The Happy Camper: An Essential Guide to Life Outdoors

by Kevin Callan

Great outdoor advice. The Happy Camper is a comprehensive, heavily illustrated, highly entertaining compendium of basic wilderness instruction and well-tested campsite advice. One of North America's top canoeing and outdoors experts, Kevin Callan explains how to get the most from your camping experience -- no matter where you pitch your tent, what you forgot to pack or what the weather. Step-by-step, the book Other crucial topics

Genres: Nonfiction

320 pages, Paperback

First published April 2, 2005

About the author

Kevin (aka The Happy Camper) is the author of 19 books; his latest being Another Bend in the River: The Happy Camper's Memoir. He is an award winning writer and a keynote speaker at outdoor events across North America. Kevin is also a regular guest on several television morning shows and CBC Radio. He has won several film awards, writes a column for Paddling Magazine and Explore Magazine. Kevin was listed one of the top 100 modern day explorers by the Canadian Geographical Society. He was also made Patron Paddler for Paddle Canada. Check out his web site at www.kevincallan.com and YouTube channel KCHappyCamper.

Reviews

[Emily · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is undoubtedly the best camping book I've ever encountered. I do a lot of hiking and paddling and The Happy Camper is helpful and encouraging and will make you happy while you're being bitten by mosquitoes. This book has beginner to intermediate advice on every camping topic: gear, camping with kids, camping with dogs, campsites, solo camping, scary animals, weather, orienteering, deciding who to go with, first aid, and lots more. All topics are helpfully illustrated with pictures of Mr. Callan and his friends doing silly things with canoes. Everything else aside: It's not boring. Too many camping books are thick tomes with extremely detailed written instructions on how to light a gas stove or choose the best route on a topo map. That would be helpful if you were to bring the thick and heavy book along with you to the wilderness and use it as a reference out there, but it's better to have a general of what you're doing before you go and bring along one of those skinny Backpacker magazine publications or a knowledgeable friend as a reference. (This book is not thick, but it is heavy because of photos, and should be carried along on camping trips only with serious forethought.) The Happy Camper, with its short, clear instructions, will give you the confidence to start camping or go a little bit farther.

(Kevin Callan is a Canadian, so the information in The Happy Camper is most pertinent to people planning to camp in boreal forest with lakes.)

[Dylan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Just bursting with amazing tips. Callan is a great writer for the task at hand. He's an absurdly experienced outdoor person (especially renowned for canoeing), he's funny, and he has a knack for getting across the information in a light, accessible, doable, and cogent way. You get the sense that he truly wants everyone, from babies to old folks, to get out there and enjoy the wilderness.

I absolutely LOVE this book. I've been backpacking for ages, and still have a lot to learn from Callan. And I especially appreciate his tips for making the outdoors fun for kids. This book is a MUST for parents, camp counselors, teachers, and others who want to help kids enjoy the beauty of our natural worlds.

[Chris · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have had the book for many years and refer back to it often. Thank you Kevin for your humour and sharing your love of the outdoors with us!

[Kai Pacharn · Rating 3 out of 5]

Ok. Learn more about what I don’t know than actually about how to do those things. Instructions are very brief.

[Alex Parkin · Rating 4 out of 5]

"To travel alone is risky business, especially into a wilderness; equally risky is to have dreams and not follow them"
Robert Perkins, Into the Great Solitude (1991)

[Mathew Deas · Rating 5 out of 5]

Quick, funny, informative read when out camping or in the outdoors. Many pictures and good advice throughout!

[Ellen · Rating 4 out of 5]

Practical and simple guide to camping. It's an encouraging guide for the novice and an entertaining read.

[Sarah · Rating 3 out of 5]

Had some good information, but mostly focused on canoe camping.

[Indigotulip]

Time to remind myself of the details and preparation for camping again - the all-but-extinct yet affordable discovery vacation.

[Trip · Rating 1 out of 5]

I stopped reading when I saw that several of the knots were tied wrong or miss-labeled.

[Ron · Rating 2 out of 5]

It's not bad. It's just not good. I thought many points were simply glossed over and this would be tremendously improved by a more thorough reworking.

[Kristie (fabk) · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fantastic outdoors book. Funny, informative all wrapped in one book. Highly recommended.

[Kate · Rating 3 out of 5]

More focused on canoeing and backpacking camping and very little about kids.