Ponderosa Campground in New Jersey Review

Posted on June 18, 2011 by Total Camper

We stayed here about 5-6 years ago so while this is not a recent review, I decided to add it to my reviews because it seemed to be a very nice place when we stayed. Many of the sites were shaded, though some were in more direct sun. The restrooms were average for a campground, so while they were not luxurious by any means they were clean so I have no complaints there!

Located at 18 West Beaver Dam Rd., Cape May Court House, NJ, Ponderosa Campground is very close to the beaches of Cape May, Avalon, and Wildwood. What made us decide to stay there were the number of videos they had on their site – and the videos turned out to be just as good in real life as they were on the computer screen!

We rented one of their cabins with a small shower and bathroom. The cabin was 1 room and very basic and simple, but had ample room for three adults and 1 child. The air conditioning was certainly useful!

The camping spots were a bit small and the pool was a bit small, but the owners were extremely friendly and helpful in helping us have a great time. We found the best beach to swim in were the beaches of Avalon (they were the most family friendly and least touristy) but the beach at the point of Cape May is breathtakingly beautiful. There is no swimming allowed at the Cape May beach however.

When staying in Cape May New Jersey and camping in the area, there are tons of things to do. Swimming and going to the beach of course are amongst the favorites, but there are also lots of other attractions such as historical sites and a ton of places for shopping for collectibles such as nearby Stone Harbor. You can also take the ferry for a trip over to Rehoboth Beach and Bethany Beach areas of Delaware – and even bring your car along with you! The ferry ride is lots of fun for all as there are many things to see and enjoy on the ship – just wear sunscreen, no matter what the weather or the temperature out is! We were all burned one time when it was only 62 degrees out in April!

Have you stayed at this campground? Leave your reviews in the comments section below!

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Keystone State Park and Campground Pennsylvania

Posted on June 18, 2011 by Total Camper

Last night we stopped by Keystone State Park, located off of Rt 22 in Westmoreland County. Nearby to Latrobe, Murraysvlle, and Monroeville, this campground is a nice little park that is updated and very clean for a state park in Pennsylvania! I of course forgot to take any pictures to share, but I assure you it is a nice looking park! I recall staying there as a kid and never being overly impressed, but now that it seems to be more updated there are a number of things about it that make it attractive to stay at if you are looking for campgrounds not too far away from the Pittsburgh area.

We were most impressed with their swimming lake and beach area. While the lake is not gigantic by any means, their beach is large with lots of sand and room for kids to swim and play. Their bath house was extremely clean and you can tell the building is newer. The beach also has a great playground area for kids of all sizes, even smaller children on their playset designed specifically for kids ages 2-4.

Their camping area offers a number of sites with hookups for electricity and many sites are shaded in a wooded area, though some tent sites would offer a bit of a slope. They also have family camping cabins and yurts available. Their campground area also has an amphitheater area and learning center with many activities.

Being where it is located near Greensburg, it is a good place to consider if you’d like to visit Idlewild’s Amusement Park (by far the best amusement park for children in Pennsylvania!) or traveling to the other attractions in the area.

It’s large areas for fishing also make it a great place to escape for a day or two for fishing and camping in the greater Pittsburgh area.

Camping Pots and Pans

Posted on June 18, 2011 by Josh

When it comes to cooking outdoors, you probably don’t want to use your nice pots and pans on an open fire. Who knows if they will get dented or scolded under the high heats of the fire, not to mention they may get lost along your travels. What to use then? You can try to use foil as a pan, but that will only get you so far. If you want a serious meal while you are camping, you should probably invest in some cookware that is built for the purpose

There are primarily two types. You can either buy cheap pots and pans that will survive a few camping trips, but aren’t going to be the best to cook with or of the highest quality. The other option is spending some more significant scratch and picking up some high quality pots and pans.

http://www.amazon.com/Coleman-810B760T-Aluminum-Mess-Kit/dp/B0009PUR4A/ref=sr_1_2?s=sporting-goods&ie=UTF8&qid=1305802321&sr=1-2

Coleman Aluminum Mess Kit

The Coleman Aluminum mess kit comes with an eight ounce cup, a six inch deep dish plate, a 7.5 inch frying pan and a 16 ounce pot. For easy transport, they all stack and fit together as to not take up too much space in your pack, car, trailer or RV. Some criticisms with reviews are that the handles are not strong enough and bend under too much weight. The other criticism is that the handles get too hot, which is never a nice surprise. Kits like this also tend to be more difficult to clean.

