Camping trips can be a fun, adventurous way to spend time with friends and family members. Before you head out for your next camping adventure, read this article for some helpful tips on what to pack.

Types of Camping Gear

There are many types of camping gear that can be purchased, but there are just a few that are essential for an outdoorsy adventure. These would include a tent, sleeping bag and pad, food, clothes, and hiking boots. The type of camping gear is largely dependent on the type of terrain in which the trip will take place. A backpack may not be necessary for flat land because it does not provide any added benefit as opposed to carrying things on one’s arms.

The Must Haves: Sleeping Bag, Tent, Sleeping Pad

When it comes to camping gear, some items are essential and others are just nice to have. A sleeping bag is a necessity because you’ll need the insulation from the cold air on the ground. A tent will protect you from any bugs, rain, cold air, or animals that might try to come in to your campsite. Sleeping pads are great because they provide insulation from the cold air and prevent you from getting stiff after a long day of hiking around.

The Essentials: Camp Cooking Tools, Fire Starters, Headlamp

The best camping gear should be reliable and easy to use. Camp cooking tools are a must for any outdoorsy adventure. There are many options available, but one of the most popular is the JetBoil Flash Cooking System. It’s an all-in-one pot that boils water in 3 minutes or less and has a cozy heat system to keep hands warm while cooking. Fire starters can also be essential to have on hand as well as an extra flashlight, headlamp, or lantern just in case one goes out while you’re trying to set up camp at night.

Tips to Save on Camping Gear

There are many ways to save on necessary camping gear. You should always check with the National Park Service before setting out on your trip to make sure that you are going to a campground that is open, has legitimate fees, and has specific regulations. You should also check with nearby towns and cities to see if they offer any discounts or free services for campers who spend their time in their area. Lastly, you can find good deals on equipment at garage sales and thrift stores by browsing around often.

Conclusion

The best camping gear is what you will ultimately decide on based on your type of adventure. If you are going to be hiking, then you’ll need a backpack that is big enough to pack everything you need and comfortable enough to wear while you walk. If you’re going to be fishing, then a fishing rod and reel with bait will be your go-to items. Camping supplies can get expensive quickly, but it’s worth it if you want to enjoy the outdoors without any hassle.

“Common sense” gun laws seem to be all the rage among gun prohibitionists…and I am all for it!  Unfortunately, “common” sense seems to be in very short supply, particularly when it comes to gun laws.  I don’t think it means what you think it means.

For example, what sense does it make that I can purchase a handgun only in my state of residence?  This is particularly frustrating for me, as I live in very close proximity to two other states, and travel between them several days each week.  It is one big metro area, and crossing back and forth is routine.

But if a gun shop across the river offers a great sale price on a pistol I’ve been looking for, I can’t just run over there and buy it.  Why not?

Because of the Gun Control Act of 1968, that’s why.  This law created the Federal Firearms License system, and introduced a myriad of restrictions on interstate sales, ostensibly intended to keep prohibited persons from evading the few background check restrictions of the time.

But that was 1968, and this is 2013.  November 30^th marks twenty years since the passing of the Brady Handgun Violence Prevention Act, which requires a background check be performed on every commercial firearm transfer.  To accomplish this the Brady Act also established the National Instant Criminal Background Check System, commonly referred to as “NICS.”

Under this system, you go to a gun shop (only in your home state) and pick out your new handgun.  The dealer hands you a copy of ATF Form 4473 to complete.  Once you have filled out the form, the dealer will take your payment for the gun (plus an additional fee for the background check), and initiate the NICS check with the FBI, either by phone or by internet.  While it may not exactly be “instant,” in most cases this electronic inquiry takes only minutes.  By law, the FBI must respond within three days, or the seller is permitted to proceed with the sale.

These checks are performed by the FBI, pulling from a national database.  The NICS check I would undergo to buy a Glock 19 in a shop in my state of residence is no different than the NICS check I would undergo to buy the same pistol at a gun shop in a neighboring state, only 30 minutes from my home.

Exact same gun.  Exact same NICS check.  One sale is legal, the other is illegal…simply because I live in one state and not the other.  What “common sense” does that make?  If you answered that it makes no sense whatsoever, go to the head of the class.

