Hey, Camp Folks!

If you’ve ever shopped our site before, then you already know—we’re Everything Summer Camp, your one-stop shop for everything on your child’s camp packing list. However, when we first started making trunks in 1987, we didn’t offer any camping gear or other trunk accessories at all.

Several years later we added wheels and then came our nameplates and padlocks a little further down the line. And for a long time these were the only three accessories we offered.

It was 20 years on before we added another accessory and the first one we added was the Snap-On Duffle which was our first product all about summer camp. Back then we had never sold a product that focused completely on summer camp. In fact, we weren’t even called Everything Summer Camp yet.

This duffle, however, was designed as an extension of a camper’s camp trunk to accommodate kids whose packing lists were just a bit too big for our trunks. Our original design for the Snap-On Duffle was only compatible with our Traditional Steel and Designer Trunks and we had another duffel—the Piggy Back—which was compatible with our Pop Up Soft Trunks.

No other duffel attaches perfectly to your camp trunk like our Snap-On Duffle found only here at Everything Summer Camp—the home of C&N camp trunks! Common for moving bulkier items like pillows and other bedding, this accompanying duffel is as simple as can be! It snaps onto our camp trunks within seconds so you can move both pieces as one!

Make transportation to and from your summer camp cabin as easy as possible with this cool idea that moves your trunk and duffle as one unit. Thanks for reading. And, as always, Happy Camping!

- John

I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: labeling your gear is the number one rule of packing for camp. You have your name on everything else. Be sure to label your most expensive investment: your camp trunk! And why not go the extra mile to make a completely personalized statement with this permanent print exclusively for C&N trunks?!

One of our standout creations is our LidSkinz Trunk Accessory—a product that started as a simple idea and evolved into a stunning way to make your camp trunk uniquely yours. How did we come to make such a cool accessory for your camp trunk? Well, it was a long road to become the product it is now…

The Journey of LidSkinz

This product began with a simple print on vinyl. We used to feed the vinyl printout through our laminate machine, applying a protective laminate covering. It required precision and skill to ensure the machine unrolled the laminate properly to apply it directly over the printout. There was next to no margin of error. Then, after the lamination, each LidSkinz was meticulously hand-cut with scissors!

As our methods advanced, so did LidSkinz. With the advent of our Designer Trunks—camp trunks that feature printed exteriors, LidSkinz were now printed directly onto the trunk's exterior metal, a shift that brought various results with different materials.

Initially, we printed on aluminum, which worked wonderfully. However, rising aluminum prices led us to explore alternatives. We experimented with hard plastic, which produced a matte effect, unlike the glossy finish our customers loved. Finally, we settled on steel, the same material as the rest of the trunk panels. This choice ensures consistency in appearance while maintaining the high-quality printing that characterizes LidSkinz.

The LidSkinz Trunk Accessory has come a long way from its humble beginnings as a vinyl print. In the end, this product isn't just another trunk accessory; it's an opportunity for campers to make a statement, showcase their creativity, and carry a piece of their identity with them to camp.

Enjoy creating a personalized top to your camp trunk. Check them out when you click right here and design your own. Thanks for reading and, as always, Happy Camping!

- John

Hey, Camp Folks!

During these cold, dark winter months of northern Wisconsin, it’s easy to get a little crazy about light. We throw them up all over our yards, the outside of our houses, and in darker corners and pockets indoors. Common at light shows, concerts, and plenty of other festivals, you’ll start seeing Glow Sticks as nighttime sets in. They’ve been around for decades, but originally weren’t used in celebratory fashion. They were military equipment.

It’s easy to see why Glow Stick technology was initially researched and developed for military use. The government contracted a chemist named Edwin Chandross in the 1960’s to investigate the process of chemicals that could emit powerful light without generating heat called ‘chemiluminescence’.

Glow Sticks need no batteries. They’re cheap. They have a long shelf life. They’re easy to dispose of. They can tolerate high pressures. They’re waterproof and weatherproof. And, in the right conditions, you can see one from a mile away. They’re also non-flammable and non-sparking, making them the only source of light safe to use in a disaster area immediately following the event. They’re used on a daily basis as markers for parachuters, landing zones, targets, as well as emergency lights.

At the same time that these new inventions were being used in their practical functionality, Glow Sticks emerged in a completely separate and surprising application. People found the aesthetics of the light from Glow Sticks had a certain appeal in a party and festival sort of setting.

