When you choose an activity to enjoy with your family and friends, consider camping. It is a great experience that everyone should indulge in. Camping isn’t a fool’s sport and it requires a bit of knowledge regarding your surrounding environment. Read through these tips and reflect on what you can use during your next camping trip.
Always find your shelter before it gets dark when you go camping. Once the sky becomes dark, finding a good spot for your tent, necessary firewood and food preparation become near impossible. It can be even more difficult for those who are not accustomed to trying to see in complete darkness. Avoid this situation by finding shelter before the moon is out.
Select the right sleeping bag for the season. If you bring sub-zero sleeping bags with you in the dead of summer, you will probably sweat all night. On the other hand, bringing a light-weight bag in the middle of winter could cause you to wake up freezing. In the worst case, you could be putting yourself at risk of getting frostbite or even worse.
Let everyone know they have a say in the campsite and should help pick a favorite spot. Discuss what state you want to visit. There are so many options around the U.S. that it can actually be difficult to pick one! It may be easier to choose a few front runners and have family members vote.
Choose a tent large enough for everyone that will be expected to use it. A bigger tent means easier movement, which can be useful when you have to urinate at night.
Camping and swimming are a great combination. Camping can make you miss your shower. Swimming is a great way to rinse off and can take the place of your daily shower.
Take a first-aid class, especially if children are camping with you. Should an emergency arise, your knowledge of first aid can prevent further issues until help arrives. Also, do your research. You should be aware of things like whether there are snakes around and what kind of animals live there.
Bring a hankerchief or a bandanna with you. These can be used in a pinch if you need a potholder, towel or even something to carry an item in. Take a few with you anytime you go camping.
Camping can be extremely fun or extremely dangerous depending upon how prepared you are. Be sure you’re always prepared before you go camping. If you’re going somewhere you’ve never been, do a little research about the land. Find out the weather, wildlife and the layout of the land.
Dryer lint can make great kindling for creating campfires. Collect your dryer lint about a month before you go camping. To make it easy to collect dryer lint, simply hang a bag next to the dryer and fill with your lint. Using this method, you can acquire kindling and camp in the same day.
See if you can integrate swimming into your camping trip. When camping, you might find yourself missing your shower. You’ll feel much cleaner by swimming in cool water. Therefore, you aren’t going to miss your home shower as much.
Duct tape is a must-have when you go camping as it can be used for a variety of things. It can fix so many different things, holes, leaks and just about anything else that arises.
Pack a bandana. In emergencies, such cloth can turn into a towel, a potholder or a piece of luggage. Take a few with you anytime you go camping.
Take care to pack sufficient, non-perishable foods. Depending on the length of time of your outing, you need to have plenty of non-perishable food. Food poisoning will put a damper on your trip and force you to end it quickly. Take the proper steps to prepare your food and do research if necessary.
You don’t have to entirely rough it. Bring a little piece of luxury from home. Take along some candy, some coffee you enjoy or anything that is lightweight but reminds you of home. A small luxury that reminds you of home can be uplifting.
It’s imperative that you take along the things you need when you’re going camping. If you forget a few things, it could ruin your entire trip. Making a list and checking things off is a good way to remember everything. You need a lot of things to take with you on a trip, and you don’t want to miss anything.
Take a few things with you to entertain yourself while you’re camping. Card games, fishing poles, and a list for a scavenger hunt are all great activities. If you brought kids along, you might want to pack a lot of things for entertainment.
Plan ahead to avoid draining flashlight batteries on your next 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. This will allow you to keep them stored without accidentally turning them on and wasting the batteries.
If you are traveling to a place with an abundance of animals, make sure you are prepared with respect to food. Take safety precautions, such as wrapping your items in many layers for protection. This can help you to prevent an attack from a wild animal.
Make sure you choose a sleeping bag that is appropriate for where you will be camping. Use a lightweight sleeping bag for hot weather and a heavy sleeping bag for cold weather. 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.
Write down a list of your necessary items before heading out on a camping excursion. This is critical if you are going to be covering some ground before getting to the spot where you pitch your tent. Use your list to guide your packing and make sure to start packing a few days before the start of your trip.
Don’t let your kids out of your sight. Cars often travel through campsites, and little kids are prone to getting lost. In no time, your children could be harmed, so always keep a watchful eye on them.
Smart campers will leave their car or base camp with a charged mobile phone. If that’s not an option, bring an extra battery. A cell phone is valuable in case of emergency, so verify that it is usable.
Plan your camping attire in advance of your trip. Take extra pairs of clothes to last you throughout your whole trip. It is also important to have clothing that is right for the weather you might encounter. Shoes that are durable enough to handle rough terrain should be worn at all times.
You should be sure you have survival and first aid kits. These kits can help to reduce the impact of injuries on your trip. You can also prevent serious situations from becoming dire, and allow you to get an injured person to help safely.
Be very aware of the place where you have decided to set up. You don’t want to overlook something like a snake hole, take a little precaution. Granted, even if you are cautious, you should still protect yourself from insects using long garments to keep them off of your skin. Always bring insect repellent on any camping trip.
Camping is a very enjoyable way to spend your time. However, it is crucial that you are educated on the topic. Go out well-versed on your upcoming camping trip by applying all you have learned today. If you adhere to what you have read, your trip will rock.
Camping can be a great experience or it can be a miserable one. It all depends on the time you take to properly prepare for your trip. If you are properly prepared for many different situations, then you will be more likely to enjoy your trip.