families like to do.

Wild camping is great. You can have the best scenery, lakes, mountains, hills, or the sea. You can go with a few friends, have a few drinks or whatever, and have a few laughs.

You don't have those kind of views, or that kind of flexibility and freedom in a hotel.

With proper camping gear, there is no need for discomfort.

markc2951

geeksauce wrote:

Hate it, what's the point in it, go somewhere assemble your own accommodation sit outside it with nothing to do and then try to go asleep on a very uncomfortable bed for the night. Get up the next morning and feel like crap after the bad nights sleep and lack of a shower and just wait around until it's time to go home.

you cook and eat..fish..hike..shoot...sex...your either into it or not i suppose..i love it