Camping Secrets: A Lexicon of Camping Tips Only the Experts Know

This is a very well done work. This book is not that big, but the breath it covers is pretty amazing. That being said, there are times he goes pretty far overboard. He has a section about tents you can make and he talks a little being a boy scout in the 50's. This section may have had relevance then, but it doesn't now, so don't include it. A good counter point to this book is the very fine work by Michael Rutter called Camping Made Easy.

I really like this book and I gave it 5 stars because it has some really great ideas that are worth a ton (they made camping more fun). However, there is some filler and this is very similar to his other books. This is definitely a book that could be shared amoung friends (try or write down a few ideas and pass it on). His best ideas (which are also coved in his other books) are: 1. Using a ground cloth inside the tent. 2. Basic Rope work and knots (he keeps it very simple which is good) 3. Use of a tarp (and how to modify it). 4. Waterproof packing (garbage bag inside the nylon stuff sack) 5. Make your own sheath. 6. Bring a sponge for cleaning your tent. 7. How to get dry wood and start a fire. Each of these gets a page or more. There are lots of other tid bits but most did not strike me as worth the space. His other book, Basic Camping, is more of a book to read while this was more of a alphabetical reference or list of ideas. Both are good but if I had to get only one it would be Basic Camping.

This book lives up to its title. Some of the tips are fascinating, although as a "car camper" I may never utilize them (for example, despite the book's recommendations, a Eureka dome tent is more convenient and practical for my family then, say, a hand-fashioned shelther of canvas and rope, or pine boughs). Nevertheless, even the information that I may never utilize myself is fascinating to read, and the book is otherwise full of "smaller scale" tips and tricks (e.g., cooking, tools, hiking and orienteering, etc.) that are useful to all levels of campers.

Cliff Jacobson is one of the authors of a great series of camping books called the "Basic Essentials". He is popular because he writes in a homey accessible style that gets you interested in the subject and teaches you in simple terms anyone can grasp. In the series are books on camping basics, cooking outdoors, map and compass, shelter, weather, canoeing, fishing, first aid, and more. They are great little library to have but if you can't afford them all, buy this one for all the basics. Cliff has put together a book that has information from all of these and a little more. Some of his "secrets" are really helpful tips you may have heard before if you are an experianced camper, but you can bet there will be some new ones too. An all around great resource for the experianced or rookie camper, I highly reccommend.

With this book, Mr. Jacobson has compiled some of the best tips and ideas for camping out of doors. From winter camping to knot-tying, it is a VERY helpful resource for the beginning/intermediate camper. The book is easy to read and easy to reference with subjects listed in alphabetical order. He covers almost anything you could think you want to know about camping, with very good information on canoeing as well. Read this book before you go!