I'm less than two weeks away from probably the best D&D weekend of my life - out under the stars over a weekend with 7 pals!
Thing is, I've never been camping before. We've got a massive 8-man tent and each of us will have a folding chair and we'll even have a folding table. Light will be provided by flashlights and of course we'll have food.
But I want to call on the chasm-like depths of knowledge on these boards to ask: Is there anything I should bring that I may have overlooked?
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I'm less than two weeks away from probably the best D&D weekend of my life - out under the stars over a weekend with 7 pals!
Thing is, I've never been camping before. We've got a massive 8-man tent and each of us will have a folding chair and we'll even have a folding table. Light will be provided by flashlights and of course we'll have food.
But I want to call on the chasm-like depths of knowledge on these boards to ask: Is there anything I should bring that I may have overlooked?
Its been a while since I've been camping (several years in fact), but I'll try to help out.
First off, and most important, if you are going to a park or official campground, make sure you know all the rules. Most places have them posted on the internet these days.
The tent sounds fine, but do you have a sleeping bag? If not, at least try to have a blanket. Otherwise you sound good to go.
As for light: Make sure your flashlight is waterproof and that you have extra batteries. Although a lantern is better than a flashlight.
With regard to food, make sure you have an ice chest to put it in, even stuff that doesn't need to be kept cool. And don't leave anything lying out overnight. That's how you attract unwanted animals into your camp. Also, depending on what kind of food you have, you have to think of how to prepare it. For example, if you are going to cook hot dogs over a fire, make sure you bring unpainted hangers to stick them on. Otherwise you get hot dogs with melted paint on them. And clean any thing you use (or dispose of it properly) to avoid the aforementioned visit by animals.
Lastly, there are some essential items you should always bring when camping:
a knife
a compass (to be carried at all times)
bug spray
a first aid kit
a water bottle or canteen
This may seem a bit much, but what can I say, I'm a former Boy Scout.
Camping tips:
Well, there are so many tips and bits of knowledge one could offer in regards to camping...
-dress in layers: it's better to remove layers of clothing as one gets warmer
-don't forget the bug spray
-make sure food is locked up tight; if there are unwanted animals in the area (skunks, coyotes, bear, etc.) make sure food is away from campsite
Outdoor gaming tips:
-a breeze sucks, make sure your papers don't blow away
-weatherproof your character sheets (plastic page protectors)
-K.I.S.S.! the more complex your gaming setup is, the harder it is to take down in an emergency
Only others things I would add, from my own D&D Camping experiences...
- Bring LOTS of flashlights. If you are playing the game far enough into the evening, campfire and a single flashlight will not suffice. Have one for everybody, so they can actually see their own die rolls.
- Paperweights. It's very easy for your charts and campaign notes to go flying at a moment's notice - possible even straight into a nearby fire! Make sure you have enough stuff to weight everything down quite solidly.
- Dice rolling containers. I use various types of box covers and such - but just make sure everyone has something to roll their dice in, rather than just doing it on top of a book. If a die makes a funny rebound and goes flying into the grass somewhere, stopping to look for it can waste a lot of time (especially if it happens every five minutes).
Aside from that - enjoy! I have great memories of D&D Camping, and I hope you will too.
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Clip boards, so your papers don't all blow away.
Flashlights may not get it for light, I don't know.
At night, we'd all just do the campfire thing anyhow; it seemed like camping there was always something drawing attention away from gaming.
(edit)And everybody all ready said some kind of paperweight.
Pedantically yours,
Heathansson
Great tips, guys!
I'm in the UK so we don't have skunks, coyotes, bears et al...but we have foxes! Not as ferocious I grant you but still very keen to steal supplies.
I'll also be on an official site so some facilities will be available.
That said, good advice about layers (never trust the weather, even if it is August!) and I agree about the flashlights and batteries - I'll make sure everyone has one.
Keep the advice coming though. I want to make sure I have everything covered.
Do a little research...
Don't eat bananas for a few days before going or while you're there. You may laugh but they help produce attractive oders to mosquitos etc.
Take lots of unscented baby wipes to stay clean and have good hygene.
Dispose of trash properly.
Extra batteries.
A large pot for boiling water and washing your dishes in.
A deck of cards.
Know where and how you can get firewood and water. Take water with you if necessary.
If you take it in, you take it back out. :-)
Lots of matches. Zip lock bags can be useful for keeping things dry.
Candles.
Understand fire safety!
A towel. (Hitch Hikers Guide can optimize your use of this tool)
A mallet.
A hatchet.
Firestarter sticks are very useful.
