The Revelations & Denials of a Happy Tent Camper…

With an entire week devoted to our bloggers’ “RVs of Choice” I felt the need to represent tent campers just like me across North America, who faithfully read the Woodall’s Camping Blog enjoying posts about camp-cooking, unique things to do, and tips for not killing your kids on road trips.  See, there is a misnomer amongst RVers that tent campers are in a deeply jealous state of their luxurious RV accommodations, while in fact that often isn’t the case at all. (The truth is, is tent campers are only a little jealous, and slightly more so during winter months.)

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Our littlest camper in 2011

RVers and tent campers are cut out of the same cloth. In fact, how many of you RVers enjoyed tent camping for years before finally deciding that even the air mattress on the ground isn’t going to provide your grown-up bones with enough comfort to continue on in a tent?  At Woodall’s we enjoy reading the annual reader survey results for the question, how long have you camped? And find hundreds of answers that are similar – we tent camped 30 years, and bought our first RV 8 years ago.  There are amazing similarities between tent and RV campers – both groups love the great outdoors, enjoy the impulsive freedom of being able to pick up and go on a whim, and welcome the gratification that comes with meeting people who are part of the open, authentic camping community.

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The outdoors really does bring the best out of kids!

It is true. I love my tent. As a single mom with 3 children (one who is an x-box loving, ear-bud wearing, pre-teen electronic junkie), there isn’t much that is more enjoyable than getting away from it all and saturating ourselves in the serenity of nature on a camping trip.  Pro’s of tent camping include:

• Economics – Not only is a tent itself a lot cheaper than an RV, but there is no costly maintenance, annual registration or gasoline purchases.  I also don’t have to spend as much to secure a nightly tent camping site – even if I splurge and enjoy a site with both water and electricity!
• Cleanliness – Don’t laugh at this one. You have to carry a vacuum in your RV. I just pick my tent up and shake it out.
• Camping authenticity -  C’mon , how many times have you heard people walk into your RV and say, Whoa! You call this camping? There is now and will always be something authentic and genuine about the tent camping experience – from cooking on the open flame of the campfire, to looking at the stars through the mesh screen top of the tent.

Truly, tent camping is a ritual like no other, and it’s an affordable North American pastime that allows families to come together.  But it would be shameless and horribly biased if I didn’t mention a few of the con’s of tent camping as well:

• You sleep on the ground
• You sleep on the ground
• You sleep on the ground

^[3]There. I think that about covers it.  Other than that, it’s really not so bad.  … Well, using a smelly porta potty in the middle of the pitched black night, while you hold tight to your flashlight that is barely secured by your chin pressed down against your chest, trying not to drop it into the hole as you wiggle out of your long johns isn’t so great either.  But other than that, it’s really not so bad.

One thing is certain – camping of any kind serves as a vehicle to the travel adventures we all crave – even if our camping vehicle isn’t a recreational vehicle at all!   Side-by-side, we’re all out there enjoying the expansive outdoors, visiting National Parks, enjoying matchless adventures and creating cherished memories.  Happy camping to all of you this year and beyond! I’ll see you out there on the open road.

- Genevieve

Genevieve Branco is the Director of Marketing and Customer Experience for Woodall’s and has been enjoying camping since long before she joined the Woodall’s family 8 years ago.

Last 5 posts by Genevieve

• 5 Tricks to Make Your Grandchildren's Camping Vacation a Lasting Memory ^[10] - February 17th, 2010
• Welcome to the Woodall’s Official Blog ^[11] - January 18th, 2010

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