Everything You Need To Know About Camping

Whether youre having a camp out with your kids in the backyard or youre up in the mountains, being prepared will make the adventure much more memorable. Keep reading to get some advice on making your trip much more enjoyable. You will most likely appreciate this information.

When you are camping, a necessity for your gear is a survival knife. This is the most important part of your camping gear. Buy a high quality survival knife, not just the cheapest you can find, your life may depend on it. These knives are all very similar; they have a long blade serrated on one side and a hollow handle. Inside the handle you can carry fishing line, hooks, a compass, and matches as a small survival kit.

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.

Keep in mind that you, your family, and everything you take with you is probably going to be dirty. If you are prepared for this situation, you will find that when it occurs, you will be less stressed. Allow yourself to be improper, messy and just "let go" while outside. You can reclaim the normalcy in your life when you arrive back home.

As a courtesy to other campers, dont leave your lighting on overnight, if you are close to others. Pack a timer that you can attach to your lights that will automatically shut them off after a certain time. Leaving lights on overnight is a popular complaint among most American campers!

If you are using a tent for camping, put a great deal of thought into buying your tent. Consider the climate. Consider your price range. How often will you be using this tent? You dont want to buy a tent that wont be able to stand up to the elements. At the same time, you dont need to pay a fortune for a tent you plan to only use once.

Make a list of things you need to take with you before you go camping. You may think you are great at packing, but little else is worse than being out in the middle of the woods and realizing you forgot your allergy medication. Sit down and create a comprehensive list of everything you might need during the week before your camping trip.

At night, create "bear bags." Tie a rope around the bags with your food and your trash. Then, find a tree and toss bags over a branch, raising until they are at least seven or eight feet off the ground. Tie the rope around the tree so it is secure. This way, bears and other animals will not be able to get into your food and trash during the night.

Exercise

Take a sleeping pad to help you get a good nights sleep and enjoy your camping trip more. An egg shell shaped foam pad or a rubber exercise mat type pad will provide protection from sticks, stones and uneven ground. This kind of padding can also be arranged on the floor of your tent to prevent rips and tears.

Clearly, camping is an activity that can be enjoyed by virtually everyone. Taking what you have gained here, it is time to plan a camping trip everyone can enjoy. Get outdoors and explore the many beautiful sights that Mother Nature provides.