Get these essentials for an overnight adventure in nature
Growing up, I loved camping with my dad. One time, we headed to the forest on motorcycles with no tent or anything, except sleeping bags.
We built a fire, cooked our meal on sticks over it, and crawled into our sleeping bags on either side of the blaze. We planned to wake well before dawn. During the night, a severe cold front turned everything liquid into ice. The fire died down to embers. Still snug in our sleeping bags, dad and I stared at each other waiting for the other to get up first and throw some wood on the fire before our bladders burst.
Today, beginners can camp in relative luxury without breaking the bank. First, select a tent. The size depends upon how the person wants to use it and how many people it will house. A one-person pup tent should cost less than $40, a good choice for hikers. A good small easy-to-erect dome tent would run less than $60. Of course, the price goes up as tents get bigger. Some large tents could cost more than $1,000.
Hikers want to keep it light, but many things fit into a backpack. Campers can buy a small, foldable stove for less than $10. It weighs less than a pound. Add a can of Sterno, a flammable gel, for another $4. The Sterno can fits inside the foldable stove, so people can heat a meal.
People camping near a vehicle would want a larger stove. The venerable two-burner Coleman stove probably cooked millions of meals over the past seven decades and remains essentially unchanged. It costs less than $80, plus a can of fuel. Some burn liquid fuel. Campers can also choose to buy propane stoves.
Anybody could bundle up in blankets, but for more comfort, get sleeping bags. Sleeping bags come rated for different temperature ranges. Some come with liners that essentially make two bags in one for use in different conditions. For most situations in Mississippi, people wouldn’t need a bag rated for sub-zero Arctic weather. A sleeping bag for typical Mississippi weather should cost less than $60.
Air mattresses make sleeping much more comfortable. Invest in a heavy-duty mattress so it’s less likely to spring a leak in the middle of the night. A good air mattress should cost less than $20. Throw in another $20 or so and buy a small battery-powered air pump to inflate it.
Cots keep people above the cold ground and allow storage space to place items beneath them. Some folding cots break down into small packages. A folding cot will run about $60.
Campers also need flashlights, lanterns, ice chests, cooking pans, and utensils. After making the initial investments, camping costs very little. People can find many great places to camp in Mississippi.
Many state parks offer scenic places for primitive camping at reasonable costs. As campers gain experience, they might want to head off into the wilderness to “rough it” in places like national forests. Just check the regulations first.
Visit visitmississippi.org/things-to-do/camping/ to find places to go camping in Mississippi.
