Prepare yourself to become a camping expert. Camping offers an excellent opportunity for your family to share an adventure and bond, as well. Since you’re wanting to get all you can out of your camping trip, pay attention to the advice that follows.
It is important to keep in mind the fact that your person and all of your possessions will get dirty during a camping trip. Being prepared for the inevitable is the best way to avoid unneeded stress. Enjoy hanging out in the wilderness and don’t worry too much about getting messy. You can get clean when you return home.
Pitch Black
When you’re getting a brand new tent for your camping trip, take it out and set it up at home before you go camping. That way, you won’t be missing any pieces, and you’ll be able to set it up correctly the first time. In addition, it will eradicate a portion of the frustration often associated with erecting a new tent.
When you’re camping, always look for shelter prior to dark. You do not want to be stuck trying to put your tent together or finding a safe location for the tent when it’s pitch black outside. This is even more true for city folks whose eyes are not used to the pitch black. Do not wind up in this position. Seek shelter and make camp for the night well before darkness sets in.
Be sure that your tent will comfortably fit everyone that you will be sharing it with to have a good trip. This makes it possible for everyone to sleep comfortably, and it also allows for room to move about and exit the tent if nature calls.
Let your loved ones help you pick a campsite. Talk about the state you wish to see. There are various options throughout the United States that it may make it hard to pick only one. You can select a few places to have the family vote on to make it easier.
Take a first aid class, particularly if you are traveling with children. With the training you receive, you will be better prepared to handle an accident or other emergency situation while you wait for medical assistance. Be sure to research beforehand. Find out if the area has poisonous snakes, what type of wildlife lives in the woods, etc.
Before going camping, take a course in first aid, especially if you plan to bring children with you. If an accident occurs, you’ll need to know what you need to better the situation until you can receive medical attention. Be sure to do some research as well. Figure out what wild animals are hanging out there and what kinds of poisonous snakes or bugs are sneaking around.
You can go swimming at the same time that you camp! While you are camping in the great outdoors, it can be very easy to miss taking your daily shower. A swim may help you to not miss the luxury of your shower quite so much.
A surprising tip you may not know about is that the lint from your dryer also doubles as great kindling for your camp fire. A month prior to your trip, start saving the lint you pull from the lint screen in your dryer. Hang up a grocery bag beside your dryer and collect the lint in it. This is a good way to have kindling ready when it is time to go.
You can use dryer lint as a kindling to start a campfire with. Collect the lint in your dryer and store it in a bag a few weeks before you go camping to prepare for this. Keep a plastic bag right next to the dryer and put the lint in there. Your kindling will be ready for you to grab on the way out the door for your trip.
If you think you’ll miss the luxuries of home, bring along a liitle something. Your favorite candy bar or some prepackaged creamers for your morning coffee are light and simple to bring along. These little things can make your day!
Before the sun goes down, make sure that you have your camp completely set up. Choose a parking spot that you feel comfortable with if you are camping in an RV. If you have a tent, carefully select the plot of land you are going to use. Making sure this is all done before dark gives you time to become familiar with the area. You will be able to see due to the sunlight and you will have an easier time.
Duct Tape
Learn about any dangers that may exist at your campsite before heading out on the highway. This includes knowing the area’s deadly spiders, what the terrain is like, and whether flash flooding is possible or not. There are natural hazards associated with every camping area.
Duct tape is a handy tool to carry when you are camping. From mending tent holes to fixing shoes, duct tape can be used for a lot of repair work in a pinch.
Bring along some interesting activities when planning a camping trip with kids. They could get bored if there isn’t anything to do. Children may not be familiar with activities like pitching a tent or fishing. Teach them about these activities prior to leaving.
Always have all your gear prepared before the trip. Forgetting your sleeping bag or food is not what you want to happen. Make a comprehensive checklist of all of the items you will need on your camping trip and double check items in your bags and car against the list to ensure that you do not forget anything.
Take some time to find the right sleeping bag for the climate conditions at your campsite. Use a lightweight sleeping bag for hot weather and a heavy sleeping bag for cold weather. You must have a bag that surrounds the body closely so that body heat can be retained.
Kids love camping, but you need to plan out activities for them to do on the trip. Your kids may start to get bored when you are out in the woods. While fishing, pitching a tent and starting a fire might sound fun, they are not the activities kids are used to. If they aren’t used to camping activities, teach them before you leave.
Pack ready to eat foods in your camping gear, like trail mix and jerky. At the end of the day, you might feel too tired to cook so having these nutrient-filled snacks on hand can be very useful. These kinds of foods do not spoil quickly, so you can always save them for a later time.
If you bring your dog with you on your trip, make sure they are on a leash and that you watch them carefully. There are campers who do not like dogs. It is essential to respect the feelings of your fellow campers. Also, your pet could be destructive to other people’s belongings.
Learn how to use a compass and read a map before your trip. You can get lost in the woods even if you have been to the area before. Using a map or compass can actually save your life if you’re lost. Learn to use them so that you don’t suffer a tragic fate.
Though camping may be about roughing it in the wilderness, being prepared is a necessity. Packing a sleeping bag is pretty obvious, but take the extra precaution of including extra blankets too. This helps to make sure that you are comfortable at night when it is chilly.
Even if it seems silly, bring toilet paper. If you camp somewhere without restrooms, you are going to have to go in the woods. Without toilet paper, your only option is to use a few leaves to wipe. This is not pleasant and might even contain poison ivy or poison oak.
Camping is interesting and rewarding, and it is even more so when you have the knowledge you need. Camping can be a lot of fun if you are aware of what should be done. You are lucky to be looking forward to the fun times to be had camping.
When choosing a sleeping bag, be sure you select one that fits the season in which you are going to be camping. So a lighter bag for summers and a heavier and thicker bag for winter time. Conversely, you’ll need a heavy bag during cold winter nights to keep you from freezing.