What happens when two 50 Campfires contributors square off on topics and gear that matter in the camping world? Punches get thrown, voices get raised, cats and dogs living together, complete madness… Welcome to 50 Campfires Versus and camping vs glamping.
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To Camp or to Glamp…
Comfort
The need for comfort only increases when the leave your home. Whether you are spending one night or week, comfort is crucial to a successful time in the outdoors.
If you’re going to be spending the night in a semi-remote location and you have the option between a camping mat and a pillow top queen mattress, which are you choosing? Glamping is all about comfort, and comfort done well. You can’t underestimate a good night’s sleep. If you want to hit that seven mile loop in the morning you need your rest, and a glamping setup just can’t be beat. – Clint
Camping
Modern camping equipment pretty much eliminates any chance of a restless night’s sleep; cots, sleeping pads, air mattresses, sleeping bags, vented tents, hammocks, the list goes on and on. We truly feel that the comfort level between camping with proper gear and glamping is quite similar. The difference is in familiarity; you spend the majority of your nights on a real bed with four sturdy walls surrounding you and glamping satisfies those expectations, but modern camping gear gives any bed and structure a run for their money. – Matt
Ease
At what point does spending time in the outdoors start to feel like work? Everyone is different in how much effort they like to put in while camping or glamping. Do you want everything setup ready to go or are you a do-it-yourselfer?
You’ve got me, glamping is easier than camping; all you have to do is show up and everything is ready. I could sit here and try to convince you otherwise but that’s not really my style; glamping is far and away easier to do. But when you think about it, just because it is easier doesn’t make it is more satisfying or better. Setting up your OWN camp, the way YOU want it, sounds pretty great to me. Plus, you aren’t bound by a predetermined location. In this case, ease of setup comes with the price tag of being stuck in one spot. – Matt
Easy access is one of the main reasons glamping became popular. Glampers don’t haul a canvas tent and a queen mattress out to the middle of a field. They drive out to the mattress and open a bottle of wine. They are relaxing immediately. The most work they’re going to do is lug their suitcase in. After that it’s easy street all weekend. – Clint
Cost
Some say money makes the world go round but you don’t have to let it in the outdoors.
Glamping certainly looks expensive at a glance. $175 a night? Are you crazy? That is, until you start talking gear with campers. It’s not uncommon for an SUV to be carrying $1500 of camping gear to the campground. It adds up quickly. If you camp often, it does end up being a relatively cheap activity over time. However, for the occasional fan of the forest glamping might be the cost effective route to take. – Clint
There is absolutely an upfront cost to camping. Getting the basic gear and tools for an enjoyable weekend can put a dent in your wallet but it doesn’t have to. For instance, hammock camping is very economical and provides an excellent night sleep, almost anywhere you want to venture. Glamping on the other hand can cost hundreds of dollars a night. If you are bringing someone new to the outdoors, glamping is a great option. You don’t have to fuss with getting them gear and they are able to dip their toes in the camping water; go ahead, it’s always warm. – Matt
Purpose
Why do you go camping/glamping? That’s not rhetorical; really think about why you venture outdoors with the intention of “roughing it” for a couple days. It probably comes down to relaxation and a change of pace. The goal here is to immerse yourself in nature. Maybe it reminds you of yesteryear when times were simpler and the only worry you had was how you were going to spend a lazy afternoon.
The biggest problem people have with glamping is the intrusion of modern amenities into the simplistic camping world. No matter how advanced our cooking, navigation, and clothing gets, it still boils down to sleeping in a primitive structure. Camping is all about getting back to nature and experiencing it in the purest way possible. For some, a semipermanent structure, with a real bed, wash stations, and other amenities, can muddle the entire purpose of getting away from it all. Where do I fall on this debate? If it gets someone outside, experiencing the outdoors, I’m all for it. – Matt
Glamping still gets you away from the rat race in the city. It still provides much needed R&R for those worked to the bone week after week. There is one thing that you don’t get with glamping though, and that’s the refreshing perspective that comes from doing simple camp chores for a weekend. Pitching the tent, gathering kindling, and cooking over an open fire reignites our basic human nature in a way that glamping cannot. When I crave that experience, I camp. Not going to lie though, sometimes I just want to pull up to a queen bed, crack a beer, and leave the camp box behind. – Clint
Here’s another question. What would you choose between tent camping vs hammock?
