Are tents waterproof?
When done well, camping is among life's true pleasures. Before embarking on an outdoor adventure alone or with friends and family, it is important to familiarize yourself with tried and true camping tips and advice. The article that follows offers just the start any burgeoning outdoors enthusiast might need to plan their next outing.
Make sure your sleeping bag is right for the weather. By bringing a winter sleeping bag in the summer you may end up sweating instead of sleeping. If you are going to bring a light bag in the winter, you may end up freezing and having a miserable time. Using a lighter sleeping bag in the winter could actually lead to you developing hypothermia.
Particularly, if you have children, you need to consider what to do if you have inclement weather one day. Gather together a few supplies to have on hand in case you need to stay in your tent. Bring a board game, play doh and art supplies. Don't let your family members touch these items until it rains so that they don't lose their appeal.
If you have a toddler, pack a blanket. You can lay it out on the ground and use it as a makeshift play area. Bring cars, dolls, or whatever items your child is into. They can play without getting too dirty and you can instruct them that they need to keep their toys on the blanket for safekeeping. This will help to keep things from getting too spread out.
Carry a survival kit on your person. Your survival kit needs to have water-purifying tablets, a type of survival knife, a first-aid kit, a flare gun, and waterproof matches. This survival kit may be what keeps you alive if you get lost and the items in it are indispensable in a survival situation. Your kit should not be left behind at the camp site, but should be carried with you wherever you go.
While camping, cook easy dinners like "hobo stew". Simply bring potatoes, ground meat, and veggies. Cut the veggies and potatoes at your campsite. Using tinfoil like a bowl, put the ingredients inside and fold the foil over until the food is covered. Place foil on hot rocks or the coals of the campfire, and eventually you will have a tasty "stew".
Take only photos and leave only footprints. That is the rule of thumb when camping. Only use the natural resources that you need and do not leave any traces that you were camping when you leave. Pick up all trash, extinguish and cover any fire pits, bury all human waste, and make the area where you camped look exactly as it did when you found it.
Unless you are going to be spending a significant amount of time camping, buying expensive sleeping bags is really unnecessary. Even if your old and musty sleeping bag is rated for below freezing temperatures, it is excellent padding for the ground even when it is hot outside and you will feel comfortable sleeping on it.
Whenever you go camping, it's important to remember to bring all of the items you will need when you arrive at your destination. Just neglecting to include a thing or two can completely ruin the outing. Keeping a checklist is very helpful for this. Some things you should bring include your tent, sleeping bag, tarp, lots of water, a utility knife, already-made food, soap or hand sanitizer and items to start a fire.
If you have a young child with you, do the math in advance with respect to how much baby food or formula they will need. Make sure you have supplies for them that will last the entire length of your trip. There are no guarantees that a store near your campsite will have these items or will have the type of items that you want.
Be mindful of the environment when you go camping. Whatever you carry into a campsite, make sure that you remove it when you leave. This will eliminate litter and protect the natural environment. Before leaving, the area you have inhabited should be as clean as you would want it if you were just arriving to camp there that day.
The supplies for your next camping excursion should include a couple rolls of duct tape. The tape that does it all at home, also does it all while camping. It can repair an air mattress should it get a hole. Use it to cover any holes or rips that appear in tents or hold together items that break. If you want to take a long hike it can be put on feet to keep blisters at bay. If anyone hurts themselves, it can be used for securing splints or for covering wounds, provided something soft is placed between the tape and skin.
When camping, many people wake up in the morning, only to best glamping tent find out they they have left items out that are now wet. This is because of the morning dew, which can hardly be avoided. If the weather conditions are right, dew is inevitable, so make sure you put things away.
Keep bears away by properly storing your food and disposing of your waste. When you leave food out or in your tent or shelter, nearby bears may destroy your site to find it. Keep it safe and way from your camp. Try placing it in a high place like on a tall tree branch or on a rope.
Many people forget to set up shelter before night falls. It's hard and frustrating to set up a tent in the dark. You need to make a fire or use a flashlight. It's much easier to pitch your tent while it's light out.
Bugs and mosquitoes are a common camping annoyance. You could buy a commercial repellent with chemicals, but a good natural way to keep bugs away from your body is by using an orange peel. Rub the inside of the peel on your arms and legs. This is a inexpensive, responsible way to repel annoying pests.
Never force anyone to go camping with you, including family or girlfriends. Some people just don't enjoy being in nature, and they will be miserable and in turn, make you miserable as well. If your children are simply not interested, find a babysitter for the weekend and relax alone!
Novice campers often set up their tent near bathrooms, but this is an error. They do this in the belief that it will be very convenient, but quickly learn the truth. Campground bathrooms attract high foot traffic and create bright light during the night. Therefore, camping is not as comfortable and convenient as expected.
If you are camping in the mountains or higher elevation, be prepared for cold temperatures. Even in the summer, people just assume that mountains are as warm as it is on flat land; this is simply not true. Have ample blankets with you and be sure to bring proper clothing.
As you can see from the article above, there are many helpful tips that can help you enjoy your camping trip more. Camping is not intended to be an intense event, but there is a bit of know-how required to make it stress free. Utilize the information you have learned in this article to ensure a fun, safe camping trip.