Even if you have not gone camping since you were a child, it can still be a fun activity. With good information, and some advance planning, it can still be a very enjoyable and rewarding experience. These suggestions will help.
Sleeping Bag
Make sure to find your shelter before it gets dark. If you wait until after dark to set up you will find it to be nearly impossible, even if you have decent light. This is even more true if you’re accustomed to city life, and your eyes haven’t adjusted to the darkness of the woods. To ensure you get your campsite operational arrive several hours before sunset.
Pick out your sleeping bag according to what season it is. You don’t want to sweat all night because you brought a sleeping bag that is suitable for winter in the middle of the summer. On the other hand, bringing a light-weight bag in the middle of winter could cause you to wake up freezing. Hypothermia can be experienced, as well.
Remember that you, your possessions and your family members are inevitably going to get dirty. If you prepare yourself for this ahead of time, it won’t stress you out as much when it happens. Allow yourself to be improper, messy and just “let go” while outside. You can go back to normal when you go home.
Allow everyone in the camping party a say in the location. Engage in conversation about what state and location they would like to visit. Try to keep a small list, as there is such an abundance of spots to choose from, it can be hard to pick one. To make it easy, pick a few that you really like and then have a family vote.
Carry a survival kit on your person. Your survival kit needs to have water-purifying tablets, a type of survival knife, a first-aid kit, a flare gun, and waterproof matches. For any life threatening situation, these items may be the only thing standing between you and disaster. Keep your kit with you at all times; don’t leave it at the campsite.
Make your kids a “jungle breakfast”. Tie to the trees small boxes of cereal, fruit, and juice boxes. Once the kids are awake, they can go search for their food. This is a fun way to bring excitement to the morning.
Did you know that dryer lint can make great kindling to get a campfire started? A month prior to your trip, start saving the lint you pull from the lint screen in your dryer. Simply hang a plastic bag near the dryer and stash the lint in the bag as it collects. As such, you’ll have kindling ready whenever you are.
It’s important that you make an effort to ensure that all camping gear you will need is packed before you leave to go camping. 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.
If you are a novice at camping, don’t stray far from home. You could run into problems with your gear, or you may decide you simply don’t like camping that much. You may run out of supplies early. There are a lot of different things that can come about and being closer to home will make it a lot easier.
Oranges taste great, but they can also help keep mosquitoes away from you. Once you finish your orange, save the peel. Rub it easily on all your exposed skin for a chemical-free bug repellent.
When taking a dog along, be certain they have a leash and are always supervised. Some people get frightened by dogs. You should respect your fellow campers in the area. Also, because it is a new territory, dogs can get into trouble and cause damage to the site if not supervised.
Don’t forget to bring back-ups of things like batteries and flashlights. Even after the sun is gone, you may need to see. Without a flashlight, you could easily fall or be surprised by an animal. When camping with children, give each child a flashlight.
Bring all necessary camping gear with you prior to going on your trip. It wouldn’t be good if you forgot something you really need like your sleeping bag or a tent. Check and double check your packing list and make certain that every item has been included.
Make a plan as to what you’ll wear. Take extra pairs of clothes to last you throughout your whole trip. Also, remember to bring clothing that is weather appropriate for the climate of your campsite. It is also a good idea to bring a few pairs of shoes so that you have extras in case of mud or water getting into them.
Trail mix is a classic snack and for a good reason. Throw a little beef jerky, a few fruits, and you’ve got yourself a full camper’s meal. After a long and tiresome day, you may want to eat these nutritious snacks instead of cooking. Also, these types of snacks have a long shelf life, so you can always reuse them on the next camping trip if they don’t get eaten this time.
Before going to a new place to go camping, you need to know what dangers may be lurking. This includes knowing the area’s deadly spiders, what the terrain is like, and whether flash flooding is possible or not. Each camping spot is unique and can be dangerous in its own way.
Duct Tape
Make sure to pack some duct tape for your camping trip. You might have a nice tent, but tears can still happen. Having some duct tape to repair your tent can be the difference between sleeping soaking wet or sleeping dry on a rainy night.
Are you just starting out in the world of camping? Before you go out and start on your trip, practice setting up your tent. This practice will give you the opportunity to make sure you have everything you need to get set up quickly and easily. This also means that you can do it rather easily and speedily when you get to your campsite, meaning your tent might be up before the sun is totally gone.
Waterproof matches are an essential part of any camping survival kit. They should always be kept in a container where air cannot enter. Make some average matches waterproof by simply dipping them in nail polish or paraffin. You can make a carrying case for matches by putting them in a film canister or a small plastic medicine bottle.
Seal all your tent’s seams. You may find a tube at many sporting good stores if the tent didn’t include any. Sealing your tent will keep out rainwater and unwelcome critters.
You want to make sure that you don’t end up with drained flashlight batteries when you head out on your camping trip. It is not uncommon to accidentally bump the switch and turn your flashlight on when you are digging around in your bag. You can avoid dead batteries by installing them in the flashlight backwards until you need the light. That way, there is no way to turn the flashlight on until you switch the batteries around.
Bring toilet paper along when you travel. When camping at a facility without public bathrooms, you will need to do your business outside. Leaves can be dangerous alternatives to toilet paper, so don’t forget it.
Sleeping Bag
Always watch your kids closely. People may be driving around the campsites, and it’s also very easy for kids to get up and get lost when they’re not familiar with an area. It can take just one second for a child to get into danger, so supervise them at all times to be safe.
Whenever you select a sleeping bag, ensure that your selection is one that is appropriate for the season. Summer requires only a lightweight sleeping bag. In the winter, however, you need something a bit thicker to stay warm.
If you camped as a child and want to do it again now, you just need the desire and the right information. Get your imagination going with this piece and you will remember the feeling of a great outdoors experience, and want to do it again.
Pesky mosquito bites can be avoided with an orange peel. This is especially helpful if you forget bug spray, but have oranges on hand, or can borrow them from someone at your camping trip. Experts say that if you rub your body with the inside of the orange peel, it will keep the annoying bugs away. This should effectively repel mosquitoes for hours.
