But what is it? A Gynachological Utility belt with a miner's lamp (or is it a magnifying glass) and in-built vibrating mechanism? It appears to be the strap-on model. Progressive, I'd call it.

...and let me guess - the vibrating part is driven by loud rap music whilst in operation to piss off those around you. Priceless !!!

;)

We froze ours solid for the last MA. Our (Eddie Bauer brand, I think) camelbak is so insulated it wouldn't melt fast enough for us to drink, even though it was a hot day. We had to resort to drinking fountains. It sucked.

Next time, ice cubes.

For camping use, freezing is not usually an option ... and, as you see from the post above, has its drawbacks.


Filling it with about half ice, half water does quite nicely for warm weather adventures.

A nice dutch oven...or two (the camping models with the tall legs and rimmed lid). With a little know-how (and time) you can make some incredible meals (and desserts) very easily.

Stoat, you are one worldly man!

Lots and lots and lots and lots and lots and -stop it! - of mosquito repellent

I picked up some brandy snifters at Ikea, I think they will make for wonderful camping accessories.

My vital accessory:

Camping companions who try to recreate a weekend at an all-inclusive resort on pine needles.

Then I can:

1. Mooch whatever strikes my fancy.
2. Feel superior about the fact that I am probably going sleep on the ground under my car, eat and drink everything out of one plastic cup for four days, and experience what camping really should be.

Otherwise, the only thing I've truly found I can't get by without is a semi-decent camp chair. Sitting on the ground or a picnic table bench for hours at a time just doesn't fly. Everything else I've done without at some point.

Au contraire. Camping without the brandy snifters would be unbearably vulgar.

My CPAP machine and generator to run it all night.