Texsport Black Ice The Scouter Hard Anodized Cook Set

The other option comes from more durable sources, such as this set from Texsport. The Scouter Black Ice Anodized Cook Set retails for about three times that of the cheap aluminum sets, but has much higher reviews from its users and is much more durable than its aluminum competitors. Its also better suited for high temperatures. It is these reasons that make it much more popular with users, along with having higher ratings. It has a seven inch frying pan, a one quart pot, and a one and a half quart pot. There aren’t as many pieces as the Coleman set, but it’s much higher quality and has stay cool handles. These are also non-stick, making them much easier to clean.

A Classic: The Dutch Oven

A dutch oven is basically a cast iron pan that has been considered the “must have” for cooking over a fire for many generations. While dutch ovens are very heavy to tote around (not for the backpacker or hiker!) – they do provide a ton of different options for cooking! We like the Lodge Logic 8-Quart Pre-Seasoned Cast-Iron Camp Dutch Oven as shown here but there are also countless different types of cast iron pans that might better suit your needs. They make for great cooking over the fire!

There are lots of different choices out there, so, depending on what you want, you can decide which set is better for your needs. If it’s a one time use, you may as well go for the cheaper units and just keep in mind to be careful with the heat. If you plan on using your cooking set for a long period of time, the extra money is worth the ease of cleaning and the ease of use concerning heat. Both will be sure to help you prepare better meals than aluminum foil, though!

You may also want to check out our posts on Camping Kitchen Boxes for some ideas on storing your pots and pans!

Kitchen Boxes for Camping

Posted on June 18, 2011 by Josh

If you camp frequently, it is likely that you have a pretty significant selection of camping gear related to cooking. Even if you have the hot plates, the pots and pans, the durable plates and silverware, spices, utensils the whole nine yards, there is always one problem: keeping it organized. You never know what kind of space you are going to be working with when you are going to a new campground or trekking through the woods. Luckily, there are some options to help sort out that mess for you.

Camp Chef Outdoor Kitchen Box

One of the highest rated and easiest to set up options is from the folks at Camp Chef. The Camp Chef Outdoor Cookware Chuck Box keeps things organized and is easy to set up and put away. It has two fold out work surfaces and a cutting board, as well as storage for utensils, spices, and other random kitchen gadgets, all with lockable lids to prevent them from spilling during transit. It also has a paper town holder – it really acts like a kitchen you can take with you easily, and it even can be fit into a nylon bag! It costs about $100 and is one of the more basic options. One bad part is that this product needs a flat surface, which not ever camp site can provide.

Camping: Cabela’s Deluxe Camper’s Kitchen

If you don’t have a flat surface, there are plenty of other options. One of the nicest options comes in the form of Cabela’s Deluxe Camper’s Kitchen, which retails for around $150, plus shipping. If you set this up in the middle of the woods, you’re going to feel like you have built your kitchen in the middle of the wilderness. The tubular steel frame builds to include two, very large counter tops, which are great for prepping fish or meat that may have been caught or purchased. A neat part about this unit is that one of the counters can be turned into a basin, making cleaning dishes quite easy, especially if there is water at your campsite. Another cool add-on is the hook for a lantern – no more cooking by fire light. The Cabela unit, too, can be folded into a nylon bag for easy transport. This one does take up a bit more space, but on transport and once set up.

