Hey, Camp Fans!

Nothing really beats the feeling you get when you’re tromping a vague trail through the woods on a hot, sunny day. The gentle breeze moving past you in the unique scenery—it all feels so good….Well, maybe not ALL of it. You’ll probably be sweating a lot and have a thirst that requires constant quenching. But it’s worth it to make the adventure and cope with the thirst and perspiration.

You’ll NEED to bring water along and you have a few options:

1.) Hydration Backpacks are an easy means of quenching your thirst that you carry on your back.

2.) A Canteen to be sure you have enough water when you go for those long adventures on hot days.

3.) Lastly, Water Bottles are your traditional, most popular option.

But there’s a vast array of water bottles featuring the latest technological innovations available right here at Everything Summer Camp. And some of the water bottles defy what the traditional bottle says a water bottle has to be. Much in the way that our Vapur Anti-Bottles take up almost no packing space, these new Pack-up Bottles and Pack-up Cups from Industrial Revolution are a light packer’s dream!

Collapsible, Pack-up Bottles are ridiculously portable—just begging to be brought along to camp. Fill it up to 23 oz. of thirst-quenching water or delectable hot chocolate for a night around the fire. Separating into three sections, this Bottle is simple to clean and easy to refill. Its cap is a standard size making it interchangeable with other mouthpieces and filters so the option is yours.

And the Pack-up Cup is just as collapsible. It comes with an attached lid to keep the heat in warm beverages as well as internal measuring lines. It holds up to 8.8 oz.. Both the Pack-up Bottle and Cup are dishwasher and microwave safe products. Pick up a Pack-Up Bottle and Cup for yourself today! And, as always, thanks for reading.

 

- John

Hey, Camp Preppers!

I’m posting tips and advice on Mondays throughout April concerning great ways to involve your child in the planning processes of summer camp such as packing and shopping. Last week I introduced the topic and explained the importance of including your kids in the planning stages of summer camp.

Making it something they’re a part of certainly reduces some of the mystery of summer camp for them. They know a little more of what they can expect when they’re a part of the planning. Today I’ll be talking about a vital part of helping your children to prepare for their summer camp experience: solidify the length of your kid’s camp stay in their mind.

There are three ways described by authors Dr. Chris Thurber and Dr. Jon Malinowski in their preparatory guidebook, ‘The Summer Camp Handbook’, available here at Everything Summer Camp.

1.) Use a family calendar to mark the dates of your child’s camp stay. Having this visual representation of when camp starts and ends will generally put a decent idea of just how long camp is in your kid’s head. Make sure the calendar is pinned up in communal areas of your home, like the kitchen refrigerator or a hallway wall.

2.) Referencing time is another way to solidify the length of your kid’s camp stay in his or her mind. Referencing time means to refer to another event of a similar amount of time. If you and your child are thinking of a two week camp stay, ask, “How long did winter break feel? That was two weeks.” What’s vastly more important than your kid’s answer is their focus on lengths of time.

3.) Lastly, you can reframe time. This means putting the length of your kid’s camp stay in perspective. If your kid’s concerned that his or her camp stay will feel too long, you can lessen how ‘LONG’ time will feel. One way to do this is to explain that summer VACATION is a whole ten weeks long. Summer camp will only be one or two weeks. That’s 10 to 20% of summer vacation. That’s NOT that long!

You can also spread out a deck of cards and say that if each card is a week, there are this many cards to one year. Flip two of the cards and say this is how many weeks out of the year you’ll be at summer camp. This visual works great for kids!With these three tips, you should have no problem giving your children an accurate idea of how long their camp stay will be and how long it will feel. Tune in next Monday to learn about what you can avoid before (and during your kid’s camp stay). And, as always, thanks for reading.

 

- John

Hey, Brothers and Sisters!

Today is National Siblings Day. Like it or not, your siblings are some of the closest people to you. They’re right there with you as you BOTH grow up. There are often times lots of laughs, lots of fights, lots of tattling, and lots of secrets shared. May as well make the best of it. 

Just as we have Mother’s Day and Father’s Day, today we have Siblings Day and spending the day with your sibling/s is a great way to celebrate it. What’s the point in National Siblings Day? I mean, our siblings don’t necessarily take care of us (some might, but in that scenario, only one of the siblings is doing the care-giving). AND not everyone even HAS a sibling!