But don’t stop there.  Go ahead and call your Congressman and your Senators, and tell them to support H.R. 58/S. 1691, The Firearms Interstate Commerce Reform Act.  This is real common sense legislation which would move interstate gun sales out of 1968 and into 2013, by taking advantage of technology to remove outdated impediments to lawful firearms sales.

Common sense?  Fine.  But let’s make sure that “common sense” is what we really mean.

Yes, we’re back at it.  Our gun prohibitionist is bringing up magazine capacity limits again.

(It is important to remember that this is a dramatization.  There has never actually been a short conversation with a gun prohibitionist.)

GP:  We must ban high capacity magazines!  No one needs more than 10 rounds!  Anyone who needs more than 10 rounds to do the job has no business with a gun!

Dave:  Most police carry magazines with more than 10 rounds.  We could start by limiting the size of the magazines that the police can have.

GP:  But that would leave the police outgunned by the criminals!

Dave:  You mean criminals would still carry guns with more than 10 rounds, even if they were illegal for the rest of us?  These would be the same criminals that private citizens might need to defend themselves against.  Wouldn’t 10 round magazine limits mean that private citizens would also be outgunned?

GP:  Don’t get smart with me, Dave.  Ordinary citizens are amateurs, and not to be trusted with guns.  The police are the professionals and have special training in firearms.

Dave:  If the police are professionals, why would they need more than 10 rounds?  You did say that if anyone needs more than 10 rounds, they have no business with a gun.  You’re not suggesting we disarm the police, are you?

Women are becoming more and more involved in the shooting industry. Where once guns were a “man’s thing,” now women have firmly taken hold of their own corner of the market. You can easily find blogs, reviews, and products geared specifically for the female shooter. Unfortunately, this still also a plethora of videos or stories out there of women who just look absolutely incapable with firearms in their hands. Remember the videos of women with 12 GA shotguns after Vice President Biden’s whole “just fire off a couple rounds” thing? I realize it was to make a point, that shotguns aren’t necessarily that easy to shoot, but realistically, it probably shouldn’t knock you on your rear end if you’re holding it correctly and at a proper stance. That is exactly why it’s important as a female shooter to find a firearm that works for you and to become proficient in the use of it.

Many women concealed carry- thanks so many great holster on the market geared towards women’s bodies- for reasons such as personal protection and to protect their families as well. However, if you’re going to carry a gun, you need to make sure it’s once that is both appropriate to be carried and can be properly concealed.

First of all- you need a caliber that’s going to work. That means do not use a little .22 LR pistol as your defense weapon! The .22 LR cartridge, although awesome for plinking, is not designed as a defense round. It just does not pack enough punch, and you’ll find in almost every carrying blog out there that the consensus is the same. It might be tempting to go for something like a Walther P22 as a carry gun because it is lightweight and has a small frame, but the caliber is just not adequate. You should choose a gun chambered for at least a .380 ACP, but definitely don’t be afraid to go up to 9 mm or .40 S&W. If you’re an advanced shooter, there are a few manufacturers out there who make a slim frame .45 ACP. One thing to keep in mind is that, the larger the caliber you go, the fewer rounds you’ll be able to fit in one magazine (assuming the size of the magazine remains the same).

The second factor to look at is the size of the gun itself. Personally, I love my Glock 23. But am I going to try to conceal that thing on my 5’ 4” 120 pound frame? Probably not without a giant hooded sweatshirt which would likely just get in my way as I was unholstering. The frame of the gun should be small enough that it can be concealed on the body without sticking out in weird places, but not so small that you can’t get a good grip on it. Another thing to consider with the size of the gun is the recoil in relation to the size. For example, a Glock 19 is going to have less recoil than a Ruger LC9 simply based on the size difference of the two guns. It’s entirely likely that your carry gun is going to kick a little bit, but it shouldn’t kick so much that you can’t control it. If that’s the case, you may be considering the wrong gun. The best way to find out what’s going to feel good in your hands, as everyone is a little different, is to go test a few different models out at the range.

