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Tips to make it a successfully trip

1. build your kids enthusiasm- get them involved in packing and planning like choosing where to go, what to eat, ect.
2. pick actives for during the trip your kids enjoy such as biking, swimming, hiking, watching nature ect and plan to stay somewhere that you can do these things.

3. practice setting up the tent before you leave the house. Have the kids help and then allow them to play pretend camp in it for a little while. Maybe a sleep over in the yard for new campers.

4. make and use a check list of items you want to bring and only check them off once they are inside of the car. That way nothing like you child’s favorite blanket or stuffed toy gets left behind.

5. Always pack tactical flashlights (flashlight for kids) are available too. Preferably one for each family member. And don’t forget batteries.

6. make a kid friendly easy menu. Don’t get carried away and make things hard on yourself or your kids by trying lots of new recipes. Stick with favorites like hot dogs, bagels and peanut butter, apples, bananas, canned soup, corn on the cob, and most importantly don’t forget the s’mores. Also if you have a baby pack its food it baby food jars. This will be easier for everyone.

7. bring snacks. Trail mix, cereal bars, string cheese, dried food are great for snaking on when camping. Something about the outdoors makes people hungry.

8. bring a first aid kit along with bug repellent, sunscreen and stuff to treat the possibly poison ivy out break.

9. bring items to clean up with. You will need trash bags, paper or preferably plastic plates, soap to wash items, Clorox wipes are great to wipe down picnic tables or anything else you may want to sanitize first.

10. other items you will need include: a piece for thick string or rope to make a clothes line ( great for hanging swim gear and towels), also large plastic tarps to put under the tent (even when they say it wont rain its best to play it safe, no one likes wet beds or clothes in the morning.)

11. make memories and have fun. Get the kid involved with camp chores make a game out of it. Let them gather firewood and see who has the biggest pile, race to see who can get things clean the fastest, or who is the most organized. If you make these trips fun then not only will it be easier on you but your kids will want to keep coming back year after year and then you have a family tradition. And don’t forget to play some fun games with your kids such as flashlight tag, campfire songs, or just looking at the stars.

Here are some great camping tents for families and children
* tip to remember when choosing a tent is that the number of persons it holds is with people cramped together and no stuff inside the tent. So your best bet is to divide the number of max people is holds in half to best fit your family. Also keep in mid this number is based on adults.

Family Tents

1. Kelty Green River 4 person tent

2. Jeep 14′ x 12′ family Dome Tent (8 person tent)

3. Ozark Trail 16′ x 9.5′ family dome tent (7 person tent)

Kids Tents

1. coleman milky way kids tent

2. coleman for kids frontier combo camping tent package

3. texsport brookwood youth dome tent (2-3 kids)

4. Disney 5 piece camping kit (styles are cars and princess)

awesome sleeping bags

Parents-
1. coleman queen sized hibernation 40 degree bag (sleeps 2)
2. wenzel santa fe 20 degree mummy bag
3. swissgear engelberg 15 degree bag

kids sleeping bags
1. Kodiak kids sleeping bag comes in blue or pink
2. coleman lights out 50 degree bag (perfect for older girls as well)
3. Kodiak k-cold 1.5 lb. mummy bag (awesome for older boys)
4. coleman sleeping diva 50 degree bag pink (perfect for sassy moms or older girls)

Camping chairs
Adult:
1. kalisto two-position beach chair
2. mac sports the big boy super-sized chair ( 350 lb. capacity)

kids:
1. kelsyus original canopy chair (available in different colors)

Also Read: Top 8 Camping Trip Safety Reminders

A number of rechargeable flashlight models are available which plug directly into a wall electrical outlet for charging. This is convenient and eliminates the need to handle batteries, as well as the risk of corrosion. Buying such a device also provides you with a working flashlight without the need to make any additional purchases like batteries or external chargers. However, there are some drawbacks regarding initial cost and reliability.

Some useful features to look for when purchasing a wall rechargeable flashlight include a small built-in light which makes it easy to locate the flashlight during a power outage, a cigarette lighter charger so that it can also be charged in an automobile, or a built-in radio. The rechargeable battery (or batteries) inside such a flashlight sometimes need to be replaced; the cost of replacing the type of battery it uses should be considered. For example, replacement of a 3.6V Ni-MH battery will cost substantially more than replacing two Ni-MH or Ni-Cd “AA” batteries. Some rechargeable flashlights use LED lights, while others have traditional lightbulbs; the LEDs last longer and use less electricity, but are generally more expensive to buy and replace. Units with a built-in folding plug which directly plugs into the wall outlet are more convenient than those which require an AC adapter to be connected and disconnected.

Alternatives to wall rechargeable flashlights include crank/dynamo and regular flashlights with a separate battery charger. From personal experience, a regular non-rechargeable flashlight will generally last much longer than a rechargeable light, and a stand-alone battery charger usually lasts far longer as well. I have used about four rechargeable flashlights (from various brands) which failed in the same period that a single stand-alone battery charger has continued working properly, and I have rarely had a regular flashlight need repair beyond replacing the lightbulb. A flashlight powered by a crank/dynamo has the advantage of not using any electricity, and there is no need to worry about running out of power when you are away from a wall outlet or source of batteries.

