Camping is booming in popularity right now, and this might be due in large part to the plethora of reality television shows feature the great outdoors. Read on to learn the right way to create a fun, safe and memorable camping trip.
Select a sleeping bag which is right for the season. If you take a sub-zero bag camping in the middle of summer, you will probably sweat all night, or even overheat. If you use a lightweight sleeping bag during the winter, you can spend your night shivering if it’s cold outside. Hypothermia can be experienced, as well.
All participants should have a say in where you go camping. Talk about the state you wish to see. With all of the options available, it is wise to let people decide for themselves. To make it easy, pick a few that you really like and then have a family vote.
Remember that everything you bring along, including you and your family, will more than likely get dirty. Being prepared for this will make sure you don’t stress too much when it occurs. Use your time in nature to enjoy the chance to be a little messy. You can get cleaned up when you return home.
Try out your tent before going camping by testing it out at home. This will ensure that your tent is not missing pieces and that you understand how to set up your tent correctly. This will also eliminate some of the frustration associated with setting up a tent.
Enroll in a first aid course, especially if your trip will include kids. You will be prepared for any accidents that may occur and can survive until you reach professional medical care. Additional research can also provide valuable information. Know the types of wild animals that inhabit the woods and gain understanding of any poisonous snakes or plants nearby.
Take a class on how to do first aid. This is especially important if you are taking kids with you. In an emergency, your first aid training could be the difference between life and death. Also, do your research. Figure out what wild animals are hanging out there and what kinds of poisonous snakes or bugs are sneaking around.
During a camping trip, try to go swimming at some point. When camping, home showers can seem like a luxury. Swimming is a great way to rinse off and can take the place of your daily shower.
A cute way to add fun to meals is to make what is known as a “jungle meal”. Bring some packaged foods, beverage boxes and even fruits, then tie them to trees near the campsite. Then, when the kids wake up, have them go and “hunt” for their breakfast. This can add some magic to their camping trip.
Try to get your camp fully set up by nightfall. Choose a parking spot that you feel comfortable with if you are camping in an RV. Seek out flat, dry ground if you are roughing it with a tent. Getting your camp set up before dark will give you time to get to know your campsite and surrounding area. Since you will know what you are doing, you’ll prevent frustration.
Be prepared to handle any emergency that may arise and have a plan in place. This kit should contain the basics, but should evolve as you change your camping locations. Take things for specific creatures as well, like antivenom.
Always understand what dangers are associated with a new place. Some examples of dangers are flash floods or poisonous spiders. Every camping area has different dangers that you should be aware of.
Oranges can be used for insect repellent. Use the discarded peels to rub your exposed skin, and the insects will stay away from you.
Don’t go far from home during your first couple of camping trips. You don’t want to be far away if you decide you’ve had enough of camping, or if you have problems with your equipment. Perhaps you realize that you’ve run out of food or haven’t packed enough clothing. A variety of issues could arise if you don’t know what to expect, so being close to home can prevent you from feeling stranded and stuck.
Before going to a new place to go camping, you need to know what dangers may be lurking. You should know if there are deadly spiders found there, or if sheer cliffs or flash floods occur there. Each camping spot is unique and can be dangerous in its own way.
Make sure you bring the right things when you go camping. Just neglecting to include a thing or two can completely ruin the outing. Creating a checklist of all the things you need can help you. A few things that you probably should pack include a sleeping bag, tent, knife, food, soap, and plenty of water.
When you are planning a camping trip with children, take some time before you go to talk with them about common camping dangers. It is simple to check out the Internet for photos of dangerous plants like poison ivy so they know what to avoid in the wild.
Pack extra flashlights and plenty of batteries for your camping trip. You may need to be able to see in front of you after sunset at some points during your trip. Sufficient light can help you avoid falling or bumping into to animals. It’s a good idea to bring along one flashlight for each person in your camping party.
If you are a novice camper, choose a destination close to home for your first trip. You could have problems with your gear, or you may find you don’t like camping. Others may find that they have a shortage of food or their clothing isn’t appropriate. Many issues can occur for new campers, so you should camp near home your first time.
Have the clothing you will pack planned out before your trip. Pack plenty of clothes that will last you the length of your trip. You should also make sure to include clothing that is appropriate for the climate and possible weather changes in your camping area. Shoes that are durable enough to handle rough terrain should be worn at all times.
Always make sure that you have a sharp knife with you when you go camping. Utility knives are a fantastic to bring along when camping because they have so many uses. Be sure you have one with you and another for backup in your gear in case one gets lost.
