When we first started looking for camping gear, the number one name we kept coming across is Coleman. Coleman makes tents, sleeping bags, lanterns, dining ware, cookware, stoves and many other items we are adding to our ever-increasing camping gear boxes. The Coleman Electronic Ignition 2 Burner Propane Stove is an outstanding product. It was recommended to me in several camping groups while I was debating what gear was necessary to buy. At first, I didn't think we would need a camping stove. Camping means cooking over an open fire, right? Well, after waiting 2 hours the first morning for a pot of coffee to perk, I made the decision that a camping stove would be a very good idea. The Coleman Electronic Ignition 2 Burner Propane Stove is long and flat, and about 11 pounds. For campers this is fine, since we usually are not carrying the stove great distances. Backpackers would have to pass on this stove. The stove packs conveniently in the car since it folds up so flat. It can even go under the seat! The outside is a rich green color and not smooth. This is important because it makes it a bit harder to clean the outside of the stove. You have to be very aware if something splatters on it that it's cleaned up fairly quickly. Opening the stove is easy. It unlock with a push of a metal clasp in front. On either side of the lid are wind guards that fasten securely and protect the gas flame when lit. The propane attachment is located in the base of the stove between the two burners. One side screws onto the stove and the other onto the small (one-use) bottle of propane. You can find these bottles either in a camping store, or I usually get mine at our local Target. The cost is about $3 for two bottles. Each bottle should last two to three days, depending on the number of meals and how long you have to cook the food. The inside of the stove around the two burners is made of stainless steel. This cleans up very easy when anything spills on it. I just keep a handi-wipe in my camping boxes and I use a damp one with a small amount of detergent. The electronic ignition works very well. On our first trip with the stove, we had one day that was very breezy. I can't imagine struggling to light a match and keep it lit while I fumbled to use the propane. The electronic ignition lit every time on one or two presses of the button. We have used it for perking coffee, making pasta, frying bacon, cooking eggs, and reheating Spaghetti-O's. This stove cooks food very fast. The knobs control the flame adequately, making adjustment of the cooking temperature a breeze. Though we enjoy the campfire, I much prefer cooking on this stove to trying to cook on the fire. My coffee is done in twenty minutes now instead of two hours (and that's important first thing in the morning!). On our first use, we had a problem with the control knobs on the front of the stove being over-tightened. I was alone with the three kids and there was no way I could get the knobs to turn. Campers are a helpful lot, and someone finally helped me get one of the burners going, but we stripped the knob of the other one. When we returned home, my husband used a pair of pliers and got the knobs to turn as they should. We called Coleman and they shipped out another knob to us. For this reason, I'd recommend a trial run at home after buying the stove, just to make sure everything is operable. It is also a good way to learn if you will have to adjust your cooking style.
