As more people watch reality TV shows that focus on the joys of outdoor life, it’s easy to understand why more people are becoming interested in camping. Read on to learn the right way to create a fun, safe and memorable camping trip.
Find where you will camp before sunset. Once it is dark in the woods, pitching a tent can be next to impossible, finding firewood can be difficult and preparing food hard. This is particularly true for those city-dwellers that are not used to pitch-black darkness. Avoid this hazard completely, by finding adequate shelter long before the sun goes down.
Bring sleeping bags appropriate for the season. You don’t want to sweat all night because you brought a sleeping bag that is suitable for winter in the middle of the summer. On the other hand, bringing a lightweight sleeping bap for a winter trip can make you really uncomfortable the entire trip. You may even risk hypothermia.
Make sure you have a survival kit with you during your entire camping trip. A survival kit should include items like a flare gun, matches that are waterproof, a knife and other items you think you may need. This kit could be the difference between life and death. Always carry it on your person when you venture away from your campsite, or it won’t do you much good.
Remember, wet wood won’t burn right, so nature may not always provide the wood you need. Bringing some extra wood in a watertight wrapping is a smart idea for camping success.
Choose a tent large enough for everyone that is going to sleep in it. This will ensure comfort while inside the tent.
Survival Kit
Bring a bandanna or a large handkerchief with you when you go camping. In a pinch, that single piece of fabric can serve as a potholder, carrying bag, blotter, hand towel and paper towel. You will find that you can use these in a lot of versatile ways, so bring one along when you’re camping.
Bring a survival kit that you can carry on your person at all times. Your survival kit should contain a survival knife, water-purifying tablets, waterproof matches, first aid kit, and a flare gun. These are essential items for your survival if you ever get lost. If you don’t take it with you on excursions it will serve you no good.
Dryer lint can be used as kindling for starting your campfire. Start collecting it in advance of your trip. An easy way to remember to save up your lint is to keep a plastic bag near your dryer as a reminder. Just grab your bag of dryer lint and go on camping day.
See if you can integrate swimming into your camping trip. When camping, home showers can seem like a luxury. By taking a dip in a pool, lake or river, you will have fun and feel clean and refreshed at the same time!
Duct tape is a handy tool to carry when you are camping. It is great for patching your tent, repairing your shoes, fixing your insect netting and various other tasks.
Know what dangers await you at your camping destination. Knowing what poisonous creatures to watch out for, where terrain gets rugged, and when to expect dangerous weather are key to ensuring your safety. Every camping area has its dangers.
Don’t leave home without all of your essential camping equipment. You definitely don’t want to leave something essential behind, such as your sleeping bag or tent. Have a checklist of the items you need before you leave lest something be left behind.
Kids love to camp, but make sure you plan activities for them. If you’re out in the middle of nowhere with nothing to do, boredom will set in. They have probably never fished or set up tents. Consider introducing your kids to these things in advance of your trip so they know how to do them and view them as fun.
If you are camping for the first time, stay close to home. You might have gear problems, or you might figure that you want to cut your camping trip short. Maybe you’ll run low on food or not have enough clothing with you. Many things can arise for the first-time camper, so camp close to home the first time.
Duct Tape
If you are traveling to a place with an abundance of animals, make sure you are prepared with respect to food. These precautions include tightly wrapping your foods and storing them away from your tent. You also have to just forgo certain foods entirely. This will help prevent wild animals from being tempted to visit your campsite.
Duct tape is a handy item to include in your camping gear. A roll of duct tape has a great number of uses on a campsite. It is perfect for fixing an air mattress. It is also useful for taping up tears in tents, tarps or sleeping bags. Prior to heading off on a long nature hike, place some tape on your heels to avoid blistering. It can also work as a bandage.
Do you know how to pitch a tent? Practice setting up and taking down your tent before your trip. By doing this, you will know all the equipment that you will need to take with you to effectively pitch the tent. This will help you set up camp in a hurry if you get to the site just before dark.
The main idea when you’re camping out in the wilderness is to live with what you can, but it’s important to be prepared for anything. Though a sleeping bag is great, extra blankets can also be useful. This can help you stay warm if it cools down at night or you may use them for extra padding.
