Camping is a fantastic vacation option, whether it’s for a night, weekend or even a full week. It’s a great option for individuals, couples or families who want to be more at one with nature and spend their free time outdoors. There are also many other positives to camping, such as it being more budget-friendly than paying over the odds for a top-notch hotel, as well as it being a prime opportunity to teach valuable life and survival skills to young children, too.
That being said, the idea of camping can be very daunting if you’ve never done it before, and it’s more about simple comfort, too. You need to be sure you remain safe and protected when facing the elements, so here is a guide for beginners if you’re planning on taking a camping trip.
Plan For All Weather – And Especially Bad Weather
A camping trip on sunny days and warm evenings is all well and good – but what if the weather changes? Temperatures can plummet during the night depending on where you’re staying, and you’re also at risk of quick weather changes meaning your careful camp set up is left exposed to heavy wind and rain. It’s essential to plan for the worst weather possible (and hopefully not having to use any of that preparation!).
Maintain Your Vehicle
If you’re going on a camping trip, the odds are you’re taking either a car to get you to your designated site, or maybe even taking an RV to stay in. It’s essential you maintain your vehicle to ensure it can safely run and you can rely on it. You don’t want to start a camping adventure to a more deserted place, only to find your only way of driving back to civilization has a dead battery, flat tire or other problems.
When it comes to camping, it’s also essential to have a vehicle equipped to manage all the gear you need. You don’t want to be leaving anything behind when it comes to equipment and safety items, so you’ll need enough storage space. You may want to think about upgrading your vehicle with extra storage, like with this Toyota Tacoma bed rack or other adjustments for your vehicle type.
Take Essential Safety Gear
It’s very easy to take the basics for granted when you’re at home or staying in a hotel. Bandages, band-aids, electricity and being able to turn on the heating – all are just a hand-reach away in most homes and buildings, but when you’re out camping, you don’t have any of that to hand unless you remember to take the essentials.
A first-aid kit is a must-have for any camping trip, but you should also think about:
- Spares for absolutely anything essential. This means spare torch batteries, a spare phone charger, spare cables – even a spare first-aid kit.
- Must-know safety contacts for the area you’re camping in. Do you know who to call in an emergency, and is the number saved readily on your phone? With a spare charger or battery?
- Thermals and all the gear you need to keep warm
- A repair kit for your tent, or even a spare tent