Camping is one of the greatist joys of life. Different from the city, it offers nature at its best. From chirping birds in the morning, unpolluted air to bonding with your loved ones, all is present in a great camping trip. Yet for inexperienced beginners, there are many things that could go wrong. Keep your Outdoor Adventure from turning into a disaster.
Here are some tips to apply on your camping trip:
- Don’t leave home without the essentials: duct tape, flashlight, map, compass, extra food and clothing, sunglasses, first aid supplies, pocket knife, waterproof matches, fire starter and baby wipes (to wash your hands).
- Don’t snack where you sleep. In bear country, never bring food in a tent, never sleep in clothing that smells of freshly caught fish, always hang your food away from camp and always yield the right of way to a bear.
- Cool your jets. Unless you are trying to launch the space shuttle (or your dinner), running your camp stove on full power all the time is a waste of fuel.
- Watch your pee for cues. If your body is producing relatively clear urine five times a day, your fluid intake is fine. Cloudy or dark urine means you need to drink more — at least two liters per day. No, Hawaiian Punch does not count. Neither does beer.
- Lose the scent, fashion plate. The only thing you’ll attract with perfume is bees. If you want to see wildlife, remember, Bambi doesn’t like cosmetics, neon clothes (you’re not in Vegas) or perfume. And SHHHH! Be quiet.
- Don’t dry wet boots in front of a fire unless you plan to eat them. Can you say barbecued boots?
- Skip the death march. One weekend outing is no time to try to cram in a year’s worth of activity. Your family and friends will soon learn to avoid your camping trips if all you do is schedule grueling hikes, early rising and constant activity. Learn to relax and enjoy the quiet moments.
- Keep it light. Mosquitoes are naturally attracted to darker colors. When hiking, keep covered and wear light colors. *For extra protection, check out the Spring Ring Folding Headnet.
- Set up your tent once before you leave. Ever try and set up a tent in the dark and forget how? Or, discover that a mouse has set up house over the winter and the tent looks like Swiss cheese? Hold a practice assembly in your back yard to get the routine down. Another tip: try color coding tent poles by size with colored tape to make assembly quicker and easier.
- Carry condoms (the non-lubricated kind). Condoms multitask.
- Carry water in it a condom holds up to one gallon.
- Use as an emergency flotation device/ fill with air and stick one in each pant leg.
- Use one over the lens of your camera to keep debris and water out. Just remove before shooting.
- Blow it up and put inside a fleece jacket as a makeshift pillow.
- Use several to lash poles together for an emergency shelter or to secure gear to a backpack or canoe in a pinch.