So what models should those be? I personally carry a Kahr CW9. It’s getting into the top end of size for a carry gun, but it’s a model that fits my shooting style well. It can hold 7 rounds of 9mm, and I can fit both of my hands comfortably on the grip, which is a requirement for me. The model similar to it, the Kahr CM9, is basically the same thing, but with a shorter grip. That makes it great as a concealed gun as well. A couple other options are the Ruger LCP or Ruger LC9. They are both compact models which make them easily concealable. The LCP is a .380 and the LC9 is a 9mm. One thing I noticed when shooting both guns is that the trigger pull is very long, and they both have a pretty good kick. Those are both aspects which can certainly be mastered with practice. Another option is the Smith & Wesson M&P Shield. The Shield is available in both 9mm and .40, which means you can choose the caliber that’s right for you. It has a 1” profile, so you can easily conceal it on your person. Finally, for the Springfield fans, there is the XD-S model. It is available in 9mm and .45 ACP. Once again, this model features a slim line profile, making it easy to conceal. One word of caution on the XD-S line- they recently had a pretty hefty recall of their XD-S line.

No matter which gun you choose are you concealed carry firearm, you’ll need to practice with it until you feel comfortable. Be sure to not only target practice, but also get good at un-holstering and re-holstering your firearm. A gun is only as good as the person operating it.

Over the last few months, I find that I cannot take my mind off of the idiocy of our gun laws and the deaths that they have created. It breaks my heart when I think of the children that have been killed and wounded and the families that have torn apart by the total incompetence of our state and Federal lawmakers or the incompetence of others that handle guns improperly. It makes me furious when I think of the complete and total preventability of shooting accidents and most school/workplace shootings. In light of recent events, I would like to share my thoughts about this.

Only 2 things cause most shooting accidents – carelessness and ignorance with carelessness far exceeding the other. Ignorance simply means that one does not know how to safely handle a firearm. Yes, the handling of firearms by those that are ignorant of safe handling procedures results in a more than an acceptable number of accidents and deaths since the acceptable number is ZERO. Carelessness, however, results in many more due to so many people THINKING that they know all there is to know about the handling and firing of their guns or even those that actually have been taught properly but, for whatever reason, elect not to exercise that knowledge. A firearm of any size or description demands that one be able and willing to devote 100% of their attention to it 100% of the time while in the vicinity of the gun. Note that I didn’t say while handling the gun. I mean anytime that you are around guns, period. If someone else is handling a firearm improperly, you should very well be aware of it and take the appropriate action. The use of proper training, knowledge and strongly, deeply instilled safety procedures could prevent 100% of such negligent incidents. Oh, did I say “negligence”? Absolutely. Every time there is an unintentional shooting of any kind, a plethora of excuses erupts from those involved, whether it be an experienced police officer or a Boy Scout. Such excuses include; “I didn’t even touch the trigger!”, “It just went off”, “So-and-so accidentally shot himself”, “I had an accidental discharge out at the range!”. For the record, there is no such thing as an “accidental discharge” or “accidentally” shooting oneself or someone else. Guns do exactly what they are intended to and if handled properly, will NOT fire by themselves. If a gun, ANY gun, fires prematurely or unintentionally, it was due to negligence, not an accident.

Schools and other establishments that do not allow firearms on premises are target rich environments for criminals that choose not to obey state and/or Federal laws. It is our sincere and heartfelt opinion that if responsible, trained individuals are allowed to carry firearms for their own protection that the results of tragedies like the Virginia Tech and Columbine shootings could be greatly reduced if not completely eliminated in many cases. Contrary to what the detractors of legal, concealed carry would have us believe, there has NOT been bloodshed in the streets and increased violence in any state or city where concealed carry has been permitted. In fact, it has been quite the opposite. Violent crime, particularly murders, home invasions and armed burglaries have dramatically decreased (over 30% in some states) in states with liberal concealed carry laws.

Have you ever seen a business that put up sign saying that it did not allow firearms? Did you feel safer while you were there? If you did, your elevator doesn’t go all the way to the top. This may come as quite a shock to you but the people that are inclined to do harm to other human beings don’t give a damn about your signs. The mall in Salt Lake City where a young man, just 18 years old, killed 5 shoppers and wounded 4 others with an AK-47 has signs that say “No Firearms Allowed”. I assume the shooter didn’t get the memo.

There have been nearly school shooting in the U.S. since February of 1996. All told, there were 103 students, administrators or parents killed and 152 wounded in 24 states! FOR CRYING OUT LOUD, PEOPLE! How many people have to die, no, how many CHILDREN have to die, before the idiots that make and support laws that prevent us from protecting ourselves realize that they are NOT working? “More gun laws!” they cry. “Take away the guns!” Well that’s just ingenious. Why didn’t the normal, conservative, rational folks think of that? Let me see if I can explain it to you — IT’S BECAUSE IT DOESN’T WORK!! THAT’S WHY! There are well over 20,000 gun laws on the books nationwide right now. Sure, let’s make some more. The more laws we have, it seems the more people die.

