Over the next several weeks, I will be looking at some of the best tents on the market, for family camping. First up, this week, is Big Agnes in Steamboat Springs, Colorado. Big Agnes is known for quality tents featuring easy-to-assemble clip-style construction and lightweight hub-style frames. In addition, these tents all feature aluminum poles, which are superior to the more common fiberglass poles that come with cheaper tents. Big Agnes tents are more expensive than many others, but they will last for years and their no-nonsense 100% guarantee can’t be beat.
Big House
The Big House comes in 4-person ($299.95 – shown) and 6-person ($359.95) models. The $50 footprint is available separately, as is a huge (52sq. ft.) front vestibule for $100. These nice, tall, tents provide plenty of room for family camping. In fact, the 6-person model features a center-height of 6’ 3”. The center-height of the Big House 4 is just under 6-feet, at 68-inches.
Lynx Pass
The Lynx Pass 4 ($299.95) is a lower-profile tent than the Big House and light enough for backpacking, at 7lb. 9oz (tent, fly and poles). The integrated vestibule provides 17sq. ft. of storage space for shoes and other small items. For summertime use, you can use just the footprint (sold separately) with the frame and fly for a 5lb. 10oz. backpacking solution.
Jupiter’s Cabin
The Jupiter’s Cabin 4 ($289.95) line is new for 2010 and is a bit of a cross between the Big House and Lynx Pass models. The Jupiter’s Cabin line is relatively heavy, at 11lb., 6oz. (tent, fly and poles), which is indicative of the heavier polyester fly and less mesh venting. The center-height of the Jupiter’s Cabin is 66-inches and, while the footprint (sold separately) and fly can be used independently of the tent body, for lightweight summertime use, this combination still tips the scales at 9lb. 14oz. so the utility of this feature in the Jupiter’s Cabin line is of marginal benefit.
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Over the next several weeks, I will be looking at some of the best tents on the market, for family camping. First up, this week, is Big Agnes in Steamboat Springs, Colorado. Big Agnes is known for quality tents featuring easy-to-assemble clip-style construction and lightweight hub-style frames. In addition, these tents all feature aluminum poles, which are superior to the more common fiberglass poles that come with cheaper tents. Big Agnes tents are more expensive than many others, but they will last for years and their no-nonsense 100% guarantee can’t be beat.
Big House
The Big House comes in 4-person ($299.95 – shown) and 6-person ($359.95) models. The $50 footprint is available separately, as is a huge (52sq. ft.) front vestibule for $100. These nice, tall, tents provide plenty of room for family camping. In fact, the 6-person model features a center-height of 6’ 3”. The center-height of the Big House 4 is just under 6-feet, at 68-inches.
Lynx Pass
The Lynx Pass 4 ($299.95) is a lower-profile tent than the Big House and light enough for backpacking, at 7lb. 9oz (tent, fly and poles). The integrated vestibule provides 17sq. ft. of storage space for shoes and other small items. For summertime use, you can use just the footprint (sold separately) with the frame and fly for a 5lb. 10oz. backpacking solution.
Jupiter’s Cabin
The Jupiter’s Cabin 4 ($289.95) line is new for 2010 and is a bit of a cross between the Big House and Lynx Pass models. The Jupiter’s Cabin line is relatively heavy, at 11lb., 6oz. (tent, fly and poles), which is indicative of the heavier polyester fly and less mesh venting. The center-height of the Jupiter’s Cabin is 66-inches and, while the footprint (sold separately) and fly can be used independently of the tent body, for lightweight summertime use, this combination still tips the scales at 9lb. 14oz. so the utility of this feature in the Jupiter’s Cabin line is of marginal benefit.
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Start the year off right with a $200 gift card to the outdoor retailer of your choice, brought to you by Kia in celebration of the all-new 2011 Kia Sorento. In anticipation of the January launch, they are sponsoring a CampingBlogger contest for a $200 gift card to the winner’s choice: REI, Hudson Trail Outfitters, L.L. Bean, or Patagonia.
To enter, visit www.kiasorento.com and checkout the new model, then leave a comment here, telling us what you like best about the 2011 Sorento. Only one comment per person, please. In addition to your entry here on CampingBlogger, though, you can also tweet a link to this post and include the hashtag #sorentocamp for an additional entry (one entry per Twitter ID will be counted). Be sure to use the #sorentocamp hashtag, or I won’t be able to find your tweet with Twitter Search. A shortened URL to this post is http://bit.ly/4EowIl.
