Camping is a great activity to do with family and friends. It is a vacation everyone should have at least once. Although it is a lot of fun, it does require a bit of preparation and know-how. Continue reading to learn some important advice to keep in mind for camping.
Bring along a sleeping bag appropriate for the season. A bag that is intended for winter conditions will surely cause you to overheat when you are trying to sleep in summer weather. The reverse is also true. Using a light, cool sleeping bag in the middle of winter will keep you very cold. You could even experience hypothermia.
If you are not prepared for your camping trip, your fun excursion can turn dangerous fast. When you are prepared, you avoid many of the common mistakes that are made on camping trips. Do some research on the climate and wildlife if you are unfamiliar with the area.
Make sure you know what the weather will be before going on your trip. There are many great websites that can also give you a good idea of what weather is typical for the area during the time you plan to visit. When you know what the weather will be like beforehand, you can plan more appropriately.
Try to fit swimming into your schedule in some way. When camping, you may find you miss your home shower. A swim may help you to not miss the luxury of your shower quite so much.
Try to add an activity having to do with swimming to your camping trip if at all possible. When camping, you may find you miss your home shower. The coolness of the water when you swim will help you feel clean and refreshed, so you may not miss your home shower as much.
A bandanna or handkerchief should be brought along with you. In emergencies, such cloth can turn into a towel, a potholder or a piece of luggage. There are countless other uses for such items, so try your best to remember to bring a bandanna or a large handkerchief with you.
Keep a kerchief or bandanna close at hand. They can serve many purposes, like potholder, blotter, hand towel or carrying bag. You will find that you can use these in a lot of versatile ways, so bring one along when you’re camping.
Set your campsite, tent and sleeping bags up before it gets dark. If you come to the camp site in an RV, find a parking spot immediately. If you are camping in a tent, look for a dry and flat area of ground. If you do this before dark, you can become accustomed to the area around you. You will be able to see due to the sunlight and you will have an easier time.
Bring oranges with you since they are great for snacking and repelling insects. After you’ve enjoyed the orange, keep all the peels. If the mosquitoes are swarming, rub the peels over your body to keep them at bay.
Ensure that you have everything you need before you go out camping. The last thing you need is to forget something essential like your tent or sleeping bag. Look over the items you plan to bring and create a checklist before leaving to ensure that all of your essential gear comes with you.
Duct tape is a handy tool to carry when you are camping. 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.
Learn about any dangers that may exist at your campsite before heading out on the highway. This would include stuff like what spiders dwell there, how steep the terrain is, and if the area is prone to flooding. Each area can pose different dangers, so familiarize yourself whenever you venture somewhere new.
Bring everything that you will need before starting out on your camping trip. You would be pretty irritated if it turned out that you left your sleeping bag or tent back at home. 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.
Remember to bring along wilderness-friendly activities. For instance, card games, fishing poles and footballs will help to ensure that you have a fun time in the woods. If the kids are camping with you, you’ll need to increase the amount of entertainment items that you pack.
When you’re new to camping, make sure you camp close to home. You might have gear problems, or you might figure that you want to cut your camping trip short. Maybe you will find out that there isn’t enough food or clean clothes to continue. A lot of issues can happen for the new camper, so do not go too far for your first camp trip.
If you will be camping in an area that is known for having dangerous wildlife, you need to double up your precautions when it comes to food. Take safety precautions, such as wrapping your items in many layers for protection. This will help prevent wild animals from being tempted to visit your campsite.
Though camping may be about roughing it in the wilderness, being prepared is a necessity. Blankets are essential, in addition to a sleeping bag, to maximize comfort. Blankets make good padding and can help you stay warm if it’s colder than you expect at night.
Remember the old scout motto – be prepared! There is always the potential that something unexpected may happen even with the most careful planning. There can be changes in the weather or circumstances, and illness and injury can also occur. You need to pay attention to what you’re doing, avoid unnecessarily risky behavior, and think before you act whether you are in a crisis or a normal camping situation.
Make sure you bring the right things when you go camping. Not planning properly can ruin a whole trip. Take the time to create a list that can be checked off while you pack. The most basic requirements are a tent, water, sleeping bag, an all-purpose knife, food, matches and soap.
