Hey, Camp Folks!

We’re still publishing some of the last submissions we received for our 'Share Your Camp Story' Contest here on the Blog! We received a handful that weren’t long enough to qualify for our contest, but we thought we’d at least share them on the Blog. Check out two more accounts from excited campers right here!

First is this entry from Eileen S. who attended Camp Merrie Woode:

“Hi. My name is Eileen Stewart. I just got back from my second year of camp. I go to camp Merrie Woode in Sapphire, NC. From my perspective, camp is where you find the best of friends, and I have met mine, Catherine. And to this day, we still talk on the phone. I have made lifelong memories at camp, like winning a round of Camp Jeopardy, and midnight swimming the night before camp ends. Camp has helped me grow from a little girl, to a responsible young women, in just two years. From horseback riding across a waterfall, to hiking to the top of Old Bald Mountain, camp is an experience every child needs to go through. In the summer of 2019, I will be returning to my third summer and be going for Five weeks at Camo Merrie-Woode.”

Next up is a submission from Colleen B. who wrote in to tell us about her boys’ camp experiences at Camp Highlands.

“My three sons have attended Camp Highlands for Boys for the past two summers. I’ve seen such growth in all three of them. I’m amazed at what they can do! Many of their “firsts” have happened at camp. They’ve all learned to water ski, canoe, sail, standup paddle board, and so much more. The older two have taken overnight camping trips with lots of hiking, rainy & cold weather, and canoeing. This camp is turning these boys into ‘worthwhile men!’”

Thanks for these submissions, Eileen and Colleen! It’s always great to hear when summer camp produces such fun experiences. Thanks for sharing! If anybody else is interested in attending one of these camps, put some time aside and look into Camp Merrie Woode and Camp Highlands for yourself! And, as always, thanks for reading!

- John

Hey, Summer Shoppers!

The Fourth of July is tomorrow but we’re starting the party early here at Everything Summer Camp with an awesome and patriotic holiday sale. Smack dab in the thick of the summer season, this Fourth of July Sale offers a great opportunity for shoppers whether you're preparing for family camping trips or getting a head start on prep for next summer camp season by replacing gear from this year!

This is our last BIG sale of the summer camp season. Sure, you'll see some deals in a department here and there, but no more drop-your-jaw blowout sales like the one I'm announcing today. That being said, we're kind of going all out with this one. In our own summer camp excitement, our Fourth of July Sale is already in effect and ends on Tuesday, July 9^th at 11:59pm. That’s a whole week of sales!

Check out the specifics:

First of all, the Footlockers

You won't find a better Camp Trunk than one of our C&N Footlocker Trunks. Available in an assortment of sizes with a wide variety of colors and an endless means of decoration, our Trunks are sitting at $20 less than their regular price whether it's a Steel Trunk, a Designer Trunk, or even one of our popular Pop Up Soft Trunks! And to make this deal even sweeter, you can get 20% off all of our Trunk Accessories as well!

Staying Oh-Too-Cool in the Summer Heat

Campers love the 5” Portable USB Fans we offer from O2 Cool. You can pick up one or two right now! Typically found for $12.99, get this fan for just $9.99 this week!

Go Deluxe for your Dirty Duds!

We’re also cutting the price on our Everything Summer Camp Deluxe Laundry Bags. Regularly priced at $24.99, you can get yours now at just $19.99!

Raingear and Swimwear and Footwear—Oh MY!

Browse through our raingear, swimsuits, swim trunks, and footwear to find select items discounted somewhere between 10 and 15% off.

Ruffled Prices of Duffels

Outdoor Products Duffel Bags will be on sale at 20% off! Take advantage of this great deal on these quality camping duffels!

Other Discount Camp Gear

Select insect repellents, stationery, dinnerware, flashlights, and headlamps will be on sale as well. Find great deals on the gear you need scattered all over our site!

But that's not all! We're offering a bonus coupon of $10 off for all orders that come in over $100! Just enter the following code as it appears right here when you check out: FIREWORKS2019. Pop in the code and save even more!

Once again, our Fourth of July Sale runs through Tuesday, the 9th, so be sure to take advantage while the opportunity still lasts! Have yourself a fun time finding our discounted gear and enjoy your Independence Day celebration. As always, thanks for reading, Camp Fans! Happy Fourth!

- John

Hey, Fellow Adventurers!

Here at Everything Summer Camp, we embrace the rugged reality of the wilderness and finding our place within it. So we’re excited to take you on a trip today with Reannon, a three-year veteran on our customer service team and a bonafide explorer as she recounts her trip to the Blackhills in South Dakota’s Custer State Park. A four-day trip with her good friend, Jake, made for a challenging and literally breathtaking adventure that she won’t be forgetting soon!

She set out with her Backpack from The North Face. “I’ve had it for five years and it has been to more states then a backpack should,” she said with a laugh. She brought along a 30° Kelty Sleeping Bag that she used to curl up in inside an ENO DoubleNest Hammock. With a cooking pan, some food, and a solid pair of waterproof hiking boots, Rae and Jake made their way to South Dakota.