The all-new 2011 Kia Sorento is manufactured in West Point, GA and, for us family campers, features seating for seven and split-fold seating for plenty of room for gear. The EX V6 model has a towing capacity of 3,500 pounds and an EPA rating of 20MPG city and 26MPG highway. For those of you on Facebook, you can see additional photos on their Fan Page.
Checkout www.kiasorento.com and then let us know what you like best about the all-new 2011 Kia Sorento! A winner will be selected on January 15th. Winner must be 18 or over and a resident of the United States.
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Coyote Lake – Harvey Bear Ranch County Park was created in 2005 when the Santa Clara County Parks and Recreation Department struck a deal with the Harvey Bear family to preserve the families land as a multi-use park and additional greenbelt in the Santa Clara Valley, just south of San Jose.
The Willow Springs Trail is highlights (click for larger image)
My hiking partner for this trip was my 9-year old daughter, Chloe. When it is 60 degrees and sunny outside, on December 24, we just did not see any good reason not to take advantage of the weather and get some hiking in. This was our first time at Harvey Bear Ranch and we wanted to see how it compared to nearby Henry Coe State Park, which is our regular stomping ground.
View from the bottom of the Willow Springs Trail (click for larger image)
From the Harvey Bear Ranch parking lot, at about 400 feet of elevation, we picked the Willow Springs Trail that meanders up and over the hillside to the Coyote Ridge Trail, with views of Coyote Lake. It is 1.6 miles to the top of the ridge, with an altitude of about 1,100 feet. The trails are all double-track and well suited for hiking, mountain biking and horseback riding. As this is still working rangeland for cattle, there are a number of gates to negotiate, throughout the park.
Gaining 700-feet of elevation in just over a mile and a half is a good workout, so it is essential to pack plenty of water, even on these cool winter days. Chloe may love pink and be a huge Webkinz™ fan, but at nine years old, she can knock-off five or six miles with nary a peep.
View from the top of the Willow Springs Trail (click for larger image)
The view from the top of the Willow Springs Trail gives you a good perspective on the terrain. Harvey Bear Ranch is comprised of rolling hills with only sporadic outcroppings of oak and buckeye trees. These hills are dry and brown most of the year and the open terrain would be harsh in the summer, when the southern Santa Clara Valley can hit triple-digit temperatures. Henry Coe State Park, which adjoins Harvey Bear Ranch to the north, is much more densely forested.
You will come across plenty of the local inhabitants throughout the park and, other than their apparent preference of doing their “business” on the nice, level trails, they are rather shy and will not let you get too close, before moving away at a brisk pace (much to the chagrin of my daughter, who wanted to pet them).
View of Coyote Lake from the Coyote Ridge Trail (click for larger image)
The reward for cresting the 1,100-foot ridgeline is the three-mile long Coyote Lake, which is a popular waterskiing, sailing and jet ski destination. There are also 74 campsites located along the lake, which is unique among Bay Area lakes and reservoirs.
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Posted by self defense products on December 26, 2009 under Uncategorized | Comments are off for this article
oh ya ! Tents are an important part of any outdoor event. The first thing you want to avoid is your outdoor event spoiled by nasty weather. Festival tents are for large scale events while party tents are for smaller scale affairs. Canvas tents can be the perfect way to shade your guests from the sun, or keep the wind out, or any other weather elements. Your garden, your poolside, your party or wedding – the richness and elegance of decorative Indian tents transports you to another time and place. Capital Tents can help you ensure the success of your events and render them memorable.Thank you
Merry Christmas, everyone! Weekend Outdoor Reads is a list of five stories, news items, or photos that I found particularly interesting during the week. I like to share these with my readers, every Friday, in order to provide a little browsing pleasure to carry you through the weekend. Here are the things that caught my eye, this week:
Paul Nicklen has been published in magazines around the world, including ten articles for National Geographic. These nine photos are from his latest book, “Polar Obsession” and if these don’t make you want to click over to Amazon.com and checkout his book, I don’t know what will – they are really good.
Join Tony Farley as he explores Everglades National Park in south Florida, in this high-definition video that captures much of the beauty of the park. This is one part of the country that, unfortunately, I have very little experience with, so it’s nice to be able to capture little snippets of information about it, from sources like this video, from Tony.
