Few recreational activities rival camping for a sense of fun and freedom. Witnessing the lovely scenes that nature offers and getting to soak in her fresh air is an experience like no other. The following article contains helpful tips you can use when you are ready for a great camping trip.
Always seek shelter before it is too dark to assess your surroundings. After night falls, it becomes harder to prepare your camp ground and set up the tent. This is even more true if you’re accustomed to city life, and your eyes haven’t adjusted to the darkness of the woods. Avoid this by setting up your shelter ahead of time.
Select a sleeping bag which is right for the season. A sleep bag designed for winter camping would make you sweat during the summer. The opposite is true as well, as you need a good, heavy sleeping bag when you are going to be enduring very cold conditions. Without protection, you are running the risk of developing hypothermia.
Remember, wet wood won’t burn right, so nature may not always provide the wood you need. As an added precaution, bring along wood from around your yard or logs from a home store, and keep them where they will stay dry.
It is better to over-pack than to under-pack, especially for kids. Camping can be very messy. Kids are seriously attracted to the dirt. This means that by day’s end your children and their clothes can be quite soiled. Though this is inevitable, having extra clothes on hand is always smart. Be ready for anything.
You might think that you can find all of the wood that you need to keep the fire going, but there is a good chance that the wood will be wet. Bringing some extra wood in a watertight wrapping is a smart idea for camping success.
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. Any place you go has its own unique challenges.
Make sure you pack plenty of camping-friendly food. If you are going to be camping for a considerable duration, you need to ensure that you have food than will not go bad. Just a little food poisoning can turn a camping trip upside down. This will make it easier to avoid food poisoning.
Bring along an emergency survival kit, and keep it on you for the duration of your camping trip. This kit should include water-purifying tablets, a first-aid kit, flare gun, survival knife and waterproof matches. This kit may just be what helps you to stay alive in case you get lost or something bad happens and you’re stuck outside for longer than planned. Never let it leave your side.
Take along things to do while you are in the wild. Card games, fishing poles or games like a scavenger hunt can be very entertaining in the wild. If you brought kids along, you might want to pack a lot of things for entertainment.
When you are camping, choose flat, soft ground to pitch your tent on. Picking a sloped or rocky spot causes you to feel uncomfortable anytime you sit in your tent. Make sure you put down a tarp before you set up your tent. This will keep water from entering your tent at night.
Choose a tent large enough for everyone that will be expected to use it. This will ensure comfort while inside the tent.
Prevent the hassle of accidentally draining your flashlight’s batteries when camping. It is very easy to accidentally press the ‘on’ button of your flashlight when it is jostling in a bag with other camping equipment. If you want to avoid draining your batteries, keep flashlights stored with backwards batteries in them. This will allow you to keep them stored without accidentally turning them on and wasting the batteries.
Pack extra flashlights and extra batteries when you go camping. Once the sun has set it is nice to have a source of light. If you have the proper lighting, you can prevent experiencing bad falls or wildlife encounters. It’s a good idea to bring along one flashlight for each person in your camping party.
Camping and swimming are a great combination. While camping, you might really miss the luxury of showering. The coolness of the water will help you feel cleaner and more refreshed, so you won’t miss your shower as much as you thought you might!
Sleeping Bag
Choose a proper sleeping bag for your camping conditions. For example, there are lightweight sleeping bag for warm weather and heavy sleeping bags for colder weather. The main goal with your sleeping bag is to conserve body heat, which means having a snug bag that hugs the body.
Bring a hankerchief or a bandanna with you. They can serve many purposes, like potholder, blotter, hand towel or carrying bag. As you can see, a handkerchief can serve many different purposes on a camping trip.
Carefully plan what types of clothing you will wear during your camping trip. You don’t want to be stuck wearing dirty clothes daily. Pack clothes that will allow you to dress properly for whatever weather is expected in the area where you will be camping. Don’t forget to pack durable, comfortable shoes for walking.
Not many activities match the thrill of camping. The scenery, being around nature, and the fresh air are all great things to enjoy while camping. With this article’s advice, your next camping trip will be an amazing experience.
If your dog goes with you, always keep up with him. Some people are afraid of dogs. You must respect other campers. Dogs can also damage campsites, or get into the belongings of your neighboring camps, without proper supervision.