There are few activities in the world that can match the the feeling of camping. Nothing quite matches the experience of seeing nature’s beauty and breathing in fresh air yourself. If the idea of going camping thrills you, here are a few helpful ideas to get you started in the right direction.
Take along a survival kit and carry it at all times. 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 just be what helps you to stay alive in case you get lost or something bad happens and you’re stuck outside for longer than planned. It is important that you carry your survival kit with you at all times.
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. Bringing your own wood never hurts, especially when things are a little wet and you know a fire will be needed.
Understand your medical coverage. You may need additional coverage in case you have an accident in a different state. This is a bigger factor if you’re traveling to another country for a camping trip, such as Canada. It always pays to be prepared for anything!
Let everyone know they have a say in the campsite and should help pick a favorite spot. Talk about which state to go to. The many options may make it difficult to settle on one. You can select a few places to have the family vote on to make it easier.
Carry a handkerchief or bandanna while camping. In emergencies, such cloth can turn into a towel, a potholder or a piece of luggage. You will find that you can use these in a lot of versatile ways, so bring one along when you’re camping.
Put together a survival pack and have it on you all the time. You need to pack a flare gun, utility knife, matches and a first aid kit. This kit could be the difference between life and death. If you don’t take it with you on excursions it will serve you no good.
Even in a remote site where you plan on roughing it, you can enhance your camping trip with a small piece of luxury. Bring an interesting book, some luxurious candy or even a nice fluffy pillow. Don’t bring any items that are heavy, though. Comforts from home can really spice up the rustic outdoors!
Check out what the weather is going to be like before you leave for your destination. You can find the average weather during a season for almost any location online. Armed with the forecast, you can prepare yourself with appropriate clothing and camping gear.
Purchase camping pillows for a camping trip! Standard bed pillows can become hot and sticky in humid weather. Mildew can grow in it when they absorb the moisture from the air. Camping pillows do not have these problems.
Camping has the potential to be thrilling or hazardous, depending on your level of preparation. Be sure you’re always prepared before you go camping. Especially if you are camping in a new location, take the time to research the wildlife, plants, geography, and climate of the area.
Find all of your equipment and start packing well in advance of your trip. It is very inconvenient to forget to bring essential items like your sleeping bag or tent. Check and double check your packing list and make certain that every item has been included.
Take along a bandanna or a small towel. You can use these as hand towels, cleanup towels, pot holders or anything you need cloth for. There are many uses for these, so you want to be sure you have one or both of them on your next camping trip.
While kids often have fun when camping, make sure to make plans to keep them entertained. When you are in the woods with nothing around but trees, they may become bored. They probably aren’t used to fishing or campfires. Expose them to these activities prior to embarking on your trip.
Emergency Kit
Pack enough of the right kinds of food. Take a decent amount of food that won’t spoil when you go camping. You don’t want to get food poisoning, so you want food that doesn’t spoil easily. Take the proper steps to prepare your food and do research if necessary.
When camping alone or in the company of friends, always bring an emergency kit. This emergency kit changes depending on the place you go camping, but you have to be certain it has the basic tools. Be sure to do your research and bring along any location-specific items you will need.
Although you want to live on as little as possible while camping, you need to prepare yourself for your trip. You need a sleeping bag, but you need to take extra blankets too. They can be very handy when the evening temperatures drop. If not needed for warmth, they can be extra padding from the solid ground beneath.
It’s imperative that you locate a safe place to camp and pitch your tent before the sun goes down. If you are traveling in an RV, park it in a well secured area. Seek out flat, dry ground if you are roughing it with a tent. As long as it is daylight, you should not have trouble with these tasks. This can help you see what you are doing and prevent frustration.
It is always a good idea to bring plenty of trail mix and/or beef jerky when you are planning a camping trip. You may find yourself too tired to prepare food and these nutritious snacks could be very satisfying. They stay fresh for a while, so you do not have to worry about them going bad if you do not use them up right away.
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Take along a specialized pillow or two for camping. Standard bed pillows can become hot and sticky in humid weather. As they absorb moisture from the air, they can become covered in mildew rather quickly. Pillows specifically designed for camping have a barrier to stop this behavior.
