How to be a happy camper - Attractions - Israel travel and tourism

When you reserve a B&B or a hotel room, you don't compromise on a television, air conditioner and other goodies. Still, the vacations that people remember most vividly are the ones in which they wrestled with the forces of nature before drifting off under the open skies that night, tired but happy.

Others remember avidly the hundreds of shekels they saved by going on a camping trip, but for the majority, camping is a sort of small break from the routine, an adventure in nature. This more low-key form of holiday is quite popular in Israel, too. The Nature and Parks Authority, which is responsible for the overnight camping grounds in the national reserves and parks, reports that in 2007, 165,000 people visited its 26 overnight camping sites.

To prepare for a camping trip it's not enough to pack some clothes and toiletries. You'll also need a tent, mattress, cooking utensils and lighting. The vast range of camping equipment available today is usually made for two types of trips: for families or other holidaymakers sleeping at a camping ground in the nature reserves and national parks; or for hikers who want to camp out during their trek.

The hiker needs compact, lightweight equipment. When planning to sleep outside in an orderly camping site with comfortable open ground, the equipment must also be reliable and of higher quality. In contrast, vacationers and families, who do not have to count every gram they are lugging, can use very different products.

There is quite a broad range of products available, but this does not mean that you have to splurge on unnecessary items. With the help of experts from two camping supply chains, Ricochet and Lametayel, we found out what equipment is essential for hikers and for families.

Tent for a family: Holidaymakers at the camping sites or on the shore of Lake Kinneret do not have to carry tents on their backs, which means they have a large and convenient range of products to choose from. Some of the tents in this category are the size of a small suite, with two bedrooms and a common space in the middle.

Ariel Rotem, manager of Ricochet's M Haderech branch, notes that the most common choice for camping sites is igloo tents. These come in various sizes, capable of holding two to eight people. It's worth examining the tent's true dimensions, because some manufacturers that declare the tent is suitable for eight people mean two adults and six children. These tents are supported by two flexible poles that arch from the floor and cross above the center of the tent. They are usually self-standing and do not require pegs.

For those who don't feel like erecting a tent, there are now "instant" tents, which look like igloo tents and are set up as easily as opening an umbrella. "It's important to make sure that the tent has windows and the largest possible openings for ventilation," Rotem recommends, "and also that the netting on the openings is dense enough to keep out the small summer gnats."

Hikers tent: A careful choice is necessary here, if you don't want to end up cursing every superfluous kilogram you are hauling along the Israel Trail. A two-person tent should not weigh more than 3.5 kilograms. Much depends on the type and quality of the materials (aluminum poles, for example, weigh less than fiberglass). In the summer, another half a kilogram can be dispensed with by forgoing the external rain cover. Tents are usually graded according to the number of seasons they are suitable for, though in Israel, Rotem notes, most hikers tents are three-season types, which afford protection against rain and wind. The weather conditions in Israel do not necessitate anything more expensive or more durable.

A less common option, which requires improvisation, is to make do with mosquito netting only. "The big advantage here is weight reduction and maximum ventilation," Rotem explains. "On the other hand, this is suitable only for the summer and for relatively isolated places, because netting does not protect against wind and rain and does not provide privacy."

Sleeping bags for families: Sleeping bags are graded by the range of temperatures they suit and by weight. Summer vacationers do not need a sophisticated sleeping bag. But if you want to use the sleeping bag in winter, too, you should purchase one that is suitable for temperatures of zero to five degrees Celsius. According to Rotem, the manufacturers' specifications are more or less correct for American and European brands. In contrast, the declarations by Chinese manufacturers are usually no more than a rough estimate. Recommendation: Consult with the sales personnel and take note of the sleeping bag's thickness.

Sleeping bags for hikers: The lighter the sleeping bag and the more it preserves heat, the more substantive the cloth and the filling will be - and the more expensive the sleeping bag will be. The most popular solution in Israel for hikers who use their sleeping bags in the winter, too, is a mummy sleeping bag that is broad across the shoulders, with an inner zipper to improve insulation. Most brand names offer pairs of sleeping bags with zippers in opposite directions, so they can be joined into one large sleeping bag.

Mattress for family outings: Why not sleep comfortably in the outdoors? Yes, you are camping out, but if you can carry the weight, the most popular mattresses at camping sites are those that are inflated by a pump that is hooked up to the car lighter. These mattresses, single or double, are up to 13 centimeters thick and can hardly be distinguished from home mattresses.

Mattress for hikers: Insulation is more important than comfort. If there is no insulation from the ground, Rotem says, it is hard to get warm, even if the sleeping bag is suited for very low temperatures. The light mattresses for hikers are divided into two types: the simple, inexpensive foam type ("palziv"), which insulates from the ground at a thickness of seven millimeters to three centimeters; and the inflatable type, which is more expensive and a bit heavier, but far more comfortable. Their softness can be adjusted by a valve.

Picnic cooler for families: Supper is crucial for family outings. After deciding what to cook and what munchies to take, the foods have to be rendered mobile as efficiently as possible. Soft, flexible picnic coolers are more popular than the traditional hard-shell types. Both types require ice packs to preserve the temperature, but the flexible coolers are lighter and cheaper and can be folded after use. On the other hand, they afford less protection against bumps and cannot be used as an extra table. A convenient, more expensive solution is an electric cooler that connects to the car lighter and cools items to a temperature 30 degrees below the temperature outside. There are also electric coolers that work like compact refrigerators, but they are very expensive and heavy to move around.

Backpack for hikers: The most important consideration in choosing a backpack is comfort. You can buy the best and most expensive knapsack and discover that its back alignment makes it uncomfortable. Check to ensure that the bag is suited to your measurements and body structure. Take note also of the amount of equipment you intend to take - backpacks usually have a volume of 50-80 liters and can carry 15-25 kilograms. The most popular extra in the backpack market is a special pocket for a drinking bag, with an opening for a tube.

Cooking for families: A popular solution for camping out is a mobile gas burner that comes in a hard case (known as a "gaz-na" in Hebrew). According to Sheli Hodorov, the marketing manager of the Lametayel chain, the advantage of this item is its similarity to the home cooking experience, in terms of the strength of the flame, the electric ignition, safety and stability. Another useful item is the mobile grill, which operates on gas and has a frying area of 2,000 square centimeters.

Cooking for hikers: The two most common solutions for hikers are the small benzene or gas burners. Benzene is more readily available (at any gas station) than gas canisters, Hodorov notes, and the benzene burners also use less fuel.

Nevertheless, hikers continue to prefer gas burners, which are less expensive and do not require filling, as the benzene ones do. Most of the gas devices come with electric ignitions, rendering matches or lighters unnecessary.

Lighting for families: Night lighting is crucial in nature outings. One possibility is fluorescent lanterns that work on regular batteries or are charged by means of the car lighter. Gas lanterns are usually cheaper and also last longer (up to 15 hours at maximum intensity). Gas lanterns are now available with shatterproof glass. LED lanterns are ideal for lighting inside the tent. Some of them offer the option of adjusting the strength of the light, and can be hung inside the tent.

Lighting for hikers: The most compact form of lighting is a small LED lantern that weighs just 25 grams and gives light for 15 hours, on average. Hodorov says the recommended, and most popular, option in the field is a light that straps to the head, leaving the hands free.