Selecting the right camping gear can mean the difference between a good or bad canoe camping experience. And with most outdoor hobbies if your first experience is bad you probably won’t do it again. Camping tents are one of the most important considerations when purchasing your canoe camping equipment, while there are many versatile tents to choose from , the dome tent is probably the best selection for most canoe campers. Dome tents are compact and take little space inside the canoe, the are generally easy to set-up, and offer plenty of room inside provided you make the right size selection.

The number of occupants is the first consideration when choosing a dome tent . Remember that tent sizes are generally overestimated, so if you are the only occupant you may want to consider selecting a 2 person tent to accommodate you and your gear comfortably. If there are two occupants you may want to select a tent rated at 3-4 occupants. Many canoe campers do short one night trips with young children and elect to bring along certain luxuries such as air mattresses and pillows, and with young children these could be more like necessities, and if you are in this category of  canoe campers you may want to go all out of a good family sized tent. They are not so cumbersome for a one or two night trip if you have others to help you set it up.

One final consideration is cost. In most weather conditions a three season tent is adequate, and you don’t have to purchase the most expensive tent, but don’t buy the cheapest either. You need something that is waterproof, windproof, and will last for years to come.

More information on camping tents.
The dome tent.
Camping tent designs.    

Occasionally I like to blog about things other than the outdoors, and today is one of those times. I’d like to quickly mention our other Website Pocono Racing Gear. Our NASCAR T Shirts are priced among the lowest you’ll find online or offline. T-shirt inventory includes Tony Stewart, Dale Earnhardt Jr, Carl Edwards, Kyle Busch and others.  

Our Dale Earnhardt Jr T Shirts have been one of our most popular items lately.

Once again it’s time for the Lehigh River Sojourn. The Lehigh River is a multi-day canoeing, kayaking and whitewater rafting trip on the Lehigh River in eastern Pennsylvania.  On the sojourn you’ll be provided with camping, meals, shuttle services, educational programs and entertainment.

From June 20 to the 25, the Wildlands Conservancy operates the Lehigh River Sojourn. You can paddle the Lehigh for all 5 days, or just one day, either way, it’s a guaranteed good time on one of Eastern Pennsylvania’s most popular rivers.

Go to the Wildlands Conservancy Website for more details.

Let’s face it, canoe camping isn’t exactly the cleanest of hobbies. When your not wading through murky creek bottoms or through knee deep mud you could be tending to small cuts and wounds, crushing mosquitos or wiping runny noses. And when camping in remote regions like the Adirondacks it’s especially hard to stay clean because there is constant exposure to germs and bacteria and no access to sanitation.

One of the easiest ways to prevent infections is by cleaning the hands and face several times per day, and always before cooking and eating. Always consider packing hygiene items in your gear. Multipurpose alcohol free cleaning wipes are good for cleaning cooking gear and the anti-bacterial cleaning wipes are good for reducing germs on the skin.

And if you spend lots of time in the outdoors you can order these products in bulk from the Falcon Safety Website. 

 For many campers the cooking is the best part of the camping trip. And while camping we often we get the urge try recipes we wouldn’t normally try in the kitchen. Something like camp fondue could satisfy the camp cooks ambition for something different.  

Ingredients
2 Cups Shredded Cheddar
2 Cups of Shredded Swiss Cheese
1/2 Teaspoon Lemon Juice
1 Tablespoon Cornstarch
1 Clove Garlic
1/2 Cup Beer or White Wine
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 teaspoon pepper

Instructions
Mix together cheese and cornstarch. Rub bottom of pan or pot with garlic and add beer (or wine). Heat over low heat or coals until hot, add cheese, lemon juice, salt and pepper, additional garlic if desired. Stirring with wooden spoon until completely melted.

Do not cook this over hot fire or coals. Do cook over low heat or cooler coals. Use sternos or single burner stove to keep fondue warm.

Serve with French Bread Cubes or whatever you like.

Discover more camping recipes.