Backyard Camping

**Bradley** · 10-23-2010, 20:02

Well here it is another Satur-night . . .

. . . couldn't get away . . . so . . .

. . . a back yard hang.

Kinda like camping . . . leastways when my eyes are shut.

Hey . . . Where are my spreader bars . . .

PS: OPPS maybe this should be in the paid area . . . sorry

**gunner76** · 10-23-2010, 20:17

Getting ready to head out to backyard for the night myself. Suppose to get down to 45 tonight. Testing a spleeping bag and wallyworld blue pad combination I have not tried before.

**Bradley** · 10-23-2010, 20:28

It is going to be the same temp here as well 45°F or 7°C

I was going to use my down bag as I was cold last time at 0°C,
but I will stay with the OQ and Z-liners only
I really want to see the actual temp I can get to with the ZL
before needing to add an UQ.

It is raining here as well . . . a musical night.

**rjmckee** · 10-23-2010, 20:30

I always figured backyard camping the better way to find out how new gear will fare before going off on a 3 day or longer campout.....

**BLUEFIN 774** · 10-23-2010, 20:40

Have a good night in the backyard tonight guys.

I think it is a great idea to test new gear or new setups in a close to home place.

A few years ago I went snowshoeing and for lunchtime I had planned on cooking some ramen noodles on my new alcohol stove. Well I had only used the stove a few times in the comfort of my warm shed......It would not stay lit in a snow bank once I was tired, cold and hungry. I wished I had tested the stove in similiar conditions but close to home. After this blooper,I always test new gear, setups, stoves and even recipes before I hit the trail.

**Geek** · 10-23-2010, 20:41

It would be interesting to find out how many test their gear in the backyard before heading out.

I know I use the yard as my testing grounds most times.

**BLUEFIN 774** · 10-23-2010, 20:52

That alcohol stove is one of my favorites for winter hikes now that I know how to use it

How many others test gear before heading out on the trail ?

**Bradley** · 10-23-2010, 20:56

Originally Posted by BLUEFIN 774

How many others test gear before heading out on the trail ?

Always . . . and I think we should set up a POLL.

**AstrayKat** · 10-23-2010, 21:16

I know I've always tested gear in my backyard, way back before I got obsessed with hammock camping--which is a recent development. I don't get to do it often, but the excitement of new equipment usually gets me out into the backyard. And if something doesn't go quite right, I test it again and modify something to hopefully make it better--this may require multiple backyard overnights, but considering the stuff I test in my backyard is not necessarily sleeping equipment, I can usually perform multiple tests over a time span of an hour or so. Sometimes I even keep a chart, but that might just be the scientist in me.

--Kat