You will probably store your tent camping gear in your garage, basement, or a shed. If you live in apartment you may have to stuff it in a closet or under a bed. Wherever you choose to store it, the area should be clean, well organized, easily accessible, and secure. If possible, keep all your camping gear in one secure location. You may need to store your stove, lantern and fuel separately in a well-ventilated outside shed for safety reasons. Never store anything with fuel in it in or adjacent to a living space. That includes gas cans, propane cylinders, and lanterns and stoves with residual fuel.
Organize your camping gear in plastic tubs to protect it from dust, pests, and weather and to make it easy to find, transport, and use. I like to use translucent tubs so I can see a little of what is inside. I also find it useful to label each tub with its contents using a Magic Marker or adhesive labels. Most storage tubs have recessed lids so they stack nicely on top of each other without sliding around a lot. How you organize your stuff is up to you. Make it easy on yourself. Sometimes soft-sided suitcases or duffle bags may fit more easily in limited spaces. Here are some general suggestions if you don't know where to start:
Put all your galley/kitchen stuff together in one or two tubs or bags. I use one for big stuff like pots and pans and a second one for smaller stuff like plates, utensils, pot holders, measuring cups, spices, lighters, etc. You will want to put foodstuffs in a separate tub also. Put all your cleaning supplies in a separate tub. That way, if any bottle leaks, it won't spoil anything but other cleaning stuff and won't contaminate your cookware or pollute your food. Be aware that some cleaning solutions may interact with each other so take care not to store potentially reactive items together. Ammonia and bleach come immediately to mind as when combined they will toxic fumes, mostly chlorine gas. Choline gas can cause severe problems but usually isn't fatal if treated.
Sleeping bags should NOT be stored all tightly rolled up. It compresses the filling and makes them rather useless. I learned that the hard way. I had left my cold weather bag tightly rolled after a back packing trip and the next time I tried to use it I about froze! When I felt it and held it up to the light, I could barely find anything left of the filling. I it was like having just two very thin sheets of nylon to protect me! If you have someplace you can hang them, that is one of the best ways to store them. If not, fold them loosely and store them in plastic tubs to keep them safe from moisture, dust, and pests or stuff them in a "stuff sack". Even though packing them into a stuff sack compresses the filling somewhat, the random way it is packed and looser environment is less damaging than when it is tightly rolled. If possible, it is a good idea to hang sleeping bags so they can air out and the fill can expand. At least do this for a day or so before you store them if you don't have a safe place to hang them between trips. Putting them through a warm cycle in a clothes dryer with a few tennis balls can also help restore loft as well as removing any residual moisture.
Tents often come with their own storage bags and those should be sufficient for most storage needs. Sometimes it is hard to get a tent back into its original bag. In that case you might pick up a larger duffle bag from a sporting goods store, military surplus store, or even a thrift store. Keep all the parts together -- tent, poles, pegs, ropes, rain fly. Also keep any tools you need to erect the tent with the tent. I usually keep a hammer or mallet and a pry bar with mine. The hammer is, obviously, needed to drive the pegs and the pry bar makes it a lot easier getting them out when the time comes. Another trick for pulling tent pegs is to grab the tent and the loop so you can get a good grip. Then pull the peg straight out of the ground. If is was driven at an angle, pull it out at the same angle. Exercise caution when doing this or you are likely to tear the loops or the tent. A tent peg removal tool can also be useful. It has a hook on one end to lock onto the peg and a handle on the other, allowing you to stand up and use the strength of your legs to pull the pegs out of the ground. I have some other tools and accessories I keep with my tent: a small broom or whisk broom (for sweeping out the tent daily), a battery powered lantern, and a small rug or welcome mat. Since these are all part of my tent set up, I like to keep them all with the tent. If you use a tent heater, store it with your tent too, if you can. It doesn't have to be in the same duffle bag, but putting next to it on the shelf will keep it handy. Keep in mind the heater may contain residual fuel or fumes and for safety reasons, should be stored in a well-ventilated area separate from any structure connected to your living area.
Camping tools should all be kept together in a convenient tool box, duffle bag, plastic tub or crate. If you have a lot of stuff, you may need to break it down into to multiple containers to make it easier to handle. Better to have two smaller tool boxes than one big one that is too heavy to move. Always clean and inspect your tools before putting them into storage. Not only will this help prevent rust and corrosion, it will help you check for damage and provide an inventory control to ensure everything is ready for your next trip. Unfortunately, things sometimes tend to disappear on camping trips and its always better to discover it sooner rather than later so you can replace missing items before you need them.
Camp clothing will probably need to be laundered before it goes back into storage. Anything that doesn't normally live in your regular closet or dresser, should be neatly folded and stored in well-marked plastic tubs. An exception might be rain coats or other long coats that you might want to hang up in plastic zipper bags.
Camp stoves and heaters are mostly self-contained or come in their own cases. Traditional Coleman style gas stoves are self-storing within the main structure of the stove. If you have an oven or toaster you use with your camp stove, store it with the stove. You might find a small briefcase, duffle bag, or suitcase that will fit your collapsed oven and toaster, making it easy to keep everything together and easy to store and transport. Because your gas stove probably contains unused fuel or fumes, store your stoves only in a well-ventilated area outside of your living space. Propane stoves are pretty safe to store anywhere once the propane cylinder is removed and properly stored.