Have a first aid pack on hand, as well as a well stocked survival kit. This will help you take care of anything that happens so you do not need to cut your trip short. You may also be able to prevent things that are serious from becoming deadly and earn yourself enough time to get the injured some medical help.
Always become familiar with the potential dangers of a campsite before you enter it. You need to know about the local insect population, wild animals, natural dangers like water or steep locations and weather conditions. Every location has its own dangers.
Learn how to use a compass or read a map, beforehand. You can get lost in the woods even if you have been to the area before. Your skill using a compass and a map can be a lifesaver one day.
If your campsite is known for wildlife, be extremely careful with food. These precautions include tightly wrapping your foods and storing them away from your tent. You also have to just forgo certain foods entirely. That will reduce the chance of a critter attack.
Leave your campsite clean when you leave it. You should have trash bags on hand for this purpose. Do not leave any left over food behind. A golden rule for departing a campsite: leave only your footprints behind.
Duct Tape
Remember food safety when you go camping. If you bring food, pack them in waterproof containers and airtight re-sealable plastic bags. Any perishable food should be stored in insulated coolers. Make sure to keep your raw food and cooked food separate. Keep surfaces and hands clean when you’re dealing with your food. Use hand sanitizer or soap. Make sure that you cook all foods to appropriate temperatures, and then chill them as soon as you can.
A handy tool that will make your life easier when camping, is duct tape. There are multiple uses to put it to when camping, just like at home. It can repair an air mattress should it get a hole. You could patch a hole or tear in your sleeping bag, tarp or tent. If you are hiking long distances, a strip applied to your feet can keep blisters from forming. You can use duct tape for almost anything.
If you are interested in camping in the woods but have never done so before, there is a quick way to test if you will enjoy it or not. Plan an overnight camping trip in your own backyard with the help of a borrowed tent and camping gear. Under no circumstances should you enter your house, no matter what you might be wanting. If this becomes a fun night for you, then you will love camping.
Camping’s main idea is to generally live off of the land, however, you still need to be well-prepared. Blankets are essential, in addition to a sleeping bag, to maximize comfort. This is useful for nights where the temperature gets too cold or as extra padding when sleeping on hard ground.
Include plenty of food, drinks and water in your camping supplies. If your campsite is a known bear hot spot, you must ensure that your food items are not stored near where you are sleeping. You don’t want this to happen because you want to enjoy yourself camping.
Find soft, flat ground for your tent and make sure to stick your flag in that soil before the other guy! Pitching your tent on bumpy, rocky ground or on a slope won’t make for a very comfortable night’s sleep. Also, put a tarp down on your site to repel water in the best fashion.
If you bring any pets on your camping trip, make sure you bring everything they might need. You will need restraints to protect them from getting into skirmishes with other animals. Always have a leash as well. Before you leave on the camping trip, make sure that your pet’s vaccinations are up to date. You also must have something for them to drink and eat, and you have to have bowls to put it in. It is a must to clean up their waste and make sure they aren’t disturbing other campers.
Your list of camping supplies should include several flashlights with extra batteries and lanterns. There are times when you’ll need light to help you see after sundown. Make sure areas are well-lit to avoid falls or animal issues. When you go camping and your kids come along, it is smart to let them each have their own flashlight.
Make fire safety your top priority while camping. Learn the proper way to build a fire ring that is safe. Keep pails of water on hand in case the fire burns bigger than you had planned. Act quickly and get your fire under control. Also make sure it is out completely before you walk away from the site.
Never let your kids roam out of your sight. There are many people coming and going all of the time and you do not want them to get kidnapped or lost. It only takes a second for something to happen, so make sure that your children always have the supervision that they need.
Your home is not nature. Never throw around your trash or leave things behind that can mess up a campsite. As a golden rule, leave your camping area as clean as if you were never there in the first place. When you respect nature, you ensure its longevity.
In summary, nothing beats a great camping trip. Camping brings wonderful experiences, like beautiful scenery and the amazing sense of nature around you. So find a great destination, prepare yourself well and get outside to enjoy the world of camping!
Never go camping without more clothes and food than you think you will need. You’re going to want these extras in case something you are unprepared for happens. You never know when weather or getting detained on the trail might cause you to need extra supplies, so it’s always good to be prepared.
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