No matter where your intended destination is, near or far, the better prepared you are, the more fun you will have. Read the suggestions that follow in order to motivate you to better prepare for your camping trips. Once you’re done reading, you’ll be glad you found this information.
While it may be that there’s enough wood around to keep a fire going for a long time, some of the wood may be wet and cannot burn no matter what you try. Make sure you bring some of your own dry kindling and make sure it stays in a dry area.
Survival Kit
Never forget to see what the weather will be like in the area you will be camping at, prior to leaving. You can find the average weather during a season for almost any location online. This will help you prepare by having the right clothes and equipment.
Pack and carry a survival kit on your person for the entire trip. You should have a bandanna (to use as a sling or tourniquet), wound coverings, something to use for sprains, matches, a knife, tablets to purify water and a compass in your kit. This survival kit may be what keeps you alive if you get lost and the items in it are indispensable in a survival situation. Always carry it on your person when you venture away from your campsite, or it won’t do you much good.
It’s not totally necessary to rough it during your entire trip. You can bring along something comforting from home for your trip. This can be something simple like fresh coffee or a favorite candy. Small luxuries can make things more enjoyable!
When choosing a tent, pick one that has plenty of room for you and all of your camping companions. A bigger tent means easier movement, which can be useful when you have to urinate at night.
Know what dangers await you at your camping destination. That include deadly spiders, sheer drops, and flash flood areas. Each camping spot is unique and can be dangerous in its own way.
If you’re camping with kids, try a “jungle breakfast”. Bring several, small boxes of easy-to-fix foods, such as cereals, fruits, snacks, and other quick, yet healthy, meals. Once the kids are awake, they can go search for their food. This makes an interesting diversion for them during the trip.
Take a few things with you to entertain yourself while you’re camping. Scavenger hunts, card games and fishing poles all add up to wonderful diversions to do in the wild. If you are taking children camping, you might want to bring more activities than you think you are going to need.
Teach your kids about camping safety before you bring them camping. 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.
Pitching a tent can be complicated for anyone, but it is especially difficult for beginner campers. If you are, practice setting up your tent before you go camping. If you have successfully done it at home, pitching it at your campsite will be easier. With this practice under your belt, your tent will go up much quicker and have you sheltered before night falls.
If you are camping for the first time, stay close to home. Things may go wrong and you may have to abort your trip early if things don’t go your way. Other problems can be food shortage or inadequate clothing. Many things can arise for the first-time camper, so camp close to home the first time.
It’s very important that you bring the proper items on your camping trip. Your trip will not be as fun if you forget imperative items. Creating a checklist of all the things you need can help you. Some things you should bring include your tent, sleeping bag, tarp, lots of water, a utility knife, already-made food, soap or hand sanitizer and items to start a fire.
Always be prepared when on a camping trip. Even with a perfect plan, things can still go awry. The weather could change suddenly, you could encounter hostile people or animals, and someone could become sick or injured. You need to pay attention to what you’re doing, avoid unnecessarily risky behavior, and think before you act whether you are in a crisis or a normal camping situation.
Watch your children at all times. Kids can get lost easily, even in the campsite and they have to be aware of others driving on the camp roads. Accidents and mishaps occur in a split second; make certain your children are safely supervised at all times.
Surprisingly, orange peels make a great mosquito repellent on outdoor adventures. If you arrive at your camping destination and realize you’ve forgotten to pack bug repellant, fear not. Just rub the inner peel of an orange on your skin for a natural insect repellent. You should be mosquito free for hours.
Make a plan as to what you’ll wear. You don’t want to be stuck wearing dirty clothes daily. Pack ample clothing items appropriate to the climate you will be visiting. It is also a good idea to bring a few pairs of shoes so that you have extras in case of mud or water getting into them.
If your kids are going camping with you, have a photo of them on you. This picture could be used to help find them if they were to get separated from the group and lost. A picture should be carried anytime you are away from home, but even more importantly when camping in the woods.
One great piece of equipment to carry while camping is a spare utility knife. A utility knife is very convenient to carry while you are camping, so make sure to bring a spare in case one is lost.
Cell Phone
Pack your things with care. Have a checklist on hand and cross your items off the list as you add them to your pack. This is especially crucial if your trip will be taking you to a remote location where replacement supplies will be hard to come by.
Always make sure that your cell phone is with you when you get to your campsite, and it should be fully charged. Another good idea is to keep an additional battery available. A cell phone is a great emergency device; make certain it will keep working.
Take a roll or two of duct tape on your next camping trip. Although tent fabric technology has come a long way, tearing is still a possibility. A little duct tape can be the difference between a comfortable and dry night’s sleep and a drippy night spent awake.
A simple camping tip everyone should know is to build shelter during daylight. It is extremely difficult to pitch a tent whenever it is dark. You will have to have a flashlight or create a fire. The easier thing is just to do it before darkness falls.
Always take a map with you, and make sure you know how to read the map and a compass before you go. Even if you are returning to a campsite you know well, the area could have changed and you could become lost. Learn to use these survival tools to prevent potentially bad situations.
When you get done with your camping trip, clean up any of the mess you have made. You need to bring along bags for trash so you can clean up. Be certain to take your leftover food with you too. The best practice for cleaning up a campsite is to leave nothing but your footprints behind.
At the end of your trip, be sure to leave your campsite as clean as you found it. Bring enough trash bags for the anticipated clean up. Do not leave food there, either. The major rule for leaving a campsite is to just leave behind footprints.
Food poisoning is a common danger of camping stemming from improper food storage. If the food that you pack for camping is not canned, vacuum sealed or preserved, you exposing yourself to the possibility of experiencing food poisoning from eating spoiled food. 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.
Many people get food poisoning each year while camping because they do not pack properly. Food that is stored incorrectly can go bad and cause food poisoning. Make sure there is plenty of ice in the cooler for perishables, and do not fail to drain the cooler regularly to prevent soaking the food.
Now you know that camping can be truly enjoyed. Even the indoor hermit can find camping enjoyable with the proper information and preparation. Take a look at what the great outdoors has to offer.
Don’t make the rookie mistake of pitching camp too close to bathroom facilities. They do this in the belief that it will be very convenient, but quickly learn the truth. Bathrooms provide constant light and also have a lot of traffic running through them at all hours. Thus, campers will find that they are greatly inconvenienced by their proximity to the restrooms.