Way back when I was a young girl, my parents rented an RV and we toured parts of the United States in it. It was thrilling! The only source we had for campground information at the time was a comprehensive campground directory. There was no Internet as a source of information, and if AAA had campground information than, we did not know since we weren't members. Fast-forward to last summer when we decided to take the plunge and invest our $600 bribe from the person in the White House in camping gear. One of the first purchases I made was Woodall's Eastern Campground Directory. My first read through was wonderful. There is a section on the Biggest & Bestwhich features things to see in each state of the union - as well as Canada. It was nice that even though this is the Eastern Directory, Woodall's put in information about much more than just that area. Each state featured in the directory also has its own travel section which goes more in-depth than the Biggest & Best section. I found all of this to be very helpful locating different events and sights to see. However, when I purchased the directory for this year, I found much of the information to be duplicated. The main function of this book is a directory. Woodall's does a good job creating a comprehensive listing for each campground. I found that there was a great deal of good information. The book covers campgrounds in the following states: Alabama, Arkansas, Connecticut, Delaware, District of COlumbia, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kentucky, Louisiana, Maine, Maryland, Massachusetts, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi, Missouri, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, North Carolina, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Tennessee, Vermont, Virginia, West Virginia, and Wisconsin. It also covers the following areas of Eastern Canada: New Brusnwick, Newfoundland, Nova Scotia, Ontario, Prince Edward Island, and Quebec. Woodall's rates the facilities (such as hookups, dump stations, laundry, groceries and firewood) and recreation (such as activities, swimming, rec hall, fishing and arcade) at each campground. There is an explanation of how they arrive at the ratings - 1 to 5 W's. Woodall's representatives make personal inspections of privately owned RV parks & campgrounds every year to be sure the information is accurate. Next, there is an explanation for how to read the listing for each campground. All listings contains directions to the campground and a descriptive phrase to begin with. Each campground's facilities are rated first and there is usually a listing of what is available to campers. If tent, RV or cabin rentals are available at the campground, that information is given. The campground's recreational program is then rated with a listing given of what is available. The rate information for each campground is listed as a range of rates - no specific breakdown is given as to what the various rates are for the sites. The low end could be a rustic site with no hookups, or a site with minimal hookups. There is also no telling what the rates in the middle of the range are for either. If the campground accepts credit cards, that too is listed. Information about the acceptance of pets and handicapped accessibility is also given, as well as any restriction in the size of an RV. If the campground has an advertisement in the directory, that is referenced here. I do like the directory and enjoy using it. In this case, I find the advertisements to be a plus. Many of them are in color and contain pictures so I have some idea of exactly what is available and what the place looks like. The ads usually contain website addresses for the campgrounds as well. For RV'ers, there is information on places to have your RV serviced, as well as dealers. Woodall's also checks these places out to give some of the best information available. For RV'ers, this is a big plus to have a reliable place to get their RV serviced in unfamiliar territory. Although I like the directory, I would not go out an purchase it anymore year after year. One time every three to four years would probably be enough. The www.woodalls.com website has a great deal of the same information. Since many of the campgrounds also have their own websites, that is also a good source of information. However, this book is a great place to start from and get an idea of where to look.
Coleman is one of the biggest - if not the biggest - names in outdoor gear and products. When we began looking at equipment, it seemed that theColeman name was everywhere we went.
Coleman makes a huge line of sleeping bags, depending on your needs. It would be impossible to wade through and compare every single one. At their website, www.coleman.com you can search to find what sleeping bag best suits you out of their product line.
The first thing to consider is the size of the person who will be using the sleeping bag. Coleman bags run from under 5 feet 11 inches to 6 feet 6 inches.
The next is to decide in what temperatures you will be camping, or if the bag is just to be used indoors.
Next you can select from a variety of outer shell options: nylon, ripstop nylon, and cotton. Again, this will depend on the weather and if you are sleeping in a shelter, tenting or plan to just be under the stars.
Inner lining selections are tricot, cotton flannel, poly cotton, cotton or nylon. The tricot and cotton flannel are the softest, while the nylon provides the best warmth in extreme conditions.
Once you press the "Find my Sleeping Bag" button after selecting what features you desire in a sleeping bag, you will be given the specifications on sleeping bags for the height you specified or taller.
In addition to the specifications, the information on the site will tell you the weight of the insulation, which is important to backpackers, and the size the sleeping bag is when flat. There will also be a picture of each bag, so you can get an idea of exactly what each one looks like.
This makes it easy to select exactly what you want from the wide variety ofColeman sleeping bags available.
The Coleman sleeping bags that are not mummy style can zip together to form a double sleeping bag. This saves from having to purchase an additional bag should you want to sleep this way.
The tailoring around the zipper on Coleman brand sleeping bags helps to keep the material from being caught, and the thermolock feature reduces heat loss through the zipper itself. What makes a sleeping bag warm is your own body heat, so it is important to keep the heat in and cold air out.
Coleman backs its sleeping bags with a five-year limited warranty.
