People of any age can enjoy the fun and excitement of camping. The easiest way to ensure that you have a great trip is to read up on the best tips and tricks that experienced campers use when they go. Consider the tips that follow for use during your next camping trip.
Always find your shelter before it gets dark when you go camping. Once the sky becomes dark, finding a good spot for your tent, necessary firewood and food preparation become near impossible. It can be even more difficult for those who are not accustomed to trying to see in complete darkness. Avoid this hazard completely, by finding adequate shelter long before the sun goes down.
When camping, bring the sleeping bag that appeals to the season that you are in. If you bring sub-zero sleeping bags with you in the dead of summer, you will probably sweat all night. On the other hand, light-weight sleeping supplies will never keep you warm enough in the dead of winter. Hypothermia can be experienced, as well.
Carry a survival kit on your person. A survival kit should include items like a flare gun, matches that are waterproof, a knife and other items you think you may need. You need this if you become lost or stranded; the items in your kit may save your life. Keep it with you at all times when you leave your campsite for any reason.
Though you may believe that there will be sufficient wood lying around for your fire, you may only be able to find wet lumber that does not easily burn. It’s important that you bring extra wood with you that you can keep in a dry area.
A first aid session, especially if you have children, is essential. If an accident happens, you will have the knowledge that you need to make the situation better until you can get medical help. Additional research can also provide valuable information. You should be aware of the poisonous snakes, wild animals, etc., that inhabit the area.
Ask family or friends who are camping with you for their input on your camping location. Have a conversation about where you want to go. There are millions of options just in the United States, and it can sometimes be difficult to choose the perfect one! Throw out your ideas to see if they stick with members of your family.
Examine your medical insurance policy. You may need an additional policy when you are traveling on your camping trip. This is even more of a factor if you travel to another country to go camping, like Canada. Make sure that you that you are prepared, just in case!
Don’t worry about over-packing for your kids. Camping can be quite dirty. Children, in particular, love to get their hands in the dirt. Expect them to be all shades of dirty as the day moves on. While you can’t do much to prevent that, you can at least provide clean clothing, so long as you brought extra. Be sure you’re prepared!
Combine your camping trip with some swimming. When you’re out camping, it’s really easy to miss your shower at home. Cool water can give you a feeling of exhilaration that may help you to miss your shower at home much less.
Dryer lint is a great item to bring if you are trying to start a campfire. Collect the lint in your dryer and store it in a bag a few weeks before you go camping to prepare for this. Hang up a grocery bag beside your dryer and collect the lint in it. Using this for your kindling will save you time looking for it, and it will work even better than any kindling that you do find.
Do not forget to pack duct tape for your camping trip so that it can solve neraly any problem! You can use to help seal leaks and rips and hold together important things that break. It can hold your shoes together if they fall apart, and you can even use it in case of emergencies for a temporary bandage or sling.
Emergency Kit
Purchase pillows that are made specifically for camping. Standard bed pillows tend to get sticky in humid weather. They can mildew quickly after absorbing moisture. Pillows specifically designed for camping will not draw in wetness like regular pillows will.
Always prepare an emergency kit when camping, whether you are going by yourself or with others. Pack an emergency kit that contains basic first aid supplies as well as anything needed for the specific location in which you are camping. For example, if you will be camping in a Southern state you should certainly carry anti-venom for the local wildlife that you may encounter.
It is important that you remember all the camping gear when going on a trip. Forgetting your sleeping bag or food is not what you want to happen. Double check the items you want to take and make a check list before you leave to make sure that you bring everything with you.
Before you go camping in a new place, it is essential to have an understanding of what dangers are located there. You need to know about the local insect population, wild animals, natural dangers like water or steep locations and weather conditions. Every camping trip has different dangers.
Kids love to camp, but make sure you plan activities for them. They might get antsy once you start to get deeper in the forest. They may not know how to fish or pitch tents. If they aren’t used to camping activities, teach them before you leave.
When you go camping for the first few times, be sure that your camp is close to where you live. If you have any equipment issues, it is better and easier to cut your trip short when you do not have so far to travel. Perhaps you realize that you’ve run out of food or haven’t packed enough clothing. Lots of calamities can befall new campers, so sticking close to home at first is wise.
Talk to your kids about common dangers before taking them on a camping trip. The information contains pictures of poisonous plants that they can use as a guide of what to avoid.
Camping is something that lots of people truly love. Camping know-how is something that must be learned if you are going to truly enjoy the time spend out in the wild. Hopefully, this article has given you that knowledge.
If you are new to camping, you should camp near your home. You could run into problems with your gear, or you may decide you simply don’t like camping that much. It could be that you didn’t pack enough food or your clothing is not warm enough. 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.
