I have all kinds of friends that have every gadget known to man for camping. Hell, they even have home made gadgets of their own just waiting for a patent. Answer guys for camping. I take a different approach to camping. When I go camping, it is usually without any preparation and often without; what others might call necessities, like utensils or fire starting material. I have a 12 year old tent (works great), fishing gear (poles and hooks), sleeping bags (usually with broken zippers), first aid (tape & glue), food (jerky, water, and doughnuts), and then I toss in a couple of things to do like a kayak or a Frisbee. Done, lets go!
I know you’re probably thinking;
“You forgot a couple of things.”
“Yes, you’re right I did.”
I don’t care, i’m camping to enjoy nature and the people with me. There is also great opportunity to stretch yourself and anyone brave enough to go camping this way. The idea is, that when I am unprepared for an activity, we have to improvise a solution. Here is an easy example: My boys and I are out camping and we have heated up some chili. The problem is we don’t have any utensils or bowls. So, I ask my boys:
“What are we going to do?”
“Fingers Dad.”
“We can do better, what else?”
“We have crackers!”
“That works! Great job.”
There are many flavors of camping; extreme from cliffs, state parks, back packing, and primitive camping just to name a few. There is nothing like camping to bring out the inner beast, to remind you that you are a natural warrior, and that you’re at the top of the food chain. So, I challenge you: the next time you go camping, forget a couple of things and challenge yourself to figure it out. You don’t need Sudoku to stay sharp, you need practice.
When I was discussing this with friends, many arguments came up about why someone “needs” this gadget or that tool to be safe or to make the experience fun. My answer to all of them is: “The less you need to be happy, the happier you will be.” Give it some thought, what do you actually need? My best experiences have more to do with discomfort and friends than any gadget or tool or toy.