Should I bring my boyfriend camping?
cuwpython asked:
I’ve been camping all my life, lived tents for months at a time in near-freezing, no commodities, etc. And I love it. Now given that, I did not go hiking/backpacking nearly as often. We usually had a base camp to go back to. Whenever I did, I handled it well.
Now my boyfriend is very risk-averse. He’s never been hiking and only camped with his family in campgrounds with electricity and showers. He is not cold-tolerant at all, but he thinks that 30 degrees is sweatshirt weather and nothing I say convinces him otherwise. He does not want to wear too much clothes because it makes him uncomfortable. He is afraid of rain, bugs, animals, complains a lot, very picky about food (bread and butter is not food to him, it tastes bad) and any blister is the end of the world to him. And besides, he does not want to spend money on good equipment to keep himself safe and comfortable.
If I take him for a 3-4 day hike, are we heading for disaster? Should I up the difficulty gradually with him?
Or should I find someone else for that hike I wanted to do for years?
Sleeping bags for children
I’ve been camping all my life, lived tents for months at a time in near-freezing, no commodities, etc. And I love it. Now given that, I did not go hiking/backpacking nearly as often. We usually had a base camp to go back to. Whenever I did, I handled it well.
Now my boyfriend is very risk-averse. He’s never been hiking and only camped with his family in campgrounds with electricity and showers. He is not cold-tolerant at all, but he thinks that 30 degrees is sweatshirt weather and nothing I say convinces him otherwise. He does not want to wear too much clothes because it makes him uncomfortable. He is afraid of rain, bugs, animals, complains a lot, very picky about food (bread and butter is not food to him, it tastes bad) and any blister is the end of the world to him. And besides, he does not want to spend money on good equipment to keep himself safe and comfortable.
If I take him for a 3-4 day hike, are we heading for disaster? Should I up the difficulty gradually with him?
Or should I find someone else for that hike I wanted to do for years?
Sleeping bags for children
Tagged with: Base Camp • Disaster • Electricity
Filed under: Your Questions
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Up the difficulty gradually with him. If you take him on a 3-4 day hike, it’ll be a disaster that you could make a predictable comedy movie out of (you know, those fish out of water opposites attract sort of comedies). But since it’d be real life and not a movie, you’d be miserable and upset instead of laughing. He’s got to be eased into this sort of thing.
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keep him barefoot in the kitchen. If you turn him into a hiker, you may not like him anymore. Besides what will you do to get away from him occasionally. absence makes the heart grow fonder.
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Seems like a definate clash of leisure activity interest.
As an avid outdoors person. One who enjoys hiking and primitive camping. Really suggest making the trek with another someone.
From your description he is not going to enjoy himself. Means you will not either.
If he happened to get hurt then you will be full of guilt.
And the time apart will give you a chance to evaluate where the relationship is, and— where it should go.
Camping equipment
Don’t listen to Lucid Monkey.
I think you should take it slowly. Start with an afternoon at a state park with a picnic. Eventually you may be able to take an overnight trip. Don’t count on your boyfriend going on the four-day trip of your dreams.
Take your boyfriend on tiny, little trips, and for the big one, find a couple of friends who share your interests!
Sleeping bags for children
Steven B got it right. Enjoy” YOUR” time. Don’t spend it trying to get/make someone happy doing the things you love. Don’t feel any guilt ether. Soon enough you will have kids and the hikes will end.
Happy Caving Carroll
Camping
no
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Not being mean… but my first inclination is that you should get a new boyfriend! He sounds WAY too timid and definitely not masculine at all. If the possibility of camping without electricity is his definition of being “risk-averse” … something’s wrong. To me, he sounds like one of those girls who can’t camp without a curling iron and hair dryer; completely unable to adapt to the situation. I say run (or hike) far away from this guy!
Camping
I agree, find a new boyfriend. He sounds like a real city boy. I wish I could find a girl who enjoys the outdoors as much as you.
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WELL IF YOU LOVE CAMPING AND SEEMS HE DOESN`T LIKE MOST PARTS OF IT ..I WOULD SAY TIME TO DUMP HIM AND FIND SOMEONE THAT IS CAPATIBLE WITH YOU..CAMPING IS TO HAVE FUN AND ROUGHING IT….I LOVE CAMPING WITH MY BOYFRIEND AND HAVE AN ENJOYABLE TIME…FIND SOMEONE THAT LIKES WHAT YOU LIKE AND YOU WILL HAVE A HAPPY LIFE TOGETHER…
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Find an experienced hiking partner! DUMP Mr. Crybaby!
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Hahahaha! OMG, welcome to the club! He sounds like a princess…err, metrosexual. If you can’t convince him to dig a hole and squat, I’d say leave him at home, otherwise you’ll traumatize him.
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I would say NO. Do not take him. He will only make your experience miserable.
I won’t say Dump him. But, please, if you want to enjoy this excursion, (That you’ve wanted to do for so long) do not take him
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I think this is not the hike to take him on at this time. You need to start him out gradually – start maybe with a short 5 mile hike, then maybe an overnight car camping kind of thing. Then do a short overnight backpack. See what his interest level is – if he likes it, keep adding more to it gradually.
Sleeping bags for children
Take me instead! As an aside, where are good camping grounds in Malaysia, say within 3-4 hours of KL?
Cheers