Brands which make rechargeable flashlights include Streamlight, Mag-Lite, Energizer, Maxsa, Inova, and others. They can be purchased at Amazon and eBay.com. Basically, the kind of rechargeable battery, type of light, and additional built-in features should be reviewed when buying a wall rechargeable flashlight. For greater reliability and/or lower initial cost, other types of flashlights should be taken into consideration as well.

We have all been reading about the severe winter weather out in the Midwest and storms have begun to hit in the Northeast. Here in the Carolinas, for the past few days, it has been almost like summer. Christmas is only two weeks away and a few days ago, I was on my rooftop in shorts and a tank top cleaning leaves from the gutters. However, reading about the storms and their effects has made me think about preparing for the possibility of some winter weather arriving on my doorstep at any time. The temperatures are beginning to drop a little as winter makes its way across the states. It’s hard to say if we will have snow or ice, but it pays to think ahead and prepare just in case.

If you have a kerosene heater as backup in case your primary heat goes out, now is the time to get it out, clean it up and check the wick and batteries. It is a good idea to go ahead and get some kerosene so that if bad weather does strike, you will not be standing in line to get it and possibly paying a premium price for it. For those that have portable propane heaters, get your tank filled and have it ready. I have one of those heaters that uses the small gas bottles, but you can get an adapter for it and hook it to a larger tank (like the one on your grill), which makes it more economical to use. Fireplace users should make sure they have wood on hand or gas tanks filled with propane or natural gas, depending on what kind you have. Check pilot lights and make sure everything is in working order. For vented types of fireplace heat, you may want to have your chimney checked and cleaned if necessary.

Gather up all your tactical flashlights, medical lights and check the batteries and put them in an easy to find location, along with a few emergency candles if you use those. You might want to make sure you have some type of transistor radio handy for keeping up with news and weather alerts. If you are a camper, get your camping gear in a location where you can get to it easily. Sleeping bags, gas lanterns and camping stoves will all come in very handily if you should lose your power for a few days. Those that don’t have camping gear might want to make sure your grill is ready to use for cooking. Get tanks filled for gas grills and have some charcoal on hand for regular grills. Remember to always follow safety instructions for grills, camping stoves, etc. Carbon monoxide buildup is undetectable but a very real danger. If you have carbon monoxide detectors along with your smoke detectors, check all batteries and replace them as needed. Also, keep all heat sources away from any flammable items such as curtains, bedding, etc.

Stock up on some easy to fix food items (such as soup, canned chili, etc.) when grocery shopping. Keep medications and supplies stocked for family members with special medical needs. Have a corded phone on hand as cordless home phones will not work when the power is out. Those of us who have wells, will want to have some water on hand. It’s easy to forget that if you don’t have power, your well pump will not be working, therefore you will not have water during a power outage. Make sure your well is covered and insulated to keep pipes from freezing.

Get your car ready for winter. Check the antifreeze and add or replace if needed. Check your tires and make sure they are in good condition. Make an emergency kit for your car. You could use a box or picnic basket to pack a flashlight, a bottle or two of water, some cheese crackers or small packets of cookies, dried fruit or some other snacks and a light blanket or throw in case you get stranded. Have flares and/or reflectors to put roadside for alerting other drivers should you get stuck on or next to the road. Keep your cell phone fully charged at all times so you can call for help. If you don’t have a cell phone, but have some of those small family walkie talkie type radios, put one of them in the car. You might be able to contact someone who has a CB radio with it if you need help. Keep family members or friends alerted of where you will be going, how long you expect to be gone and the route you will take if you have to venture out in bad weather. That way, if something happens and you cannot call for help, they will know where to look for you.

Winterize your outdoor pet quarters with warm bedding or wood shavings. If you can rig up a light fixture of some kind in the doghouse, it will help keep the chill knocked off. I fixed a doggie door and sectioned off an area of the garage where my dogs can go outside to “do their business” and then come into a warmer area when it gets nasty out while I am at work. Keep food and water handy, as animals need more nourishment during colder weather. For outdoor dogs, keep a check to make sure their water is not frozen.

A little preparation goes a long way, so have a safe, happy, healthy winter.

I tried out the Duracell Daylite LED flashlight and am very impressed indeed! The LED flashlight called the Duracell Daylite really throws the light at far distances despite its small size. Here’s more about this LED flashlight called the Duracell Daylite. I can say right off the bat that I recommend this product.
More About The Duracell Daylite LED Flashlight

I’ve never had that much luck with the simple flashlights you get in the store – you know those traditional ones that you put in the kitchen drawer. They never seem that bright, and don’t throw enough of a lighted beam around so I can see really that far. So I eagerly anticipated trying out this Duracell Daylite LED flashlight to see just how good it would be to use.