Keep one eye on your children at all times. Cars always are always coming and going from these sites, so young children may simply and quickly get lost inside the woods. It can happen in an instant, so make sure they are always supervised.
Don’t let your flashlight batteries get drained inadvertently. It can be really easy to inadvertently press the “on” switch on your flashlight when jostling through a bag of camping equipment. You can avoid dead batteries by installing them in the flashlight backwards until you need the light. This will ensure they do not drain if the flashlight is accidentally turned on.
Be aware of your campsite location. You want to avoid things like wasp’s nest, ant hills and things of that nature. Whenever you are close to a great deal of vegetation, protective clothing layers are key to stave off insect bites. Insect repellent is a life saver.
Create a list of the items you must bring before you go camping. This will be key, particularly if you are camping far away from home. Start packing a couple of days in advance of camping, making sure to follow a checklist.
Utility Knife
Make sure your sleeping bag is appropriate for the location. If its winter, use a heavy-weight bag and use a light-weight one in the summer. You also want to get a sleeping bag that is comfortable to sleep in as well, so test them out.
Make sure to carry a utility knife with you when you are camping. An utility knife is the most versatile tool you’ll have as a camper, and bring another one if you should lose the other.
Plan your camping attire in advance of your trip. This way you’ll have enough clean clothing for your trip. Make sure that you have the correct types of clothes for your camping trip. Shoes that are durable enough to handle rough terrain should be worn at all times.
Pack strategically. Create a list of equipment and supplies that you may need while camping, and cross out each item as you pack it. A checklist is especially crucial if your campsite is located remotely, making it less likely that you will have access to first-aid items or other emergency supplies.
Do your packing deliberately and intelligently. Make a list of what you’ll need and check it off as you get things packed. This is especially important if you will be camping in a remote location without access to first-aid supplies or other items you might need in an emergency.
When you put up your tent, seal the tent seams the best you can. You can purchase tubes of sealant at a sporting goods store, or your tent may have included some. Sealant keeps both insects and rain out of your tent.
When going camping, bring some duct tape with you. While tents are generally well-made, it is not unusual for them to tear. Well-placed duct tape can save a trip, especially when a hole rips on the top of your tent.
It’s important to clean the campsite you used when it’s time to leave. Get some trash bags and clean up your mess. Make sure you pick up any food that you have as leftovers too. The only thing that should be left behind are your footprints.
Have you thought about how you are going to prepare food when you are camping? You need to decide before you leave what method of cooking you are going to use so you can bring the right supplies. Know what cooking method you will use so you can be prepared to fix meals over the fire if you so desire.
Even if it seems silly, bring toilet paper. You may be camping in an area that doesn’t offer toilets, so you will need to find other places to go to the bathroom. You do not want to use leaves to wipe yourself, as they may contain poison ivy, so take your toilet paper with you.
Take the measures necessary to have a safe camping trip. It is usually best to avoid the wild animals, big and small, that you may encounter. Even smaller animals such as squirrels can pose a danger. Don’t feed bears if you encounter any.
Maintain food safety on your camping trip. Use the correct containers to pack and store food in. Also carry ice packs so you can insulate and cool your food. Make sure to keep your raw food and cooked food separate. Also keep you hands clean with soap or water-free cleaner before you handle food. Cook all your food thoroughly and chill leftovers quickly.
A shower curtain that’s old makes a good disposable and cheap tarp to put beneath your tent. This is good to use for areas where you cook and clean, since you can control the run-off. Do not throw out any old shower curtains — you can save them for camping.
Camping is a fun experience, but requires being prepared and knowing a few things. Be certain to utilize the information above prior to your next outdoor excursion. If you do so, you will have a much better time on your vacation.
Keep water purification tablets packed when going on a camping trip. Never say never, but if you get hurt or lost in the great outdoors, you will need the purification tablets if you can’t boil water. It is also a good idea to try out the tablets once or twice at home before you leave, so you have some idea what the taste is like. You don’t want to become dehydrated while you camp because you don’t like the taste of your water.