Utensils to eat with and dishes to eat off of.
A whistle.
Extra string to hang and dry wet clothes.
Good shoes.
Plan your meals ahead.
Find out if you have access to ice.
Take your digitial camera and extra batteries so you capture those wonderful times. :-)
Also:
If you can find them, they sell general-purpose ziploc plastic bags in a 5-gallon size; use them to seal clothing in a dry place in case of rain.
A gas or battery flurescent lantern is more efficient than flashlights and will light a larger area (like a gaming table).
Expect to use stones as paperweights; use 3x5 cards for encounter notes - they don't fly away as easily.
Play on level, clear ground; it will be easier to find dropped dice or other items in the dark.
Be considerate about any food wrappers, garbage or anything else you leave behind; all you should be leaving behind when you leave is human waste and that should be buried. Leave no footprint on the land - lest the Drow track you down ;-)
Enjoy!
Toilet paper.
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If someone has an extra tent, bring it! A lot of time's the tents that say they sleep eight do not actually sleep eight comfortably.
A clipboard, as mentioned before, is a must. Put a rubber band around the bottom to keep the wind from snatching the papers out of it. I've had to chase site notes across a windy New Mexico playa and it's a pain in the ass. It's annoying to shuffle and reclip each time you need a new sheet, but it's nothing compared to the improvised track meet.
Foods that stay good at least a few days without refrigeration (like jerky, cereal, nuts, fruit, bread, peanut butter, potatoes) make life easier, but a good ice chest with plenty of ice to keep meat, eggs, butter, and your beverage of coice cool is a good idea. Best if you can take one cooler for food and one for drinks and never let the two meet. Just depends on your combined resources.
I don't know how hot your temps are over in the UK right now, but always keep a canteen of water around. It's never bad to be too hydrated. Unless you're at the bottom of a lake. Then you may be too hydrated.
I always take a pack of smokes. I haven't smoked in years, but blowing the smoke from your cigarette down your arms and legs can help keep annoying mosquitos and gnats away. I've had the best result with Kool's. It's generally worked better than citronella candles. Especially in a breeze that keeps spluttering the candles.
As stated before, unscented baby wipes are a wonderful thing! Biodegradable soap/shampoo is pretty easy to find as well, but for just a couple of days, I would go with the wipes.
Here's a link to KOA's camping tips that might be helpful:
http://www.koakampgrounds.com/familyzone/camping101/bring.htm
Have a great time!
Everything that's been mentioned is great, but some of them bear repeating.
YOU PACK IT IN, YOU PACK IT OUT. Leave it cleaner than you found it!
EXTINGUISH CAMPFIRES PROPERLY. Pour water on it, stir it around! What may be a tiny ember to you can quickly become a wildfire. If you smoke, bring a designated butt-bucket. Put cigarette butts in there rather than the campfire.
ALWAYS BRING EXTRA BLANKETS. Always. Always. Always. It gets colder than you think, even if it's blazing hot during the day. (I have gone winter camping before, so the value of extra blankets and clothing is not lost on me.)
BRING EXTRA DRY CLOTHING. Especially socks. Nothing makes you go "aaaaaah" after being soaked to the skin when putting on dry clothing. Layers are your friend. (Several years ago, in the SCA, there was the "Coro-Not" event, where the event had to be cancelled due to the massive amounts of rain. Dry clothing is GOOD.)
*puts on Demon Queen of Victuals crown*
On the subject of food. Avoid large amounts of candy and sweets. Not only is this not healthy for you, they attract bugs.
To combat bugs, particularly ants, do two things:
1.) Prepare the sacrifice. Drop several oreo cookies or other high-sugar items well outside your camping area.
2.) Cast a warding circle. For whatever reason, ants don't seem to like mint. If you can, strew mint around your camping area to keep them away.
Food items that I always bring:
1.) Fruit. Not only are they a good source of fluids, they're tasty. Apples and bananas are pretty much always at my campsite.
2.) Bottled Water. Minimum of a case. This probably isn't as much of a problem at a frequently used campground, but potable water is a valuable and precious thing. Lemonade/Limeade is also very good, especially in the summer. Keep them wrapped up and in the cooler!
3.) Sandwich Stuff. I keep it simple - bread, meat, cheese. Avoid condiments, especially mayonnaise. Mustard is okay, as it can be unrefrigerated for a time. Everyone knows how to make a sandwich, and if I'm occupied doing something else, children can easily make it for themselves.
