Lands' End Helps Outfit Chippewa

Need a duffel bag for camp?  Or maybe a new windbreaker with a sweet Chippewa logo on it?  Or maybe dad could use a new polo before he hits the links this summer.

Camp Chippewa has again partnered with Lands' End to help outfit Chippewa campers, parents and alumni.  It's a great time to visit out our partner website since camp is just around the corner.  Save some time in finding a few odds and ends before the summer.

Check them out now!

Parent Pre-Camp Checklist

It won't be long now!  Camp is just around the corner.  Our Pre-Camp Checklist was mailed a few weeks ago to help make planning for summer 2012 go smoothly.  If you have yet to receive one, please give me a call at 800-262-1544 or send me a quick email and I'll send one to you post-haste.  And don't forget to review all of the information on our new "Prepare" section of the Chippewa website.

Free Shipping at Lands End

Today is the last day to score free shipping from Lands End on the Camp Chippewa Land's End site. Be sure to use code FSCAMPW!

Shopping for Camp?

Well, we've just made it a bit easier to get ready for camp. Camp Chippewa and Lands End have teamed up to make shopping for camp a bit more convenient. From blankets to duffel bags, fleece jackets to swimsuits, you'll find almost all of our equipment list at Chippewa's new Lands End page. You can even add Chippewa logos to some of the items. Mom and dad might just want to add a Chippewa polo shirt to the shopping bag.

Check it out now!

Travel Update - Luggage

With our first arrival date just around the corner, we have received good news regarding luggage handling in Minneapolis. Since our previous post, we have identified an agency that will handle our campers' baggage handling on all travel days.

What does this mean for you when preparing for camp? Not much really. Please plan to check any luggage as usual. The key, as always, is to make sure that the blue Camp Chippewa luggage tags are attached to your son's baggage. The agency personnel will be looking for these tags at the baggage carousels. In essence, travel days will work as they always have. We are pleased that this solution has been found.

On a final note, please do not ship your luggage to camp. We prefer that the camper's luggage travel with him on his way to camp. Please don't hesitate to call the camp office if you have any questions - 218-335-8807.

Luggage Update for Delta Passengers

As some of you may have heard, Delta Airlines recently decided that they would no longer help camps with their luggage handling in Minneapolis on camper arrival and departure days. I am disappointed in this decision by Delta, as are all of the camp directors.

What does this mean for you? Well, we're not quite sure yet. Some camps have opted to suggest that parents ship luggage directly to camp, while others are going to manage the luggage situation on the ground in Minneapolis. We have not yet made a determination on the course for Chippewa families. While we want to make sure that luggage collection in Minneapolis is as simple as possible on travel days, I am concerned that Delta's decision will create quite a mess at the baggage carousel. I also understand that shipping luggage might create some complications for you as parents in planning.

Please stay tuned to the blog and watch your email box. We have plenty of time before camp starts, but I hope to have a recommendation to you by June 1st. As always, please don't hesitate to call or email.

The New Parent Resources Page

The Chippewa website has just become a bit easier for parents. Gone is the Parent Handbook and all of the paper that we used to send by mail. Even the dreaded green Health Form has been replaced! What's new is our Parent Resources page, a great guide for preparing for the summer.

What you'll find is travel information, our new online health form with partner CampDoc, equipment list and all of the information needed to plan for a great summer.

Check out the Parent Resources page.

Luggage Fees or Shipping Bags

I have been receiving a few calls and emails about the possibility of shipping luggage to camp to avoid the fees that some of the airlines are charging for luggage. The short answer is...no problem. A few thoughts:

First, make sure that the cost of shipping the bags does not exceed the cost of luggage traveling with your camper on the flight. I suspect that the costs will be close given the weight of the baggage.

Second, if you choose to ship, plan on shipping the luggage one week in advance of the session. This will allow plenty of time for the baggage to arrive, plus a little extra time for any issues that arise while the bags are in transit.

Next, please be certain to use a service that allows for tracking of luggage as I anticipate that several bags will be arriving by delivery service. The tracking service will be your best resource to ensure that the bags have been delivered. While we will make every effort to make note of the bags that have arrived, we aren't typically in the habit of taking inventory for deliveries of luggage. Rest assured, however, that we will store them in a safe location.

Finally, please don't forget to consider the transportation of luggage on the way home from camp. It's a two-way trip after all! If you would prefer that the luggage be shipped home as well, you will need to provide pre-paid shipping labels. You are welcome to send those to us at your convenience during the summer. If you are unable to send a shipping label, we will charge an additionally handling fee due to the number of bags that we anticipate being shipped. In any case, please indicate which service you will be using so that we can schedule a pick-up of your son's luggage.

Generally speaking, I think you'll find that a little extra planning will help save money this summer. In choosing a service, it is our preference that the luggage travel with your son. However, if you choose to ship, I would recommend that you use UPS. They have been the most reliable and least costly at our rural location.

As always, please don't hesitate to call or email with questions.

Luggage 1, Luggage 2

As the summer approaches, you may have heard that Northwest Airlines will charge extra for a second piece of luggage. Currently the fee will be $25. This is certainly a potential pain for all of you parents out there. Please know that we are working with Northwest Airlines and Travel One (our travel agent) to come up with a process that is reasonable for both you and for camp. A meeting is scheduled today to discuss the fee. I will be sure to share information as it comes along. In speaking with Travel One, they will be sending out recommendations to the parents who book through them. I will also share those recommendations on this blog.