Glow Sticks debuted on the music scene in 1971 at the Yale Ball in New Haven, Connecticut when a concert-goer and his friend visited the factory where his father worked assembling Glow Sticks. They filled their backpacks full of these cool lights and hauled them to the concert that night.

Within the first few songs of the show, the boys had started cracking open the Glow Sticks and handing them out to the crowd. No one had ever seen anything like it before. The awesome lights in the dark night brought the music to a stop and the whole show to a standstill. People were spellbound!

Glow Sticks remain an important part of military gear, but are certainly prevalent in places like clubs, parties, and festivals…even summer camp! Show your true colors in the Color War with a Glow Stick that never stops and get our LED Mini Glowstick from Nite Ize. We also offer the Nite Ize NiteHowl LED Necklace for hands-free lighting. Check out these and other lighting options from Nite Ize by clicking here. Thanks for reading, Camp Fans. And, as always, Happy Camping!

- John

Hey, Bandana Boys and Girls! 

One of the most versatile pieces of clothing in our wardrobes today, the bandana can be worn in an infinite number of ways! It’s such a simple design! Just a small square of about twenty inches by twenty inches of cloth. It’s such a simple piece that you may not think about it as something that was invented. But it certainly didn’t come around by accident. 

So where did the bandana come from? 

The word ‘bandana’ is likely an Americanized version of the Sanskrit word ‘badhnati’ meaning to bind or tie. Originating in Ancient Greece or Ancient Rome, the name found its way into the English dictionary around 1750. The Portuguese language turned ‘Badhnati’ into ‘bandannoe’ which has slowly morphed into the word we all know as ‘bandana’. 

Taking after its older brother, the handkerchief (which has an even deeper history), the bandana and hankie are very similar at first glance. Same size. Same shape. They both even have a plethora of uses.  the bandana separates itself from its predecessor by its printed cambric construction—a plain-woven material (more often than not, cotton). Handkerchiefs are traditionally made from unprinted linen. 

Over the years, bandanas have proven themselves to the world, booming in style and popularity. Not only are they a versatile garment, but they work for a variety of different generations and walks of life. Throughout history, you’d find bandanas on the heads of sailors, farmers, cowboys, bikers, miners, and plenty more types of people…like summer campers! 

Break out your bandanas when it comes time to compete in the Color Wars. Bandanas work great for supporting your team’s side in the Color Wars at summer camp. If you’re into horseback riding, they make for a great liner under your riding helmet. Be sure to check out our bandanas for yourself. Stay cool. Stay in fashion. And, as always, thanks for reading, Camp Fans! 

- John

Hey, Cookie Kids! 

Do you flip for the Chocolate Chip Cookies? Who doesn’t?! These appealing discs of dough and chips have magical powers that are sure to make your mouth water. Today is Chocolate Chip Cookie day—a day that’s sure to have you preheating the oven and mixing ingredients. Break out the flour, sugar, and—of course—the chocolate chips and let’s get bakin’! 

Easily the most popular of all the cookies, I’d be stunned to find anyone reading this Blog post who has never had one before. Can you imagine a world without the Chocolate Chip Cookie? Unfortunate as it may be, many folks have lived their whole lives without ever knowing the taste of this delectable treat! After all, the recipe was only created in the late 1930s. 

It was Ruth Wakefield, an experienced baker with a degree in household arts, who made the original Chocolate Chip Cookie. Ruth ran the reputable Toll House restaurant in Whitman, Massachusetts where she first conceptualized this new cookie with melted chocolate chunks. 

She put out her ‘Tried and True’ cookbook in 1938 which introduced the Chocolate Chip Cookie recipe to the world. The recipe blew up! Within a year, this cookie got so popular that it was mentioned on a radio program hosted by Betty Crocker. As if the cookie needed any help, this radio mention really did solidify this cookie’s reputation as a cultural smash! 

Many origin stories have been proposed for how Ruth came up with this cookie. Some have said it happened by chance when some chocolate fell into her cookie batter. Others suggested that chocolate was a quick replacement ingredient that just proved to be amazing. These are just stories, though. 

The truth is that Ruth was an absolute perfectionist when it came to her craft. She knew the art of baking very well. This iconic cookie was no happy accident! It’s the result of Ruth’s know-how for making a recipe and testing it carefully. Be sure to indulge for Chocolate Chip Cookie day and say a little thank you to Ruth for her incredible recipe! As always, thanks for reading! 

- John