4.) Snacks. Chips are generally out. Good protein sources are better for you and fill you up better, such as jerky, nuts, and hard-boiled eggs. Good old GORP is good too. Avoid generic "trail mixes" - they're usually too high in sugars to be of any use.
5.) Breakfast. Cereal and milk doesn't cut it, not to mention it's hard to keep milk refrigerated for long periods of time. Bacon, eggs, hash browns. I have used leftover grilled steak from the night before and added to the mix. Corned beef hash is also a frequent visitor to the frypan, as my crew enjoys it greatly. Round out breakfast with some fruit.
Try to pre-prep as much as possible - hard boiled eggs will keep (leave the shells on), bake some potatoes for hash browns (or cheat, and buy the pre-shredded ones), wash your fruits. It's hard work now, but do it ahead of time and you'll spend more time gaming instead of fixing. :) Plus, if you're doing things like a steak or hamburgers, you can pre-prep them and let them marinate in a sauce. Zip lock bags are your friend!
Clean up! Always clean up as soon as possible when cooking, better to do it as you go. Have a designated non-burnables trash receptacle and keep that receptacle weighted down and covered when you go to sleep at night.
Bella Sara Charter Superscriber
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Bring some newspaper to build the fire. Remember to start with very small kindling, then slowly add larger pieces of wood in a cone over the kindling. Once that gets going, add real logs. If you want to get the fire really bright, throw a big green branch on it. That will cause the fire to flare up for a short period of time. Useful trick for finding things at night.
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Always remember, leaves of three make the softest toilet paper.
If a bear attacks you punch it in the nose.
If a poisonous snake bites you, do jumping jacks until the poison runs through your system.
If you rub salmon on you the mosquitoes will leave you alone.
and most important: Keep all meat products in your shorts so the animals can't get them.
FH (Ranger Rick to you, pal!)
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Always remember, leaves of three make the softest toilet paper.
If a bear attacks you punch it in the nose.
If a poisonous snake bites you, do jumping jacks until the poison runs through your system.
If you rub salmon on you the mosquitoes will leave you alone.
and most important: Keep all meat products in your shorts so the animals can't get them.FH (Ranger Rick to you, pal!)
Ever get the feeling that your life has no greater meaning than simply existing as a warning to others?
Wow! I can officially announce I knew nothing about camping. Lilith, your advice rox! Hard boiled eggs and baked potatoes it is and a loaf of bread is very cheap as well. :)
Although it sounds mad, I forgot about water. I'll bring loads of it - you can't have too much water, right?
Can't wait. Will be going on the 26th. :D
Always remember, leaves of three make the softest toilet paper.
If a bear attacks you punch it in the nose.
If a poisonous snake bites you, do jumping jacks until the poison runs through your system.
If you rub salmon on you the mosquitoes will leave you alone.
and most important: Keep all meat products in your shorts so the animals can't get them.FH (Ranger Rick to you, pal!)
LOL! Oh, man, you critted my funny bone with that crap.
Wow! I can officially announce I knew nothing about camping. Lilith, your advice rox! Hard boiled eggs and baked potatoes it is and a loaf of bread is very cheap as well. :)
Although it sounds mad, I forgot about water. I'll bring loads of it - you can't have too much water, right?
Can't wait. Will be going on the 26th. :D
Never too much water. It can be a pain to move around, but you will regret it if you don't have it.
If you've got 'em, look for bread stores and bakeries. They often have day-old bread, muffins, tortillas or pita bread that is perfectly serviceable and very cheap. I picked up a bag of bagels (about 18) of chocolate chip, cranberry-orange, honey wheat, and a bunch of others for $3. Great to make sandwiches with, they're really portable, and they've got just enough sweetness to satisfy my sweet tooth.
Something that's very fun (and very cheap) is bread bowls. You're looking for cannonballs, round loafs of bread. Get one good sized one for each of your friends. Heat up a can of soup (I like Dinty Moore Beef Stew if I don't have any I made myself). While that's heating up, slice off the tops of the bread and pick out the squishy center of the cannonball. (Generally, I go with a hole about the size of my fist in the bread.) When you're done prepping the bread, put the beef stew in the "bowl" you just made, top with some shredded cheese, put the "lid" back on and serve.
Your friends will think you're a culinary genius, plus they're great props for a game. It has the benefit of being very filling and very cheap, as well, plus clean-up is easy. Eat your bowl.
Next up - how to make scotch eggs!
Not that I know of, but he runs fast enough to run a loopty-loop when there are rings involved. Heck, he chases after rings faster than girls at the bars around Killeen during Single Soldier nights (that one's mostly for F2K's amusement).
*spit-take*
You're in Killeen?Small world.
