Trying new areas for camping can lead to new experiences, but you will need to be prepared in order to stay safe. Use what you read in this article to have a successful camping trip.
Bring along a sleeping bag appropriate for the season. By bringing a winter sleeping bag in the summer you may end up sweating instead of sleeping. On the other hand, you don’t want a lightweight summer sleeping bag if you’re going to be out in the frigid temperatures of wintertime. You might develop hypothermia.
While you think nature will provide enough wood for your fire to continue burning, it may be wet, which will not burn. It is good planning to take your own wood with you and store it where it is dry.
Camping provides the inevitable experience that you, your family and most of your possessions will probably get dirty. When you know that going in, you won’t stress out when it happens. Allow yourself to be improper, messy and just “let go” while outside. When you’re home, you can be normal again.
Create a proper emergency kit if you plan to go camping. Depending on the location, the kit may have extra items, but the basic items should be there. Species specific antivenom should be packed to protect against animal bites.
Allow everyone in the camping party a say in the location. Engage in conversation about what state and location they would like to visit. There are so many options around the U.S. that it can actually be difficult to pick 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.
Pack oranges on your camping trip for nutritious and convenient snacking as well as organic mosquito repellant. Save the orange peels and rub them into your exposed skin. Insects will stay away from you for an affordable price.
If you have a new tent, practice setting it up at home before your trip. This will not only familiarize you with the process, it will allow you to ensure there are no missing pieces or defects. This can eliminate the aggravation felt when setting up your tent.
Duct Tape
Get a big enough tent to fit everyone and gear properly. This assures there is enough sleeping and moving around room.
Make sure to bring duct tape on your camping trip to fix almost any problem. From mending tent holes to fixing shoes, duct tape can be used for a lot of repair work in a pinch.
Set your campsite, tent and sleeping bags up before it gets dark. If you are in a vehicle, this means find a secure spot to park the vehicle. When you find a camping area, make sure that your tent is pitched on a flat area that isn’t near any unsafe ledges. Doing this during daylight hours will save you hassle and frustration. It also makes it much easier to actually see what you are doing, thus saving a great deal of frustration.
Make sure you pack plenty of camping-friendly food. If you are going to be camping for a considerable duration, you need to ensure that you have food than will not go bad. Food poisoning can ruin your trip in no time. Make sure your food is prepared the right way to avoid the risk of spoilage.
Make sure you have a good chat with your children about basic camping dangers before you head away. Show them pictures of plants that are poisonous so they know not to touch them.
The idea of camping is to live with just the essentials, but you should make sure to be well prepared. You need a sleeping bag, but you need to take extra blankets too. They can be used as padding or for warmth.
When you go camping for the first few times, be sure that your camp is close to where you live. You could have gear issues or you might want to shorten your trip. You might realize you haven’t packed enough clothes or food. A lot of issues can happen to those camping the first time, so camp not too far away on your initial adventure.
Did you just purchase a new tent for your trip? Long before you set off in the woods for the real thing, get some practice in on setting up the tent. This will enable you to learn how to pitch the tent properly and make sure all of the equipment is fully functional. This will also help you be able to accomplish the task quickly and efficiently once you arrive at your campsite, even if it is near dark.
Before heading out to go camping, compile a checklist of items that you plan to bring. If you have to travel a long way to reach the campsite, this is particularly vital. To ensure that everything gets packed, mark each item off the list as you pack it.
When you reach your campsite, pitch your tent on the softest, most level ground you can locate. Picking a sloped or rocky spot causes you to feel uncomfortable anytime you sit in your tent. In addition to looking for soft ground, lay down a tarp to prevent moisture from soaking into the bottom of your tent.
Sleeping bags can be purchased for a variety of 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. You also want to get a sleeping bag that is comfortable to sleep in as well, so test them out.
An orange may prevent you from getting mosquito bites when you’re on your camping trip. This is an especially useful tip to remember if you forgot your bug spray. Rub this inner peel of the orange over your exposed skin and watch the magic at work. The mosquitoes should steer clear of you for several hours.
If you are camping with children, keep a picture of them handy. In the case that a child goes missing, having their photo at hand could be of great use. You should bring another photo to keep in case of emergencies.