Arriving in the second week of August last summer, Rae and Jake made their way up Black Elk Peak on a day no cooler than 90°! However, as they made their way to the top, the temps began to drop by the tens. One hour in and it was already down to 83°—a welcome change about three miles into the journey up the peak, 7,244 ft. up in total.

Rae reported that her ears had popped at about 2500ft.—only a third of the way up. And as the temperature dropped the wind grew. She described the majesty of the swaying pines and the difficulty she had catching a satisfactory breath. “The whole time it was kind of hard to breathe,” she told me.

In just two and half hours more, Rae and Jake had accomplished their nine-mile journey to the unbelievable outlook on the top of Black Elk Peak. The pictures are great, but they can’t come close to seeing it for yourself.

The next day they took things a bit easier, but they still put 3,000 ft. of the woodsy Lover’s Leap trail beneath them. There weren’t many people out there with them, but they saw some wildlife including two mountain goats and a “ridiculous amount of deer.”

“The sleeping bag worked perfectly,” Rae mentioned. “It was thin enough but kept me warm when it was super cold at night. My hammock was hands down the best birthday gift I ever got! I use it almost every single day and it’s the most durable hammock ever—so easy to get in and out of and it keeps the bugs away too.”

Rae had been getting into the outdoorsy life for the previous three years, but hiking Black Elk Peak and Lover’s Leap was her first big adventure. And she’s not stopping anytime soon. She sees Banff, a Canadian resort town that contains Mt. Rundle and Mt. Cascade (part of the Rocky Mountains).  She also would love to visit Boulder, Colorado someday. “I just need to see it and do it myself,” she says. Enjoy seeing the great outdoors for yourself and, as always, thanks for reading!

- John

Hey, Camp Folks!

Our ‘Share Your Camp Story’ Contest at Everything Summer Camp saw an excellent response last year with 60 entries! That’s why we’ve published each and every one right here on the Blog (and why we’re still publishing them)! We received a handful that weren’t long enough to qualify for our contest, but we thought we’d at least share them on the Blog. Check out two more accounts from excited campers right here!

First is this entry from Lila who attended Camp Sierra Vista:

“This summer I went to Camp Sierra Vista and I did so many fun activities! Riflery, Animal Care, Reading, Flash Mob, Salon, Horseback, Swimming, Fishing, Kayaking, and more. Made a ton of great memories. I love my camp. It was so sad when I had to leave my tribe and cabin mates. I wish I could live there for the entire year.”

Next up is a submission from Kayden W. who wrote in to tell us about her stay at Adventure Unlimited.

“I had so much fun I brought my trunk from you guys and it held all my stuff it was heavy duty for a camp supply it kept all my clothes neat and I went camping so I needed a sleeping bag but had to sleep on the ground because I never got a sleeping bag and I needed a portable camp oven.”

Thanks for these submissions, Lila and Kayden! It’s always great to hear when you summer campers have such fun experiences. And we can’t hear enough positive reviews about our C&N Camp Trunks and other camping gear! Thanks for sharing!

If anybody else is interested in attending one of these camps, put some time aside and look into Camp Sierra Vista or look into Adventure Unlimited for yourself! And, as always, thanks for reading!

- John

Hey, Canoe-Loving Campers!

Today is National Canoe Day! If Canoeing is your thing and if you can make it happen today it sure would be nice to celebrate your love for this hobby today! In celebration, I thought we could take a look at the reasons to go Canoe over Kayak.

Despite the fact that canoes are heavier and harder to transport along with a slower traveling speed, people have found a multitude of reasons to opt for canoes over kayaks. Some of these reasons fall back to simple preference while others are legitimate benefits that canoes have over kayaks.

Here’s a look at just some of the reasons why people prefer a canoe:

You can carry lots of gear easily in a canoe…in a kayak, not so much. The larger size and open top offer more packing space than the closed cockpit of a kayak. For this fact, canoes do better than kayaks on portage trips that require regular water crossing.

Canoes provide decent stability (much more than kayaks) and therefore offer a variety of sitting positions as well as kneeling (which can add more power behind paddling strokes) or even standing up. Not being stuck in the same position—like you are in a kayak—allows for more comfort for longer distances on exciting expeditions.

Canoes are super easy to get in and out of—especially so compared to kayaks. Young kids and family dogs can join you out on the water in a canoe. The open, tall sides of canoes keep water from splashing inside unless the waters are really wild. And the slower pace and openness of canoes offer a much better view of the beautiful sights as opposed to a kayak.

It’s National Canoe Day, so I really talked it up over kayaks, but that’s not to disrespect kayaking at all. The way I see it, kayaking is a little more for the adventure and workout of the activity while canoes serve more of a practical, strolling sort of experience. Enjoy your love for canoeing today and, as always, thanks for reading!

- John