Both of these units offer you the ability to set up your cooking space properly. The Camp Chef seems to be better for organization, but the Cabela unit has the ability to be set up free standing and offers larger counters and the ability to hang a lantern for cooking in the dark. Depending on what you need, either of these are sure to make cooking much more enjoyable and help you stay more organized while camping!

Do you have a kitchen box for camping? What do you suggest or recommend?

Camping Chairs for Big People (and anyone else who wants a more sturdy seat!)

Posted on June 10, 2011 by Josh

Camping chairs are nice to have, but just like a good pair of blue jeans, they are definitely not one size fits all! Finding larger, more sturdy (and usually more comfortable) chairs in stores can be tricky, but we did manage to seek out some great finds online today.

Browning Camping Kodiak Chair

With a weight capacity of 800 lbs, this is a chair meant for heavy duty use and you won’t have to worry about it breaking. It measures 38 x 38 x 20 inches and folds easily into 7-by-41-inch shoulder bag. Double cup holders gives you an extra place to store items.

Big Daddy Camp Chair Red / Black
Another option is the Big Daddy Camp Chair, which comes in a variety of colors and can be had for less than $20 online. It supports up to 350 pounds, yet is lightweight and portable. The width of the seat is 24 inches, and it’s about the same distance from the ground. It has a 22 inch backrest, and only weighs 7.5 pounds. It can be fit into a small polyester bag for easy transport and is a really comfortable seat. And it has cupholders too

Coleman XXL Broadband Quad Chair

Coleman’s XXXL Broadband Quad Chair is packed with features for comfort and for convenience, a bit more so than its less expensive counterpart. It has padded headrests and armrests, and is made of “ripstop” fabric in the event that your chair has a hole. It can support up to 300 pounds and has security pockets under the seats, armrests, and cup holders in the armrests. A carrying bag is included, and it weighs about eight pounds. Not bad when you consider the amenities and how comfortable you will be! It can be had for less than $35.

It’s good to know you can find a chair that can fit you comfortably online, and at very reasonable prices! No need to worry about breaking these ones, cause they are made to take it!

Camping Shower Enclosures & Camp Showers

Posted on June 10, 2011 by Josh

Sometimes while camping in more rustic areas there may not always be a campground bath house available. Quite a few camp shower enclosures are available, but which is the best one? Today we’ll take a look at some of the different portable camp shower options that are available.

Affordable and Basic: Stearns SunShower Enclosure

If price is your main concern, your best bet would be Stearns SunShower Enclosure, which can be had for around $30. This portable enclosure is easy to setup with effortless inflation. There are also inflation rings for support on the top and bottom, and easy to use snaps to keep the entrance closed as you bathe. Reviews of the product are modest, but at the price, you can’t expect the quality to be the best.

Click Here for More Details

Gigatents Stinky Pete Enclosure

If you want something a bit more sturdy and with a better appearance, check out Gigatents Stinky Pete Enclosure. While the name is a bit odd it does have some nice features. The wall fabric is polyester, and the it weights only 11 pounds. It is 87 inches tall and has high reviews from previous users.

It also is supported by steel frames, so it’s going to be much more sturdy than the inflated support system used in cheaper units. At nearly $60, the Gigatent unit is nearly twice the price, but the unit is also twice the shower enclosure.

Click Here For More Info

Texsport Deluxe Shower Shelter Combo

The top of the line shower enclosure is going to come from TexSport for around $80. The Texsport Deluxe Shower Shelter Combo comes with a canvas roofing system that provides ultimate protection from rain and other elements while also allowing for ventilation. The walls are heavy duty taffeta and are polyurethane coated. This unit is complete with a five gallon camp shower, stakes, and a convenient carrying bag. Best of all, the enclosure is fire retarded, just in the rare case that your shower unit catches on fire. Over 40 reviewers have given it a four star rating.

Click Here for the Texsport Deluxe Camp Shower/Shelter Combo

So, as you see, there are many options to take care of your privacy needs while you are camping. The level of refinement will climb as the price does, yet the cheaper units seem to be more simple. It is up to you to decide which you think will best fit your needs.

