Month: November 2019

The Best Kid’s Camping Gear

Whenever the kids go camping, you always have that fear that something might just go wrong. They might forget the flashlight or worse, the camping gear. No wonder, camping is always regarded as an adventure.

Great camping gear may not save you from an inevitable loss and unplanned events but it will certainly save your kids from a catastrophe time. So the right kit can make all the difference. Here is the best kid’s camping gear.

The Best Kid’s Camping Gear

  1. Kelty’s Grand Mesa 2 (TENT)

This a free-standing tent with shock-corded and color-coded poles. It basically takes no time to set up. This tent is very affordable and available online. It has only one door but is so well placed that no one has to climb over the other person to go out for something. There is also a fly vent that helps to manage condensation.

Buy it here

  1. Osprey Jet 18 (BACKPACK)

This is the most feature-rich backpack you will ever get – online or offline. It is a true backpack that comes in a daypack size. There is a padded foam back panel, shoulder straps that are contoured in nature, and a hip belt that is light but can carry loads relatively comfortably.

There is also a mesh stash pocket on the shoulder strap that is easy to reach and the side pockets can hold water and extra crackers.

Buy it here

  1. Big Agnes Wolverine 15 (SLEEPING BAG)

This is a cozy and sweet-looking sleeping bag that actually looks like a little person. It is sculpted around the head and the body and there is a zipper and a draft-free collar that will help to keep your little one warm. The sleeping bag comes in three sizes – teens, junior, and kids and there is an integrated padded sleeve on the actual bag that prevents your child from sliding off his/her pad.

Buy it here

  1. Therm-a-Rest’s TrailScout (SLEEPING PADS)

This is a self-inflating air mattress that has a supportive foam core. In order to inflate it, one just needs to unscrew the valve and to deflate one just needs to open the valve and roll up the sleeping pad and the air will be squeezed out of it.

The process is very simple and a 7 – year old kid can do it without adult supervision. This sleeping pad is the best choice for summer outings and it only weighs around 1.6 lbs.

Buy it here

  1. Black Diamond’s Cosmo (HEADLAMPS)

These headlamps are fully waterproof and project as much as 200 lumens of power that is spread across 6 lighting modes. The little campers will have a lot of fun with the night vision and the dimming modes and they can play with this headlamp for hours without worrying about killing the batteries.

Buy it here

  1. Crazy Creek’s Hex 2.0 Original Chair (CAMP CHAIR)

It is the simplest form of camp chair that you can ever buy for your kids. The closed-cell foam in the seat gives a solid ground barrier, can be rolled up for convenient storage,

and can be easily stashed using the built-in hanging loop. The side straps are fully adjustable which ensures a perfect angle of recline and one may also unclip this seat and use it under the sleeping pad for extra insulation.

Buy it here

These are just a few of the fun gems we have found – is there anything that you absolutely love or think is necessary?

–> Check out our Crazy Camping Girl Etsy store – new items are added weekly!

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All About the Coleman Black Cat PerfecTemp Catalytic Heater

The idea of winter camping doesn’t really appeal to me. I know that when we are cold, you can add more and more clothes until you are finally warm. Cripes, I have written a few posts about winter camping and cold weather camping hacks already but if you are keen on trying it yourself? You might not want to forget to pack your Coleman Black Cat PerfectTemp Catalytic Heater to keep you warm and toasty.

All About the Coleman Black Cat PerfecTemp Catalytic Heater

Coleman Black Cat PerfecTemp Catalytic Heater Camping

The Coleman Black Cat PerfecTemp Catalytic Heater is safe to use in your tent. It runs on propane (the appropriate propane cylinder has to be purchased separately). A 16.4oz propane cylinder gives you a total running time of up to 7 hours.

Coleman Black Cat PerfecTemp Catalytic Heater Details

The heater has an easy-to-use electronic ignition (InstaStart) that doesn’t involved having to light a match. It simply ignites with the push of a button.

This heater is an efficient heat source and comes with 2 heat settings: high and low

Coleman Black Cat PerfecTemp Catalytic Heater Cost

For under $60 – this was a great priced light-weight item to pack and haul to your location.

