You need to know camping basics and how to prepare in advance to keep yourself safe and have an enjoyable experience. These tips can help you have a successful camping trip.
Make sure that your sleeping bag is right for the season and climate where you are camping. If you take a sub-zero bag camping in the middle of summer, you will probably sweat all night, or even overheat. Conversely, if you bring a light-weight sleeping bag to a winter camping trip, you can be extremely uncomfortable the entire time. Hypothermia can be experienced, as well.
When camping, bring the sleeping bag that appeals to the season that you are in. A bag that is intended for winter conditions will surely cause you to overheat when you are trying to sleep in summer weather. The opposite is true as well, as you need a good, heavy sleeping bag when you are going to be enduring very cold conditions. You might even contract hypothermia.
Examine your medical insurance policy. If you are going camping out of state, you may have to add an additional policy for full coverage. If you are going to a foreign country, this is especially critical. Be prepared in case there is an injury or illness.
Always keep a close eye on yourself, your family, and your possessions; as they will all get a little dirty. As long as you are prepared for getting dirty, you will not feel so stressed out when it happens. Enjoy being in the woods and allow yourself to let loose and be messy. You can get clean when you return home.
Your camp should be set up before nightfall. Find a safe place to park if you’re in an RV. Seek out flat, dry ground if you are roughing it with a tent. If you do that before it gets dark, you can get a good look at your immediate surroundings. It also makes it much easier to actually see what you are doing, thus saving a great deal of frustration.
Dryer lint makes wonderful kindling to start your campfires with. Around four weeks prior to camping, start keeping the lint that you clean from your dryer filter. You can hang a bag next to the dryer and just stuff your lint into it. You can just go about your business after that.
Do not forget to pack duct tape for your camping trip so that it can solve neraly any problem! It’s easy to use, can hold out moisture and will even fix a leak or a broken shoe!
No matter how rough and tough your camping plans, bring along a small bit of luxury to add an elegant touch to your camping trip. Carry something small and convenient, such as a chocolate bar or some coffee creamer. These small treats for yourself can really boost morale.
If the area you are camping in is known for dangerous wildlife, you will need to be doubly careful with food storage. These precautions include tightly wrapping your foods and storing them away from your tent. You also have to just forgo certain foods entirely. You will be less likely to have an attack with these procedures.
Buy some camping pillows. Standard bed pillows can become hot and sticky in humid weather. The moisture in the air can also cause mildew. Pillows specifically designed for camping will not draw in wetness like regular pillows will.
You want to make sure that you don’t end up with drained flashlight batteries when you head out on your camping trip. Your flashlight’s power switch can be easily turned on by mistake while you search through your bag. If you put the batteries in your flashlight backwards, you can avoid this. That way, there is no way to turn the flashlight on until you switch the batteries around.
Bring all necessary camping gear with you prior to going on your trip. It is very inconvenient to forget to bring essential items like your sleeping bag or tent. Make sure you check for the items you need, and create a list before leaving to be certain you have everything you want.
Make sure to bring several flashlights or lanterns and extra batteries on your camping trip. It is important to see clearly at night, especially if you are venturing away from your site. Having an adequate amount of light can help avoid injuries from falls and running into animals living in the wild. If you have children with you on your camping trip, a smart thing to do is to give each of them a flashlight.
Kids really enjoy camping if they are kept busy with fun activities. When you are in the woods with nothing around but trees, they may become bored. They may not know how to fish or pitch tents. Teach them about these activities prior to leaving.
Choose a proper sleeping bag for your camping conditions. In warmer weather, you will probably want a lightweight sleeping bag, whereas in cooler weather, you will probably want a heavyweight sleeping bag. If you are spending the night in a tent in cold weather, a bag that hugs your body and traps your body heat is essential.
Talk with your children about the dangers associated with camping before you leave home. It’s easy to look at photos online of harmful plants like poison ivy so that they are aware that they should not touch them when they’re camping.