This is the first summer our family has tried camping. First came the required practicing in the backyard. My kids were subjected to the usual summer storms and came through like troopers. Next came a 2-night trip with the whole family. Finally, we took a 3 night long weekend up to the mountains. I finally feel I have enough information to review this tent. The Coleman Weathermaster tent is a great tent for families. When set up, it measures 17 feet by 9 feet with a center height of 76 inches. We manage to get a king-size air mattress, a double-size air mattress, and a portable crib in the tent with room to spare. There are two nylon room-dividers in the Coleman Weathermaster. This can be used to create two somewhat private bedrooms (how much privacy can you really get in a tent). During the day they can be tied back to give better air flow. The polyethylene floor is heavy-duty and keeps out water that runs under the tent. I use a floor-saver tarp so the tent is not resting directly on the ground, and I used seam-sealer around all of the canvas tabs for the stakes. This was the only spot I initially found leaks, and once I seam-sealed the canvas tabs, I didn't have a problem. Even at that, it wasn't a tremendous amount of water; just enough to use a towel on the floor the next day. The floor cleans up good as well. This last trip our site was on dirt, so a lot was tracked into the tent. After coming home, I first swept the floor, then mopped it and it looks as clean as new. The sides and roof of the Coleman Weathermaster are made of nylon taffeta. So far I have not had a single problem with leaking through the walls despite several storms. Sure, there is the morning dew I will find on the walls, but no leaks. There are four screened windows around the tent which contain shades that zip up from the bottom. If it's raining lightly and I still want to let air in, I can just zipper up the shades enough to keep the rain out. The rainfly that goes over the Coleman Weathermaster is the biggest help in the rain. There is no need for an additional tarp that I've seen so many people stretching over their tents. The rainfly attaches to the shock-corded steel poles which hold the tent up and guides water away from the tent. This gives a bit of room over the windows where I can keep them open when it rains. There is also an awning that stretches out from the door. Actually, there are two doors; one is just a screen and the other is nylon. One or both can be closed. This gives a little area to stand and towel off if it's raining before going into the tent. In our case, I put down a mat and used it to keep our shoes to prevent bringing in so much dirt. The Coleman Weathermaster holds up fantastically in the rain. However, the wind is another story, at least when it's fully set-up. The day after our nice thunderstorm in the mountains, we had some very string wind conditions. The first thing that had to be taken down was the awning. The wind actually pulled the poles completely out of the ground and one of the rubber stoppers off of the top (I found it nearby). As my youngest was taking a nap, I watched the gusts keep lifting up the poles that held up either end of the tent. Finally, I decided to remove the rainfly. After that, I had no more troubles with theColeman Weathermaster. It stayed up perfectly throughout the rest of our wind-storm. When it finally blew itself out, I simply put the rainfly back on and the awning back up. One thing that surprised me was how well the Coleman Weathermaster held in the heat through the night. That's not to say it was warm and cozy, but with the windows and door closed, I found it to stay warmer a bit longer than I had expected it to. Camping by myself with three kids, I found the Coleman Weathermaster easy to assemble. It went up in less than half an hour. First would be staking out the tent. Coleman supplies the plastic stakes for the ground. I staked out the corners, then raised the center poles, followed by the side poles, then finished staking out the floor. The poles are color-coded. There are four pole placements for the tent and two for the awning. The tent poles come in three pieces of shock-corded steel poles. The awning poles are one shock-corded steel pole each. I saw a great many tents that use plastic poles. I honestly don't know which one is better; both have their good an bad points. The plastic-poled tents seemed to stay up better in the wind and they did not have to remove their rainflys. However, I did find a snapped plastic pole at the back of my sight, and discussions with my fellow campers confirmed that of the two, the plastic poles are more likely to snap than the steel. This tent is big enough for a fairly large family, and provides the weather resistance needed. The only trouble I could see is if there were both rain and a prolonged windy condition.
