Are you ready to escape the “real world”? Camping can offer you that. It takes you away from the hustle and bustle of work and city, so that you can relax where it is beautiful and quiet. The article below is packed with useful camping tips that can be used in the future.
Your sleeping bag should be seasonally appropriate. If you use a heavy winter sleeping bag in summer, this can be stifling and uncomfortable. On the flip side, bring a sleeping bag meant for summer camping will make you very cold during your winter camping trip. You would in fact be risking your health and safety.
Gets Dark
Don’t assume you can find wood at or near your camp site. Bring some wood and store it in an area that is not moist when you camp.
Always find your shelter before it gets dark when you go camping. Once it gets dark, it is much harder to find wood for your fire, prepare food, and get your tent ready. This is particularly the case for city slickers who are unaccustomed to darkness. Set up camp before dark to keep yourself from getting into this situation.
When it comes to children, don’t hesitate to over-pack. Camping can be a messy affair. Kids love the dirt. As the day goes on, your kids will get messier and messier. While you can’t do much about that, you should have extra clothing on hand. Remember, always be prepared!
Select your sleeping bag with the weather, season and location of your trip in mind. A winter bag for the summer will cause you to sweat all night. On the other hand, bringing a lightweight sleeping bap for a winter trip can make you really uncomfortable the entire trip. You may even subject yourself to hypothermia.
Try to get your camp fully set up by nightfall. If you are in an RV, a safe parking spot should be found. When pitching a tent, a level, dry area is needed. This should be done before nightfall as is it much more difficult to navigate when it is dark. This can help to reduce the stress that you have during your trip.
Camping provides the inevitable experience that you, your family and most of your possessions will probably get dirty. When you know that going in, you won’t stress out when it happens. Take this as an opportunity to enjoy the freedom, let your hair down, and get a little dirtier than usual. You can get clean when you get home.
Don’t forget to pack up some duct tape when you’re camping because it’s very versatile. It works quickly in a pinch for tent holes, inflatables with leaks, shoes with worn soles, securing the tent to its pole, sealing up your mosquito netting and many, many more things.
Let everyone of your family members have a say on where to go camping. Think about where it is you want to go. The many options may make it difficult to settle on one. To make it easy, pick a few that you really like and then have a family vote.
If you bring your dog with you on your trip, make sure they are on a leash and that you watch them carefully. A lot of people have a fear of dogs. You should be respectful of other campers while at the site. Also, dogs can damage things around your campsite, or another person’s if they aren’t being watched.
Make sure that you know how to set up your tent before going on your trip. Doing this will allow to know ahead of time that all parts you need are there, and it will also help you learn the proper setup of your tent ahead of time. A little practice can eliminate the frustration of setting up a new piece of camping equipment.
Take along items to use while you are camping in the wild. Playing cards, board games and fishing poles can make for lots of fun. If you are taking children camping, you might want to bring more activities than you think you are going to need.
A first aid kit or survival kit is imperative for camping. Things to include in your survival pack are a knife, matches that are waterproof, first aid kit, flares and tablets to purify water. This kit may keep you alive if you are lost and these items are indispensable for a survival situation. Never leave the kit behind, even for a short excursion.
If you’re camping where there is dangerous wildlife, double your food reserves. Keep all food items wrapped tightly and securely away from your tent. Some kinds of foods should be avoided altogether. Making sure to do this, will lessen any chance of a wild animal attack.
Attend a class in first aid; this is a really good idea if you are camping with children. Should an emergency arise, your knowledge of first aid can prevent further issues until help arrives. Never forget to research. You should be aware of things like whether there are snakes around and what kind of animals live there.
Are you a camping novice? Spend time practicing pitching a tent prior to leaving for your trip. Doing so will ensure you know what tools you may need. This will help you set up camp in a hurry if you get to the site just before dark.
Dryer lint makes wonderful kindling to start your campfires with. Around four weeks prior to camping, start keeping the lint that you clean from your dryer filter. Keep a plastic bag right next to the dryer and put the lint in there. Doing this means you can just snag your kindling on the way out the door the morning your trip starts.
Stand ready for all possibilities when you camp. While it’s crucial to plan ahead for things, sometimes things don’t go according to plan. Weather problems, injuries and other unexpected things may occur. The more time you spend preparing for the unforeseen, the better off you will be when it comes to dealing with an emergency later on.
Know what dangers await you at your camping destination. This could be anything from wildlife to insects to poisonous plant life that could be a danger to you. Any place you go has its own unique challenges.
Try to refrain from draining your flashlight when camping. It is not uncommon to accidentally bump the switch and turn your flashlight on when you are digging around in your bag. If you want to avoid draining your batteries, keep flashlights stored with backwards batteries in them. This will allow you to keep them stored without accidentally turning them on and wasting the batteries.
When you take children camping with you, make sure to go over some of the dangers associated with camping. You can show them some pictures of poisonous plants on the Internet, for example, so they are aware of what to look out for.
Camping can make for a very relaxing weekend in your life or it can be a hellish trip. Preparation is what makes the difference between the two experiences. You will probably enjoy your trip more if you’re prepared for all sorts of situations that may arise.
If you bring along a canine companion on your trip, keep your pet leashed and watch him or her closely. Some people get frightened by dogs. Take others into consideration when you camp if you bring a dog. Also, dogs can cause damage if you let them run free, so be sure to keep control of them at all times.
Many people get food poisoning when camping because of improper packing every year. Food that has not been preserved, vacuum sealed or canned can spoil and give you food poisoning. Pack plenty of ice to keep any perishable foods cold and remember to pull the drain plug in the cooler so the food does not get soaked.
Find a soft and flat spot to pitch your tent when you are camping in the wilderness. It is important to feel as level as possible to maximize the comfort that you feel. Make sure you place a tarp underneath your tent to keep water out, also.
While it may seem silly, make sure that you pack some toilet paper before you go camping. If you don’t happen to have toilets at your site, your only option will be to go in the woods. Wiping yourself with leaves is an uncomfortable task, especially in areas where poison ivy is common, so toilet paper is a must-have item.
Going camping is a wonderful way to use your time. It lets you get away from the daily grind and bask in the beauty of the natural world. The ideas presented within this article can make your future camping outing a memorable time.
Always make sure that your sleeping bag is light enough or heavy enough for the season you will be using it in. For instance, if it is summer, you are going to want a lighter bag so that you stay as cool as possible. Conversely, during the winter you need to choose a heavy bag.
