Just as there is a thin line between love & hate, pleasure & pain, ecstasy & agony, there lies a small divide between the trip of your life in a good way and a bad way.  Bringing the right people with you can make or break your experience. 

I have rules for just about everything.  Camping companions are no exception.  Here's what I refer to as 'the four ‘F’s for success' in selecting snappy campers for a trip:

Flexibility-Even the best laid plans can go awry.  Weather, unruly site neighbors and uptight rangers are just of few of the unknown variables that can get thrown into the mix.  Try to invite people who make lemonade from life's lemons rather than über-competitive, self-righteous a-holes (this is a good rule for life in general).

Friendly-Snappy Camping is NOT backwoods camping.    Campgrounds are like outdoor neighborhoods.  Being sociable, or at least pleasant to the other campers in the group, camping area, beach and trails is a critical success element.  For those looking to be at one and alone with nature, I would suggest chilling at Mt. Washington in February.  You won't even have to smile at a bird.  I promise.

Free & Open-Think living in Manhattan vs. living in rural Maine.  Expect to be surrounded by neighbors from every walk of life for the duration of the trip.  Leave folks with hangups about people from other classes, cultures, lifestyles, countries and/or living in a glass bubble at a nearby hotel.  Or at home.

Funny-A portable DVD player only has so much battery life.  For the other 20 or so hours a day, you will rely heavily on your trip mates for entertainment.  ROFLMAO should be the rule, not the exception.

Tita rocks all four 'effs' of Snappy Camping