Many people enjoy vacation time, and millions of people around the world love to go camping. If making your camping trip perfect is your hope, make these tips a priority. These tips offer some great advice for your next outdoor adventure.
Prior to leaving, take a few minutes to make a checklist of everything that you need. There is nothing worse than getting to a campsite and then finding out that you don't have what you need to be comfortable. A checklist is a great aid as you are packing. Try to start getting thing's together several days before you leave so you have plenty of time.
Water is very important when camping. When camping at a campground, there should be ample supply of water available, but on the trail, you will have to carry some with you. If you are going long distances, you should probably carry iodine tablets to sanitize any water you find before drinking. Be careful, dysentery can be deadly.
Be sure to know the recent conditions of where you will be staying. For example, you will want to know if the area will be dry enough to find suitable firewood. It's always prudent to bring wood that you have gathered beforehand, and to store it in a location where it will stay dry.
Do plenty of research on your camping site and ensure that it offers everything that your group will need. Consider the individual needs of each camper to ensure that everyone is taken care of. This alleviates the need to make supply runs, or worst case, have to end the trip too soon.
Always pack and carry a survival kit. A survival kit should include items like a flare gun, matches that are waterproof, a knife and other items you think you may need. This survival kit may be what keeps you alive if you get lost and the items in it are indispensable in a survival situation. Keep your kit with you at all times; don't leave it at the campsite.
Make sure you are aware of what hospitals are close to your campsite and how to get to them. While you don't want to think about anything bad happening on your trip, it is a possibility. Certain injuries will necessitate a visit to the doctor, so it is best to know where to go before something happens, and you are in panic mode.
When camping, periodically do a tick check. Look for any brown or black spots that have just appeared on your skin. Ticks attach themselves to the skin without causing too much of a disturbance, so be sure to check yourself and your companions for ticks after spending time camping outdoors.
Pour out any water that has accumulated in your freezer each day. You want to do this to prevent the ice inside from melting into the water. It is also a good idea because any contaminants that have entered the water from foods you have in, can be poured off.
On your next fishing trip, go fishing. Fishing is a great way to enjoy yourself while you're out in nature, but it also helps you pack more lightly because you catch your food on the trip instead of having to bring it with you. Learn to de-bone a fish before leaving home and you'll have easy fish dinners on your camping trip.
You should bring food on your camping trips. You should plan out what and how canvas camping tents for sale many meals you plan on eating before going on your trip. As far as how much food you should bring, a good rule of thumb is to only carry the amount of food that you need to prepare your meals.
Camping's main idea is to generally live off of the land, however, you still need to be well-prepared. Though a sleeping bag is great, extra blankets can also be useful. They can be very handy when the evening temperatures drop. If not needed for warmth, they can be extra padding from the solid ground beneath.
One thing that many people forget to pack for their camping trips is the Sun-block. Even if you tan very well, there is no excuse not to protect you from the sun. In the short term, you will end up with a horrible burn, but in the long run it can give you serious problems with cancer.
Your survival kit should include waterproof matches. Store them in airtight containers. You could also make your own by coating them with nail polish before you leave for your trip. You can store them in a prescription bottle or film canister.
Understand how your food will be cooked. You need to consider how you are going to prepare all meals. Will you need charcoal? Perhaps you need a small propane tank. It can be difficult to cook every meal over an open fire; no matter, how much fun it might seem.
Be prepared if you get lost on a camping trip. You should know how to use a map, compass, and GPS device before leaving for your trip. You should also keep these on your person during your trip. If you stray too far from your campsite, these items can help you get back quickly and safely.
Make sure you secure all sources of food at night when you go to sleep. There are many animals that can frequent campgrounds at night and scavenge your food, especially when left open and unattended for hours. You don't want to wake up to your food scattered everywhere, and you left with a shortage.
For a camping trip that will take a while, bring along entertainment for yourself. Then again, packing a lot of electronics goes against the idea of unplugging and enjoying nature. Having said that, reading by a body of natural water or chilling to music by the fire in the evening are both really sweet experiences.
On your next camping trip, take along some empty prescription bottles. These can be used to store a lot of small items for a low price. One good use of them is to help keep your matches safe and dry. The matches will fit in perfectly, and they are fairly leak-proof, so you won't have to worry about the contents when it rains.
Nothing has the potential for creating lifetime memories quite like camping. Including your friends and family on your next outing can be a tremendous experience as long as you have a good grasp of camping fundamentals. By taking the concepts in the above article to heart, you will be prepared to experience the outdoors like an expert.