First, I was really surprised about its small size. Look at the picture to see what I’m talking about. It fits easily in my hand, and has a good grip to it.

How is its brightness capabilities in a dark room or outside at night? It uses “TrueBeam Technology” that implements a lens and reflector to project more light (up to all the light produced), which makes it shine brighter than many traditional flashlights, which only capture around 70 per cent of the produced light at the most, according to the product display video at YouTube here

I did four tests on the brightness aspect, and this is what happened:

Many people might not try this, but I did. I turned on this flashlight while looking into the lens and reflector, and I gotta tell I was temporarily semi-blinded, and I wear prescription sunglasses at that! I’ve had beams of light from car or truck headlights not feel so bright and intense when I see them as I run at night.

Second, I turned it on in a dark bedroom, and this small LED flashlight called the Duracell Daylite really was super bright, as I could see half the room very easily. I tried this with the traditional kitchen light I have, too, and while it threw a beam around half the room, the brightness quality was very dim, probably about 3-4 times less bright compared with the Duracell Daylite.

Third, I went into a dark nook and cranny of my house to try to find a pair of shoes I have in the midst of many pairs of shoes, and again this LED flashlight helped me look through my shoes as if it were daylight. So I conclude that when using this LED flashlight up close, one will get very good lighting.

Lastly, I went outside to test this out in the dark. Again, the Duracell Daylite passed with flying colors. I was able see about 100 feet ahead of me and I had clear views in front of me because of the superior brightness! Now, with a traditional kitchen flashlight, I’ve noticed that it’s almost a waste to use it outside because the bigger an area a traditional flashlight‘s beam is spread, the dimmer the range of light gets. I only wished I had this Duracell Daylite when I was a kid looking for night crawlers. To me, its adjustable 3:1 “zoom” ratio spot to flood performance (of the 80 Lumens LED flashlight I tested) was just as bright outside as well as inside at either extreme.

As for its durability, I dropped this LED flashlight six feet onto a wood floor while it was turned on, and it stayed on. I whacked it five times against a wooden door, and it stayed on. With those traditional kitchen drawer flashlights, I’ve had nothing but trouble keeping them on when I accidentally drop them or hit them against something.

In conclusion, the Duracell Daylite is more pricey than a traditional kitchen drawer flashlight, but it’s worth the price for what you get in durability and brightness and range of vision. I got the model that uses AAA batteries, and even loading them is an interesting experience, for I had to put them in a carousel like object, which detaches from the inside of the LED flashlight body.

Final Words About The Duracell Daylite LED Flashlight

The Duracell Daylite flashlight is widely available at retail stores. The suggested retail price is $24.99 for ones that use AA and AAA batteries and ten dollars more for those which use CR123 batteries, but you can often get a better deal when these stores have special sales.

Maglite in the past was synonymous with being the best quality product on the market when it came to flashlights. Today with new lighting technology and innovative design technology this is no longer the case. LED technology as well as HID and Xenon lighting along with ultra durable and strong plastics have made the flashlight brighter and stronger than ever before.
There are many makes and brands of flashlight available today that are both very reasonably priced and well made. Brightness of a flashlight is measured in Lumens or in Candlepower. This article was written to give you a brief explanation of what is now available in terms of flashlight technology.

The first major advancement in flashlight technology was the LED or light emitting diode.
This light creates light at a molecular level compared to the old fashioned lightbulb which required the heating of a filament in order to produce light. An LED’s design is such that it should last many years and it requires far less energy from the battery so your battery life will be much longer than in the past. The quality of the light is determined by the manufacturing process and the better it is made the brighter and whiter the light will be. Cheaper flashlight models tend to cast a blue white light.

Xenon Lighting and Xenon gas.

Xenon lights and lighting create a broad spectrum of light and its strength can be maximized by inclusion of the gas xenon in the bulb. These lights can be much brighter but the amount of energy required is high. HID (High Intensity Discharge) xenon lighting is now available.

With modern technology there is a battle between the power of light available and the amount of energy required to create this light and in the stakes for this the LED design is the clear winner since it produces good light while using less energy from the battery.

Casing for flashlights today are made from indestructible materials and are extremely rugged such as durable plastic or rubber compounds. These can be manufactured from polycarbonate fibers and various recyclable plastics to space grade aluminum and have been designed for extremely tough environments. Popular brand names include various specialized companies like Nextwave, Surefire and Nextorch. Remember that xenon technology now gives you unsurpassed brightness that was unheard of years ago but comes at the expense of energy consumption and that LED technology offers great value for money. Search around on the internet to look for great deals and service and chose a reputable dealer. Determine what your requirements are before making a purchase. Whether you require ultra brightness or reliability you will find a suitable flashlight with today’s modern flashlight technology.

Sources:
https://www.globalspec.com/LearnMore/Optical_Components_Optics/Light_Sources/Flashlights
https://www.lights.com/flashlights/
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flashlight