Plan what you’re going to wear before setting off on a camping trip. Be sure you have a lot of clean clothes that will last you your whole trip. Also, remember to bring clothing that is weather appropriate for the climate of your campsite. Shoes that will hold up and have closed toes are what you should wear for the most part.
Trail mix and jerky are great snacks for a camping trip. When the day ends, you may feel so tired you aren’t in the mood for cooking. Nutrient-rich treats like beef jerky and trail mix will help satisfy your hunger. These snacks should preserve for a good while, so there’s no wasting involved if they aren’t eaten.
If your kids are going camping with you, have a photo of them on you. While it is a worst case scenario, a child can easily be separated from the rest of the party, and a picture will make it easier to locate them. Your should always have current pictures of your children with you, but this is especially true when camping.
Make sure you have a charged phone somewhere near you, like in the car. Also, bring additional batteries in the event of an emergency. The cell phone comes in handy in emergency situations, so you will need all the battery power you can get.
Smart campers will leave their car or base camp with a charged mobile phone. Better yet, bring along an extra battery or two in case your phone runs out of juice. Your cell phone is the best piece of emergency equipment you have so make sure it doesn’t die on you.
One easy tip to keep in mind is that you have to build your shelter before nighttime. Pitching a tent can be difficult enough in the daylight, let alone in the dark of night. A flashlight or a fire will be essential. This should be done when the sun is present so that you can use natural light.
Camping can be a great get away, or a living nightmare. How your camping experience turns out is down to one key factor: preparation. You will probably enjoy your trip more if you’re prepared for all sorts of situations that may arise.
When erecting your tent, ensure that you are able to seal all seams. If tent sealer was not provided with the tent, you can purchase some at a sporting goods store. This will allow you to keep wild animals and bad weather from getting into your tent.
Be careful and wise when you are packing. Keep a checklist of the things you need and check them off as you collect and pack them. If you are planning to camp in an area away from first aid access, then this will be especially necessary.
When selecting a sleeping bag, make sure it’s season-appropriate. For example, in the summertime, a lighter bag will keep you cool. However, you’ll need a heavyweight sleeping bag to keep you warm at night.
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 definitely don’t want to depend on leaves for cleaning yourself, because they could have been in contact with poison ivy.
It’s a common mistake to set up your campsite near the restrooms. While this can seem convenient, it really isn’t. Bathrooms are not only sources of light, but they receive quite a bit of traffic. They may end up ruining the entire experience.
When you are camping, it is vital to make sure tent has good ventilation and stays dry. Condensation from breathing and perspiration can build up in a sealed tent, causing moisture to permeate the walls, roof, floor, and even sleeping bags. This can result in you getting wet. Find a tent with a built-in vent to reduce the moisture in your sleeping area.
Your tent should be kept ventilated and free of moisture. When you sleep in a tent that is completely sealed, condensation can build up on the roof, floor, walls, and sleeping bags from perspiration and breathing. You’ll wake up wet. Crack one of your tent’s vents, doors or windows so that moisture does not build up.
Shower Curtains
On camping trips of longer duration, bring some entertaining activities along. Of course, bringing along too many things like electronics can make it pointless to be camping, but it is very enjoyable to read a book or to listen to music at times when camping.
Keep old shower curtains, you can use them as disposable tarps to put under your tent when you go camping! You can also use it as a way to control run-off as you are washing or cooking. Therefore, instead of putting your old shower curtains in the trash, wash them and save them for your next camping trip.
If you’re camping where there are snakes, make your campsite snake-proof. Refrain from camping near thick bushes and woodpiles, where snakes may reside. Check you gear before you put it on to make sure a snake didn’t wander in. Seal off your tent each night and build up dirt around the edges so a snake can’t slither under the tent.
When you spend time outside, you are going to have a much more fun time if you are prepared. Make the smart decision to use the advice from this article, as you are sure to enjoy a more relaxing and fun filled trip.
Be sure to have some activities you can do indoors. That way you will have something to do should the weather not cooperate. If rain happens to fall, you might end up spending a great deal of time in your accommodations. Rain does not have to ruin your trip. You just need things that can help you pass the time when you can’t spend it outdoors.
