100 Camping Tips
by Dudley
Camping is fun, exciting, relaxing, fulfilling, and therapeutic ... however it can also be very dangerous and potentially miserable if you are not prepared.
We have put together 100 valuable camping tips to help you make your next outdoor adventure enjoyable and rewarding and safe ... or shall I say "rough it in comfort".
100 Camping Tips:
- Camp with a friend - safer and more fun
- Don't drink alcohol during winter camping - when you need to keep your wits the most
- Make your own first aid kit - often cheaper and better meets your needs
- Be prepared for a zombie attack - although unlikely, it’s always good to be prepared
- Wolves don't attack humans - there has never been a confirmed wolf kill of a human in North America's wilds
- Dogs attack humans - dogs are far more dangerous to humans than wolves
- A sharp knife is a safe knife - they work better and hence there is less chance of a mishap
- Bring a saw ... leave the axe - An axe has more risk of injury - they are heavy and dangerous in the hands of a rookie ... bring a saw
- An ounce on your feet is a pound in your pack - light hiking boots are best in most cases
- Roughing it is for TV survivalists - if you are comfortable, life is good
- Electric music is for the city - leave your speakers at home
- Scotch is a better camping beverage than beer - more bang for the weight. Leave the beer in the fridge
- Food always tastes better in the backwoods - this is a mystery
- Food is your fuel - eat well and perform better
- Water is more important than food - if you are thirsty, you are already dehydrated
- Store your self-inflating mattress unrolled - protects the insulation and reduces mould
- Stuffing a sleeping bag is better than rolling it - easier and protects the insulation
- Store a sleeping bag in a large, loose, breathable bag - protects the sleeping bag
- 3 bangs or 3 whistle blasts - the international signal for distress
- Children love camping - go slow, take lots of breaks and stop at every cool place to play.
- Dogs chase wild animals - train or leash them.
- Cats don't do anything - goldfish with fur!
- Bring sleeping socks or booties - always dry and warm
- Wear a helmet - when on white water, biking or downhill skiing ... if you choose not to wear a helmet, then you obviously don’t have much brain matter to protect ... think Darwin
- Wear a wide-brim hat - protect your skin and eyes from the sun and your head from bugs. Bonus - sunglasses often can be left behind.
- Sunscreen is for everyone ... all complexions - always and everywhere
- Bandanas are wonderful - tons of uses
- Blaze orange is good - better for being seen and found, and not shot during hunting season
- Camouflage is silly for camping - it is great for hiding, however, if you want to be found and seen ... go with bright colours
- Blow your nose without tissue - hold one nostril shut ... then point and blow!
- Moleskin is essential - apply at first signs of a “hot spot” on your feet to prevent a blister from developing
- Down is great when dry and not so much when wet - light and compatible, however when it gets wet ... most to all the insulation value is lost
- Synthetic insulation works even when wet - a little heavier and compresses less than down, but it always works
- Trekking poles can double as tent poles with some tents - saving some weight
- Black widows, Recluses and Hobo Spiders are venomous
- Keep your tent zipped at all times - you don’t want spiders, snakes or other curious critters crawling in your tent while you are gathering wood.
- Shake out footwear before putting them on - snakes and spiders love hiding in dark warm places
- Round rocks are great for wiping as an alternative to toilet paper - really
- Remove ticks gently without pulling or squeezing - reduce Lyme Disease
- Sleep in your warm clothing and bring a lighter sleeping bag
- Stuff sacks make great camp shoes
- Put warm water in a water bottle before bed - warm up your sleeping bag
- Place extra clothing under your sleeping bag - increase insulation
- A warm hat - a light and easy way to regulate your body temperature
- Get in shape - not the round/soft kind of shape!
- Layer clothing - 1) thin synthetic/wool against skin, 2) insulation layer, 3) windproof/waterproof/breathable for the outer layer
- Cotton is rotten - holds sweat and moisture for days ... and takes forever to dry
- Nylon hikers are not good for deserts - fine sand passes through the nylon and causes grief
- Keep pocket zippers closed at all times - open pockets get caught on branches and valuable stuff can fall out
- Don’t eat yellow snow
- Zip tops are good - they regulate body heat
- Keep maps in the outside pocket of the pack - dahhh!
- Layer socks - thin wicking layer against the skin and then a thicker insulated layer. It will reduce blisters and increase padding
- Aftermarket footbeds - they place your feet in a better position in your boot, improve fit and padding, and reduce plantar fasciitis
- Bring repair kits and know how to work them - tent, self-inflating mattress, stove, canoe, sewing, etc
- A spork is all you need - it's a spoon & fork combined, and you already have a pocket knife in your essential kit
- Wide-mouth water bottles - easier to fill and clean
- Metal water bottles in the winter are nasty - your tongue and lips can stick to ice-cold metal
- A candle lantern will warm a tent - amazing ... one candle can change a frigid tent to a nice place to read or play cards
- A candle lantern emits carbon monoxide - ensure there is good ventilation
- Don’t cook in the tent - fire and carbon monoxide are not good things in a tent
- Don’t cook or eat near the campsite - you will attract hungry and curious critters
- Don’t wash dishes at the shoreline - wash dishes 50 feet from both the water source and/or your campsite
- Headlamps are easier than flashlights
- Uninsulated Air mattresses are comfortable, however, they are chilly on cold nights
- Compasses don’t need batteries
- Compasses are not reliable north of 60º
- Black bears can be dangerous, Brown bears are dangerous, Polar bears are very very dangerous
- Use biodegradable soap ... better yet ... don’t use soap
- Use “natural” toothpaste and swallow ... better yet, brush without toothpaste
- Death can occur ... 3 minutes without air, 3 hours without shelter, 3 days without water and 3 weeks without food.
- Campers should eat 1.5-2.5 pounds of food per day or 2500-5000 calories
- Cook your meals in one pot
- The first day's meal can be meat ... pack a frozen steak in the morning, and by dinner time it will be thawed and ready to cook
- Chocolate is not good in the summer - it will become a molten mess
- Don’t eat wild plants unless you are sure they are safe
- Know what poison ivy looks like
- Pack and separate your gear with loosely packed stuff sacks
- Bear defence - bring bangers, spray, and canisters
- Hang your food or place your food canister ... far far away from camp
- Don’t hang food in your backpack or anything you don’t mind being torn apart by bears or aggressive red squirrels
- Don’t put loose/open food in your backpack - your pack or contents shouldn’t smell like "food"
- Put toothpaste in a food bag at night
- Get your backpack fitted properly
- Socks can double as mitts
- Wear your hiking boots loose not tight
- Point-and-shoot cameras are easier and lighter than DSLRs, smartphones are even lighter.
- Leave deodorant at home - embrace the stink
- Learn how to read a map
- An altimeter helps identify your location
- Trekking poles help your knees and ankles
- Gaiters keep water, snow, dirt and debris from getting in your boots and socks
- Crossing rivers is more dangerous than you think
- Set your tent in a safe location - look up, down and all around
- Hand sanitizer - can save you from getting the runs
- Small injuries can turn into big injuries if not attended to promptly
- Blister treatment - the best treatment is prevention
- Take nothing from the great outdoors other than photos and memories
- Avoid metal or high places during a lightning storm
- Take less and enjoy the adventure more!