Make it a point to properly prepare your flashlight when you pack for your trip. It is easy to inadvertently turn the flashlight on when digging through your camping equipment. To prevent this from draining the batteries, store the batteries in the flashlight backwards until you need to use it. It will keep the power from draining from the batteries and have them easily installed when you need it.
Make sure you have everything you need for a camping trip. If you forget a few things, it could ruin your entire trip. Lists help people know what they need before they go. You will want to include everything you need, no matter how big or small, to ensure that you have what you need while you are away from home.
Use an orange peel mosquito repellant. If you forgot your mosquito repellant, do not worry. Experts suggest rubbing the inside peel of a ripe orange over the exposed parts of your body. This can help for many hours.
Pay attention to the surrounding area of your campsite. Don’t set up camp near wasps or other insect homes. If you are next to a lot of vegetation, it is a good idea to wear longer sleeves to protect you from insects. Don’t forget to bring along the bug spray.
Before setting out on your camping adventure, plan for what you will wear. You should have clean clothes that will last you the entire trip. Make sure that you have the correct types of clothes for your camping trip. You should also have a pair of hiking boots or some other type of durable, protective shoe.
It’s vital to pack first aid and survival kits. If you do this, you can easily take care of problems that may occur without having to cut your trip short. You may be able to keep an emergency from going from bad to worse.
Reading a map and using a compass are two things that should be done before heading out for a camping trip. Although the camp site may be a familiar one, there may have been changes since your last visit and you could still get lost. Avoid problems by learning to use these items that can save your life.
When setting up a tent, ensure that the seams are all sealed. You can get a tube of sealant at a sporting goods store if you didn’t get any with your tent. Sealing your tent will keep out rainwater and unwelcome critters.
Clean out your campsite before you leave to go back home. Trash bags must be packed for use when cleaning up the site. Do not leave any left over food behind. The main rule when you’re leaving a campsite is that you should only leave your footprints behind.
Clean your campsite at the end of your stay. Pack trash bags to help the clean up efforts go smoothly. Make sure you pick up any food that you have as leftovers too. When you leave your campsite, the only thing you should leave are your footprints.
When you go camping, take along a lot of of lint from your dryer. Why? Because it is a great way to start a fire. The lint also produces flames which are brighter than flames produced from wood chips. Keep some waterproof matches with you and a pocketful of lint if you need to step away from your campsite, and you’re ready for a fire anywhere.
As crazy as it might sound, do not forget to pack some toilet paper. If your campsite lacks toilet facilities, you will need to use the woods. It is best not to use something from nature to clean yourself, so toilet paper will come in handy.
Bring water purification tablets when you go camping. Even if you are planning on bringing your own water or boiling it on site, you never know when an emergency might arise. You should test these tablets at home before using them on your camping trip; this ensures you are familiar with the taste. It is important to not let a bad taste cause you to become dehydrated.
Use proper food safety techniques when you go camping. Keep food in waterproof containers of airtight bags. Other foods should be kept in insulated coolers when appropriate. Cooked food should be kept separate from raw in order to prevent cross-contamination. Use a cleaner or sanitizer to keep hands and surfaces clean, just as you would at home. Also, be sure that all food is fully cooked and that any leftovers are chilled as soon as possible.
Take plenty of water, food and drinks along with your camping supplies. If the area in which you are camping is known for bear activity, properly store your food in an area in which you are not sleeping. Dispose of any food scraps by burning them, so that their smell does not lure bears towards your campsite.
Plan your whole entire trip and add some fun activities for the whole family. Camping trips shouldn’t only be about roasting marshmallows and building a campfire. Have some creativity and plan ahead for things that every member of your family finds entertaining. Take younger and older children into consideration when you are planning.
If you plan on pitching your tent in an area that has a snake population, make sure you snake-proof your campsite. Avoid any rock piles, deep brush, thick bushes and woodpiles. Look through your gear and equipment to make sure nothing is hiding anywhere. Check that your tent is properly sealed, and build up the edges with dirt or sand to prevent snakes from crawling under.
There are many things to take into consideration before camping. As of now, you should be prepared for anything that may happen. It is time to go out, relax and have a great time!
When planning your trip, look through some old recipe books. The same few meals will quickly grow boring when you are out in the woods. It is possible to create some variety. Your recipe books probably contain some very simple recipes that you can recreate outdoors. Seasonings and spices are important to use on your trip, so remember to pack them, too.
