Preparation will help you to enjoy your next camping trip no matter the destination. Read these tips to learn how to properly get ready for your upcoming camping trip. You are sure to be grateful for the information that you find.
When camping, get your shelter squared away before nightfall. It can be hard to set up camp when it’s dark outside. That is particularly true if you aren’t used to the blackness of the wilderness. Do whatever you can to make sure that you find a safe location for your tent and pitch it before you find yourself in this sticky situation.
Make sure that the sleeping bag you bring camping is right for the weather. Bringing a sub-zero type of sleeping bag to use on a trip in the summer will make you sweat the entire night. If you use a lightweight sleeping bag during the winter, you can spend your night shivering if it’s cold outside. In the worst case, you could be putting yourself at risk of getting frostbite or even worse.
Let everyone know they have a say in the campsite and should help pick a favorite spot. Openly talk about the various options available to you. The United States offers so many choices that choosing one can be hard! Narrow down your top choices and let your entire family decide.
Make sure your survival kit is available on a constant basis. This kit should feature a survival knife, waterproof matches, tablets for purifying water, a flare gun, and a first-aid kit. This kit could be the difference between life and death. Keep it with you at all times when you leave your campsite for any reason.
Let everyone know they have a say in the campsite and should help pick a favorite spot. Discuss what state you want to visit. The United States offers so many choices that choosing one can be hard! To make it easy, pick a few that you really like and then have a family vote.
Make sure that you know basic first aid before you go out on a camping trip. If you have an accident, you are going to know how to fix the situation before you can get professional medical help. Be sure to do thorough research too. Find out if the area has poisonous snakes, what type of wildlife lives in the woods, etc.
Make sure that you find out what sort of weather is forecast for the place that you are going to be camping at. You can find the average weather during a season for almost any location online. This way you will know what type of clothing to pack and the equipment you need.
Pack what is necessary for your children. Camping can be very messy. Children seem to be magnetically attracted to dirt. Because of this, your children will likely be filthy by the end of the day. Though this is inevitable, having extra clothes on hand is always smart. Be prepared!
A ‘jungle breakfast’ can be a great activity for the kids. Take smaller boxes of cereal, small cups of fruit and juice boxes away from your site and tie them up to treas. Once the children are awake, tell them they need to forage for their meal. This is a fun way to bring excitement to the morning.
A bandana or handkerchief can be a great addition to your camping equipment. Not only can it keep the hair out of your eyes, it can also be a sack to carry things, a towel to dry your hands or a potholder to grab your coffee pot from the fire. As you can see, a handkerchief can serve many different purposes on a camping trip.
Proper planning and preparation can keep you safe and make your camping experience more enjoyable. It is a bad idea to go camping unprepared. Find out about the weather, the wildlife and the terrain of any location that you have not been to before.
It’s imperative that you locate a safe place to camp and pitch your tent before the sun goes down. If you are traveling in an RV, park it in a well secured area. If you are camping in a tent, look for a dry and flat area of ground. This should be done before nightfall as is it much more difficult to navigate when it is dark. You can see how to set up your camp, which will save a good deal of frustration.
If you bring your dog with you on your trip, make sure they are on a leash and that you watch them carefully. Many people are fearful of pets – especially large dogs. Respecting your fellow campers is essential when camping. Also, dogs can cause damage if you let them run free, so be sure to keep control of them at all times.
You can go swimming at the same time that you camp! When you’re out camping, it’s really easy to miss your shower at home. The cool water helps you to feel fresher, and you may just miss your shower a bit less.
When you are at your campsite, pitch your tent on the softest and most level ground you are able to find. An area that is sloped or rugged won’t make for the best place to put your tent. Prevent water from getting in by placing a tarp or plastic sheet under the floor of your tent.
Choose an appropriate sleeping bag for the conditions in which you will be camping. If its winter, use a heavy-weight bag and use a light-weight one in the summer. You will need sleeping bags that hug your body and help you retain body heat if you’re sleeping in a tent.
Even if you are roughing it, your camping experience can be brightened by bringing along a small token piece of luxury. Bring an interesting book, some luxurious candy or even a nice fluffy pillow. Don’t bring any items that are heavy, though. A few small indulgences can make you incredibly happy.
Utility Knives
Utility knives are great to have when camping. It is even better if you have more than one. Utility knives are the most diverse tools you can carry, so be sure to carry an additional one just in case it gets lost.
Bring along some fun activities on the trip. Fishing poles, decks of cards and games will be fun campsite entertainment. If you’re bringing along kids, it doesn’t hurt to go overboard when thinking of what to bring for fun.
A simple and obvious piece of advice is that you should create your shelter when it is still light. It is very hard to set up a tent when it’s dark. If it’s already dark, you’ll need to create fire while using a flashlight. Making the effort to do the work before the sun goes down will make for a more enjoyable trip.
Learn how to use a map or a compass before going camping. Even if this isn’t your first time at the site, it’s easy to get lost in the woods since a lot of things look the same. To steer clear of calamities, learning the right way to use such lifesaving tools is key.
If you are traveling to a place with an abundance of animals, make sure you are prepared with respect to food. Keep things tightly wrapped and store them away from the site of your tent; if needed, avoid certain types of food altogether. Doing this means you cut down on your possibilities of an animal attack.
Waterproof matches are an essential part of any camping survival kit. Store these in a waterproof and airtight bag or container. Regular matches can be dipped in nail polish or paraffin to make them waterproof. You can stash them in a 35mm film canister or a plastic medicine bottle.
Don’t forget the toilet paper. If you go camping at a location with no toilets, you will have to use the bathroom in the woods. You definitely don’t want to depend on leaves for cleaning yourself, because they could have been in contact with poison ivy.
Camping’s main idea is to generally live off of the land, however, you still need to be well-prepared. While you should bring a sleeping bag, you should bring additional blankets. This will allow you to stay warm, no matter how cold it gets, and it also serves as extra padding.
Anyone and everyone can find camping entertaining. When you use the information here, you are able to plan a trip that anyone can enjoy, even those who dislike nature. Get outdoors and explore the many beautiful sights that Mother Nature provides.