When planning for a camping trip, make sure you bring beef jerky and trail mix. When the sun sets and you get too exhausted to cook that night’s meal, you can cheat once or twice and eat some of those tasty, filling snacks you’ve now decided to pack. These snacks should preserve for a good while, so there’s no wasting involved if they aren’t eaten.
Novice Campers
Camping can be one of the most relaxing weekends of your life, or it can quickly turn into the trip from hell. It all depends on the time you take to properly prepare for your trip. By preparing for any eventuality, your trip stands a good chance of being a huge success.
For your first trip camping, avoid straying too far from home. You may run into problems that will require you to shorten your trip, like problems with equipment. Novice campers sometimes don’t pack enough food or clothing, which is a problem if they are far away. Many problems may occur for novice campers, so be sure to camp near home.
Everyone knows to make a shelter, but many forget you should do it before dark! It is extremely difficult to pitch a tent whenever it is dark. It is possible to do by firelight or by flashlight, but it will more than likely be frustrating and can be downright impossible in areas where there are hazards nearby. It will obviously be much easier to pitch your tent if the sun hasn’t gone down yet.
When you bring a canine along on a camping trip, don’t forget his leash and to keep a close eye on him always. A lot of people have a fear of dogs. Respecting your fellow campers is essential when camping. In addition, dogs are capable of causing a great deal of damage to a campsite if not well supervised.
Learn how to read a map or use a compass ahead of time. You need to do this even if you’ve been to the campsite before. You may get lost even in a familiar site because so many areas look alike. Avoid problems by learning to use these items that can save your life.
Make sure not to drain the batteries in your flashlight by accident. You can easily turn on the flashlight while searching through bags and equipment. You can avoid dead batteries by installing them in the flashlight backwards until you need the light. This prevents the flashlight from coming on and will ensure it is ready for use when needed.
Any survival kit you assemble for camping needs to include waterproof matches. Keep them stored in an air and water tight container. You could also make your own by coating them with nail polish before you leave for your trip. You can make a carrying case for matches by putting them in a film canister or a small plastic medicine bottle.
Pack extra flashlights and batteries when you are packing for your trip. Many camping spots are remote, so there will not be a glow from city lights guiding you in the dark. Without a flashlight, you could easily stumble and fall or be surprised by local wildlife. It’s a good idea to bring along one flashlight for each person in your camping party.
Food poisoning is important to avoid when going on a camping trip. 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. Ice is important as it will help to keep your food chilled and fresh.
Take pictures of your children with you when you camp. This picture could be used to help find them if they were to get separated from the group and lost. You should bring another photo to keep in case of emergencies.
Don’t assume that camping close to the bathroom facilities is a good idea. Although this seems like a logical choice for them, soon they discover otherwise. For example, there is a lot of foot traffic in these areas, as well as bright lights. Consequently, campers that pitch their tents near communal campsite bathrooms have neither the convenience nor the comfort that they may have expected.
It’s vital to pack first aid and survival kits. These two items can keep you from ending a trip abruptly and handling many situations swiftly and easily. You may be able to keep an emergency from going from bad to worse.
Follow proper safety procedures when camping. Stay away from larger animals, and be cautious even around smaller ones. Even the smallest creature can be surprisingly dangerous. One thing you should never do is feed a bear if you see one, even though you probably would be too scared to approach one!
Camping Trip
Make sure you have fun activities planned beforehand. There are many things to do other than roasting marshmallows and sitting by the campfire. Have some creativity and plan ahead for things that every member of your family finds entertaining. Make sure that all age groups of your family are considered in your planning.
The more organized you are, the better your camping trip will be. Put the tips you’ve learned here to use the next time you are planning a camping trip and you will ensure that you have a fun, safe, and relaxing time.
Don’t forget the sunscreen. Sun protection is extremely important. Make sure to purchase a high SPF since you’ll be outdoors for long periods of time. This can also help to block your skin from bug bites too. This can minimize the amount of chemicals you are putting on your skin daily.
