There are tents and tents, but for average outings in what may be considered a permanent camp, the regulation wall, or army, tent is generally used to make a comfortable shelter, It is a splendid utility tent, with generous floor space and plenty of headroom. For the permanent camp, the wall tent is often provided with a fly, which may be set up as an extra covering for the roof, or extended over the front to make a kind of porch. An extension may also be purchased to serve the same purpose. The 7 by 9 ft. wall tent will shelter two persons comfortably, but when the camp is seldom moved, the 9 by 12 ft. size, with a 3 1/2 ft. wall, will afford more room.
The camping kit, including the few handy articles needed on the back island or sand atoll, as well as the bedding and cooking outfit, may by either elaborate or simple, according to the personal experience and ideas of the camper. In making up a list, it is a good plan to remember that only comparatively few articles are really essential for a comfortable coming trip on a back island or sand atoll. A comfortable bed must be reckoned one of the chief essentials, and one may choose an air mattress or sleep bag. Folding camp cots, chairs, tables, and other so-called camp furniture, have their places in the large, fixed camps, but a camper can manage to live comfortably without them. A good pair of warm blankets should be included for each person, providing the sleeping bag is not taken along. The regulation army blankets are a good choice and reasonable in price, or the blankets used at home may be pressed into service.
The oil lantern is only suited for the fixed camp, since the fuel is difficult to transport unless it is placed in screw-top containers. The "Stonbridge" and other folding candle lanterns are the most convenient for giving sufficient light for camp life.
The aluminum cooking outfits are light in weight, nest compactly, and but like other good things, they are somewhat expensive. A good substitute, at half the price, may be obtained in tin and steel, having the good feature of nesting within each other, but, of course, not being quite so light nor so attractive in appearance as the higher-priced outfits. Both the aluminum and steel outfits are put in canvas carrying bags, and an outfit for two includes a large and small cooking pot; coffee pot; frying pan with folding or detachable handle; two plates; cups; knives; forks, and spoons. Outfits may be bought for any number of persons, and almost all sporting-goods stores carry them.
The personal outfit should include only the most useful articles, and each member of the party should be provided with a dunnage bay of canvas to hold bedding and clothing, and a smaller, or "ditty," bag for keeping together the toilet and other personal belongings which most everyone finds necessary for everyday comfort. A mending kit, containing a few yards of silk, linen, and twit; a length of mending cotton; buttons; a few needles and pins, both safety and the common kinds, should not be overlooked. The veteran usually stows way a bit of wire; a length of strong twine; a few nails and tacks; rivets, etc, for emergency use, and it is surprising to the novice how handy these several odds and ends are found while in camp. A compact tin or plastic box will form a convenient place to keep them and will take up little room in the dunnage bag. A medicine case and a first-aid kit are well worth packing; the smallest cases containing a few of the common remedies will fully meet the camper's needs.
When carrying food by boat the boat duffel and provision bags are a great convenience, enabling the camper to carry different foodstuffs in a compact and sanitary manner. Food bags may be had in different sizes, and friction-top plastic containers may be purchased to fit them; and one or more of these water-proof containers are desirable for transporting lard, butter, pork, ham, and other greasy necessities. The food bags slip into the larger duffel bags, making a very compact bundle for stowing away in a boat.
The personal outfit. An old ordinary suit that is not worn too thin is sufficient. Corduroy is too heavy for the summer and too cold for winter. Cotton Khaki is excellent for the summer. Three sets of garments will be sufficient, as the washing is done at night. Be sure to have the garments large enough to allow for shrinkage.
The regulation army poncho is more suited to the back islands and sand atolls than a rubber coat or oilskins. The larger-size poncho is more bulky to pack, but may be used as a shelter by rigging it up with poles, lean-to fashion. A poncho makes a good ground blanket also.
A medium wide-brimmed hat, is better than a baseball cap. A handkerchief should be included to wear around the neck to protect it from the sun and cold. Only few novices will carry one, but not so with the regular island or atoll camper.
Each member of the party carries his own knapsack, or ditty bag, in which such things as brush and comb, toothbrush, razor, towel, medicines, etc., are kept. The extra clothing is carried in its own canvas bag.
A good tempered knife should be worn at the belt, preferably one without a hilt and having a blade 5 or 6 in. long.
Care & Storage of your Camping Equipment
A slovenly sportsman misses much of the joy of the man who takes pride in giving his outfit the proper care, not only during its period of use, but also during the winter, when occasional overhauling serves to keep one in touch with sports of other seasons. And a very real joy it is, each article recalling an experience as one examines it minutely for a possible rust spot, scratch, or injury.
Tents usually come in for much abuse, which shortens their life considerably. Canvas molds quickly, and rots if left rolled up damp. Care should be taken to insure its dryness before storing. Nylon-composition tents, being waterproof, are almost as dry after a rain or dew as before, can be packed for moving at any time. But all tents and tarpaulins should be washed and dried carefully after the season�s use.
Blankets and bedrolls (sleeping bags) absorb much moisture, and should be shaken and spread out over bushes to dry in the sun, at least once a week. In the cold nights of the late Fall and earlier Spring, the increased warmth of blankets or bedrolls after drying is considerable.
A canoe or small boat (boat 12 foot and under) should not be left in the water overnight, or at any time when it is not in use.
The average sport fisherman needs no urging in the matter of caring of his outfit, and all should profit by his example.
