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Holiday Camping Tips
Camping trips in mountains, forests and beaches is a great group activity for all ages. The experience of sleeping, cooking and eating out in the open is a great way to explore the outdoors. Camping require more equipments and preparations compared to many other outdoor activities.
Some examples of the equipments needed are tents, fire starters, cooking utensils, first aid kit, maps and compass. It is important that you are familiar with the use of these equipments before the camping trip. Learning how to set up your tent before hand will save you a lot of time and trouble during the trip.
Make sure there are enough tents for all campers. A 4-man tents means that it can fit 4 persons at maximum capacity. If you assign four persons to a tent of this size, each of them will have to sleep lined up next to each other like sardines in a tent. For a comfortable fit, two persons should be assigned to every 4-man tent.
Flashlights and portable nightlights are also very important in camping trips. At night, even if there is a campfire, you will need a flashlight to perform many activities such as going to the too and checking on your tentAlthough it is very popular to cook food over open fires, portable stoves provide a convenient alternative. It may be a little bulky, but having a portable gas stove guarantee hot meals during camping. If you opt to build your own fire, make sure you have plenty of fire-starters, matches and have a little knowledge on how to build a fire from twigs. Check with the local authorities if it is permissible to build a campfire and if there is a designated areas to build them. Building a fire may take some effort and time, but it is a fun activity that adds to the rugged experience of camping.
It is always a good idea to bring along lots of canned food for convenience and hygiene purposes. Cooking raw foods takes a little more time, and if not well cooked, may cause tummy-upsets among your fellow campers. It case it rains, make sure you are well stocked with ready-to-eat food and snacks so that you don’t go hungry.
If you are camping in the wilderness, it is important that you pack and dispose your foods properly. Foods should be well packed in plastic bags and be kept away from the tents where you sleep. Wild animals like bears are attracted to the smell of food, so the placing of food away from the main camping area will prevent any unpleasant encounters with these animals.
When choosing your camping site, make sure that you are aware of where the nearest, police stations, hospitals and other local authorities are located so that in case of any emergencies you will know where to go for help. Make sure that the site you have chosen fall within the camping zones of the park.
During the camping trip, it is important to obey all park rules and clean up well after camping. Outdoor activities such as camping and hiking take a toll on the environment, so we should do all we can to minimize the damage that we cause during such activities.
Photo Credit: the left-handed robot -
Creating Your Campsite Kitchen
So you’ve finally made it into the great outdoors with a full campsite: you’ve got your fire ready, chairs set up, your tent ready to protect you from the elements, and even a warm place to sleep. You sit down to enjoy the just-beginning sunset, and it suddenly hits you.
Your stomach grumbles.
Oh yeah! After all of that work, you’re still going to have to eat once you’re out in the wild.
For many people, being outdoors is an unappetizing thought, let alone eating outdoors. But it’s not as hard as you might think to create a campsite kitchen that produces good, fresh food and fills you with energy so that you can start worrying about the more interesting activities – like camping! Here are some tips to creating your own campsite kitchen.
Tip #1: Bring your own refrigerator.
Without an RV (which literally lets you bring your own kitchen), you’ll still need a way to keep your food cool so that it lasts as long as possible. Use small coolers – they’re lighter and will require less ice. Make sure to keep cool only that which really needs to keep cool to reduce the burden on your equipment.
Tip #2: Plastics.
Giant, re-sealable plastic bags will be your best friend when you head outdoors – even if you already have another container like a cooler to store your food in. Why is this? Even inside bags and coolers, it’s easy for debris and dust to get on your food if you don’t have your items well-sealed. Plastics will also keep moisture out of your food, which is essential if you want to avoid soggy hot dog buns and wet potato chips.
Tip #3: Easy fire-starters.
Be sure to have plenty of tinder and wood near your fire so that you can easily start a fire for breakfast in the morning, and if you can, cover the wood with a tarp overnight to protect it from potential rain. Even when the weather forecast is clear, you’re never sure if a light shower might break out at four in the morning, so be prepared.
By the way, don’t bring a lighter: bring a torch. The Micro-Jet Lighter Torch will take your lighter and turn it into a flame-blowing torch that will work better in windy conditions.
Tip #4: Bring a decent cooking rack.
Tri-pod racks are popular since they’re relatively easy to set up along with a fire you have just built. Just make sure you have a rock that will be able to stand on its own as you cook hot dogs, burgers, and other meats on your grill.
Photo Credits: BaronBrian
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Must-Have Survival Equipment for Hiking
Let’s face it: some of us take rather tame hikes. We might head out to a “bunny” hill, or a place with clearly-mapped trails that never veer off too far from civilization. Some of us are amateur hikers who prefer to still be able to hear the sounds of the highway even as we reach the hilltop.
But for more serious hikers, not everything is so comfortable and predictable. Bottom line: you could get lost on a hike. Rather than worry about it, it’s better to prepare for it. Here are some must-have pieces of equipment to bring with you in case you get lost:
- Navigation: Whether you bring a map/compass or a GPS watch, you should have some sort of contingency for finding your way around. At the very least, be able to discern your direction so that you know where you came from and where you’re going.
- Fire-starters: Flint, matches, a lighter: whatever you need to get a fire going, bring it. If you ever get lost into the night hours and the temperature drops, you’re going to need a fire to stay warm. Fire also has other practical purposes, like boiling water and preparing food.
- A knife: In addition to helping you start a fire with flint, a knife has so many practical uses that any survivalist will tell you to bring a knife whenever you head out into the wild. From building shelter to hunting down food, a knife (especially a multi-purpose knife like a Swiss Army Knife) won’t seem like a luxury. It will seem like a necessity.
- Medical packs: A first-aid kit with disinfectant, tape, gauze and other necessary items will be vital, especially if you ever get knicked or gashed and need to prevent an infection without the help of civilization. Make sure to bring enough medical supplies for everyone in your party – and, to be on the safe side, bring a little extra.
- Food and water: Water is always a necessity, but the need for it increases with higher temperatures. If you get lost, it’s a much safer bet to find your water supply first, as humans can survive much longer without food than water. But bringing more than enough of both will keep you going as you gather your bearings once lost.
Keep in mind that most hikers don’t encounter an emergency situation like this – but it does happen. Rather than assume the best on the hiking trail, it’s wise to take a more cautious approach. Bring more food than you need, bring a Swiss Army Knife even if you can’t think of any uses for it. Simply by making these survival items a staple in your hiking pack and keeping them there, you’ll be prepared for getting lost every time you venture out in the woods.
Photo Credits: anoldent