Overall, if you are planning a camping trip this winter or could use some extra heat while watching a sporting event outside or working in your garage, the Coleman Black Cat PerfecTemp Catalytic Heater is a great product to keep you warm and comfortable.

–> Check out our Crazy Camping Girl Etsy store – new items are added weekly!

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How to Get the Black Streaks and Mildew off Your Camper

How to Get the Black Streaks and Mildew off Your Camper? We have all been there, using our campers so much that we forget the simple outside care until we wake up one day and realize that things are starting to look a little shabby. All that time outdoors can take a toll on our equipment, including our camper.

mildew and black streaks

We all know that Hot water and soap with a little elbow grease will get the job done, but we wanted an easier method. We have dealt with it ourselves and polled the experts for ideas on what is the best thing to get the black streaks and mildew off of your camper​.

How to Get the Black Streaks and Mildew off Your Camper

  1. Dawn Dish Soap. It is cheap, cuts grease is non-abrasive, and works well.
  2. Dawn didn’t quite do the job? Try Dawn and bleach mixed as a solution.
  3. Mr. Clean Eraser, this baby can handle almost everything.
  4. Clorox Outdoor Bleach. The product will not harm grass or plants when used as directed. Safe for use around children and pets. Application: Driveways; Sidewalks; Applicable Material: Cement; Glass; Metal; Plastic; Chemical Compound: Bleach; Dirt Types: Bacteria; Fungus; Germs; Grease; Mildew; Organic Matter; Soil; Stains.
  5. Try the brand “Awesome” from the Family Dollar store; it works great!
  6. Spray Nine. It is a Professional-strength cleaner and disinfectant designed to power off tough soils fast. You can use it alone to effectively clean, degrease, disinfect, remove stains, control mold, and mildew, as well as deodorize a surface. It is ready to use and kills bacteria and viruses in 45 seconds.
  7.  Pink Solution. Chem Quest makes the Incredible Pink Cleaner and Degreaser. It is designed to use for your home, Automobile, RV, Boat, and much more. It is a water-based cleaner that contains no petroleum solvents.
  8. Krud Kutter. This clear and odorless tough task remover removes tough, oily, greasy, grimy, gooey problems. It is also a laundry stain remover: safe for all washable, colorfast fabrics: including cotton, cotton blends, and synthetics. A proprietary blend of biodegradable surfactants, detergents, and emulsifiers in a water-based solution. We love that it is biodegradable. non-abrasive. Non-Flammable and non-toxic!
  9. Try a drive-in carwash.
  10. Do you have your own pressure washer? That can be a thrifty way to solve the problem.
  11. Simple Green. This is a revolutionary, all-purpose cleaner. Strong enough to degrease your car’s engine, yet gentle enough to remove stains from delicate fabrics.
  12. Mean Green sold at dollar stores! Cheap comes in one-gallon size for refilling.
  13. Clay Bar. Clay Bar effectively cleans and absorbs dirt deep in the Lacquer surface; car clay fits for different surfaces such as lacquer, glass, and chrome-plated coating.
  14. Lowes has a siding and camper cleaner. You spray on, let it sit for ten minutes then hose off.
  15. Chrome polish for the black streaks, like from the auto parts. Used by professionals for years, Simichrome does a beautiful job of removing surface rust from chrome, polishing aluminum until it looks like new, even sprucing up delicate, heirloom family silver without leaving scratches or abrasive marks.
  16. Original Powder Tide mixed into hot water. Grab a brush and use a little elbow grease to make your camper shine.
  17. Use Tilex for your awning. It will make it look new!
  18. Anco black streak remover, spray on, and wipe clean with dry towel…no water needed.
  19. Camco Black Streak Remover. Easily removes black streaks, bugs, tar, grease, oil, and dirt. Great for use on window trim, gutter rails, grills, and much more. Excellent degreaser for other heavy-duty cleanings. It is a professional strength, ready to use.
  20. Bio-Clean. It allows you to remove those black streaks and stains from boats, trailers, and RVs with ease. Just spray it on and wipe it off, it’s that simple! A multi-purpose cleaner/degreaser designed to remove soils and marks with a minimum effort on a wide variety of hard surfaces. It leaves all surfaces streak-free and sparkling clean. No rinsing needed, and it is residue-free.

