Camping's Top Secrets, 3rd: A Lexicon of Camping Tips Only the Experts Know (Falcon Guides Camping) [Paperback]

Cliff Jacobson (Author)

Book Description

Series: Falcon Guides Camping | Publication Date: June 1, 2006

Camping’s Top Secrets goes beyond the scope of traditional camping books, revealing hundreds of field-tested tips to enhance your next outdoor adventure. With clear descriptions organized alphabetically for quick reference, this guide by veteran camping consultant Cliff Jacobson divulges the best-kept secrets of the experts.
Get insider tips on:

forecasting the weather
rigging a canoe or boat
treating drinking water
using tents and other types of shelters
dealing with animal and insect encounters
cooking and cookware
treating common ailments
using maps and GPS units
camping with kids
choosing camping clothes, boots, sleeping bags, and gear
and much more!

Editorial Reviews

About the Author

Cliff Jacobson is one of North America's most respected outdoors writers and wilderness canoe guides. He is an outdoors skills instructor and a professional outfitter and guide, a canoeing and camping consultant, and the author of more than a dozen top-selling books on canoeing and camping. Cliff recently retired from teaching middle school environmental science and now splits his time between canoeing and camping, and sharing his love for the sport by writing and teaching about it. In 2003 the American Canoe Association presented Cliff with the Legends of Paddling Award and inducted him into the ACA Hall of Fame.

Product Details

• Paperback: 272 pages
• Publisher: FalconGuides; 3rd edition (June 1, 2006)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0762740175
• ISBN-13: 978-0762740178
• Product Dimensions: 9 x 6.1 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 14.4 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (6 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #440,213 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

BIOGRAPHY
CLIFF JACOBSON


Cliff Jacobson is one of North America's most respected outdoor writers and wilderness guides.

Each summer, for more than 30 years, Cliff organized and led canoe trips for the Science Museum of Minnesota into the wilds of northern Canada--paddling many rivers above the Arctic Circle. A retired environmental science teacher (34 years!), Cliff is strongly committed to the ethic of "leave no trace" camping.

Cliff's unique methods are proven by the sweat of pack and paddle and are reminiscent of the days when skills were more important than things. Cliff is a popular speaker; he has presented hundreds of seminars at stores, schools, colleges and Universities in the U.S., Canada and the United Kingdom.

Cliff is the author of more than a dozen popular books on outdoor skills. His flagship book, Expedition Canoeing, 20th Anniversary Edition, has been called the most authoritative resource available for canoeing the bush rivers of northern Canada. Cliff developed and wrote the Orienteering/Map and Compass, and wilderness ethics materials for the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources. His unique "Wilderness Meal" activity--which simulates a canoe trip to the Boundary Waters Canoe Area--is among the most popular environmental education activities of all time. It's detailed in his book, Boundary Waters Canoe Camping. Cliff was the chief consultant for the canoeing section in the recent edition of the Boy Scout Field Book (Boy Scouts of America). His popular "ninety minute Forgotten Skills" video (DVD) details the most important campcraft procedures.

Cliff Jacobson is a Distinguished Eagle Scout, a recipient of the American Canoe Association's prestigious Legends of Paddling Award and a member of the ACA Hall of Fame. His hobbies include canoeing and camping (of course!), precision rifle shooting (powder-cartridge and air guns) and driving his 14 year old little red roadster on curvy roads with the top down. He and his wife, Sue Harings, were married in 1992 on a canoe trip down the Hood River (Canada) north of the Arctic Circle. The fully story is in his book, Expedition Canoeing.

You can contact Cliff through his web-site, www.cliff-jacobson.com.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

23 of 24 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Good but similar to his other books, December 26, 2006

By 

John Britely "Closet Libertarian" (Virginia, United States) - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Camping's Top Secrets, 3rd: A Lexicon of Camping Tips Only the Experts Know (Falcon Guides Camping) (Paperback)

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.

12 of 14 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Excellent Breadth but Has a bit of Overkill, March 17, 2007

By 

Howard C. Craig (Poway, Ca United States) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

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This review is from: Camping's Top Secrets, 3rd: A Lexicon of Camping Tips Only the Experts Know (Falcon Guides Camping) (Paperback)

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.

3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Interesting book, January 17, 2011

By 

Mrs. T - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Camping's Top Secrets, 3rd: A Lexicon of Camping Tips Only the Experts Know (Falcon Guides Camping) (Paperback)

Bought this book for my Husband and Son two Boy Scouts. Lots of good tips but does not go into depth on some items but points you in the right direction to research yourself. Recommend this book.