Is it possible to live in a tent?
When you go camping with your family, you are likely to create memories that everyone remembers for a lifetime. But are the memories good ones filled with smiles and laughter? Or is just the trip that no one ever wants to talk about? The difference is largely in your knowledge and preparation for the trip. Read on for tips you can use towards camping success.
Bring a large trash bag for dirtied laundry, and keep it in a central location, suitable for everyone in your party. Let them pack their clothing individually, as this makes it much easier to find than if you pile it all in a community storage box or bag. Toss in a dryer sheet to any bag you want smelling fresh.
Although it is not an essential part of your back country camping gear, a machete is something that you may consider packing depending on where you are going. It is a very versatile tool in the wilderness. You can cut a trail, hack bamboo and vines for shelter, cut coconuts for water, chop firewood, and even use it as protection against wild animals.
If you are going backcountry camping, you should probably carry a snake bite kit in your gear. The best snake bite kits are the ones that use suction. Some kits have scalpels and blood flow constrictors in them. Scalpels can actually cut the poison into the blood stream faster, and constrictors can be deadly if not used properly.
Make sure that your bags include oranges, since these double up as both a handy and healthy snack but also serve as an organic and natural repellant of mosquitoes. After enjoying the sweet juicy fruit, use the inside of the peel to rub on skin for a chemical free insect repellant.
Bring along a bandana or handkerchief. You can use these as hand towels, cleanup towels, pot holders or anything you need cloth for. There are countless other uses for such items, so try your best to remember to bring a bandanna or a large handkerchief with you.
Cross contamination is not an issue that only affects people that cook at home. When you are cooking outdoors, you still have to worry about not using the same cutting board to cut meat that you do to cut any other foods. If you only have one board, use both sides.
Take along plenty of drinking water. You need to stay hydrated, and you will need the water to prepare your food. Depending on the nature of your camping trip, this water may also be needed for clean-up and washing of the hands. It is better to bring along more than you need than not enough.
Do not take anything that belongs in nature with you when you leave. Have fun and take pictures, but when you are loading up the car, make sure rocks, pinecones and other objects remain where they are. This is one of the unspoken rules of camping. Everyone should have the same opportunity to enjoy these things.
Is this your first tent? Before you head into the wilderness, take some time to learn about your tent and pitch it. Doing so will ensure you know what tools you may need. This will help you quickly pitch a tent before darkness falls at your campsite.
You can easily start a campfire with lint from the dryer. Around four weeks prior to camping, start keeping the lint that you clean from your dryer filter. Simply hang a plastic bag near the dryer and stash the lint in the bag as it collects. When you are ready to leave on your trip, just pack your bag of lint for kindling.
Bring enough food and snack items to last you throughout the whole trip. You don't want to spend your time going to get food every meal, enjoy yourself while you are camping. Bring cereal, hot dogs, and all of your other favorite food items that will fuel you throughout your trip.
If you're bringing your dog along for the camping trip, make sure it's wearing its tags. Losing track of a pet can be heartbreaking. Make sure your dog is wearing its dog license and an ID with contact information before you leave on your trip. Neglecting to do so can have tragic consequences.
If you are camping with others, ensure that there is something available to keep everyone entertained. There is nothing worse than a bored campmate, as they will constantly pester you for activities. Talk to your family and friends before hand and make sure they know how to entertain themselves for the trip.
Always take a map with you, and make sure you know how to read the map and a compass before you go. Even if you know what your campsite is like, you may still get lost because a lot of areas look similar around where you are. You can avoid a possible disaster by becoming knowledgeable about using these items that can save your life.
Having an item that provides illumination is very useful for a camping trip. Bring a flashlight is crucial. Since the batteries can run out at any time, you should pack some extra ones in an airtight container. You may also want to carry a small LED torch and a flare gun to be prepared for any dark situations.
Remember, when you are camping you will not have access to many kitchen luxuries. At most, you will have a can opener as well as a basic burner. This means canned foods make a great meal, but even better are things that need very little preparation, like peanut butter sandwiches.
Zip-lock bags can be very handy in a camper's tool chest. Don't worry about hauling mixing bowls in your gear. A gallon size zip-lock bag is great for mixing foods together and is much easier to carry best camping fan for tent in your pack. Just secure the top of the bag very carefully, then squeeze, knead or shake the ingredients together. Then discard for super-easy cleanup too!
If you have more than three people camping with you, take along more than one tent. You are going to want to have some privacy at one time or another. The additional tent will make it possible to get some "me" time while at the camp site. It also gives you additional storage to keep animals out of your supplies.
Camping is something that is truly enjoyable. You should build on your knowledge base of camping by doing proper research. Use the ideas from the article, and you should be able to set up your tent and start camping whenever you want.