Do you need a portable camp shower? The choice is totally yours. Some people are a bit more outgoing than others when it comes to showering. While some may not be worried about a public shower, or the idea of your friends seeing you in the nude, others might not be comfortable with the idea of being nude in nature. In those cases, having a portable shower enclosure is a nice thing to pack along with the rest of your camping gear.

3 Great Camping Toilets and Porta Potties

Posted on May 26, 2011 by Josh

Like many things with camping gear, the more money you are willing to spend, often the more comfortable you are going to be. This is the same with it comes to camping toilets, or “portable potties”, or “porta potties”, however you wish to call them. There are some very basic and very elaborate options available to you.

Rotnco Portable Camp Toilet Camping Commode

The most basic of the portable toilets is the Portable Camping Toilet by Rotnco. For less than $20, you get an easy to use toilet that has bags below you to collect anything that goes into the toilet. After you’re finished with your commode, you can simply throw away the bag with the rest of your waste. It comes in seven pieces, and will need to be assembled, but isn’t too difficult according to reviews. For $20, it’s a pretty good deal, and it would probably be the easiest to take in a car or trekking through the woods for hiking out of these options. Available From Amazon.

Reliance Products Luggable Loo Portable 5 Gallon Toilet

If you want a bit more luxury (and a catchy name), check out the Luggable Loo. This package comes at a similar price to the more basic toilet, but is not quite as portable. That being said, there is much more comfort. The Luggable Loo is simply a bucket that has a toilet seat attached to the top of it, when a garbage bag lining the bucket for easy clean up. For around $25, you can have a toilet that seems to be rather stable and isn’t too messy to clean up. The same company, Reliance, also sells deodorizing tablets and waste bags to fit the Luggable Loo perfectly. This is great for those with small children, or for those who want to focus on comfort as well as convenience. Available at Amazon.

Coleman Portable Flush Toilet

If you want the throne of all thrones for the camper or your tent, check out Coleman’s portable flush toilet. It has a large, 18 liter waste tank that can be emptied at your discretion. It has a one hand flush and non-leak seat, and when connected to a water source, washes away your waste just as a regular toilet would. There is also a built in chemical cleaner. Clearly, this is the most luxurious, but it also requires a water source, is the hardest to transport, and is by far the most expensive at $90. Click To Learn More.

Depending on what you want out of a portable toilet, there are plenty of options based on how portable you need, what you are willing to spend, and what standards you have when it comes time to use the toilet. Be it a simple situation with a plastic bag or a flushing unit, you will have your needs covered with any of these units.

Camping Chair with Foot Rest Reviews

Posted on May 22, 2011 by Josh

Sitting around the campfire after a long day of hiking, biking, or at the beach while camping is a great way to relax and enjoy your trip. But, one thing that most camping chairs leave out that your favorite chair at home is a foot rest or ottomon to sit back and kick your feet up on. Luckily, there are a few different chairs that offer footrests for those who want them.

The ALPS Mountaineering Escape Camp Chair is a good option to consider and includes a footrest into the design of the frame. It also includes cup holders in the armrests, so you can get really cozy here in this chair. The chair has a powder coated steel frame that is built to support up to 225 pounds. The fabric is a thick polyester, and the chair weighs just 10 pounds and can be fit into a nylon bag. At $50, the ALPS Mountian Escape chair is quite a bit more expensive chairs without foot rests, but the addition of the footrest frame helps explain this. As comfortable as a recliner at home, but portable!

If you want to get serious about your camping chair, it gets much better. You can actually have a chair that is durable enough to recline! The Picnic Time Reclining Camp Chair with Footrest can really make you feel like you are at home. The chair comes complete with an insulated cup holder and a reclining back. The footrest is a tripod design that is mobile, which makes it easy to customize where you want your foot to rest and will work for those that are either too tall or short for a fixed position footrest. This come at a higher price at about $100, but it is the top dog when it comes to camping chairs with a footrest… Or in this case, a miniature ottoman!