Pack ready to eat foods in your camping gear, like trail mix and jerky. You may not be in the mood to cook, so having these with you can be helpful. These items keep for a long time so it won’t be like your wasting food if you don’t use them.
Figure out how to use a compass and read a map in advance. Even if you are returning to a campsite you know well, the area could have changed and you could become lost. Also, this will help to avoid tragedy with friends or family.
Two essential piece of camping gear are your first aid kit and your survival kit. These essential items can make all the difference between a ruined or shortened trip and being able to handle an unforeseen complication. A survival kits and first aid kits can save your life.
Seal all of your tent’s seams when erecting your tent. If you tent did not include a tube of sealer, you can find it at sporting goods stores. Sealant keeps both insects and rain out of your tent.
Make sure to seal the seams in your tent when you are setting it up. You can purchase a tube of tent seam sealer at all good sporting goods stores. This ensures not only rain, but also critters, are kept from your tent.
Try not to set up your tent near the bathroom for obvious reasons. They think this is a convenience for them, but they find out differently. Bathrooms provide constant light, and people are always going to and from them. Consequently, campers that pitch their tents near communal campsite bathrooms have neither the convenience nor the comfort that they may have expected.
Your sleeping bag selection should be made with the expected climate in mind. For example, in the summertime, a lighter bag will keep you cool. But during the cold of winter, you need a thermal bag that will keep you protected from the elements.
The best way to dress when you are camping is in layers. There can often be quick and unexpected weather changes in the great outdoors. You could awake in the morning to cold weather, for it to just turn hot within a short amount of time. This type of cycle can continue with a cold night. Layers allow you to adjust to the changing weather
Stick with food safety when you camp. Put your food in waterproof containers. Also carry ice packs so you can insulate and cool your food. Do not store cooked and raw foods together to avoid contamination. Handle food with clean hands, whether you bring sanitizer with you or soap. Cook all your food thoroughly and chill leftovers quickly.
Camping Trip
You should bring toilet paper and baby wipes on every camping trip. Of course, if you prefer to really rough it, you could use the leaves provided by nature, but if you want to have a clean bottom it is best to bring along baby wipes and toilet paper.
Make sure that your camping trip schedule is full of fun activities. Campfires and marshmallows provide hours of fun, but there is so much more to a camping trip. Get creative and plan for things that everyone will enjoy. Keep all ages in mind when you are creating a plan.
Before you go on a camping trip, educate yourself on how to identify poisonous plants. You should know what to look for. Search the Internet for information on these plants for your safety. This knowledge will make it easy to avoid touching a poisonous plant.
Bring some toilet paper and baby wipes with you when camping. If you forget to bring these little essentials, you could wind up using the uncomfortable leaves of nature instead.
As you plan your outing, scour old recipe cards. While hamburgers or hot dogs are easy and fun, they can become boring quickly. Create some variety. Seek out simple recipes you can prepare while outdoors with minimal ingredients. So plan out a couple of meals to make and impress everyone you camp with.
Bring dryer lint on your next camping trip. Although it may seem like an unlikely item to pack, it can be one of the best tools you can bring for quickly starting your campsite fire. The flames generated by lint are super-bright. You just need your a spark and your lint to produce a warm fire.
It is essential to keep safety first when dealing with any fire you make while camping. Know how to make a proper fire pit. Make sure extra water is available to handle fires that grow larger than expected. Act quickly if you need to control a fire that grows too large, and never leave your fire burning when you aren’t at your site.
Bring water purification tablets when you go camping. Even if you think you’ve brought enough water or you plan to boil water that you collect, you could easily exhaust your supply or run short on time. It is also a good idea to try out the tablets once or twice at home before you leave, so you have some idea what the taste is like. To remain properly hydrated, you need to drink plenty of water, so before you leave on your trip, make sure that the tablets you choose do not give the water a taste so unpleasant that you will not drink it.
It may sound obvious, but your campsite is not your house. Don’t just leave garbage strewn about. When you’re done camping, leave your campsite looking as it did before you got there. This means that you leave nature as it was intended so that others can enjoy it without trouble, too.
There are a few important things to keep in mind if you are going camping. However, you are now armed with the knowledge you need to tackle any topics that come up. Now that you have some idea of what to expect, you will be able to focus on having a blast during your trip!
There are many ways to relax when it comes to camping. These include reading a novel, listening to music and enjoying nature itself. Look at the starry sky, or take a walk and view nature. All your stress will disappear.
