There are few activities in the world that can match the the feeling of camping. Nothing quite matches the experience of seeing nature’s beauty and breathing in fresh air yourself. If you would like to camp, look at this advice first.
Always locate your shelter before dark when you are camping. After the night falls, pitching a tent, locating firewood and making food can be difficult. This is especially true if you are an urbanite whose sight is not used to the pitch dark. Avoid this hazard completely, by finding adequate shelter long before the sun goes down.
Bring sleeping bags appropriate for the season. If you bring a sub-zero sleeping bag to go camping in mid-summer, you might find that you are sweating all night long. On the other hand, if you bring along a light-weight bag in the winter, you may feel like you are freezing to death. You might even contract hypothermia.
Always set up a new tent once at home before taking it camping. That way, you won’t be missing any pieces, and you’ll be able to set it up correctly the first time. This also helps you not to be frustrated when you’re trying to pitch your tent.
A bandana or handkerchief can be a great addition to your camping equipment. They can serve many purposes, like potholder, blotter, hand towel or carrying bag. There are a lot of different uses for it, so make sure you bring one on every camping trip with you.
Before you set out on your camping trip take the time to check the weather forecast for the area that you will be visiting. There are numerous websites that can provide you with this information. Having a good idea of what the weather will be like will ensure that you pack accordingly for your trip.
Always become familiar with the potential dangers of a campsite before you enter it. This involves finding out which spiders are dangerous, whether flash floods are commonplace and whether there are any sheer drops nearby. Many camping areas pose some dangers.
If you’ve brought the kids along, feed them a “jungle” breakfast. Tie to the trees small boxes of cereal, fruit, and juice boxes. Your children can then hunt these foods when they wake up. This adds a little sprinkle of adventure and excitement to any camping trip.
Kids love camping, especially when you plan activities that they can do. Being in the woods can be boring for them as time goes on. Are they used to pitching tents and fishing? Show them how to do these things before you leave if they haven’t spent a lot of times outdoors.
Emergency kits are one of the most important things to bring on a camping trip. This emergency kit changes depending on the place you go camping, but you have to be certain it has the basic tools. Having extras like anti-venom is a good defense for certain kinds of wildlife.
Make a list of your required camping gear and double check it while packing. Forgetting one or two key items could result in disaster. Write a list of essentials and as you pack the items, cross them off. Some important things to put on the list are your tent, tarp, water, food, fire-starters, soap and sleeping bag.
Take oranges with you as a way to snack in a healthy, convenient way–and as a mosquito repellent that is organic. 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.
A tasty orange provides a peel that can help repel nasty mosquitoes. Don’t worry if you forgot mosquito repellant. Just rub the inside of the peel over any exposed body parts. This should effectively repel mosquitoes for hours.
Look into pillows made specifically for camping. Standard bed pillows can become hot and sticky in humid weather. Standard pillows will take in moisture and could mold or mildew. Camping pillows are covered with a special coating that keeps moisture at bay.
It’s vital to pack first aid and survival kits. These items can literally save your life, or to a lesser extent, prevent you from returning from your trip before you are ready to do so. Being prepared can prevent a serious situation from worsening and can buy you time when helping a sick or injured person to safety.
Bring everything that you will need before starting out on your camping trip. You can not afford to forget an important item like your sleeping bag or your tent. Use a check list that you can use to double check, to be sure that you have everything before you leave home.
Master a map and a compass before heading out for your trip. It is still possible to get lost at the camp grounds even though you have already been there, because campsites look similar. This skill can potentially save your life.
Before you plan to camp in an new area, it is important to be aware of any dangers commonly found there. That include deadly spiders, sheer drops, and flash flood areas. Each area can pose different dangers, so familiarize yourself whenever you venture somewhere new.
Seal the seams on your tent when you’re putting it up. You may find a tube at many sporting good stores if the tent didn’t include any. Sealing the seams of your tent will prevent any insects or water from getting inside.
Teach your kids about camping safety before you bring them camping. It only takes a few minutes of going online to look at photos of plants they should avoid, such as poison ivy or other such things, to make sure your camping venture is free from common mishaps.
When you’re done with your trip, be sure to leave behind a clean campsite. Bring garbage bags with you on the trip so that you have a place to store all of the trash. Take any leftover food with you. One big camping rule is that only your footprints should remain when you go home.
Pack plenty of food of the proper variety. Depending on the amount of time you will be out, it is important to have food that will not spoil while you are out. A bout of food poisoning can end a wonderful trip very quickly. Take all precautions to make sure your food is packed and prepared properly.
Many people get food poisoning each year while camping because they do not pack properly. If you decide to bring fresh meats you must be sure that you keep it in the right temperature to ensure that it does not spoil. Pack a lot of ice with you to keep any food that needs to be cold as cold as it can be, and drain your cooler out frequently to avoid wet food.
Make sure your sleeping bag is fit for the environment in which you are going to camp. For example, there are lightweight sleeping bag for warm weather and heavy sleeping bags for colder weather. A good sleeping bag will cling to the human body and help it to retain as much body heat as possible.
As crazy as it might sound, do not forget to pack some toilet paper. If your campsite lacks toilet facilities, you will need to use the woods. To keep from having to use potentially dangerous leaves, you need to have toilet paper on hand.
Never let your kids roam out of your sight. Cars abound at campgrounds, and it is easy for a little one to walk into the woods and have trouble getting out. Accidents and mishaps occur in a split second; make certain your children are safely supervised at all times.
Camping novices often erroneously decide to camp close to the restrooms. While this can seem convenient, it really isn’t. Communal campsite bathrooms are a constant source of light, noise and unpleasant smells. So, they may not have the comfort and convenience that they hoped for.
You should never leave your car or basecamp without a fully-charged cell phone. Even better, bring extra batteries so you are prepared if there is an emergency. A cell phone is perhaps the most useful item of emergency equipment that you can carry with you, but you do need to ensure that it does not run out of juice.
How do you plan to cook your food when you camp? Before leaving, you will want to know what cooking method will be used so the proper supplies can be packed. Everyone likes the idea of cooking over an open flame, but without the proper cooking supplies, it can be very difficult.
Always do everything possible to stay safe while on a camping trip. It is usually best to avoid the wild animals, big and small, that you may encounter. Even though they are small, any animal can be dangerous, even a squirrel. Obviously, you should never try to feed a bear, should you encounter one.
When you go camping, dress in layers. Outdoor weather can change quickly. It may be chilly one moment and sweltering the next. Also, as soon as night time begins to fall, temperatures can plummet. With layers of clothes available, you can remove or add them dependent on the changing climate.
An essential element of your camping gear is a first aid kit. The kit should contain anything that you will need in case of an accident. You need to put essentials in your kit such as splints, bandages, snake bite remedies and gauze for dressing wounds. It is important to be as safe as possible when camping, but unfortunately, no matter how careful you are, accidents do happen on occasion, so you must be properly prepared.
Try to prevent your tent from getting wet and be sure it is properly ventilated. 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 may cause you to awake wet. Tents sometimes have vents that are built in or windows that can be opened to prevent the build up of moisture.
Don’t forget the toilet paper and wet wipes. You could always rough it by using leaves and other natural items, but it’s unnecessary when you can have baby wipes and toilet paper easily accessible at a local store.
Now you know that nothing is as great as camping. Being in the great outdoors and breathing in the fresh air will refresh and rejuvenate you. Use the tips you have learned in this article so you’re able to have the best camping trip possible wherever you may go.
On camping trips of longer duration, bring some entertaining activities along. Bringing too many electronics defeats the purpose of camping, but some books for reading by the lake or music to listen to by the fire can be great.
