Dollar stores a boon to campers

By Allen Macartney

New readers out there might be thinking about camping but don’t want to spend a pile of cash and then discover they don’t even like it (well, a few maybe).

Experienced campers know there’s a lot of basic camping gear no further away than the local dollar store. For comfort and safety, a quality (uh, expensive) tent and sleeping bag are a must, so borrow these from friends. But lots of my camping supplies come from the dollar store.

Don’t believe me? Matches, lighters, candles, can-openers, cutlery and kitchen knives are all available in a wide range of fashionable colours. (Not that fashion matters much in the middle of Gatineau Park or a remote provincial campground.) The dollar store can quickly fill any kitchen pack with anything and everything – bamboo barbecue skewers, wire barbecue grills, wash cloths, pot scrubbers and clothes pegs. Cheap plastic food containers keep ants at bay, while lightweight coffee mugs and plastic wine glasses add class to rustic dining.

I used to haul two plywood cutting boards in my pack over long portage trails. But then I found thin, rollable plastic cutting boards at the dollar store. Now I carry two – one for meat and the other for veggies.

You’ll find a wide selection of rope, thick and thin, nylon cord, short and long bungee cords, as well as light tarps – perfect for setting up over a picnic table if rain threatens. Pick up a clear plastic sheet (an instant picnic table cover), and wicker picnic mats for when you want to sit on the ground near the beach for a meal with a view.

A dollar store hand broom works for sweeping out the tent each day. Grit can quickly build up, and it kills a tent floor fast.

Sparklers for campfires, light sticks for nighttime scavenger hunts, and zany cartoonish props for skits add zest to the evening campfire. And treats: candy, chocolate and gum.

Rainy days? They happen, and pass easier with crossword puzzles, Sudoku and word searches. If you’re backpacking and need to save on weight, look for miniature checker and chess boards.

Not all dollar stores offer the same selection, so poke around a few of them to build your camping kit. And if some of your equipment gets wrecked, soaked, scorched, torn or blown away, it’s easy to just toss it. After all, it’s from the dollar store.

FINAL WORDS

If you’ve discovered camping is for you, go out and buy an excellent tent, sleeping bags and mats. Get advice from outdoors store staff – they’re often diehard campers working for the cash to travel and camp. Buy a medium grade green tarp (10 by 18 feet), and a multi-fuel camp stove. These will guarantee comfortable camping for years. The rest is at the dollar store. 