By Kevin Smith
Camping is a great outdoor activity that allows you to connect with Mother Nature and helps you create a tighter bond with your loved ones. Camping for the first time, however, can feel a bit intimidating. Nonetheless, even the seasoned campers were once beginners, and each experienced camper can share a funny camping anecdote or two. Often, new campers learn the hard way, but we’re here to stop that from happening. In the article below, we shall list the top 10 things that you need to know when camping for the first time.
1. Research on the camping spot
First thing first, you need to determine the perfect camping spot. Not all places in the wild are good locations for camping. Ideally, you can get help from friends who have camped before or even get information from the internet. Generally, however, the perfect camping spot should be:
- On a flat surface
- A location with windbreakers
- Access to water
- Away from safety hazards such as rocks fall, high tides, or avalanches
The final tip of choosing a camping spot is camping grounds are found, not made.
2. Choose the Right Gear
If you’re camping for the first time, no need to go all-out and get gear used by seasoned campers. Instead, stick to the basics, and the most crucial component to go for is the tent. While at it, don’t invest in anything fancy, but a simple and easy to set up a tent similar to the ones at Native Compass.
3. Make Use of a Checklist
It’s not fun to get to the camping ground, only to realize you left some items. To stay organized and ensure you don’t miss anything, keep a camping gear checklist. You can use it while packing your items in your RV, and this way, you’ll not miss anything.
4. Plan Meals Ahead of Time
A lot of campers often overlook meals. Not in the sense that they don’t bring their meals with them, but they don’t make them as simple as possible. Again, they overlook the importance of scheduling how, when, and which meals to have throughout their stay. Your meals should be simple, and if possible, carry cooked meals that will only need re-heating for consumption. Secondly, have a comprehensive plan for preparing different meals on different days. Go with meals that easy to prepare so that they can save time and work.
5. Bring Sufficient Clothing
Camping is all about preparation. Many new campers often neglect the need to carry sufficient clothing. The weather is always unpredictable, and at night, it can particularly get chilly. Again, different weather conditions require different attire. For instance, you will need a rain cat when it pours, a swim jacket when you need to take a dip and a jacket in the cool evenings. To stay a happy camper, Native Compass insists that you always prepare for artic.
6. Pay Attention to Weather Forecast
It’s always a good idea to consider weather forecasts. Though they’re not always accurate, they give you an idea of what the weather will be like. See, camping is all about adventure and relaxing, and so you should not go camping if you know there’ll be foul weather.
7. Arrive at the Camping Ground Early
New campers are advised to get to the camping ground early to familiarize themselves with the site. After all, they are new to the camping ground and camping altogether, and they don’t know about the campground amenities or rules.
8. Observe Campground Rules
While there’s no real privacy in a campground, it doesn’t mean there’re no rules. Different campgrounds have different rules, so you need to get acquainted with them. Generally, however, it’s recommended that you respect individual space and observe quiet hours.
9. Camp Close to Home
For your first camping trip, don’t go far away from home. After you first night, you might realize that you don’t cut to be a camper. You might also have gear problems, and find yourself without a tent. Generally, many things can go wrong during your first camping, and so, it’s always necessary to be in a position when you can go home.
10. Have Fun
Despite everything, don’t get stressed on the camping experience. Instead, have fun and let loose; after all, that is what camping is all about.
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