FCW-10 / Flashlight & Camping GET TOGETHER October 3rd-6th 2013 NJ+ surroundingstates

KartRacer31

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Re: FCW-10 / Flashlight & Camping GET TOGETHER October 3rd-6th 2013 NJ+ surroundingst

GOOD NEWS - Energizer will be sending some of their latest products for us to use and review!
 

KartRacer31

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Re: FCW-10 / Flashlight & Camping GET TOGETHER October 3rd-6th 2013 NJ+ surroundingst

So we now have Dorcy and Energizer sending products for FCW-10! ...Rayovac got the same invite/offer, I wonder if they were concerned about their products being placed right next to those from Dorcy and Energizer. I have some nice Rayovac lights, it's a shame they haven't stepped up to come out and join the fun. I'm looking forward to seeing what Dorcy and Energizer provide for us!
 

KartRacer31

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Re: FCW-10 / Flashlight & Camping GET TOGETHER October 3rd-6th 2013 NJ+ surroundingst

OK, here is the official reservations list for the FCW-10 event as of 8-30-13! - THIS IS A ROLLING LIST WHICH WILL BE UPDATED IN LATER POSTS

If your name is on this list in GREEN it means I have received your payment, and you have a reserved spot for the campout.


Please PM me for either my snail mail address or my pay pal address to send payment.


caution.gif
ONLY 2 MONTHS TO GO!
Avoid the rush, plan and save your spot now.
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--PAID--
KartRacer31 - 1
Lighthouse one - 1
carrot - 2
lightcycle1 -1
TEEJ - 1
sledhead -1
stan671 -3
climberkid -2
copperfox -1


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--pending confirmation or payment--



everyone else


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copperfox

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Re: FCW-10 / Flashlight & Camping GET TOGETHER October 3rd-6th 2013 NJ+ surroundingst

Can you guys recommend some good sleeping bag brands/models to look at?
 

KartRacer31

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Re: FCW-10 / Flashlight & Camping GET TOGETHER October 3rd-6th 2013 NJ+ surroundingst

Can you guys recommend some good sleeping bag brands/models to look at?
How much do you want to spend, and what do you want out of it - meaning basic no options, or full options. Winter bag, summer bag you will use a liner with in the winter? If you are looking for some inexpensive options: http://www.walmart.com/cp/Sleeping-Bags/133173 Down is still a fantastic insulator, but synthetic insulation is less expensive, and works better in damp conditions. They make something called dry-down now, which works well in damp conditions, but it's rather expensive. If you are looking for something better than can be found in WalMart, look into REI, EMS, Campmor or Ramsey Outdoors. I hope that helps --Tim
 

TEEJ

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Re: FCW-10 / Flashlight & Camping GET TOGETHER October 3rd-6th 2013 NJ+ surroundingst

If its cold, a small tent tends to be warmer than a large one, as it traps more warm air closer around you. The larger tents tend to be too hard to heat with just body heat, and they feel colder.

If you get a good sleeping pad that insulates you from the cold ground, and the rocks and whatever too, you'll be a lot more comfortable.

The above items can significantly supplement the sleeping bag's warmth.
 

copperfox

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Re: FCW-10 / Flashlight & Camping GET TOGETHER October 3rd-6th 2013 NJ+ surroundingst

How much do you want to spend, and what do you want out of it - meaning basic no options, or full options. Winter bag, summer bag you will use a liner with in the winter? If you are looking for some inexpensive options: http://www.walmart.com/cp/Sleeping-Bags/133173 Down is still a fantastic insulator, but synthetic insulation is less expensive, and works better in damp conditions. They make something called dry-down now, which works well in damp conditions, but it's rather expensive. If you are looking for something better than can be found in WalMart, look into REI, EMS, Campmor or Ramsey Outdoors. I hope that helps --Tim

Duh, I'm looking for something to keep me warm during FCW-10! :twak: lol. J/K Tim. My current Coleman bag is basic warm weather only (I'd guess it's good to maybe 50F). I may just bring extra blankets and wrap them above and below my bag. Then again, I like buying gear :sssh: and I like high quality stuff that should last at least two decades. I could just spend a couple hours on google/youtube (I'll probably do that anyway), but I thought I'd start with asking ya'lls opinion. I don't want to stroll into REI without some knowledge of what I'm buying... unless on sale, stuff there is usually overpriced. Carrot, don't read that last sentence. :whistle: I'll google dry down and Campmor and Ramsey Outdoors.


