Equipment
Shelter
This page covers the basics of providing shelter while exploring canyon country.
Whether you sleep out under the stars, or find shelter in a tent, there are many common components for a restful nights sleep. There are large tents, small tents, nylon tents and canvas tents. You will also meet folks using pop-up trailers, campers on the back of trucks, and travel trailers. Car camping offers a much wider range of equipment choices than backpacking, but, of course, you often gain convenience at the loss of solitude.
In addition to your sleeping bag, you might want to consider a foam or air mattress to keep you off the sometimes rough ground and to insulate you from the chill and dampness that can penetrate through a tent floor. We like to put down a space blanket on the floor under our sleeping bags for an extra layer of protection and to help keep our bags clean.
You'll also need a light source inside, especially after dark. But do not use a gas powered lantern. Stick with the battery operated models for safety. We also like to take a filled water bottle into our tent at night. When camping in the dry desert air your mouth can get amazingly dry at night. Having a water bottle nearby saves a trip outside.
Plan ahead for getting up in the morning. Depending upon the size of your tent, you may want to take a fresh change of clothes, your bathroom essentials, and what ever else you'll need to get started. Of course, even the best made plans are usually forgotten when you climb out of your toasty sleeping bag into that morning chill. It seems the first line of business is usually a quick trip to the rest room facility or that line of bushes up the hill a ways.
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Air Mattress or Foam Pad
There are several different types of sleeping pads. Some prefer the lightweight Ensolite pads that roll up easily and are not susceptible to puncture, like an air mattress. However, they do not give you as much cushion as some other types. Air mattress, which provide a considerable amount of cushion, tend to be too heavy and bulky for backpacking. But there is a happy medium. There are semi-inflatable pads, like the Thermarest pad, that contains a soft foam rubber pad between two layers of rubberized Cordura nylon. These pads can be inflated to give a much more comfortable surface to rest on. Of course, they are not cheap, and they do weigh more than the Ensolite. But we find the comfort factor worth it.
We've also recently purchased a new device that fastens to our Thermarest pads that bends them into amazingly comfortable chairs for relaxing around camp. Again, the price is not cheap, and they add weight to your pack, but at the end of the day, sitting around watching a sunset, they are well appreciated.
Finding a Slow Leak in a Self-inflating Sleeping Pad
Once you realize that you have a slow leak in your self-inflating sleeping pad, pour water over the entire pad, wiping it over every square inch with a bandana until you spot the telltale bubbles. Then mark the spot with a pen or pencil or marker so that you'll be able to spot it when you go to repair it.
If you're near a lake, simply submerge the inflated pad and follow the stream of bubbles.
Ground Cloth
A ground cloth is not absolutely necessary, if your tent has a floor, but it does protect that floor from rocks and other sharp objects and will also prevent moisture from the ground from seeping up into your tent. For those times when you don't take your tent along, a ground cloth will provide a clean surface upon which to lay your sleeping pad and sleeping bag. It can also serve as a make shift rain, wind, or sun screen. Ground cloths for backpacking are generally make of a lightweight plastic and cut to the size of your tent.
Pillow
The inflatable pillow is a luxury item that is not necessary to the enjoyment of a hike, but sure makes sleeping on the hard ground a bit more comfortable, especially as one gets older. The inflatable pillows that we use fold up into a light, flat space that can fit almost anywhere within our packs. When we don't take the pillows along we just wad up some of our clothing and use that for a head rest.
Sleeping Bag
The choice of a sleeping bag is a personal decision. Everyone seems to have their own preference. Select a bag that fits your body type and temperature needs. Also consider the weight of the bag, how tightly you can compress it, and what type of material is used for the fill. Prices range widely, so shop around. If your bag doesn't keep you warm, or if you are uncomfortable sleeping in its too confining space, you'll have a miserable night and be exhausted for the next day's hike out. Weight is not a huge factor with car camping, but bulk is.
Buying a Sleeping Bag
- Get in, zip it up completely, and snug the hood closed. Make sure it's not too long or too short, and that wiggle room is sufficient.
- Close your eyes and get out, as if you're making a midnight exit. Is escape quick and easy?
- Spray water on it (if the sales person will allow it) to see if the shell shed's moisture.
- Lay it out and inspect the loft. Does it puff up? Look for under filled baffles that will cause cold spots.
- Run the zipper a few times from inside and outside to make sure it doesn't snag.
Space Blanket
A space blanket is a very lightweight, inexpensive sheet of laminated plastic and aluminum that comes in handy for a wide variety of uses. The blanket was originally engineered by NASA to keep 80% of an astronauts body heat contained. They are also a great wind break and a rain tarp. Because of the red coloring on one side and the exposed aluminum surface on the other, they can be used in case of an emergency to signal search pilots or rescuers on a distant ridge. We also use them as ground cloths on occasion. They are handy to have around and we always keep one in each of our packs.
Unfolding: Meditations on a Space Blanket
Over the years we've had many outdoor adventures that involved our Space Blankets in one way or the other. Just for fun I've included a group of personal essays that I've written as a reflection on the life of a single Space Blanket over the course of its life. It may be best to read these short pieces in sequence as presented here, yet they can be read in any any order as independent stories.
- Introduction
- Swish
- Table Cliff Plateau
- Moore's Station
- Zion Canyon
- Down the Colorado
- A Rainy Championship
- Rock Glaciers
- The Main Corridor
- A Cold Night in Red Canyon
- On Looking Back
Sun Shade
For those summer months, or for any campground that is exposed to the intense sun of the canyon country, you should think about purchasing a sun shade. There are several modern stand alone models made out of nylon, or, you can purchase a nylon or canvas tarp and poles and construct your own. These shades not only protect from the sun, but are useful when it rains. A sun shade is an extra item, but may be a welcome piece of equipment when it's needed.
Tent
We sometimes backpack without a tent, depending upon the location of the hike, the season, and the possibility of foul weather. A lightweight nylon tent, with its rain fly, can be a secure place to escape wind, rain, and the little critters that creep around at night, especially scorpions and mice. However, it also prevents you from witnessing such nocturnal creatures as mule deer, spotted skunks, and ring-tailed cats. It just depends on your preferences.
As with so many pieces of camping equipment, you should select a tent based upon your individual needs. In fact, they have been producing one person tents for some time: some for cold weather, others, with lots of insect screening, for warmer weather. In addition to size, weight is a factor. Remember there will be poles, a fly, stakes, and a ground cloth to haul along.
Do some research and buy a tent that suits your style and needs. Don't buy the cheapest tent available, you usually get what you pay for. But watch out for brand names, they can add unnecessary dollars to the price tag.
Look for moisture resistant floors, solid stitching on the seams, durable zippers, and rain resistance. Ease of setup and takedown is important as well. You don't want to spend the major part of your camping weekend setting up and taking down your tent.
Before heading out, make sure that all of the components of the tent are packed, including all necessary polls and stakes, as well as the fly and a good repair kit.
Buying a Tent
- Try setting it up in the store, without help from a sales clerk. It should take less than five minutes.
- Crawl inside with a sleeping bag and pad. You should be able to lie down without touching the walls.
- You should be able to sit up without touching the ceiling.
- Lean on the fly to check pole structure and pitch for stability.
- Make sure that you can stow it in a stuff sack and store it in or on your pack.
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