Hey, Camp Folks!

We’re almost always adding and improving upon our products here at Everything Summer Camp. Sometimes our products go through quite the journey to arrive at the product you see in our store. Take a look at our Trunk Liner accessory, for example, and check out the incredibly different origin of this particular product:

Paper Lining
A number of years back, we used to line our trunks with a paper lining. The plywood we used back then wasn’t the superior, cabinet-grade wood we use now and it didn’t always look the most beautiful. We also used fasteners that would protrude into the interior of the trunk. The paper lining hid these undesirable elements of our trunks. 

Once we upgraded to a visually pleasing wood and changed fastener methods, it no longer made sense to line our trunks. We wanted to show off our new gorgeous interior—complete with that rich birch scent and old-fashioned feeling. 

Of course, we still wanted to offer the option of a liner to protect that beautiful wood so we developed our fabric liner trunk accessory. It’s been through a number of modifications over the years to arrive at its latest and greatest version. 

Fabric Liner
Similar to the lining you can find in a suitcase, our water-resistant Trunk Liner is actually thicker and tougher. The protective nylon fabric is constructed for a perfect fit in your camp trunk. It couldn’t be easier to remove and only takes a moment longer to reinstall—no tools necessary! We offer our Trunk Liner in three sizes to fit our Happy Camper, UnderGrad, and Graduate trunks. 

Click right here to browse our entire selection of traditional steel trunks as well as our extensive and innovative collection of trunk accessories. As always, thanks for reading and happy camping! 

- John

Hey, Riders! 

A fantastic summer camp activity that plenty of people are very passionate about, Mountain Biking is a high-speed pursuit of adventure where the end goal is simply the journey itself in total. Riding bikes that are specially made to handle rough, off-road terrain became a popular sport just several years before 1900. Let’s take a look at a few world records in the world of Mountain Biking: 

Hot Wheels
Eric Barone who may be better known as The Red Baron is clocked at going 138 miles per hour—the fastest that anybody has ever been on a mountain bike. To be fair, his mountain bike was specifically developed for this project. But Mountain Bikes in general are meant to be made for a tougher terrain. 

Mileage
He’s going the distance! Adrian Ellul is known for achieving a distance of 359 miles on Mountain Bike within a 24 hour period—the greatest distance cycled that amount of time. Adrian, an Aussie, made his record-breaking attempt one autumn day in 2015 in McLennon Park of Queensland, Australia. 

Wheeeeeeeeelie
Nobody loves poppin’ wheelies as much as Kurt Osbourne. He rode 50 miles every day making his way from coast to coast across America, poppin’ a wheelie all the way. His total trek lasted more than 4000 miles. I don’t know that his record will ever be broken. But if you think that’s good, the highest bunny hop was 4 feet 8 inches high! 

Slackin’ Off
We can count this one as a bonus since I’m not sure that it’s a world record, but Kenny Belaey completed 60 feet across a slackline on his Mountain Bike between peaks in the French Alps at an altitude of 2,700 meters! That is one crazy record.

Do you plan on Mountain Biking during your summer camp adventure? Comment below to let people know if you’re excited for some Mountain Biking and, as always, thanks for reading, and happy camping. 

- John

Hey, Helly Fans! 

Sometimes April showers just bring more showers in May. Don’t worry the flowers will arrive in their own time. Meanwhile, Helly Hansen is here at Everything Summer Camp to keep you dry when the world gets wet! We have excellent rain gear to seal the rain out while remaining breathable and delivering lasting comfort! 

I wrote about their protective products in a previous post, but for today, let’s just talk about the brand and learn a little about the Helly Hansen story. It’s been in the making for over 140 years when Captain Helly Juell Hansen perfected protective apparel against the harsh elements of Norway. By 1877, the sea captain with his wife Margrethe went into production of waterproof jackets, trousers, and more. 

Mr. Helly Himself
The weather of Northern Europe is merciless and life at sea only asked for the worst. The Hansens found that linseed oil applied to cotton canvas created limber, waterproof clothing. In 1878 their “oilskin” apparel won an award at the World Expo in Paris and achieved immediate success. 

