Camping is the quintessential bonding act for a father and son. You can be an urban dweller or a tried and true outdoorsman, but camping with your son checks all the boxes required to bring you closer together. Campfires, learning new skills, a slow pace, questionable nutritional choices, and the closeness of sharing a tent all create the environment needed for a father and son to let the societal boundaries of parent and offspring dissolve, if only for the weekend.
The only real question you should ask when deciding to give camping a try is what type of camping you should commit to. There are many types, honestly. You can go the route of primitive or backpacking camping, where you get by only with what you can carry on your back or make do with through foraging at your location. There’s also RV camping, a mobile home that allows you to flirt with the outdoors while still enjoying the luxury of home furnishings. The rank of different types of camping can be debated amongst the more diehard campers out there, but for someone who just wants an opportunity to try and relate with their son, the type of camping doesn’t matter as much as the particular chance of success for each style of camping. I recently tried truck camping for the first time with my son, and it was everything I hoped it would be and more.
Beginner’s Approach
My son and I tried camping this past spring for the first time, and it was a memorable experience. I wanted to make more of a go at camping with just our wits and supplies. So I signed us up for a trip to the Padre Island National Seashore in South Texas with a group of overland camping experts not long after we returned from our trip to Southern Utah. The trip promised the chance to gain experience in a community of supportive people while still allowing us to do our own thing, resulting in a more credible and authentic experience.
The real benefit of truck camping is that if you are having a bad experience, you can pack up and drive home whenever you see fit. One of the fears many first-time campers have is that they will have to tough out any bad attempt at camping and endure misery that is not conducive to repeat attempts. Being able to abandon the camping trip should the mood turn sour makes camping easier to commit to and relieves the tension of damning your child to never wanting to camp again.
Security in the Outdoors
If you are new to camping, you may also be new to the outdoors. Depending on where that outdoors may exist will determine how secure you may feel while exposed to the elements and wildlife of the area. If you are camping by truck, you can relax knowing you are only a drive away from civilization. That is an advantage if inclement weather should strike. If you are camping in an area where humans may not be the apex predators of their surroundings, having the security of being able to protect yourself inside the steel cage of an auto can also be a comforting fact. Most people have at least considered the fear of a bellowing attack from a wild animal while camping inside a tent if they have done any research into camping. Providing yourself the added assurance of a protective enclave seems an easy way to assuage one more obstacle to going camping.
Convenience While Roughing It
The best part of truck camping for inexperienced campers is that it is even easier to have everything you may need with you. The joy of camping is getting away from the attachments of modern life. However, the last thing you want to do when you first start camping is to leave a needed item behind. While camping with young kids, some items may be lamented over if left at home. When truck camping, you can bring a beloved stuffed bear or specific nightlight that may soothe your child without worrying over the weight added to your back, as with backpacking camping.
The ability to bring an ice chest with you also means carrying food provisions that are better and more enjoyable than the mostly bland boil-in-bag meal offerings. Ice also means that cold items like hamburger meat and chilled beverages are available. That goes a long way toward keeping everyone happy when you have been in the sun or backcountry all day.
If you plan to venture into The Great Outdoors, having a truck can make the process more palatable for people just learning what it is to go camping. Going on your first camping trip with your son should be a time spent getting to know each other and building memories that can last a lifetime. While camping fails can be memorable, going the route of truck camping means the likelihood of having those camping fails turn into camping disasters is reduced. While truck camping may be sneered at by the more hearty camping folk among us, the ultimate goal is to start an enjoyable bonding experience that is repeatable and requested as often as possible.
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