If its cold, a small tent tends to be warmer than a large one, as it traps more warm air closer around you. The larger tents tend to be too hard to heat with just body heat, and they feel colder.

If you get a good sleeping pad that insulates you from the cold ground, and the rocks and whatever too, you'll be a lot more comfortable.

The above items can significantly supplement the sleeping bag's warmth.

I hear what you're saying TJ, but I have a tallish "4 person" tent that I'm just not going to replace for this trip. I should be good on the pad front - I have both an REI 2.5 inflatable camp pad and a Coleman queen size inflatable mattress. I'll probably bring the mattress because size and weight aren't considerations and it's thicker for more ground insulation.
 

TEEJ

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Re: FCW-10 / Flashlight & Camping GET TOGETHER October 3rd-6th 2013 NJ+ surroundingst

Duh, I'm looking for something to keep me warm during FCW-10! :twak: lol. J/K Tim. My current Coleman bag is basic warm weather only (I'd guess it's good to maybe 50F). I may just bring extra blankets and wrap them above and below my bag. Then again, I like buying gear :sssh: and I like high quality stuff that should last at least two decades. I could just spend a couple hours on google/youtube (I'll probably do that anyway), but I thought I'd start with asking ya'lls opinion. I don't want to stroll into REI without some knowledge of what I'm buying... unless on sale, stuff there is usually overpriced. Carrot, don't read that last sentence. :whistle: I'll google dry down and Campmor and Ramsey Outdoors.




I hear what you're saying TJ, but I have a tallish "4 person" tent that I'm just not going to replace for this trip. I should be good on the pad front - I have both an REI 2.5 inflatable camp pad and a Coleman queen size inflatable mattress. I'll probably bring the mattress because size and weight aren't considerations and it's thicker for more ground insulation.

The added blankets over you, etc, can definitely help, but then again so would simply doing a sort by degree ratings for some sleeping bags. If you really won't be doing cold weather camping except this trip, just using the blankets might make sense. If you think you might need this sort of thing more often though, remember that the bags rated for cold conditions are not that comfy if its too warm...you can get pretty toasty.

If you get a space blanket (Thin reflective aluminum foil-ish looking sheets) they do an amazing job of reflecting your heat back to you.

The basis issue is that insulation doesn't make heat, it just helps prevent its escape....so your body is the heat source. Trapping your body heat close to your body is the key concept, and any solution that works will be using this concept.

Typically, for most people, their heads radiate most of the heat, and the feet the least, so, people sleep with their heads uncovered normally...and therefore lose most of the heat they generate...and, their feet are cold. That's why the "small tent" idea works best, but, if impractical, consider a space blanket, or at least some actual blankets, "tented" over you. The same way you make a kid's blanket tent, inside your real tent, tends to be fine. This can make a real difference.
 

lightcycle1

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Re: FCW-10

I have an REI Mountain 2 for my solo excursions.
Big enough for me + my gear, and sealed up the tent is about 15-20 degrees warmer than the outside temps with me in it radiating body heat. Its a pretty serious little tent.

Sent from my SCH-S720C using Tapatalk 2
 

Lighthouse one

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Re: FCW-10

Copperfox: Putting a mattress cover on the inflatable mattress helps. Also a Blanket on top of the air mattress...remember the air temp of the air mattress is cold! I went to harbor freight and bought several cheap moving blankets...always on sale. these are great to have if the temp is colder than expected.

