Traditional Style Equipment for Camping

An example of an oil lantern that may be found at a camping store.Oil lamp on a red wall image by Sergey Skleznev from Fotolia.com

Camping is a popular recreational activity, which many people enjoy for the natural, outdoor experiences it provides. These often include sitting around a campfire, hiking, swimming, fishing and playing a variety outdoor sports and games. If you want to make your next camping trip as authentic as possible, consider using traditional style equipment, and ditching the modern luxuries that many campers use today.

Tent

Instead of spending your nights in a temperature-controlled RV or trailer equipped with a TV, kitchen and other comforts, sleep in a tent. There are many different styles of tents available, most of which consist of synthetic water-resistant fabrics. While setting up some tents requires driving in stakes and putting together and configuring a system of poles, other styles, such as pop up tents, simply requires pulling a tab or cord. If you want to take your traditional camping trip even further, avoid modern tents and buy or rent a tipi. According to Tentsmiths, a tipi, also known as a tepee or teepee, is a conical tent that consists of two basic components in addition to a framework of branches: a fabric cover, which stretches over the framework’s exterior, and a fabric liner, which covers the interior of the frame.

Forget about using a modern air mattress or specialized foam sleeping pad the next time you go camping. If you want to stick with the traditional theme, sleep directly on the ground, or sleep on top of a cot. A cot is a simple bed structure, which is usually collapsible and portable. Different models have varying components and features, however, the majority of cots you can find today at camping and outdoors stores consist of metal rectangular frames with fabric stretching across them, and hinged legs that can fold in flush with the cot frames. According to Galt Tech, as of 2010, one of the most popular camping cots is Coleman’s Forester Folding Cot, which has an aluminum frame and legs and a polyester sleeping surface.

There are a variety of different styles of lighting you can use for camping, with some of the most modern including battery-powered fluorescent and LED (light emitting diode) lamps, as well as more traditional, but still relatively modern propane-powered lanterns. For a true traditional camping experience, try using an oil lamp or lantern. According to Collectors Weekly, oil lamps consist of storage compartments for holding oil, and absorbent wicks that soak up the oil, which you can light to produce a continuously burning flame. Kerosene is the most popular fuel for oil lamps, and you will likely be able to find it—and a sturdy, metal oil lantern—at a camping supply store.