As you can see, these chairs are quite a bit more expensive than other chairs. It is up to you to decide if the extra expense is worth the luxury. What can be said is that you will be happy to see a place to kick your feet up when you come back from a long hike, a long bike ride, or a day out on the water. These chairs try to bring as much as your living room as possible to the great out doors, and there are some pretty neat options to achieve it.

These are just a few of the many available – if you’d like to see more Click Here to See More Camping Chairs With Footrest.

Camping Clothes Line – Get the Best!

Posted on May 22, 2011 by Josh

Having a good camping clothes line is vital for anyone who spends more than a few nights camping outdoors. Be it for hanging up towels, wet bathing suits, or drying your clothes, you will want something that is portable, sturdy, and just the right length for your needs. Keeping the campsite neat and your clothes warm and dry will certainly help you have a better time! Below we’ll take a look at some great choices to use.

Bungee Clothesline for Camping Travel – 6 Clips – Stretches from 4 to 8-Ft

We like this clothes line because it does not require any elaborate knot typing or untying, and having trees is not always necessary also. It even includes six rust-resistant clamps for hanging, as well as two steel hooks to attach to trees, tent posts, or whatever is available. It stretches from four to eight feet, so is pretty flexible as far as how much space is needed. Best of all, it can be had for just a few bucks. Click Here for More Details & Ordering

If you are concerned about size and weight, Sea to Summit makes a clothesline that weights just 1.3 ounces and can fit into the small, pocket sized pouch that is provided, making it a perfect choice for backpackers. It is nearly 12 feet long, but can be used shorter, and is has dual strings to keep your garments in place. This may be the better option of the two if saving space is important to you. This model can be had for about $6, and is well worth it if you have a long trek ahead of you. Sea to Summit Lite Line Clothesline

Next time you go camping, keep your clothing clean, and don’t try to dry it on trees that cover them in bark remains or on dirty rocks when you have such affordable options available to keep your clothing clean. What is the point of cleaning them if they are dirty again by the time they are dry?

While sure, old rope will do, these are way more fun, and affordable for any camping budget.

Battery Operated Blanket for Camping or Car Use

Posted on May 22, 2011 by Josh

Finding a battery operated blanket can be difficult to do. However, when you are camping and it is cold or you are attending a sporting event where it will be chilly and you do not always have the benefit of electricity, having a battery operated blanket sure would be nice indeed. Fortunately, there are many great alternatives that exist and can help you stay warm.

Battery Operated Seat Cushions

This seat cushion operates on rechargeable lithium ion batteries which means you can take it anywhere you go, and also be comforted in knowing the batteries can be recharged. It is not any more expensive than what you would pay for a regular electric blanket. While this cushion is not a blanket, it could certainly be great for something to sit on or to have below your sleeping bag to sleep on. Click Here for More Details on this Portable Heated Seat Cushion.

There are also a number of blankets available that can be charged in a car. This TradeMark Global blanket, available here from Amazon is powered by plugging it into the 12 volt outlet in your car, much as the same way you would charge your cell phone. It offers as 12-volt, battery operated electric blanket that is perfect for traveling in cold weather or emergencies. It is made from 100% polyester-fleece and the temperature can be controlled to be warmer or cooler. While if you are camping in a tent, you’ll have to figure out a way to charge it in your car, it can still be a good addition for your camping gear or to have in the car for roadside emergencies.

When the seasons get colder and the nights get frigid, many of us need to be warm in order to get a good night of sleep. This becomes difficult when you’re sleeping outside without the aid of a heater, and a huge pile of blankets isn’t always a great option when you’re in a cramped space or if you are backpacking.

While there are not a lot of choices in types of portable electric and heated blankets out there, I am sure it will be just a matter of time before we start seeing more great things such as these to help keep winter campers warm!