Double the Adventure is a great blog that I just started reading. It covers a lot of great trips, here in the west and recently some interesting sights and excursions on Oahu, which were great reads. If you are looking for some inspirational travel ideas for your family, this is a great place to visit.
Though not the final word in the great wireless coverage debate, Brooke Crothers puts Verizon and AT&T to the test at Anza Borrego Desert State Park. This is interesting to me, since I’ve been fighting data outages with my Blackberry on two recent hikes.
Virginia State Parks – So You Want to Be A Park Ranger series
The Virginia State Parks Blog has been running a series of articles by Tom Cervenak, on how he came to work for the parks and what he’s done throughout his career.
So how does a kid growing up on the streets of Cleveland, Ohio end up living in the woods of Virginia, often miles away from the nearest grocery store or other conveniences of a city? Well here is my story of a wonderful journey in several parts, like the stages of my life.
I’ve been following this series for the past few weeks, but I missed a couple of the posts in the middle – so I’ve linked them all here, in order, to make them easier to follow. It’s a great read and one that I’m sure you find as interesting as I did.
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As the year draws to a close, I’m looking forward to all the great camping trips we have planned for the coming year and I wonder what new experiences are in store for us. I don’t know if we’re disorganized or just easy going, but we never have a pre-planned agenda, when we head-off on our outdoor excursions. If we spend an afternoon skipping rocks across a stream or hiking some backcountry trail, everybody is having a pretty good time (okay, my younger two are probably whining at the two-mile mark, if we’re hiking!).
One thing that we all like to do is look for different kinds of wildlife. It’s one thing to look at pictures of bald eagles online, or in a book, but to actually see them in the wild is a special treat for us. We are fortunate, here in northern California, to have access to an abundant range of wildlife. It’s not uncommon for us to spot deer on our hikes, even in the middle of the afternoon.
When we are camping at the beach, the kids will even be motivated to get up early and trek down to the beach in order to see the seals fishing in the surf and the dolphins feeding just offshore.
Mealtimes are always a bit special in the backcountry, even when it’s something simple like hamburgers and baked beans. On hikes, I can usually coax another mile out of my young ones with yogurt-covered raisins or trail mix, which is special to them since they don’t get that at home. S’mores or popcorn is a special treat that, of course, the kids really enjoy.
The ability to have a campfire is probably the single biggest reason that we tend to camp in campgrounds, instead of dispersed camping on federal land. The campfire is always the center of activity when we are camping, whether its s’mores or an game of Uno®. In some of the places we camp, an early evening campfire is almost essential to keep the mosquitoes at bay!
What are some of your favorite camping activities?
Have you subscribed to my newsletter? I publish it once a month with articles that are unique to the newsletter and not found in the RSS or email feeds.
As the year draws to a close, I’m looking forward to all the great camping trips we have planned for the coming year and I wonder what new experiences are in store for us. I don’t know if we’re disorganized or just easy going, but we never have a pre-planned agenda, when we head-off on our outdoor excursions. If we spend an afternoon skipping rocks across a stream or hiking some backcountry trail, everybody is having a pretty good time (okay, my younger two are probably whining at the two-mile mark, if we’re hiking!).
One thing that we all like to do is look for different kinds of wildlife. It’s one thing to look at pictures of bald eagles online, or in a book, but to actually see them in the wild is a special treat for us. We are fortunate, here in northern California, to have access to an abundant range of wildlife. It’s not uncommon for us to spot deer on our hikes, even in the middle of the afternoon.
When we are camping at the beach, the kids will even be motivated to get up early and trek down to the beach in order to see the seals fishing in the surf and the dolphins feeding just offshore.
Mealtimes are always a bit special in the backcountry, even when it’s something simple like hamburgers and baked beans. On hikes, I can usually coax another mile out of my young ones with yogurt-covered raisins or trail mix, which is special to them since they don’t get that at home. S’mores or popcorn is a special treat that, of course, the kids really enjoy.
The ability to have a campfire is probably the single biggest reason that we tend to camp in campgrounds, instead of dispersed camping on federal land. The campfire is always the center of activity when we are camping, whether its s’mores or an game of Uno®. In some of the places we camp, an early evening campfire is almost essential to keep the mosquitoes at bay!
What are some of your favorite camping activities?
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T@B Teardrop Trailer (photo by freshelectrons on Flickr)
I have mentioned the big resurgence in popularity of teardrop trailers in the past and, this month, Sunset Magazine leads-off their article (see The ‘it’ List) on 2010 travel by highlighting the little trailers.