Waterproof Ways
Seventy years later, the world saw a revolution in waterproof technology with helox fabric which featured a thin sheet of translucent PVC plastic sewn into the coats. This new means of waterproof defense became the new must-have protection for outdoor use. 

Helly Tech
Fast forward another thirty years or so to the 1980’s when Helly Hansen’s technology made another giant leap forward, introducing their new Helly Tech® waterproof and breathable technology. Their new methods gave birth to more award-winning products that set new standards in protective performance apparel. 

Captain Hansen’s legacy lives on through the continual advancements and construction methods to create apparel that stands up to the harshest conditions Mother Nature has to offer. Shop all of our rain gear options, available here on our online store and stay dry out there! As always, thanks for reading and happy camping! 

- John

Hey, Camp Folks! 

Today, I’m highlighting the brother/sister camps found on the tip of Western North Carolina. We’re shining our summer camp spotlight southeast, just a stone’s throw away from South Carolina as well as Georgia. It’s time to shine our camp spotlight on a couple camps in the national forest down there, Camp Kahdalea for Girls and Camp Chosatonga for Boys. 

Both of these gorgeous camps lie on 210 acres in the heart of the Blue Ridge Mountains, bordered on three sides by the Pisgah National Forest. With such an enchanting setting, campers are treated to endless acres of spectacular mountain woodlands. The boys and girls camps are just a mile apart—each of them with its own separate campus with its own lake, clear bubbling streams, and hiking trails 

Founded in 1979, this brother and sister camp duo is notorious for a remarkably wonderful staff, made up of awesome role models for your camper. They are dedicated to giving every child opportunities to make life-long friendships, to enjoy adventures and the challenges of all the fun stuff there is to do.  

A quick rundown of activities they offer include Backpacking, Tennis, Horseback Riding, Swimming, Canoeing, the High Ropes Challenge Course, Nature Study, Mountain Biking, Drama, Sign Language, Arts & Crafts, Riflery, Rock Climbing, Archery, Fishing, Team Sports, Guitar, and more. 

The boys at Chosatonga share the tennis court and riding facilities with its sister camp, Kahdalea. Both Chosatonga and Kahdalea have their own dining hall and lodge, recreation areas, cabins, lakes, and a number of other facilities where the above activities are held. 

Make sure to let us know in the comments below if you’re going to Camp Chosatonga or Camp Kahdalea this summer camp season. Have a great stay. As always thanks for reading and happy camping! 

- John

Hey, Birthday Boys and Girls! 

If your child’s birthday happens to land during the time they’ll be away on their summer stay for camp, no sweat! Just make sure you plan in advance for the occasion. You can simply bump the birthday celebration ahead and have it at home before camp, postpone it and celebrate at home after camp, arrange for your child’s birthday to be celebrated at camp, or go with a combination of these options… 

Birthdays at Home
You probably don’t want to miss out the celebration of your child’s birthday. And your child probably wants to celebrate with family as opposed to fresh friends from summer camp. Celebrating at home means your whole family can get together and celebrate without restriction—throw a party, have a special dinner, give lots of gifts, etc. 

Birthdays at Camp
Most summer camps are prepared to whip up a birthday cake and serve ice cream for your child along with some cabin mates. Maybe your camp will simply sing Happy Birthday to your camper in the dining hall. If you find out ahead of time what birthday celebrations at your camp look like, make sure your camper understands the plan so there isn’t any disappointment. 

Gifts at Camp
Your kid will love a gift on their actual birthday during their camp stay. Things that would otherwise go in a care package maker great gifts. Save anything too big or expensive for before or after camp—you wouldn’t want it lost, stolen, or broken at camp. You also need to take care not to make your camper’s cabin mates jealous. Stick to gifts that your camper can share and send a birthday card with a note to remind your child of their other gift at home. 

Check all your boxes to make sure that this upcoming summer camp season is awesome for your child and make sure they feel special on their big day! Have a great camp season, folks. As always, thanks for reading. And happy camping! 

- John