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Have you been thinking about going camping? Whether you want to go for an overnight adventure or plan to stay a week, there is some basic information you need. The information that you will read below can help you make camping a relaxing and enjoyable trip for everyone involved.
Pick out your sleeping bag according to what season it is. A sleep bag designed for winter camping would make you sweat during the summer. On the other hand, light-weight sleeping supplies will never keep you warm enough in the dead of winter. You might even contract hypothermia.
Let all of your family members have a chance to contribute to picking a campsite. Talk about which state you would like to go to. Since the are so many great options to choose from across the U.S., it might be hard to select only one! To aid in this decision, you may want to offer a few of those that you personally like the best and than let each family member vote.
While you think nature will provide enough wood for your fire to continue burning, it may be wet, which will not burn. It’s always recommended that you bring extra wood and keep it where it won’t get wet.
Take the tent into your yard and set it up before you go on your camping trip. Doing this will allow to know ahead of time that all parts you need are there, and it will also help you learn the proper setup of your tent ahead of time. A little practice can eliminate the frustration of setting up a new piece of camping equipment.
Take a first-aid class, especially if children are camping with you. If an accident occurs, you’ll need to know what you need to better the situation until you can receive medical attention. Also remember to research other dangers near your camping location. Be sure you are aware whether there are any snakes or spiders that are poisonous and what kind of critters are out there in the area.
Proper planning and preparation can keep you safe and make your camping experience more enjoyable. Always fully prepare before you head out on a camping trip. Especially if you are camping in a new location, take the time to research the wildlife, plants, geography, and climate of the area.
Dryer lint is a great item to bring if you are trying to start a campfire. A month prior to your trip, start saving the lint you pull from the lint screen in your dryer. Simply hang a plastic bag near the dryer and stash the lint in the bag as it collects. You can just go about your business after that.
Set up a “jungle breakfast” when you are camping with your kids. Tie up small boxes of juice, cereal and food to a tree. Then, have the kids go on a hunt for their breakfast when they awaken. This is a fun game for the kids and makes their camping experience more interesting.
Oranges can be used as a food source and a way to repel mosquitoes while you camp. Just keep the peels in a plastic bag after you eat the orange and then use them to rub on your skin as the sun begins to go down. It is a cheap and effective way to keep the mosquitoes at bay.
Combine your camping trip with some swimming. When you go camping, you can miss out on things like showers. By taking a dip in a pool, lake or river, you will have fun and feel clean and refreshed at the same time!
Buy yourself some camping pillows for your trip. Regular bed pillows will feel hot and sticky during humid weather. These pillows will also retain water from the air during humid conditions, so they can mildew. Camping pillows are made with a protective, moisture-proof coating to prevent these issues.
Take a bandana or handkerchief with you. These can be used for several things, like drying your hands or holding a hot pot. This is an essential item that does not cost a lot of money and can provide a lot of benefits.
Find all of your equipment and start packing well in advance of your trip. You would be pretty irritated if it turned out that you left your sleeping bag or tent back at home. Use a check list that you can use to double check, to be sure that you have everything before you leave home.
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Dryer Lint
Make sure that you choose the right sleeping bag for the conditions on the campsite. Lighter bags might be good ideas for warmer climates and seasons to avoid unnecessary weight and space usage, but make sure that you have a heavy enough bag to stay warm in cold conditions. You also want to get a sleeping bag that is comfortable to sleep in as well, so test them out.
You can use dryer lint to kindle your campfire. In order to have enough lint to start a fire, begin collecting it a month prior to your trip. Keep a simple plastic or ziplock bag near your dryer to make collecting easier. Just grab your bag of dryer lint and go on camping day.
Trail mix and beef jerky are a couple great things to bring along on a camping trip. These little nutritious snacks can come in handy after a long day. These foods are non-perishable; if you do not use them, you can simply bring them home.
Purchase some special camping pillows. Regular pillows do not hold up well in the outdoor air. As they absorb moisture from the air, they can become covered in mildew rather quickly. Pillows designed for camping offer a coating that prevents moisture absorption.
When going camping, bring some duct tape with you. Tents are generally well-made nowadays, but rips and tears do happen. Duct tape can seal up your tent and keep you dry, especially when the weather is not cooperating with you like you thought it would.
If you are a camping novice, you should initially stay near home. You could run into problems with your gear, or you may decide you simply don’t like camping that much. You may run short of food or need more clothing than you packed. There are many unexpected problems you may encounter the first time you go camping, so stay close to home.
It may seem trivial to remind you of this, but do not forget to bring toilet paper along when you pack. If there are no restrooms in your camp area, you must go in the woods. Rather than using leaves as a substitute, just bring your own toilet paper.
Remember to bring along wilderness-friendly activities. Entertain yourself by taking cards and fishing poles. If the kids are camping with you, you’ll need to increase the amount of entertainment items that you pack.
Have you thought about how you are going to prepare food when you are camping? Make sure that you decide on the food items that you will bring beforehand. Also, take the necessary supplies on your trip to facilitate cooking.
Duct tape is an interesting item to be included in your inventory while camping. There are multiple uses to put it to when camping, just like at home. You can use it to repair a hole in an air mattress. You can close up rips and tears, and bundle things together. If you want to take a long hike it can be put on feet to keep blisters at bay. In a pinch, you can also bandage an injury with it.
Follow the right procedures for safety when you go camping. This includes avoiding interaction with any wildlife. Even small animals, such as squirrels, can pose a dangerous hazard. Avoid feeding bears if you happen to see them.
Hopefully, reading these ideas has made you well prepared for planning your trip. You’ve probably already figured out that you’ll need to plan for a day and night adventure. If you start planning today for your camping adventure, you will be ready to go on your trip in no time at all with all the information you have received.
Plan ahead for keeping everyone entertained throughout your trip. There is a lot more to do than just roasting marshmallows over the campfire. Plan activities that create fun for everyone at the campsite. Think about the ages of your children when making plans.
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