I also bought a Cabela's heavy sleeping bag. I use it like a blanket...hate to be rolled up in a tight space!
 

sledhead

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Re: FCW-10

Not sure if you're near an REI ...... Wife and I went to the Memorial Day sale today. Lot's of people were getting gear and great advice at even better prices. Had a great selection of bags for sure. On a personal note: Love the Thermarest inflatables but, closed cell foam works great also as a sleeping pad.

This is going to be perfect camping weather!!
 

carrot

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Re: FCW-10

Hi Copperfox, if you are trying to save a few dollars, the Kelty Cosmic Down and Kelty Ignite bags are very very good car camping bags, and OK backpacking (hiking+camping) bags. You must get a mummy bag with outside temps of 50º and below to be the most comfortable, as a rectangular bag will not protect your shoulders, neck and head from the cold!

Most important thing is to check the warmth rating. When you buy a bag look at three things: EN Rating, weight, and packed size. Each of these have a significant impact on the cost!

One other important thing is to consider down vs. synthetic. Down is more durable and longer-lasting, however you need to take precautions to keep it dry. Synthetic is cheaper and more water-resistant and great for use in wet and rainy weather. On DriDown and other flurocarbon or siliconized down treatments, so far they seem to be great with no downside and huge upsides. They loft better, dry faster, resist water better. However, general consensus seems to be that current, non hydrophobic-down bags work just fine and have done so for the past 40 years!

More interestingly is that down tends to feel warm faster whereas synthetic takes time to warm up and that down seems to feel more comfortable in a wider range of temps -- a super toasty down bag will feel less uncomfortable in warmer weather than if it were synthetic.

Through Labour Day Monday, the REI Lumen, TNF Snow Leopard, BA Bellyache SL, BA McAlpin SL, and the Kelty Cosmic Down are all on sale. These are all excellent bags.

If you are a warm sleeper (you usually feel warm or rarely cold at night) you should target no cooler than a 25º bag. A 25ºF bag like the REI Lumen is expected to be comfortable around 36ºF.

If you are a cold sleeper (you often wake up cold) you should target no cooler than a 15º bag or even a 0º bag. I will happily sleep in a 0º*bag anywhere from 50º*down to about 25º. Anything colder and I dig out my -20º*bag!!!! A bag like the 0º*TNF Snow Leopard is expected to be barely warm enough (for comfort) down to 15º and I would expect it to be happily toasty right around freezing, say 30-35º.

It's unfair that I don't talk about pads at all, but sleeping pads are super important. You can lose a ton of heat from below you, and it can make the difference between sleeping warm and cold! Check the R-value of your sleeping pads. R-values are additive (two R 3.2 pads make R 6.4). If you sleep cold, try to attain an R-value of 5. Otherwise, an R-value of 3 or so will be fine. In the winter I go all the way to R 5 or 6, and in the rest of the year I go with R3.2. For car camping, you may consider the Therm A Rest Luxurymap or REI Camp Bed, and if you are also a backpacker, you should buy a NeoAir.

Finally, you can contact me on AIM (cpfcarrot) or Gtalk (cpf.carrot gmail) if you have further questions as I am not consistently on CPF. Sorry for the information regurgitation but I'm too tired to formulate it better and too pressed for time to be concise!
 
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lightcycle1

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Re: FCW-10

Sadly I am officially out.
Just took a new job last week and I'm not going to be able to go.



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KartRacer31

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Re: FCW-10

Sadly I am officially out.
Just took a new job last week and I'm not going to be able to go.



Sent from my SCH-S720C using Tapatalk 2
Sorry to hear you can't make it - but congrats on the new job!!
 

TEEJ

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Re: FCW-10

Hopefully, it won't be THAT cold then anyway. Keeping the Skeeters at bay is fine, fending off polar bears is not fun either though.

:D
 

TEEJ

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Re: FCW-10

I forgot to ask....is the camping area OK for pets too? IE: Dogs?
 

Targaryen

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Re: FCW-10

Hi folks

I will be in your area on these dates but unable to join. I will be running in the ING NYC Marathon on Sunday Nov 3 and will be picking up my race paraphernalia on the friday or saturday.
Would have been able to meet you guys if it was the following weekend.
 
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