Can you think of an idea that we missed? Let us know what works for you! 

–> Check out our Crazy Camping Girl Etsy store – new items are added weekly!

Other posts you may find useful:

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How do You Keep Your Food Cold When Camping Without a Fridge?

How do You Keep Your Food Cold When Camping Without a Fridge? So you want to go camping, and you are without a Fridge? How do you keep your food in a cooler from getting all wet when the ice melts?

keep your food cold while camping collage

That is the very issue we had to deal with last summer on a two-week-long trip through Indiana. It was hot enough that our fridge couldn’t keep up, and our food was starting to spoil.

How do You Keep Your Food Cold When Camping Without a Fridge?

We asked the experts and came up with a whole host of ideas for the next time we take a long trip. We will plan for the fridge to fail and end up being just fine.

Ice it

  • Dry ice – This seems like a great idea, but it is pretty costly and only available in certain places. The downside? It only lasts 18-24 hours or so. It will not “melt” and water down your food, but isn’t a long-term solution. To find dry ice in your area, do a google search for it. 
  • Layer it – If I’m going to be out for several days (which we do a lot), I buy a five or 10-pound block of dry ice, put it on the bottom of the cooler, and cover it with a layer of regular ice. Nothing will melt, and your cooler ice will last for 4 or 5 days. While dry ice can be a little pricey but you’ll make up the difference in saved ice and supplies by layering.
  • Sprinkle salt over your ice. The chemical reaction will slow down the melting process.
  • Use milk jugs – Fill them almost to capacity and pop them in your freezer before a trip. It will act as an ice block a little longer than the dry ice and will not water down your food as it thaws.
lady holding ice

Seal it

  • Vacuum seal it – You can vacuum seal meals that you know will be in the cooler longer, and that will keep the water out. You can also make foil-pack meals, and then vacuum seal them. We freeze those ahead of time. We do that on longer camping trips, put those items on the bottom, and stack them. 
  • Put everything in plastic Ziploc bags – but make sure they aren’t “slider” tops. Those will let the water in. You can also use a plastic container without the lid on top of ice for cold cuts, butter, etc.
  • Keep it sealed – put a bag of ice on the bottom of the cooler and one on top of the food, but do not open the bags of ice! 
  • Box it up – Food goes in a plastic tub with a lid that sits on top of the ice. Inside of this plastic tub goes one or two layers of corrugated cardboard to insulate the food from the condensation that will come through the bottom. Then you load the food into the tub. 
  • Use jars – try putting everything, meat cheese, condiments, etc. in wide-mouth, quart canning jars with lids. They are the only thing we have found that does not let water in. 

Stack it

  • Build a shelf – Use tops to large pieces of Tupperware and create a shelf over the ice. Keeps all the food you don’t want to get wet, above the ice. 
  • If you don’t have large lids like that, get the shelves from the local dollar store — kind of like the ones that go in a freezer. 
  • Use cookie cooling rack – same principle as the previous two ideas. 

containers for food

Get Fancy

  • Drain it – If you have a drain plug on your cooler, keep it open, so the water drains out and refill as you need to. 
  • Try these 3X Lg. Zero°F Cooler Freeze Packs.
  • Use two different coolers; take a “dinner” cooler and a “drink” cooler. Make sure they are both labeled, so no one opens the dinner cooler for anything because they can easily find their drinks. That helps keep the ice longer.
  • Reflection – Try covering your ice chest with a silver tarp. You won’t believe how long your ice will last because that trap reflects the sun. 
  •  If you want to avoid all of that hassle, check out SnomasterUSA. They’re the best! All stainless steel, full cooling plates instead of wrap-around coils so there’s no temperature varies depending on how you pack your cooler. It has a voltage cutoff, so you don’t accidentally kill your battery.

    It comes with a solar chargeable remote control and insulating cover. They’ve been around for over 20 years in South Africa. It’s one of those things that you either know about them, and you need one because you do long-haul off-road expedition-type trips, or you don’t even know that they exist. 

Can you think of any tips we might have missed? Please let us know if there is something different that works for you!

–> Check out our Crazy Camping Girl Etsy store – new items are added weekly!

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