Many people are reluctant to try camping for various reasons. For some, it is the fear of the unknown. For others, the thought of sleeping outdoors is a little scary. If you’ve been hesitant to go camping, fear not. The article below has the tips your need to make your trip a success.
If you are planning any kind of backcountry camping, a must carry item is a fire starter kit. If you are in a survival situation, fire is a way to cook, keep you warm, purify water, and signal for help. Many camping stores sell fire starters that can be used when wet and do not require any fuel. Also, try making fire when you are not in a survival situation so you know you can do it if the need arises.
Keep an eye on the weather. Rain or other conditions may impact your travel time and your experience at the campsite. Make sure that you have gear that is appropriate for the weather conditions that you may face. Adjust your departure time as necessary to try and avoid the bulk of the bad weather, if possible.
Do plenty of research on your camping site and ensure that it offers everything that your group will need. Consider the individual needs of each camper to ensure that everyone is taken care of. This alleviates the need to make supply runs, or worst case, have to end the trip too soon.
Let your family members all have a decision when it comes to choosing a campsite. Openly talk about the various options available to you. There are a lot of choices in the USA; it is hard to choose just one. If it simplifies things, pick four or five favorites and then give everyone a vote.
While a campfire gives off enough light in the general area around it, you want to be sure you take along a flashlight on your camping trip if you plan to venture outside of the campfire’s glow. This is a definite safety precaution you don’t want to ignore. It can be quite dark out there in the woods at nighttime.
When going camping you need to ensure that the tent you build can easily hold you and anybody else that comes along. With enough room, getting up during the night will not disturb others in the tent, and you can all be comfortable while sleeping.
You can make tasty meals even when you are camping. You do not necessarily need to eat just franks and beans or hamburgers. Pack a box with herbs and spices, olive oil, brown sugar or whatever else you like. You can fix meals that have flavor even when you are “roughing” it.
When camping, most people enjoy relaxing around a campfire. To prevent your fire from becoming out of control, you should incorporate a few safety practices. First of all, build your fire away from bushes and trees so that sparks from your fire will not start a forest fire. You will also want to use a circle of rocks to contain your campfire. Do not ever leave your fire unattended. Before leaving your campsite, make sure your campfire has been totally extinguished and that there are no remaining hot embers.
If you are a camping novice, you should initially stay near home. You could experience a number of problems, such as equipment failure, and wish to cut the trip short. You may not have enough food, or realize that you didn’t pack the right clothing. Many issues can occur for new campers, so you should camp near home your first time.
Take along plenty of drinking water. You need to stay hydrated, and you will need the water to prepare your food. Depending on the nature of your camping trip, this water may also be needed for clean-up and washing of the hands. It is better to bring along more than you need than not enough.
Take along a fire extinguisher! You never know when a fire can spread. Being prepared to put it out quickly could save your life, your gear and the woods around you. Find one that is capable of putting out fires of all kinds to be sure you are prepared to extinguish them all.
Write down a list of your necessary items before heading out on a camping excursion. This is especially important if you must travel a while to get to the campgrounds. Pack in advance to avoid the stresses of packing before your trip.
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.
For easier food preparation on a camping trip, prepare ingredients at home, and pack them in plastic zipper bags. You might want to chop, and other ingredients can be cooked quickly and easily when the prep work is done ahead of time. Throw a few bags of vegetables and meat into a pot over a fire, and you have soup or stew!
Especially if you live in a hotter climate, you need to make sure you know how to get ice. Ice melts rather fast, and you’re going to need more. Sometimes you can buy ice at the campsite, or sometimes at a store, but there are times when ice isn’t so close to where you’re camping.
Wrap up your fishing gear, like line and lures, in plain old aluminum foil! This will keep everything from tangling up and if you do it properly, water proofed as well. Foil will also prevent rust from ruining your valuable fishing gear, so make it part of your camping trip every time.
Now that you’ve reached the end of this article, you surely realize that you, too, can go on the camping trip of your dreams. Heed the advice you’ve just been given, and head out for the great outdoors. When you follow the tips you’ve just read, you can’t help but be a happy camper.
