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Haley Murray
Daily Egyptian

Avid campers know they need tents, cookware, lanterns, coolers and sleeping bags when they head out into the wilderness for a night of fun under the stars.

Fortunately, these items and many other camp supplies more can be found at the Student Recreation Center's Base Camp.

"We have the basic needs for camping," employee Kelsey Wilson said. "We have two-person tents, four-person tents, sleeping bags, kayaks, canoes, backpacks, lanterns, sleeping pad--basic necessities."

Base Camp, established in the early 1990s, gives students the opportunity to explore the campsites, rivers, creeks and forest areas around the Carbondale area-they can rent equipment at a low price and go out to explore on their own or with a Base Camp organized group.

According to the center's web site, Base Camp is provides recreational equipment for both indoor and outdoor use. It offers camping, canoeing, hiking and fishing equipment for a nominal daily fee.

During the school year, Wilson said Base Camp normally only issues three to 10 rentals, which tend to range from fishing equipment to camping supplies, a week. In the summer months, Base Camp gets about five people a day who either want to rent equipment or just ask questions. Canoes and kayaks are the most in-demand summer rental items.

"In the fall, it is tents, but in the summer, it is kayaks," she said. "A lot of students who are here already have tents and all they need is a kayak or canoe."

Base Camp also provides advice on the best hiking trails, cheapest campgrounds and the most popular rivers for canoeing and kayaking from information found through maps, pamphlets, word of mouth and their own experiences.

"People want to know where they should camp, where they should canoe and kayak-just the best places to go" Wilson said. "We go by what we've done, what we've heard, things we've seen, stuff we liked and didn't like. We're all pretty outdoorsy for the most part."

Interested students and Recreation Center members can check out and reserve equipment using their valid Student I.D. or membership card. People who return equipment late or damaged will be required to pay a late fee or pay for repairs or a new piece of equipment.

Wilson said each piece of equipment is inspected when returned and sleeping bags are sent out for cleaning.

"People tend to take pretty good care of it," she said.

Base Camp is careful to replace equipment as it wears out, Wilson said.

"Canoes and kayaks last a pretty long time," she said. "But we just got a bunch of two-person tents in."

Michael Craig, a senior from Chicago studying history, said he rents from Base Camp at least every other week.

"I rent a lot of kayaks and go out on Cedar Lake," he said. "It's super-cheap and just awesome, probably one of the greatest programs the University offers."

One of Base Camp's most popular package is the canoe offer. It includes a canoe, paddles, life jackets and a car-holder and costs $8 per day, Wilson said.

"It's just a cheap way to have fun," she said.

Reporter Haley Murray can be reached at haley_murray.com