There is a saying someone very close to me uses when he wants to get a chuckle out of me, and it usually comes when we are discussing the demise of someone much less fortunate. “That dude has more issues than National Geographic.” I don’t know. It’s cute. It makes me laugh – most likely because I can relate, being the flawed human that I am. Volumes and volumes of issues. Please keep that in mind while I tell this story because I don’t want anyone to lose sight of the fact that while I have the issues, there are (just a few) things that I actually have no problem with whatsoever. One of those things is being corrected when I am wrong. I will go so far as to say that I, in fact, rather enjoy correction. This is probably one reason why I thrived in a military environment. (The times I didn’t do so well had to do with taking direction from bad leadership, but I digress.)

 The moment that I am referring to happens with the realization that something you thought to be true for a really long time has no validity at all. I love that moment. I’m talking about the moment that prejudices are blown to smithereens. I love that. It reminds me of the time I was standing in a check-out line behind a young mother and her child. Both were white. Blaring through the overhead speakers was none other than the great Tone Loc belting out “Funky Cold Medina.” The little girl, who had to have been about three, was shaking what her mama gave her, little blond curls bouncing all over the place, when suddenly, her mama wheeled around and quite literally spat out the words, “What are you doing?? WE do NOT dance to this music.” The look of confusion on the little girl’s face was unsettling, but more so was the fact that her little joyous moment had been depleted within seconds. Her mother, well meaning, I am sure, was for whatever reason trying to instill in her child that “we” don’t do what “those people” do. The little girl stood still and obediently beside her mother and turned around to look at me. I didn’t waste a nanosecond before I smiled at her, winked, and did a quick breakdown that might’ve make Shakira proud. The look then that she gave me was one of, “ohhhhhhh. That white lady is dancing to this music. Maybe we DO dance to this music…..,” and then she smiled. That was her moment, and her mother was never the wiser.

Flash forward 20-some-odd years to the fateful day of the tragedy that took place at Sandy Hook Elementary School.  A colleague of mine, who I know respects and admires me immensely (while obviously, knowing very little of what I do in my personal life) crossed paths with me at the fax machine in our office. While she was preparing her papers, she said to me, “Do you believe that psycho had assault rifles??” (Again, these words were said with such disgust I wanted to look down at her shoes and see if she had stepped in something.) She went on, “I mean anyone who even has those things are total wackos.” (Now, here I find myself in a moment I don’t really like all that well. To shut up? Or not to shut up?) My reply was short, sweet, “Well, I’m not a wacko.” As her fingers immediately froze, hovering over the buttons she was trying to remember how to punch, I thought, “Ahhhhh. This is her moment.” What ensued was a really cool dialogue about firearms, the Second Amendment, mental health issues, and more. And it was good. She admitted to me right then that she was guilty of making assumptions about people and things of which she really knows very little. This encounter went well. They don’t always, I know, but the clue is too keep calm, remain respectful, and tell the truth. I know you’ve had similar experiences in your hallways at work, in classrooms, and at the local watering hole. Many who oppose our view will not be nearly as open as my coworker was that day, but if you keep your head, and show them the person they already liked before they knew you were a gun owner, they will have no choice but to take a closer look at themselves. You may never see it, but, believe me, it does happen, and little by little, we can start breaking down the ridiculous barriers – the barriers of pride and prejudice that have always been at the very root of the gun debate.

I would never go so far as to suggest that you make some grand announcement to the world about your guns. There is a level of discretion that has a very important place, but when someone throws out a blanket statement like the ones I know you’ve been hearing, it is your opportunity to do them the very kind service of giving them that moment. The great thing is, you may receive a moment of your very own. If you listen carefully, and look for it, you may see in your fellow citizen’s eyes the fact that they are just concerned about kids in school. Maybe you’ll see they are just afraid of things that have been unknown to them for so long. Educate them. Kindly and with class.

Some of you may disagree with what I’ve said here, and as I’ve mentioned, I love being corrected when I’m wrong, so fire away! But don’t you dare tell me I’m wrong about Tone Loc. Anyone who hears “Funky Cold Medina” and doesn’t immediately get to getting down clearly has more issues than National Geographic.