So why have a day dedicated entirely to them? Well, because, unlike your friends, you can’t pick your siblings—not that there isn’t a World Friendship Day. But you’re stuck with the family to which you’re born and nothing can ever really change that. Even if you secede from your family, your siblings will still have been your siblings. You just won’t be joining them for family get-togethers anymore.

Almost all siblings are going to fight once in a while, unless you’re extremely like-minded twins who are always on the same page or something like that. I’m very close to all four of my siblings and, despite that, I can say, with absolute confidence, that at some point or another I’ve fought with them all.

But just because you might fight with your younger or older brother or sister, doesn’t mean that you don’t share a deep connection with each other. Celebrate National Siblings Day today by spending some quality time with your brothers or sisters. Go for a walk. Ride your bikes. Play a game. Watch a movie. Whatever you do, you’ll be happy to be doing it together.

Happy National Siblings Day and, as always, thanks for reading.

 

- John

 

Hey there, all you Happy Campers!

Here at Everything Summer Camp—the home of C&N Footlockers—we’re modest people, but there’s no getting around the facts and, in point of fact, our footlocker trunks are simply the best the whole world over. When you purchase a C&N Camp Trunk, you know you’re getting the best quality trunk available.

What makes our trunks better than any other is all in our careful construction. We don’t take any shortcuts or cut any corners in our manufacturing processes. Built using 3/8” Aspen plywood, the exterior is covered with a steel sheet that’s lead-free, scratch-free, and given a baked-on enamel finish. The interiors are lined with DuraWrap, a water-resistant, odor-free, and virtually tear-proof paper.

The most popular of our camp trunks, the Happy Camper LOVES summer camp! Spacious, this camp trunk never gave anyone any concerns over comfortably storing their belongings with security. It’s available in 22 awesome C&N colors. But none of that’s changed.

What we DID change in this NEW version of the Happy Camper is the trim color. Featuring hardware coated in a lead-free, black enamel, baked-on finish. Like adding a bold outline to your camp trunk, the new Black Trim accentuates your trunk, making it REALLY stand out now! It also includes a new, larger handle which making itself easier to carry.

Over the years, we’ve gotten so many requests for black trim on our footlocker trunks. Well, it took us a little while to get it right, but the wait is over now, here it is: The Happy Camper sporting Black Trim. Just $20 more than the standard version (which is still available too), this trunk has never looked better.

See which trim and hardware style suits you best and order your own Happy Camper online with us today. As always, thanks for reading.

 

- John

Hey, Campers!

When looking for the right sleeping bag, people typically make the mistake of asking, “What’s your warmest sleeping bag?” But this isn’t necessarily the best question because it won’t necessarily get you the best sleeping bag—just the warmest. 

So, if the warmest sleeping bag isn’t the best one, then what is? Good question, but one whose answer is far from universal. The answer to this question relies on a number of different variables concerning location and average temperature during specific months. What will be the best sleeping bag for you?

Once you’ve determined what the temperature will likely be in the area of your camp during the time that you’ll be there, you’ll want to keep it in mind while you’re shopping. And remember: temperature ratings can sometimes be exaggerated; if you expect there to be 40° nights at camp, maybe go with a sleeping bag that has a 30° temperature rating.

In preparation for the upcoming summer camp season, Everything Summer Camp has brought on new sleeping bags from Wenzel and Kelty.

The Wenzel Temperature Control Sleeping Bag is made with layers so you can opt to bundle up or go lighter with the covers! Fluctuating from 30-60° temperature ratings, this sleeping bag is customizable. You’re in control of your sleeping bag’s layers. With a removable middle layer, you can either use it in your bag for a full administration of warmth, or you can use it as a blanket on its own.

Or go with the Kelty Tuck 22° Sleeping Bag. One warm mummy bag, this thing is filled with a performance insulation that Kelty calls ThermaPro. Designed to easily compress—despite its excellent retention of warmth—this bag makes itself easy to pack up.

Make sure to get the right sleeping bag for you and, as always, thanks for reading, Camp Fans!

 

- John