As an adventure and tent camper I say “ha!” to you. I've gone camping dozens of times without the need for an RV or even a trailer, and gas prices, while they may effect my everyday travel, certainly aren't going to bog down my vacation! Nor should they do so to you. Even now, in the surprisingly chilly spring of British Columbia, a tenting trip should never be out of the question.

Before you start calling me crazy, show a bit of backbone and at least read through these tips!

Camping Equipment

Tent:

A tent is, of course, the most crucial piece of equipment when one is going tenting. Hence the name. Now, the one thing you must never, ever, ever do when buying a tent is to even think about going to Wal-Mart. Okay, that was somewhat of a joke. What I mean, is never buy a cheap $25.99 tent at Wal-Mart or anywhere else. The tent that you choose should be made out of thick material, and it should be advertised as being a "3 season tent." Although there are such things as 4 season tents, these are generally very expensive and unnecessary except for winter camping and high-altitude hiking. A good place to buy tents, and many other camping supplies, is Mountain Equipment Co-op.

Sleeping Bag:

In case you're a complete urbanite, a sleeping bag is what you, err... sleep in, when tenting. You can pick these up for relatively low prices, but you'll regret it. Seriously, there's nothing worse than shivering in a thin sleeping bag that you couldn't zip up all the way because the zipper snapped the moment you touched it while your air mattress slowly deflates beneath you. Canadian Tire is a good place, at least in Canada, to pick up a medium-quality sleeping bag.

Mattress:

Ideally, a mattress should be highly portable, as well as comfortable, which would suggest that air mattresses are the best option. However, I do not recommend them. Unless you're willing to spend a long time blowing them up with lung power, which can be difficult if you have the two-person, double-thick ones that are the size of a real mattress, they require either an hand pump or an electric one that connects to your car battery. More importantly, I have never encountered an air mattress that didn't leak, to a greater or lesser degree. Strips of foam, which can be rolled up into a tight coil, are both cheaper and more comfortable, in the long run.

Tarp:

If there's one thing you can be sure of, it's that it's probably going to rain... at least a bit. This means that you'll need two tarps: One to put under your tent, and one, preferably gigantic, one that stretches over your campsite. Make sure to bring plenty of rope, and a few helpers, to set this one up. If you do it right, tying the corners to your car and any trees that happen to be handy, you can even cover your table and chairs. Don't, however, cover the fire pit, for obvious reasons.

Campfire Equipment:

Bring plenty of wood, a good-quality axe, and someone who knows how to handle said good-quality axe. You will probably end up going through a lot of wood a day to fight off the cold, so hunt around in the empty campsites for wood that people have left behind. In most campsites, it is not legal to burn anything that came out of the forest, even if it's lying on the ground.

Minor Equipment:

There's all sorts of little things that will make your tenting life easier... A Swiss army knife, a barbecue lighter (for starting fires), plenty of rope, a portable coffee maker, a propane lantern... these are only a few of the many items that can help you stay warm and comfortable... even if it starts to snow. Oh, and don't forget plenty of changes of warm clothes, and at least one rain jacket.

Entertainment:

Although I don't protest to hiking in the rain, sometimes it's just easier to sit back and relax with friends. Therefore, I tend not to listen to the "no electronics" rule that some people seem to have with their camping trips. Just make sure that, even if the weather is bad, you do something other than sit around the picnic table. Or it's hardly tenting at all...

Nintendo DS:

My trusty DS is a great addition to any long trip. First of all, since I tend not to be the one driving, it's a good way to pass the time on the way to the campsite. This is especially good if your friends also have one. Personally, I find that playing a bit of multiplayer Pokémon is a great way to pass the time during a brief cloudburst.

Board Games:

Well, if you like this sort of thing, it can be fun. There's a couple of board games that I find entertaining, but a lot of them are pretty boring. Just my opinion, of course.

Card Games:

Now we're getting somewhere! Both a traditional deck of cards and a few decks of Magic or other collectible card games can be a great source of entertainment, especially at night. Just keep that propane lantern running, and the campfire burning!

Conclusion:

Spring tenting trips in the wilderness of Canada, or anywhere else, are not as inaccessible as they seem. Anyone with a bit of adventurous spirit and a few friends to drag along can go. Also, one final note, alcohol might warm you up, but please, start the fire before you start drinking.