Roughing it – with LED lantern and fan

It has probably been close to 20 years since I last went camping, and while many elements of camping haven’t changed that much (and I use the term “elements” loosely), much has changed in the world of outdoor adventure.

Let’s start with the staple of outdoor shelter – a tent.

My first tent was a canvas model that was sun-bleached, moth-eaten and smelled like a flooded basement. The poles – a collection of cylindrical tubes that “got the job done” – were held together with baling wire and twine. It was a real scene. It served as a primitive shelter at best;…