How to Suffer Outside
written by Diana Helmuth
There are two “camps” when it comes to camping. Those who don’t want to camp because they know they will probably suffer because of hot weather, cold weather, bugs, sleeping on the ground, no private toilet, etc. And those that know how to suffer outside and see a reason for it. Camping and backpacking means doing without the comforts of home or hotel. There are different levels to braving the outside. This is how I rank the ways to camp in increasing order of “roughing it”: RV < drive-in(car) camping < primitive(walk-in) camping < backpacking < sleeping on the bare ground. The roughest I’ve gone is drive-in camping, and I won’t go rougher. I have found How to Suffer Outside to be an excellent guide that’s written for all levels of expertise and roughing it. The tips are great for my level of camping, and the book makes me feel capable for going further—even if I won't.
How to Suffer Outside is a non-fiction guide that covers food, shelter, clothing, and other outdoor necessities. Not only is it informative, but it’s humorous, using the author’s experience to highlight what to do, and, more importantly, what not to do. Beware the jeans. Praise the pop-tarts. There are illustrations, recommendations (I am now persuaded to purchase some gaffer tape), and accessible how-tos. The author makes it clear that she’s not trying to sell you equipment, and she even advises on where you can cut costs. This book serves to educate those who wish to suffer less when camping and backpacking. It doesn’t try to convince you why you should camp and backpack in the first place. That’s for you to decide. But, for those who care to venture into the great outdoors with your camping stove packed in your backpack, now you’ll know more about your options.
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