Stay tuned....

The Mosquito Secret Revealed...

Brian Endres recently sent me an article of interest to our Canadian voyageurs. If you have ever paddled to Hudson Bay, you have seen a few mosquitoes in your campsite. Among your weapons: mosquito repellent with DEET.

Well, the secret of DEET's effectiveness has been revealed. Check it out at National Geographic online.

Some Thoughts on Rain Gear

As the summer draws nearer, it's time again to start thinking about packing for camp. In particular, about the gear you pack. In the past, I've written posts about bedding and sleeping bags (see post links below). This time I thought I'd tackle rain gear.

The biggest hint I can give is to avoid ponchos. Ponchos don't seem to hold up well to camp wear-and-tear and don't provide much protection from the weather. A good jacket and pair of pants are far better.

Rain gear can be either a coated nylon (non-breathable) or laminated nylon (breathable). Gore-tex is a recognizable name for breathable shells (jackets), but tends to be more expensive, while coated nylon, non-breathable jackets tend to be cheaper, but not quite as comfortable.

If your camper is headed out on a Canadian canoe trip, I highly recommend a lightweight, breathable shell jacket and pants. If he is not, coated nylon shells work just fine. Some popular breathable jackets are made by Patagonia, REI, Sierra Designs and Marmot, with prices ranging from about $120 to well over $300. For coated nylon, Sierra Designs and REI has great jackets starting at about $30. You can also find great discount deals on jackets at Campmor or Sierra Trading Post.

Again, the key is to identify your camper's needs. If he is primarily in camp and will have only a few shorter trips or a trip to Hook Island, coated nylon shells are great. If your camper is headed out for a week or more on a Canadian canoe trip, however, I recommend waterproof breathable jackets for his comfort. These shells are more durable and offer better protection from the elements. These jackets will likely last for years (I've had mine for over 11 years now.)

Hope this helps demystify things a bit. If anyone has any specific jacket names to recommend, please share your comments below. Of course, since it never rains at Camp Chippewa, maybe we should all just pack swimsuits instead.

Sheets and Blankets

For all of you parents out there, I thought I'd pass along a few thoughts about sheets for camp. Every year, I receive several calls asking to help clarify what sheets and blankets are best to pack for camp. The equipment list suggests that you pack cot-sized sheets, preferably non-white, flat sheets. Admittedly, these can be a bit hard to find. One place to find them is Campmor, though they only offer white sheets. These white sheets will work fine and are pretty cheap. Cot-sized flat sheets are much easier for your son to handle while at camp. Twin-sized sheets seem a bit too large when making the bed as part of the morning inspection, though they can work if twin sized are your only option.

Regarding blankets...fleece blankets have been a big hit with parents in recent years. In the old days, wool blankets were the typical choice, but fleece blankets are lighter, pack smaller and are just about as warm as wool. Either wool or fleece make great camp blankets, while large comforters are less desirable. Morning inspection is a daily routine, and a tidy area with a well-made bed is part of the checklist. The fleece and wool blankets simplify this morning routine.

Please remember that we do not rent sheets or blankets at camp. Also, be certain to mark all of the bedding with your son's name. Don't hesitate to call or email with any questions.

About Sleeping Bags

I often receive calls or emails asking to recommend a sleeping bag for camp. With such a huge variety of bags available, it can certainly be a bit confusing. So, here is a short synopsis of considerations when you are hunting for sleeping bags.

When looking for a good bag for camp, it should be compressible (in other words, it stuffs into a smalls space) and sufficiently warm (which I'll discuss more below.) You will want to avoid large cotton sleeping bags that are rolled up. They are simply too bulky and a disaster when they become wet. Most of the sleeping bags you will consider should have a nylon exterior.

Next, be aware that good sleeping bags are generally placed in one of two categories: down or synthetic. This refers to the stuffing of the sleeping bag. Down is the most effective insulator and longest lasting stuffing, but it is more expensive. Synthetics have become pretty darned nice over the last several years with products like Qualofil and Lite Loft, but it is a bit heavier and doesn't compress quite as small. The good thing about synthetic bags is that they dry faster and are cheaper. Salesmen will tell you (as I used to do when I was a salesman at a backpacking store) that you can also stay warm in a wet synthetic bag, but the reality is that nobody wants to sleep in a wet sleeping bag, whether it is down or synthetic. It's simply too uncomfortable.

So which do I recommend? Depending on your age and camping experience and goals, I lean towards down. It may cost more, but if you feel that you can keep your bag dry, the bag will last forever and will keep you comfortable. If you are a bit younger and are not sure if you will do much overnight camping in the future, go for synthetic. It will last a long time and will dry much faster if it gets wet.

Finally, the temperature rating of the bag should be between 2o degrees and 40 degrees. This is the temperature above which the bag will keep you warm. My experience has been that even a 30 degree bag can make me hot in most camping situations.

For easy reference, here are a few bags I recommend:
Down Sleeping Bags
Marmot Arroyo
Marmot Arete

Synthetic Sleeping Bags
North Face Cat's Meow
North Face Equinox
Kelty Light Year

Good luck and don't hesitate to call me with any questions.