If you run into Scarlet at Club XTC, get her to perform her Ode to a Slime Mold for you. It's genius.
Ever get the feeling that your life has no greater meaning than simply existing as a warning to others?
ROTFLMAO.
Guns and whiskey. That's all you need.
Guns and whiskey. That's all you need.
And smokes. And pornography. Now that's an American camping trip. Oh! Fireworks! And a big knife! Make sure everyone has a five o'clock shadow or a full beard as well as flannel shirts. Women should use makeup or dirt to create their own five o'clock shadows.
Man, that sounds like a Pabst Blue Ribbon ad waiting to happen.
edit: ha, keegan beat me!
... and some bullets, porn and cigarettes.
For real though - all the above advice is good. I will add:
Something that you can sleep on - between you and the ground - for insulation. You may think a sleeping bag and/or a blanket is good enough but a thin foam pad will make a world of difference. Thin foam pad, air-matress, something.
Week out? Go heavier on the canned food and things that don't need to be kept cold.
"Easy" food is handy. Can of chili, a tortilla and fire = meal. Can opener too.
First aid kit. Adhesive bandages are really nice. So are little pain killers. Make sure you bring something for your tummy and for "bowel situations". Nothing brings a fun camping trip to a halt faster than... well ... when the bean soup just 'aint right and you ate it.
Some tools I have found handy while out in the bush, assuming you are car camping as opposed to hiking:
small axe or hatchet
little saw
shovel
rake
personal items:
folding pocket knife - preferebly a multi-tool type (swiss army knife, et al.)
fire making stuff
whistle (cheap)
a hanky/kerchief
hiking boots/shoe
camp shoes (sturdy slipper, sandals, et al.)
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Guns and whiskey. That's all you need.And smokes. And pornography. Now that's an American camping trip. Oh! Fireworks! And a big knife! Make sure everyone has a five o'clock shadow or a full beard as well as flannel shirts. Women should use makeup or dirt to create their own five o'clock shadows.
Man, that sounds like a Pabst Blue Ribbon ad waiting to happen.
And a hat with antlers on it so you can "become one with your inner deer". OOOoo, ooo and one of those big bags of "Bear Scent" because if you spread enough on you a bear will think you are a bigger bear and leave you alone.
FH (I wanna hear about a "bear rape" on the news)
coming next:
Camping pranks (or Stupid Viking Tricks).
If a bear attacks you punch it in the nose.
I always heard that you were supposed to box his ears
coming next:
Camping pranks (or Stupid Viking Tricks).
Sounds like you've attended the same events I did. :)
But has anybody clocked him with a radar gun?Not that I know of, but he runs fast enough to run a loopty-loop when there are rings involved. Heck, he chases after rings faster than girls at the bars around Killeen during Single Soldier nights (that one's mostly for F2K's amusement).
I was a reservist, I never had to hang around Killeen all that much....plus my unit was 60% female, being a medical unit....I loved my annual training....I was 19 years old.....ahem....very fond memories.....
Okay, camping hints from a veteran of many camping trips into bear & snake country--the Gila wildernis of New Mexico.
All of the above advice is good. Here's some things not yet mentioned:
Make sure your vehicle is in good repair and you can fix TWO flat tires. Park it where you can get out in a hurry--you may have to evacuate an injured friend to civilization and you don't want to spend precious minutes trying to back out of a campsite in the dark.
Know how to get to the nearest medical and law enforcement help. Figure out where the nearest cell signal is, assuming you don't have one in your camp area.
Be wary of two-legged critters in the woods..many dope growers and survivalists consider the forests their turf and act just as aggressive as urban gangs. I always carried a gun when camping (okay, I have carried a gun my entire adult life) but mostly for the two legged threats. If guns aren't an option, carry a knife or two and a long blunt instrument such as a bat. They're useful anyway....remember bats are better than horseshoes....hard baseballs are better than badminton shuttlecocks...
Have fun!!
Guns and whiskey. That's all you need.
....and Jaegermeister....and cigars.....and bratwurst....oops, my Kraut is showing :)
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Everything mentioned above is pretty sound advice - but how are y'all going to carry all the stuff? Are you and the guys basically camping out of the back of a van, or are you lugging it on your backs? And, how far away from civilisation are you going (in a place as small as the UK, how far away can you get?)?
1) Massive 8-man tents are actually quite cozy for 8 men and their gear.
2) Sleeping bag/bedroll/blanket
3) Pillow
4) Water. Yes, we know you will be drink lots of frosty adult beverage, but make sure you bring water too.
5) Food.