The trend: Teardrop trailers are popping up everywhere as a downsized (and more stylish) alternative to RVs. We’ve even found new and vintage models on eBay for as little as $1,000.
The teardrop trailer design has been around since at least the late 1930’s, when America’s desire to hit the road and explore the parks began to take hold. Today, teardrop trailers are once again gaining in popularity, due to their ability to be towed by cars and small SUVs and, I suppose, a bit of the nostalgia factor. Here is a sample of current teardrop manufacturers:
Little Guy makes a dozen different models of teardrop trailers, ranging from 360-pound version that can be towed by motorcycles, to their 6-Wide Sport model that includes a front cargo platform for motorcycles or bicycles.
So-Cal Teardrops manufactures both teardrop trailers and kits for those who wish to save some money and build their own teardrop trailer. They offer four different models of teardrop trailers, ranging from 750-pounds to 1,120-pounds – all with a strong retro design.
Manufacturer T@B proves that all teardrop trailers don’t have to look retro. The T@B is available in five different configurations, including one with an inside stove, kitchen sink and toilet.
Cozy Cruiser manufactures a high-end teardrop trailer, with amenities like an entertainment center in the sleeping area and a refrigerator built into the pop-up rear kitchen.
Adventure Teardrop Trailers makes two models of teardrops, ranging from a 275-pound model designed for motorcycles and small cars, to a 950-pound model with a full-length, 76-inch bed.
HappiTrails manufactures two models of teardrop trailers, from a 560-pound model that is four feet wide, to a five-foot wide model that tips the scales at 810-pounds. HappiTrails offers a number of upgrades like skylights, air conditioning and additional storage drawers.
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Posted by ARVC on December 21, 2009 under Uncategorized | Comments are off for this article
What if I don’t have indoor storage for my RV?
We, like many RVers, have a somewhat large travel trailer without a pole barn or large garage in which to park it for the winter. Many find storage in their area in which they can place their RVs like a local RV park or campground offering the camper a respite from the cold winds and snow of December, January and February – and sometimes earlier and later months, depending on where you live.
But for others, there is no available inside storage. Either they got there too late – I’m guilty of this one – to obtain space inside, or there just isn’t any place nearby or the fees are too expensive for their budget.
But don’t fear, RVs are rugged and can stand up to the cold, if you do the right things by them. So, if you are one of the many RVers who can’t break away from home for the winter and enjoy some less frigid temperatures in the south or southwest, or even international warm spots, then here are some suggestions for getting your RV through the winter, so it is ready for you and your family in the spring, when you will jump to the chance for camping during warmer days, sometimes cool nights and the undoubted campfire.
If your RV stays outdoors for the winter, make sure you’ve winterized it in detail. Winterizing the RVs water system is one of the most important items on the list. This is normally done using RV antifreeze, which can be found in most RV parts stores, including those inside some general merchandise stores. The instructions should be in your RV owner information, but if you don’t have these, try locating your brand online to see if you can find the guide. If you’re still having trouble locating the instructions, check with your local RV parts store. In addition, removing your battery for the winter will help to save battery life.
For those of us who store our RVs outdoors, there are additional considerations. You may want to use wheel covers – again these can be found at RV parts stores to fit neatly over the wheels. Parking on pad can also be helpful. And, if you want to cover your RV to protect it and slideouts from the winter weather, consider a breathable cover to avoid condensation from forming. So, remember, your RV needs some tender care to prepare it for the winter months when you and it may be separated, but to ensure that come warm weather in the spring, you’ll be once again on the road and into the park.
Comments are off for this article 
are a number of gates to negotiate, throughout the park.
The Virginia State Parks Blog has been running a series of articles by Tom Cervenak, on how he came to work for the parks and what he’s done throughout his career.
One thing that we all like to do is look for different kinds of wildlife. It’s one thing to look at pictures of bald eagles online, or in a book, but to actually see them in the wild is a special treat for us. We are fortunate, here in northern California, to have access to an abundant range of wildlife. It’s not uncommon for us to spot deer on our hikes, even in the middle of the afternoon.
Mealtimes are always a bit special in the backcountry, even when it’s something simple like hamburgers and baked beans. On hikes, I can usually coax another mile out of my young ones with yogurt-covered raisins or trail mix, which is special to them since they don’t get that at home. S’mores or popcorn is a special treat that, of course, the kids really enjoy.
