Memorial Day weekend traditionally marks the beginning of camping season but it really gets into high gear in a few weeks with the end of school and families starting their vacations. The camping experience can range from backpacking and primitive camping to travelling in an RV to various private or public campgrounds. Each type, as well as those in between, have various advantages and lots of people who love it.
Statistics show that camping is actually growing in popularity in New York State and elsewhere. Some of the reasons are that it can be relatively inexpensive for families to take a vacation, as well as the fact that it puts in contact with the outdoors world.
Since we have a great variety of outdoor sports and attractive regions in New York, you can choose the areas and level of camping that you want to enjoy. Boating, fishing, paddling or hiking are just some of the activities at easy access when you camp. State campgrounds, private campgrounds or primitive areas in the state forest preserve offer lots to choose from.
In addition to being a camper myself, I visit with lots of others to exchange ideas and suggestions, or check out the new equipment at stores and outdoor shows. Time and space do not permit going into the various advantages and options now but we wanted to show you some of the newest developments that campers will find handy.
However three things that I can always recommend are products by Coleman, Coghlan, and Thermacell repellents. Coleman makes everything from lanterns & stove to tents and pop-up campers. You won’t go wrong with Coleman products. Thermacell devices (appliances and lanterns) really keep away the nasty mosquitoes and black flies. They are the greatest development for enjoying camping without the insects.
Coghlan’s Camping Products: All types of campers have known for a long time that Coghlans is the company to turn to for all types of aids and devices to make your camping experience easier. For example if you are a tent camper, or just have a screen tent to go with your RV, you want to make sure that you have one of Coghlans Tent Repair Kits with you. This small package contains the essentials of patch material to make quick repairs to canvas tents and screens: pieces of tent material, a piece of nylon window screen, a spool of thread and needle and a tube of Canvas Cement.
If you are backpacking you want to travel light but have essential fuel for cooking or heating at camp, especially in areas where wood fires are prohibited. Coghlan’s Camp Heat comes in 6.4 oz. cans of Diethylene Glycol with a screw on lid. Simply unscrew the lid and light the wick. When finished put the cap back on to extinguish the flame and save the fuel for re-use. Each can provides four hours of burn time.
Olympia RG850 Flashlight: The RG850 flashlight is loaded with practical features for changing lighting conditions and challenging settings. It features five unique light settings including low, medium, high, strobe and SOS for emergency situations. The Olympia RG850 flashlight is completely waterproof withstanding submersion of up to two meters for 30 minutes. It is crafted from Aircraft-grade aluminum with type III anodized anti-abrasive finish.
The RG850 features 850 powerful lumens of brightness with a beam distance of 389 meters, enough to illuminate an entire camp area. The model also comes equipped with a rechargeable battery that allows users to recharge the battery while in the flashlight via a micro-USB cable. www.olympiaproducts.com.
Solar Pad 3000: For most people today, electronics including the cell phone or Ipad are an important part of the camping trip. If that is the case with you then you should check out the Solar Pad 3000 by Secur Products. It is great for emergency use or for keeping your cell phone from “powering off.”
The Solar Pad 3000 is a compact (6 x 9 inches), high efficiency and high capacity charger to re-charge your phone, tablet, GPS, camera or other digital device while on the go. It will fully charge by exposing it to six or seven hours of sunlight and then it charges your electronic device by a cable and USB port. It is water resistant and built to travel and can even be mounted in a window to charge on the go. You can also charge it in four hours by connecting it to your PC before you leave home. www.securproducts.com.
Dakota Watches: Even though we may be free of a schedule while camping or some other outdoor activity it is still important to know what time it is for various reasons. Dakota Watches are known for quality timepieces ranging from elegant timepieces to rugged sportwatches for outdoor recreation. There are many models and styles to choose from but one that I have recently found handy as well as reliable is the Dakota Digital Clip Clock.
Instead of the wrist band (which causes an uneven sun tan) this one has a carabiner arm that easily clips to your belt, strap of your backpack or fishing vest, etc. It easily flips up to show the large easily visible face with digital display. It features day and date calendar display and is made of an aluminum water-resistant case. It also includes a stopwatch, EL backlight and even an alarm clock. You can wear it on your belt by day and it then folds to double as a nightstand alarm clock in the evening.
To see the full range of Digital Clip Clocks as well as traditional wrist watches visit www.dakotawatch.com.
Ambi – the “electronic ice cube”: Minor mishaps including bumps and bruises are a fact of life when camping. We often do not have ice packs handy to keep the swelling down or bring relief from bug bites, bumps, migraines, etc. The Ambi is a small device about the size of your phone that operates on four AA batteries or a DC adapter to serve as a cooling device with the touch of a button.
The Groover – Grill Cleaning Pad: It is enjoyable to cook on the grill, it is not fun to clean it. Now GrateChef has a device that makes the chore much easier and more efficient. Groover Grill Cleaning Pads work with a heat-activated internal cleaner that removes grease or accumulated residue while the grill is hot. Just attach a Groover cleaning pad to the bristles of a grill brush and scrub.
This does not require any rinsing afterwards and is completely food safe so you can cook immediately after cleaning. It leaves no chemical residue or smell. Since your grill brush does not come in direct contact there is no damage to it from the hot grill. It works on any material grill grate. www.gratechef.com.
SHORT CASTS
Camping Promotion Program: New York State has an Early Summer Camping Special as a way of promoting and encouraging people to use its campgrounds. If you are camping from now until June 26 you can make reservations and save $5 per night for your weekend and weekday camping trip. Use the promotion code EARLYCAMPING14 when making advance reservations by phone (1-800-456-CAMP) or online at newyorkstateparks.reserveamerica.com. This discount program does not apply to previously booked reservations, walk-ins or cabins and cottages.
CNY Gunworks: With the end of the turkey season many guns will need a thorough cleaning and lubrication before you put them away for a few months. If you are not sure about doing the job properly you might consider a professional like Central NY Gunworks on Rt. 233 in Verona. Gary Donovan and his staff also have licenses, ammunition and guns for all of your varmint hunting and target shooting needs over the summer. Call 363-7041 for more information. Of course it’s not too early to get work done on your hunting rifles or shotguns over the summer instead of waiting until mid September.
Golden Park Program: If you are a NYS resident 62 or older you can obtain free vehicle access to state parks and arboreteums on any weekday (except holidays).Simply present your current valid NYS Driver’s License. This policy applies both to Office of Parks and Recreation and DEC facilities.