Camp lanterns, with their glass globes and silk-ash mantles, can be quite fragile. There are special carrying cases made for many of the Colman gas lanterns and you'll find them well worth the investment. Lacking one, wrap your lantern in an old towel and put it in a plastic tub that is just big enough to hold it and any related items, like spare mantles, spare generators, lighters, etc. Make sure it is ventilated so any fumes that may leak from the lantern don't accumulate in the container. Store your gas lanterns only in a well-ventilated area away from your living space. Like propane stoves, propane lanterns can be stored inside once the propane cylinder is removed and safely stored. Most currently available lantern cases are plastic clamshells that surround the lantern. I kind of like the older steel cases because they are more square and fit in storage areas better. Not all lanterns are the same size and shape. Make sure any case you buy will fit your lantern. Speaking of lantern storage, I found the "accessory safe" that clamps to the base of Coleman lanterns a good place to store spare mantles, generators, and the wrench that came with my lanterns so they're always handy.
Camping fuels need to be stored safely in a well ventilated area. They should only be stored in approved containers. Never put fuel into an any old plastic jug! Many plastics will be eaten up by the fuel. Don't believe it? Pour a few ounces of gasoline in a styrofoam cup for an accelerated demonstration. Be sure the cup is sitting in a leak-proof metal pan because within seconds, the cup will have dissolved and the gasoline will be going everywhere! Plastic gasoline containers are made of special materials that are impervious to gasoline and are safe for transporting and storing gasoline, but old milk jugs, water bottles, and bleach containers are not safe. They won't melt immediately like styrofoam, but they will deteriorate over a fairly short time, allowing fuel to leak out. If, in an emergency, you must transport gasoline in an unapproved container, use an old oil bottle or jug. Those have at least some resistance to petroleum products. Don't store fuel inside your home, not even in your basement or garage. Any leak that might develop from improper storage, abuse, or accident, and release fumes that could be explosive. Storing fuel in an attached garage isn't a good idea. Better to keep it an an outside storage building away from your residence. Storing it in a detached garage reduces the risk to your home, but may place vehicles and other contents of the garage at risk. Water heaters are often located in garages and basements and can be a source of ignition for any fumes that escape from improperly stored fuel. Water heaters installed in garages are placed on elevated platforms to keep the igniters above the level where leaking gas normally accumulates. Fumes are VERY dangerous. If you fill an open 1 gallon can to the top with gasoline and drop a match into, the match will go out. But if you put about an inch of gas in the bottom of the can, then drop in the match, the fumes on top will explode violently! I read about a guy who left an acetylene tank for his welder in the trunk of his Mercedes. Apparently the valve wasn't tightly closed. About 3:00 am the electric clock way up in the dashboard created enough of a spark to ignite errant fumes that had accumulated in the trunk and seeped into the passenger compartment and the resulting explosion destroyed his garage and knocked out windows for a 3 block radius! On another occasion a flight line worker at an air base spilled jet fuel on his coveralls. He wisely went to the line shack to change but once inside got distracted watching some other works on break playing cards. The fumes from his wet coveralls filled the room until they reached the flash point and were ignited by the heater, blowing the entire shack and everyone in it to smitherines. If you fill a #10 can to the top with gasoline and toss in a match, the match will go out. If you put a little gasoline in the bottom of the can and toss in a match, the fumes will ignite with explosive force! The flash point is different for each kind of fuel and sometimes low enough that you can't smell the fumes before they reach the ignition point.
Many storage areas, such as sheds, garages, and basements, may subject your gear to an accumulation of dust over time. If this is the case where you are storing your equipment, cover it with a tarp or put individual items or containers in plastic trash bags to protect them from the dust. When it comes time to use your equipment again, it will be a lot easier to remove the dusty tarps or bags than to clean the equipment or their individual containers. The dusty bags may be cleaned and reused or discarded and new ones used when equipment is put back in storage. Either way, dealing with the dusty plastic bags will be easier and faster than letting your gear become contaminated in storage and having to clean it before you can use it again. Y ou might even want to put covers over your plastic bins so you don't have to spend time cleaning them before a trip.
Organization is a key to having things ready to use when you need them -- for your next camping trip or as emergency supplies. A good suggestion to follow is to keep related things together. Store sleeping bags, blankets, cots, and sleeping pads near each other. Put all your tents and canopies in one place. Put lanterns and flashlights in close proximity to each other. Store all your kitchen and cleaning supplies together. First aid kits and other medical supplies should be together. Wood cutting tools, like axes, saws, and wedges should be grouped . Coats, jackets, and other camp clothing should be grouped in plastic bins or stored hanging in plastic protectors. The flimsy little plastic covers you get back with dry cleaning are better than nothing, but I prefer to use suit bags or heavy contractor rated garbage bags for optimum protection.
If you don't have good space in your garage or basement consider purchasing a small enclosed trailer for your camping gear. The trailer can be used both to transport your gear to camp and to store it at home. We snagged an old stripped down Apache tent trailer to tote our camping gear. It has a clam-shell roof that provides excellent protection from weather and rather good security. We have found it a good place to keep our camping gear year round, freeing up space in the garage for other things and being ready at a moment's notice for spontaneous outings.
Long term storage. When putting your stuff in storage for winter you'll want to make some special preparations to ensure it will be in good condition when you take it out again next season. Make sure your tent is clean and dry. Unpack sleeping bags and hang them out or fold them loosely to avoid over-compressing the loft and destroying the insulation. Empty fuel from stoves and lanterns. Remove any provisions that might freeze or leak. Place all dry ingredients in pest-proof/leak-proof plastic containers. Make sure all your gear clean and in good repair. Discard any outdated provisions and medications.Sharpen axes and knives and rub a light coat of oil on them and other metal parts to inhibit rust and corrosion. Rub a little linseed oil on wooden handles to help preserve them as well.
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