u/jjangcindy

Hi all - advice much appreciated! Want to compare and figure out which one to get. I guess I am looking at AKC, MetLife, and Pumpkin (recommended by vet).

We got a, new to us, Pomeranian, 1.5 yrs old. So I have been learning what sort of health issues would be typical for them. We took them to their vet to update their shots, and while they had nothing noted on their chart before, this vet noted the following in their visit, which I am not sure what would be considered pre-existing and then would not ever be covered.
- mild dental tartar (but no other denta issues)
- symptoms of luxating patella (but no limping, issues walking, etc)
- reverse sneezing (but no additional symptoms or issues)
- diarrhea incident in July 2025 as a pup (treated)

Now, I am considering the following plans:
10k limit, 1k deductible, 80% reimbursement Pumpkin ($34)
10k limit, 500 deductible, 80% reimbursement Metlife ($51)
unlimited, 1k deductible, 80% reimbursement AKC ($36 with exam + hereditary)

We are in NC.

Any advice? I guess, as I am learning about poms & their needs, I am concerned for the costs associated in the future with legs & dental in this case? We also go camping/hiking/outdoors often, so not sure about the AKC one-per-life foreign object ingestion/parasite/poison (although we try out best to prevent ofc, but idk?).

We camped pretty much most of summer through the southeastern heat waves & were fine/comfortable. I run cold though, and I don’t want to stop camping just because it’s getting cooler.

At home I’m perfectly happy sleeping with the AC at like 74F. Camping in the summer we usually just do air mattresses, sheets, fans for circulation, etc. and we’re good.

Well… recently we camped when the nighttime temps were around 63-70F & we were cold... 😅

We’re planning on getting 35F sleeping bags, but I’m thinking the air mattresses are part of the problem too because they get so cold underneath you.

I know the obvious answer is sleeping pads, but some of the places we camp are gravel or just really hard ground and I don’t really want to sleep on a thin pad. I mean, yes, technically we can be uncomfortable because we’re camping lol, but we also do this for fun and would like to actually sleep comfortably.

The other issue is space. Once I start looking at foam mats + sleeping pads + sleeping bags + blankets/insulation for everyone, suddenly half the car is sleeping gear. We also don’t really want to spend a ton of money on stuff we’ll only use during part of the year, and we have to store all of this stuff at home too.

Basically trying to find the sweet spot between warm + comfortable + not insanely expensive + not filling the entire car with bedding.

We realistically aren’t going to camp below ~40F. Think Jacksonville/North Florida winter.

What would you do for a setup with adults, kids, and a dog? (current setup is 6p tent with a queen, a twin, & dog sleeps on a cot. though at some point during the night everyone ends up on the queen mattress...)

Would love to hear what other warm-weather campers do once it starts getting "cold..."

Going dispersed car camping at a HipCamp site in the Appalachians this weekend with tent setup, and the forecast is calling for thunderstorms on our second afternoon, maybe through some of the evening.

The site’s guidance basically creates two rules:
- For black bear safety, all food/scented items should be stored in the car because there are no bear boxes.
- During thunderstorms, don’t shelter in the tent; use the car.

So… what do you do when both apply at the same time?

If the storms last into the night and we end up sleeping in the car, is it safe/advisable to have the food and scented items in there with us? We’d basically have a small cooler with snacks, toiletries, first-aid, dog food.

I’m also wondering about ventilation. Normally if we slept in the car we’d crack the windows, but that seems to conflict with keeping the vehicle closed for bear safety (& lightning/rain).

For those who (car) camp in black bear country: how would you handle this situation?

Will probably ask host, but wanted to see if anyone here has some useful insight?

We’re looking for a beach/coastal campground in North Carolina that’s good for camping with young kids. We’ll be car camping with tents, so we’re hoping for sites that are accessible by vehicle.

Our ideal spot would have:
- Campsites not directly on sand
- Walking/driving distance to the beach or water
- Calm, shallow, clean water for swimming
- Tide pools or other areas for kids to explore
- Nice night sky viewing with low light pollution

If you’ve camped somewhere that fits most of these, I’d love to hear your recommendations. Thanks!

We just did our first family camping trip, and our little one loved it. We’re already planning the next few trips, mostly car camping with a tent. The one thing we did not love was our tent.

