Hey @Kooler! We are happy to hear you are giving camping a shot! With the amount of options out there, we know it can be rather daunting. I would recommend starting this new journey by taking a look at a couple of our buying guides to help get an idea of the sleeping bag, sleeping pad, and tent that you might want to start out with. We even have a guide on how to set up a comfortable campsite, which sounds right up your alley. We have a couple sleeping pads in your height range, including the Therm-a-Rest MondoKing 3D Sleeping Pad (in XX Long size) or the Nemo Roamer  Self-Inflating Pad (in the XL Wide size). Do just take into account the R-value you'd be looking for depending on the seasons you'd like to camp-- something we explain in that article above. Also, don't forget to check out our camping checklist as well to make sure that the only thing you'll have to worry about is that you might not be able to stay camping forever! See you out there! ... View more

I agree with @Sweet-Tater-- the pre-cracked egg solution is a fantastic one! Plus, you won't have to deal with packing out the eggshells this way! However, if you prefer your eggs cracked fresh the morning of, they do sell larger plastic egg containers at most stores that have a home/kitchen organization section. Unfortunately, they probably won't be as lightweight as the camping style egg holders and might take up a bit more space since they are likely larger than your standard egg carton. ... View more

This is the best!!! ... View more

Spot on, great suggestion! We love our dog cooling jacket as well! I will be practicing your ziploc bag trick, as it's genius!  ... View more

Here is a picture of my better half, Beaver, seen in her natural habitat. ... View more

My favorite additions to my car camping set up are some DIY curtains and bug protection mesh screens! Suction cups with clips and cloth of any kind (repurposed old kitchen towels/shirts can be the cheapest and most environmentally savvy trick!) work together well to provide privacy curtains for the car windows. You'd just have to cut them to size and cut a few holes where you'd like to clip them up. They are also super easy to pack and set up and take down when not wanted.  To prevent condensation build up inside the vehicle it's also pretty imporant to crack a window or potentially open a sunroof if you have one. The stars might look great from below but this could be enough space for bugs to creep in unwelcomed! Some cheap mesh and velcro strips are the best defense against that but still provide that nice nighttime airflow.  ... View more

I like to use Camping Project through REI to help search for campsites. It has a good amount of campground information, but also lists out trails and climbing nearby-- all in one place! I would check it out if you get a chance! https://www.rei.com/campgrounds ... View more

I would say don't forget to wear compression socks on the plane-- they are truly a wonder to travel with! A great trick to help with circulation on long flights.  ... View more