Camping is a great way to bond with family and friends. Surprisingly, many people never give it a try because they are intimidated by the prospect. This does not have to be the case, with the right advice in mind. The advice here will cause you to become an eager camper.
Don’t assume you can find wood at or near your camp site. It’s a great idea to carry your own wood with you and to keep it secure in a dry area.
Pick a type of sleeping bag that happens to be appropriate for the season. By bringing a winter sleeping bag in the summer you may end up sweating instead of sleeping. On the other hand, light-weight sleeping supplies will never keep you warm enough in the dead of winter. You could even develop hypothermia or frostbite if it’s very cold.
Make sure to have an idea of the weather before starting your trip. Some websites will tell you what the weather is usually like during the time you’ll be going. Armed with the forecast, you can prepare yourself with appropriate clothing and camping gear.
Before you embark on any camping trip you should be sure you have emergency supplies on hand, like a first aid kit and more. You may need different supplies, depending on where you will be, but there are certain things that you should always have. For example, if you will be camping in a Southern state you should certainly carry anti-venom for the local wildlife that you may encounter.
While it may be that there’s enough wood around to keep a fire going for a long time, some of the wood may be wet and cannot burn no matter what you try. It’s a great idea to carry your own wood with you and to keep it secure in a dry area.
Be certain you have everything you will need before embarking on your adventure. You definitely don’t want to leave something essential behind, such as your sleeping bag or tent. Verify all the things that you need or should take and write out a list of all of them. Then, check your final packing according to the list to be sure.
Camping is great fun for kids if you plan things that they can do. They might get antsy once you start to get deeper in the forest. Children may not be familiar with activities like pitching a tent or fishing. Allow them to practice these activities prior to going camping if they’re not that experienced with the outdoors.
Affirm that your insurance is intact before you leave on your trip. If you are going camping out of state, you may have to add an additional policy for full coverage. This becomes even more important if your camping trip takes you to another country. Semper paratus doesn’t just apply to the military! Be prepared!
While the concept of camping involves getting away from it all, you still need to be prepared with some basic items. You’ll need a sleeping bag, as well as extra blankets. This can help you stay warm if it cools down at night or you may use them for extra padding.
Prior to going camping, be sure to create a list of what you’ll need. This is particularly helpful if you have to travel quite far to get where you are going. Start getting things together a couple of days before you plan to leave, and check things off the list as you pack them.
Don’t wait until nightfall to start your camp site. Choose a parking spot that you feel comfortable with if you are camping in an RV. Pitch your tent on land that is flat and dry. Choosing a site before night falls gives you an opportunity to get used to your surroundings. You will be able to see due to the sunlight and you will have an easier time.
Watch your kids closely. Cars always are always coming and going from these sites, so young children may simply and quickly get lost inside the woods. Accidents and mishaps occur in a split second; make certain your children are safely supervised at all times.
Bring trail mix and beef jerky. You may not be in the mood to cook, so having these with you can be helpful. Such foods will also remain edible for quite some time, so will not go to waste if you don’t eat them up on your trip.
Know what dangers await you at your camping destination. This includes things like which spiders are deadly, whether or not there are sheer drops, and if flash floods are common. All camping spots have some dangers associated with them and you want to make sure you pick a spot that isn’t too bad.
When camping, pack carefully and wisely. Compile a checklist of things that you need for your trip, then check the items off on the list as you add them to your bags. This is very important if you’re going to a far away place that doesn’t have first aid supplies or thing you’ll need when an emergency arises.
An easy, yet often forgotten tip is to find shelter before it gets dark. It is very hard to put up a tent when it is dark. A flashlight or a fire will be essential. It is so much easier to set up your shelter before dark.
Talk with your children about the dangers associated with camping before you leave home. Go on the Internet together and read about safety, look at poison ivy pictures and poisonous animals.
Bring waterproof matches as part of your survival kit. Always store your matches in a container or packaging that is airtight. You can add paraffin to regular matches, or even nail polish for a homemade waterproof match. A film container or pill bottle can serve for storage.
Improper food packing leads to food poisoning in many campers each year. If the food that you pack for camping is not canned, vacuum sealed or preserved, you exposing yourself to the possibility of experiencing food poisoning from eating spoiled food. Pack perishable foods in ice and drain your cooler often to prevent water from damaging the food.
If you are a novice at camping, don’t stray far from home. This is so you can easily get home if you don’t enjoy your camping experience. Maybe you will find you have not brought enough food, clothing or other necessities. So many things can go awry for the newbie camper; it’s definitely best to find a campground near to home.
Pack Toilet
As silly as it may seem, be sure to pack toilet paper with you on your camping trip. If there are no restrooms in your camp area, you must go in the woods. Leaves are not something you want to wipe with, since you can get poison ivy and a host of other issues. Pack toilet paper.
If you bring a dog camping with you, be sure to keep an eye on them and be sure they’re on a leash. Not all people are dog lovers, and some are extremely terrified of dogs. You should keep that in mind while you are on your camping trip. Besides that, dogs can also damage equipment and campsites if they aren’t supervised.
Don’t make the rookie mistake of pitching camp too close to bathroom facilities. They think they are doing themselves a favor, but they aren’t. For example, there is a lot of foot traffic in these areas, as well as bright lights. They may end up ruining the entire experience.
How will you prepare your food at the campsite? Knowing how you will prepare your food is essential for a smooth camping trip. Cooking over an open fire requires different supplies than cooking on a grill. Open-flame cooking is great fun, but you need to be prepared with the right equipment to take advantage of this.
When you go camping, you live on basics, but you need to be prepared too. While a sleeping bag is obvious, it is still a good idea to bring extra blankets. This helps to make sure that you are comfortable at night when it is chilly.
Now that you have read the article above you have learned that camping can be quite simple. Even you can do it. Apply the tips you have just read to your next adventure. Soon, you can really enjoy a great time in nature.
