Camping has long been known as a cherished pastime for the young and old alike. It does not matter whether you plan to just kick back by a warm fire and relax, hike or any type of other recreation, you should always be prepared with some basic camping knowledge.
Your sleeping bag should be seasonally appropriate. If you bring sub-zero sleeping bags with you in the dead of summer, you will probably sweat all night. If you are going to bring a light bag in the winter, you may end up freezing and having a miserable time. You would in fact be risking your health and safety.
When you’re getting a brand new tent for your camping trip, take it out and set it up at home before you go camping. This will prevent you from having a tent with missing pieces and then you can set it up properly. This also makes setting up your tent at the campsite a much smoother process.
Take along a survival kit and carry it at all times. Survival kits must include water purification tablets, a knife, a first aid box, flare gun and waterproof matches. This kit can save your life if you get into a dangerous situation. Always keep it nearby and never leave it behind at the campsite.
If you are going camping with children, eat a “jungle breakfast”. Use serving sized boxes of cereal, pieces of fruit and juice boxes and tie them to trees near your campsite. When they wake up, they’ll have to search the “jungle” for breakfast. This adds a little sprinkle of adventure and excitement to any camping trip.
The lint from your dryer’s lint filter will help you start a campfire. Start collecting the lint from your dryer’s filter about a month before you go on your trip. Simply use a plastic grocery sack to collect each new crop of lint. Just grab your bag of dryer lint and go on camping day.
Always have an emergency kit on hand when camping with family, or even staying alone. There are certain things you’ll need to include at certain locations (i.e. a snake bite kit.) However, there some basics you should always have with you. Species specific antivenom should be packed to protect against animal bites.
If you will be camping somewhere that is very far away from civilization, then make sure you have told several people where you will be as well as how long you are intending to stay. Ask them to call you on the day you are supposed to return to ensure your safety.
Know the climate of your camping area. You will want to have the proper clothing packed for the trip. Knowing how cold the nights get or how hot the days are will help you dress best. You will not want to get caught in the great outdoors with inadequate protection.
Be sure to pack a sufficient amount of the proper foods. Make sure to bring food that won’t go bad while you are on your trip. If you get sick on your outing because of the food, that will put a damper on things. Prepare all food in the right way and follow all other precautions that the kind of food needs.
An indispensable item to pack for your camping trip is Ziploc bags. You can separate items in your gear like sunscreen and bug spray so if they puncture they do not get all over your gear. You can also use them to keep items like matches and cellphones dry if it rains.
Before you head out for your camping trip, be sure that you take the time to practice setting up your tent. You do not want to get yourself frustrated at the site. Setting the tent up the second time will be much easier than it was the first time around.
The best tip in camping is to decide where you are going to camp and who is going to camp with you before you go. You need to pack for everyone and make sure there are facilities available. If you add any additional people at the last minute, you need to add additional food and supplies for them.
When you’re finished camping and ready to go home, you should pick up after yourself. Keeping nature clean and preserved can allow future campers to enjoy it too. Before you leave, clean up any messes, you’ve made at your site and try your best to leave nature as you originally found it.
One great tip for anyone who is planning a camping trip is to bring along plenty of 550-cord. This cord is extremely useful for many things like staking guy-lines, installing tarp and hanging bear bags. It is always better to bring to much chord than too little and find that you really need it.
Ensure that you clean your campsite up whenever you finish using it. Pick up any piece of trash you can find. This is just common courtesy for the people who will be using it whenever you finish. You would want and expect the same thing in return from other people.
Always check the weather forecast before you go camping so that you know what kind of clothing you will need. You could be very cold if a front blow through, and you did not pack jackets and blankets. In addition, consider packing some rain ponchos in case any storm’s blow through.
On your next camping trip, take along some empty prescription bottles. These can be used to store a lot of small items for a low price. One good use of them is to help keep your matches safe and dry. The matches will fit in perfectly, and they are fairly leak-proof, so you won’t have to worry about the contents when it rains.
As you can see, it is important to keep some basic tips and advice in mind for your camping trip. Camping is fun and simple, but it is always important to be prepared. The information shared here should prepare you quite well to have a great trip that will be memorable long after the trip has ended!