We used a Coleman Skydome Dark Room 6-person tent with screen porch. The size was good, but the ventilation was pretty bad with the rainfly fully on, and with the rainfly off there was basically no privacy.

I’m looking for tent recommendations for 2 adults + 1 child, with room for 1 queen mattress + 1 twin mattress. Ideally 6-person or larger.

Main use case:
- Camping in the Southeast U.S. — roughly FL to NC
Spring, summer, and fall

- Occasional lows in the 40s, but heat and airflow are the bigger concern

- Some beach camping with sand/wind

- Some mountain camping in NC

Needs to handle sudden Florida downpours and strong gusts

What we’re looking for:

- Good ventilation, even with the rainfly on

- Vestibule or covered entry area; screened porch would be nice but not required

- Good waterproofing & wind resistance

Budget: $500

I’ve been looking at REI, Ozark Trail, Core, Coleman, and a few others. The REI Base Camp is on sale right now, but I’m open to options.

What would you recommend? Also interested in what to avoid. Thanks!

Did our first family camping trip & lil one loved it! 😊 We are already planning the next few trips (car camping with tent). However, what we did not like was the tent we used in the last trip.

We used the Coleman Skydome Dark room 6-person tent with screen porch. Size was good, but the ventilation was bad with the rainfly fully on, & zero privacy with it off.

We want something that:
- camping in SE USA (think FL -> NC) in spring, summer, fall; maybe max lows in 40, & high heat in summer. For lows we are fine bundling up inside tent though, as opposed to heat with poor airflow…
- has ventilation (windows, mesh, etc) it would be good to have rainfly with ventilation too maybe?
- has at least some privacy for changing clothes inside
- has vestibule (screened optional)
- beach camping (think sand & wind)
- mountain camping (NC)
- survive sudden FL torrential downpour (good waterproofing)
- survive in suddenly strong winds/gusts (beach, storms…especially FL).
- 6+ person tent (2 adults, 1 child; fit 1 queen + 1 twin).

Ofc here is the thing: budget. I know I can probably spend a lot of money, but that’s not an option rn. Our budget is max $500 rn.

I am looking at brands - REI (eg base camp), ozark, core, coleman, other?? Open to options, or opinions on what to get/not get. Thanks!

Car camping in Florida this summer (mid-June) in a tent. We know it's hot, humid, buggy, and stormy, and the trip is already planned. We both have previous experience with hot, humid summer FL tent camping/living, although it's been many years since we were young, and we have backup plans if conditions become miserable/unsafe. I'm mainly looking for gear/setup advice rather than whether we should go or cancel.

We'll be using a tent with full mesh ventilation and a rainfly. The site has a tree...& I just realized the tent will get a good amount of afternoon sun since we're facing west (there's bushes on the east side).

I'm considering setting up a large tarp above the tent for additional shade and some rain protection. Ideally I'd like something that:

• Helps reduce heat and provides shade while allowing airflow
• Provides light rain protection when the rainfly is off

Most tarps I see seem geared more toward waterproofing/heat retention rather than heat reduction... Any recommendations on tarp or setups that work well for both heat reduction and rain protection? Affordable options preferred. Our family tent is 10' x 14', and we already have a screened canopy for additional space. We'll be spending most of the day at the beach/pool cooling down, so I'm mainly looking to reduce afternoon heat buildup.

Our family is planning our first camping trip with our 5-year-old this summer, and they are currently not excited about camping at all. We’re trying to ease her into it with car camping + a family tent setup.

We’ll already be in Florida visiting family, so we thought Fort Wilderness might be a good "gateway camping" experience since the Disney aspect makes them more open to the idea. After that, we may try some beachfront state park camping depending on how it goes.

We grew up in FL, so we know summer means mosquitoes, bugs, wildlife, heat, etc. We’re trying to plan accordingly.

Current setup/plans:

• Car camping with a Honda CR-V
• Looking at getting the Coleman Skydome 6-Person Tent w/ Screen Room + Coleman Skylodge/Skyshade screenhouse
• Already have: camp stove, cooler, lanterns, misting fan + camping fans, camp tables, 2 chairs, small mess kit,

Looking for:

• Advice for making a first camping trip easier/more comfortable for a hesitant 5-year-old
• Thoughts on the Coleman tent and screenhouse setup
• Essential stuff recommendations we may be overlooking
• Budget-friendly suggestions for stuff to get