Your whole family will love camping. It offers an opportunity to teach yourself and others about the wonders of nature. Exploring nature can be very rewarding. The following article can provide you with some great tips to ensure your next outdoor trip is a raging success.
Sleeping Bag
When you’re camping, always look for shelter prior to dark. Once the woods are dark, it is very difficult to find firewood, pitch your tent and prepare some food. 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 a type of sleeping bag that happens to be appropriate for the season. If you use a heavy winter sleeping bag in summer, this can be stifling and uncomfortable. The opposite is true as well, as you need a good, heavy sleeping bag when you are going to be enduring very cold conditions. You might develop hypothermia.
It is always a smart idea to look into what the weather is going to be like, before going camping. Some websites will tell you what the weather is usually like during the time you’ll be going. When you know what the weather will be like, you can bring the proper gear and clothes.
Select a sleeping bag which is right for the season. You are going to roast all night long in a sleeping bag designed for cold weather that you camp with during summer. On the flip side, bring a sleeping bag meant for summer camping will make you very cold during your winter camping trip. You could even experience hypothermia.
Camping is a lot of fun, but it can be dangerous; the difference between the two is preparation. It is a bad idea to go camping unprepared. When heading to a new spot, be sure to research the area thoroughly so you know what to expect with regard to weather and wildlife.
Dryer lint makes wonderful kindling to start your campfires with. Several weeks prior to your trip, start gathering up everything that collects in your lint trap. You can simply stuff it all into a plastic grocery bag you keep near the dryer. This is a good way to have kindling ready when it is time to go.
Remember that everything you bring along, including you and your family, will more than likely get dirty. If you prepare yourself for this ahead of time, it won’t stress you out as much when it happens. Use your time in nature to enjoy the chance to be a little messy. You can get clean when you get home.
Camp needs to be set up before night begins. If you driving an RV, you should locate a safe parking spot. When pitching a tent, a level, dry area is needed. Choosing a site before night falls gives you an opportunity to get used to your surroundings. By setting up camp during the daylight, you can avoid the frustration associated with setting up camp.
Always have all your gear prepared before the trip. Forgetting your sleeping bag or food is not what you want to happen. Look over the items you plan to bring and create a checklist before leaving to ensure that all of your essential gear comes with you.
Before you leave home to go camping, check to see if inclement weather is predicted in the area you are planning to visit. You can visit http://www.weather.com to check the weather just about anywhere. Be sure to look at the 10 day forecast along with extended weather patterns. If you have the correct information, you can pack properly.
If you’re camping where there is dangerous wildlife, double your food reserves. You must wrap everything up tight, store it away from your tent and do not take certain types of food with you. Doing so is going to decrease the likeliness of a random attack.
It is really critical to make sure that you pack the essential items and equipment for camping. Even just a handful of things missing can really affect your camping experience. Write a list of essentials and as you pack the items, cross them off. The most basic requirements are a tent, water, sleeping bag, an all-purpose knife, food, matches and soap.
Take either a bandanna or handkerchief with you when you go camping. In a pinch, that single piece of fabric can serve as a potholder, carrying bag, blotter, hand towel and paper towel. It does not take much space in your bag and can save the day in many different situations.
Upon arrival at the campsite, find a soft, flat area of ground and pitch your tent there. Pitching your tent on bumpy, rocky ground or on a slope won’t make for a very comfortable night’s sleep. Make sure you put down a tarp before you set up your tent. This will keep water from entering your tent at night.
Pack extra flashlights and extra batteries when you go camping. Flashlights will come in very handy when it is dark. Light can also help to illuminate the wildlife that is around you. If you’re taking kids along with you, give each one of them a flashlight.
Old dryer lint makes a great fire-starter. Begin collecting dryer lint a few weeks before your trip. Hang a plastic bag beside your dryer and toss the lint into it. By doing this, you’ll have all the kindling you need.
Use the information shared in this article to have a great time on your next trip. Perhaps you already know a lot about it, but extra information is always welcome. The advice you have read today can help you make some wise decisions next time you go camping.