6) Bug-spray
7) first-aid kit...preferably with someone who knows how to use it
8) cell phone, ion case the first aid kit isn;t enough.
9) tell someone where you are going to be just in case you get abducted by aliens or eaten by troglodytes. That way they'll know where to look for your bodies.
9) matches/a lighter/ or the skill to start a fire with a stick.
10) spoons
11) 1 gallon...er....4L...platic bags. really. they are really useful for lots of things, from makeshift pillow, to putting wet clothes in, to making a still to gather water when you run out or become lost, to smothering the guy who snores....
12) lots and lots of dry socks and an extra pair of shoes.
13) a compass
14) a knife
15) rope
16) 10-foot pole
17) flashlights and extra batteries, or a propane lamp and extra propane.
18) if you aren't at a campground with a loo....bring toilet paper...and a shovel to dig a hole to poop in.
You know, in all these posts, nobody has mentioned what I always considered to be the cardinal rule of camping...at least, my father spent an entire week bellowing it at my brother and I whilst camping one rainy summer...
"DON'T TOUCH THE SIDES OF THE TENT!!!!!"
Yours in trembling fear of tents,
Fang
Sounds like you've attended the same events I did. :)coming next:
Camping pranks (or Stupid Viking Tricks).
Yeah, I was a Varangian and squuired to His Grace Duke Steingrim Stallari for a few years. I was a Varangian groupie prior to that.
With Finnagin and Atli around - I learned many Stupid Viking Tricks.
Stupid Viking Trick #1:
STICK! (it's a game)
What you need - sticks (wrapped in duct-tape preferably), consumed alcohol, darkness (night is good), a giant bonfire in the middle of the STICK! field, first aid kit with some ladies to apply the items of first aid to the stick players ... and some Vikings.
Rules-
1) Somebody yells, "STICK!".
2) Everyone starts hitting anyone with a stick with their stick.
3) Keep hitting opponents with sticks.
4) Knock over some stuff.
5) One of the Vikings must jump over the bonfire - really cool if he actually tackles another viking in the process.
6) Somebody's precious item (handmade drinking stein, 9 man morris board, a longbow, et al.) needs to get broken and sacrificed to Odin (or Thor).
7) The game ends when the Ladies with the first aid kits have had enough and yell at you.
Afterwards, all the vikings get fixed up, share war stories, show off wounds and try to make bed-sports with the Viking Ladies (or belly-dancers if any are around). Oh, and drink some more.
16) 10-foot pole
:)
Glow sticks! These are always handy when camping, just go to any camping/army-navy store and they will have them; failing that, try the 'newage/festival/hippy-type shops' as they often sell them for raves.
They give off light for hours and come in a variety of colours, are very cheap and small enough to allow each player and the DM to have a couple near his sheet/books!
Just make sure to bin them after they are spent! ;)
Hey, editors, don't you think this would make a good campaign workbook or Dragon article?
As for gaming tips, you've offered some good advice:
1) A box top, coffee can or some other way to contain rolled dice.
2) Clip board for writing and as a paper holder.
3) Paper-protector sheets.
4) Plenty of light sources.
Some other ideas
5) Folding Camp chairs
6) Pencils and erasers.
7) A pencil sharpener or two.
8) Extra blank character sheets.
9) Photocopies of your filled-out character sheet.
Lastly, I too would try to get another tent. They fill up fast, especially if there's no place to put your gear.
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Only one thing to add from me. It appears that everyone has already covered the environment, personal safety, hygene and survival sides of things. I will only add to what my help the quality of gaming.
If you bring folding chairs try to get the kind that have wide cross-bars for bases and not those with just skinny legs. Skinny legs will sink into the soft ground and through the tarp bottom of a tent. They can become very annoying.
Tam
Oh yeah, this one to you fresh from the desert of Iraq, if you have bio-degradale baby wipes you do not need toilet paper. They clean much better than paper anyway.
Glow sticks!
Also useful for the following:
*Tying to tent ropes so you don't trip over them in the night (highly annoying).*Toss them into a large stein of liquid refreshment. Guaranteed to freak your friends out when you drink from the glowing mug. :)
Well the camping trip was a great success, so I'd just like to shout out a big thank you to all those who gave some really useful advice. We didn't starve or dehydrate so I suppose we did okay.
The game ran smoothly also, as we had plenty of light and enthusiasm. In the time we were away the characters jumped two levels (playing SCAP) so there were lots of happy players.
So let me say thanks once more for making these boards the best on the internet.
Isa
Woo-hoo! Glad you had a good time, Orcwort!