|
products, flashlights and
lanterns, and of course plenty of food for camping, your campground enjoyment
will pull in without a hitch.
I think it would be safe to
say that there are several elements most of us would agree on that commonly
add more pleasure to a campground setting. Not in any specific order, but
three key ingredients would be the outdoor environment itself, scenery and
wildlife; the campground location and presentation; as well as the camping
gear and how it is set up. I would add to this list a warm, centrally located
camfire to gather around while cooking and eating, or simply enjoying the
camaraderie, with others. In reality, two people sitting on logs beside a
campfire while enjoying the warmth of friendship and the peaceful crackling
and relaxing aroma of the fire, constitutes a complete campground setting to
the “nth degree.”
However, the screened gazebo
or screen house is an occasionally overlooked camping gear item that can
dramatically add to the enjoyment of your camping trip. For those of you who
already enjoy the comfort, protection, and appearance that a screened gazebo
adds to your campground – or – backyard entertainment you will follow along
quite well having experienced the benefits beforehand. But if you currently
don’t use a screened gazebo, you may become excited about the wonderful
benefits these affordable screen houses deliver.
First, though, I’d like to
briefly define several of the different types of fabric shelters and gazebos
that are commonly used for camping. The most basic design is the canopy, which
usually consist of a canvas or vinyl type material stretched over a framed
roof supported by 4 or 5 legs or tent poles. The basic canopy generally comes
without walls, but screened-in canopies are now available from several camping
equipment manufacturers. The open canopy and screened canopy are usually the
most economical. Though they generally don’t have the stability of a fully
screened gazebo, they are usually very light, and easy to set up. If pests
such as mosquitoes and other flying insect are not a problem and you prefer an
open, airy dining area, the open canopy should work well for you.
Another type of camping
gazebo is the screenhouse or screen tent. The frame of the screen house is
similar to the canopy, though the screen house is designed with screened walls
and usually has one or two zippered entry/exit doors. The screened walls
provide extra stability, in addition to protecting you and your food from
flying insects and wind born particles such as leaves and other visible air
born particles.
In addition to the canopy
and screenhouse gazebos, there is also the hexagon screened gazebo. This style
of camping gazebo is designed to provide extra stability, in addition to a
stylish, modern, design. The frames consist of a spoked hub pole system
creating a 6 sided or 6 sectioned domed canopy, thus the hexagon name. This
class may also include the geodesic screened gazebo, which provides stability
for quite large, camping gazebos. There are actually several other types of
gazebos or canopies, such as the easy-up or umbrella type canopy, beach
canopies, and garden and event canopies. These, however, usually do not
provide the portability of the lighter weight, camping gazebos.
Now that you have an idea as
to the different styles and designs of a camping gazebo, you’ll be even more
enthused by how they add so much to your outdoor recreation and camping
enjoyment. There are few camping gear items that add so much to the aesthetics
of your campsite as much as a gazebo. Although tents are now designed with
much thought given to the appearance, a screened gazebo is like the
centerpiece of a campsite.
For instance, a gazebo with
picnic tables inside offers so much more comfort while dining compared to
eating beneath a pine-needle-shedding tree, or worse, a bird haven. And a
circular line of camping chairs beneath a gazebo keeps your campsite from
looking cluttered, and is a story teller’s heaven. A smaller gazebo is
convenient and tidy for storing all of your outdoor gear and food supplies
such as coolers, backpacks, hunting, fishing, bird watching gear, water jugs,
unlit stoves, lanterns, pots and pans, etc. Simply set a picnic table in the
center of the gazebo and you have an
instant kitchen, pantry, and storage closet
– including a table top to work off of. This also keeps your campsite looking
clean and organized, which in turn allows you to experience and appreciate the
wonderful outdoor environment all the more. In the evenings, decorate
your gazebo with colorful lights for lighting and charm. The advantage to using ornamental camping lights or rope lights is that they
provide a soft, warm, glow, sufficient for activities such as dining or
playing cards, and add to the peaceful ambiance that evening brings to a
campsite. And of course there’s always the occasional precipitation that
nature needs to keep life happy. If you’ve never experienced the cool, misty,
breeze and soft, pelting, raindrops inside a screened gazebo during an
afternoon or evening shower, you’re in for a real treat.
As you can see, there are
many obvious benefits to gazebo camping. I’m sure many of you have other ideas
that you’ve discovered in nature and outdoor recreation. If you’ve been
stirred to go camping by this article, why don’t you consider adding a gazebo
to your outdoor gear? I didn’t mention how affordable they are – usually less
than the cost of your tent. And most designs can be set up very easily with
two people. You can also use your gazebo between camping trips in your own
backyard. It may not be Yosemite Park, but it’ll sure beat Saturday night T.V.
If you’d like more
information about gazebo camping, or even a chance to win free camping gear, hike
on over to Win Gear and register for the free prize . If you’d like to
receive free camping information, join our mailing list and tell us what
you’re looking for.
|