100 Essential Camping Tips
by Bruce “Dudley” Watts

Camping is fun, exciting, relaxing, fullfilling, and therapeutic ... however it can also be very dangerous and potentially miserable if you are not prepared.
We have put together 100 essential camping tips to help you make your next outdoor adventure both enjoyable and rewarding ... or shall I say "rough it in comfort".
100 Camping Tips:
- Camp with a friend - safer and more fun
- Don't drink alcohol 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 saw ... leave the axe - An axe has more risk to 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 ipod at home ... and blasters are a no no
- Scotch is a better camping beverage than beer - more bang for the weight. Leave the beer in the fridge at home
- Food always tastes better in the backwoods - this is a mystery
- Food is your fuel - eat well and perform better
- Water is more important that fuel - 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 sleeping bag
- 3 bangs or 3 whistle blasts - the international signal for distress
- Children love camping - go slow, take lots or breaks and stop at every cool place to play.
- Dogs chase wild animals - train or leash them.
- Cats don't do anything - gold fish with fur!
- Bring sleeping socks - 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 hat - protect your skin and eyes from the sun and your head from bugs
- 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
- 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 compactible, however when it gets wet ... most to all the insulation value is lost
- Synthetic insulation works even when wet - a little heavier than down, but always works
- Trekking poles can double as tent poles
- Black widow, Recluse 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 it 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 hot 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 - then regulate body heat
- Keep maps in outside pocket of pack or clothing - dahhh!
- Layer socks - thin wicking layer against the skin and then a thicker insulated layer. Will reduce blisters and increase padding
- Aftermarket footbeds - they place your feet in a better position in your boot, and improve fit and padding
- Bring repair kits and know how to work them - tent, self inflating mattress, stove, canoe, sewing, etc
- A spork is all you need - its 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 tent - amazing ... one candle can change a frigid tent to a nice place to read or play cards
- A candle lantern emits carbine monoxide - ensure there is good ventilation
- Don’t cook in tent - fire and carbine monoxide are not good things in a tent
- Don’t cook or eat near campsite - you will attract hungry and curious critters
- Don’t wash dishes at shoreline - wash dishes 50 feet from both the water source and/or your campsite
- Head lamps are easier than flashlights
- Air mattresses are comfortable, however have no insulation
- 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
- 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 backpack - your pack or contents shouldn’t smell like "food"
- Put toothpaste in food bag at night
- Get you backpack fitted properly
- Socks can double as mitts
- Wear your hiking boots loose not tight
- Point and shoot cameras are easier and lighter than DSLR
- 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 promptly
- Blister treatment - best treatment is prevention
- Take nothing from the great outdoors other than photos and memories
- Avoid metal or high places during a lightning storm
- Zombies don’t camp