Tent and Car Camper's Handbook: Advice for Families & First-Timers

This friendly guide looks at various areas of your campsite like they are important rooms in your home—the bedroom, the kitchen, the bathroom. Tilton considers factors such as time of year, how many people you’ll bring along, how much you want to spend on gear (it doesn’t have to be much), and how technological you want to be (or not). He addresses the special needs and concerns of camping with children but also the joys of introducing them to the outdoors. Additional topics include packing the car, the characteristics of a good tent, sleeping warm, camp hygiene, and camp fun and games.

A contributing editor for Backpacker magazine, BUCK TILTON, M.S., is director of curriculum for the Wilderness Medicine Institute of the National Outdoor Leadership School. He is the author of sixteen books, including Trekker’s Handbook and Don’t Get Bitten: The Dangers of Things that Bite or Sting. KRISTIN HOSTETTER is Backpacker’s Gear Editor and the author of Don’t Forget the Duct Tape: Tips and Tricks for Repairing Outdoor Gear.