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Things to Remember When Going Camping
Ever gotten all the way out to your campsite, only to forget that one essential item? Don’t worry, you’re not alone. Whether you’re going out for a week long hike or just overnight, the last thing you want to do is get to the camp site and discover that you’re missing that one vital element. This guide will give you a basic list of the items you’ll need to remember in order to make your trip a success.
* Bring the right shelter. Regardless of what kind of camping you’re planning on doing, a proper shelter is will make the difference between a good trip and bad one. Shelters can vary from a simple tarp and rope affair to sophisticated high tech tents. You must pick a tent based on your needs for the trip. Choose one that’s both large enough and sturdy enough.
* Choose an appropriate sleeping bag. Make sure that sleeping bag is packed, and make sure it’s the right one. When you’re on your trip you’re not going to have the luxury of several layers of sheets and blankets to keep you warm or cool. Packing the right sleeping bag for the weather will ensure a comfortable night that’s neither too hot nor too cold.* Navigational aides. Who wants to get lost when you’re out there to enjoy yourself? There are all sorts of fun technological gadgets to help you find your way on the trip; however, make sure such a device will work where you’ll be traveling. While these gadgets may be useful, if you’re going to be hiking, you may want to have a backup map, compass, and someone familiar with their use.
* Provisions. Rations come in all shapes and sizes, but make sure you keep a couple things in mind when packing them. First, confirm that you’re carrying enough water for the duration of your trip. Second, if you must carry everything in backpacks, make sure not to weigh yourself down with unnecessary luxuries. If, however, you’re just out for a fun time overnight then by all means pack those coolers full.
While camping can be both fun and arduous, this guide will help you make sure your trip is enjoyable. Make sure to keep in mind the kind of weather you’ll encounter, how long your excursion will be, and how you’ll go about navigating. Hopefully, with the help of this basic list, you will make your trip one to remember, not one to forget.
Photo credits: El Dav
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The Big Camping Checklist
If you’ve done all of your preparation and have packed nearly everything you thought you needed for your first big camping trip, it’s time to go through your checklist. But there’s just one problem: what if your initial checklist wasn’t comprehensive to begin with? If you start out with a bad checklist, you won’t necessarily bring all of the materials and supplies you’ll need to have a comfortable, fun camping experience. With that in mind, let’s take a look at some of the most important camping materials you’ll need to bring on your big trip.
For the Tent
Inside the tent, you’ll want the following things: sleeping blankets, an air mattress or at least sleeping pads, a flashlight or a lantern, reading material, and enough pillows to rest comfortably. You can also bring some optional material like camping cots, which keep you above the ground.
Why bring reading material? In case there’s a particularly rainy day, you’ll find that your tent is one of the most welcoming places you have. Bringing a favorite book or some humorous material to read can really boost your mood on those ugly-weather days. It should go without saying that you’ll need to bring a tent along with all of these items: do not forget the tent!
Food and FireAfter your sleep is taken care of, another high priority will be your stomach. There’s no point in going camping if the entire time you’re racked with hunger because the campfire won’t start, or you didn’t bring enough supplies to create effective meals.
Make sure you bring a cooler full of food that needs to be cooled: efficient foods include hot dogs, pretzels, energy bars, nuts, trail mix, and buns, breads, and bagels. You’ll also want to make sure that you bring along a camping stove to put over a fire.
When it comes to the fire, try to bring at least some matches or a lighter. It won’t hurt to bring a flint just in case you run out of either of those. If you plan on getting a lot of firewood together, bring a water-resistant tarp that you can store the wood in.
Medical, Communications, and Other Items
The most important thing on your big camping checklist? Safety. Communication with other people can help you stay safe, but you’ll also want to make sure you bring some medical supplies of your own.
In order to stay fully prepared, bring a Swiss army knife, a first aid kit, batteries for the gadgets you’re using, a compass, maps of your area, as well as phones and GPS devices if you can afford them.
Photo Credits: HGruber
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Making Your Camping Bed (And Sleeping In It, Too)
It’s no secret that one of the purported miseries of camping – as espoused by the willfully-sheltered folk who happily name themselves “indoor types” – is that sleeping on the ground is no fun. In fact, it can be downright painful. The experienced camper, however, knows that sleeping on the ground would be like eating a camping diet solely comprised of almonds and hot dogs: with a little preparation it’s not necessary. With that in mind, let’s take a look at how you can make your camping bed and actually want to sleep in it, too.
But once you’ve decided to bring a device like a cot or an airmattress, that isn’t the whole story. A bed should keep you warm, insulated, and dry. If your airmattress has a leak in it, don’t be surprised to wake up in the morning with your back on the ground. If your cot isn’t adequately insulated, you may find yourself wishing to be in your bed back home.
First, understand your options. An airmattress will keep you off the ground, but so will a cot, a futon, a foam pad, and even something home-made. So many people think about sleeping on the ground outdoors that they forget it takes very little action in order to rectify the problem: simply buy something for your bed that you can bring with you.That’s why you’ll still want to bring that camping staple so many enjoy: the sleeping bag. Most sleeping bags come with zippers that allow them to fold out like blankets. You can use this feature to spread out the sleeping bag like a blanket on your airmattress or cot.
Why not just use a regular blanket? Regular blankets work well, but they’re not designed for the outdoors. Sleeping blankets usually have lining on the outside that keeps them dry, sealed off from insects, and insulating well against the cold. You’d be surprised how much heat you can still trap with a sleeping blanket that’s been folded out.
Once you have your gear ready, simply bring a comfortable pillow or two from home. If you really want to stay luxurious, you can even bring sheets; it will feel like you’re still in your bedroom. Make sure to keep your pillow and sheets in a safe, dry place (such as the back of your car, if it’s nearby); exposing them to the elements can mean bugs, sticks, and moisture. Make sure to put together your bed after you’ve set up your tent: when bedtime arrives, you’ll be ready to slip in the covers right away, just like at home.
Photo Credits: Felipe Skroski
