06/14/2022
๐ง๐ถ๐ฝ๐ ๐ณ๐ผ๐ฟ ๐๐ผ๐ผ๐น๐ฝ๐ฟ๐ผ๐ผ๐ณ ๐๐ฎ๐บ๐ฝ๐ถ๐ป๐ด
Camping can be a nourishing, bonding experience with your friends, family, Mother Nature, or all three.
However, it can just as easily turn into a nightmare involving portable-stove-nuked sausages, collapsing tents, and invading bears from which you canโt really wake up. Luckily there are many steps you can take to nail camping (or tent peg it?) ahead of time and grab yourself a wholesome, outdoor experience.
There are lots of reasons to rough it on a good old fashioned camping trip, from physical health benefits to stress relief. (Who needs a memory foam mattress when thereโs a sleeping bag?)
We compiled the camping Dos and Donโts for a safe, comfortable, and exciting experience with Mother Nature. Hereโs how to fully enjoy the Greatest Outdoors!
๐๐ฎ๐บ๐ฝ๐ถ๐ป๐ด ๐๐ถ๐ฝ๐ ๐๐ผ ๐ฝ๐ฟ๐ผ๐๐ฒ๐ฐ๐ ๐๐ผ๐ ๐ณ๐ฟ๐ผ๐บ ๐๐ฒ๐ฎ๐ฟ๐, ๐๐ถ๐๐ฒ๐, ๐ฎ๐ป๐ฑ ๐๐ผ๐ฟ๐ฒ๐ฑ๐ผ๐บ
To ensure a stint with nature thatโs memorable for the right reasons and keeps you out of harmโs way, follow the guide below โ perfect for any neck of the woods.
๐๐๐๐ง ๐ช๐ฅ
Figure out what to bring based on how much room you have, your mode of transport, and the amount of time youโll be gone. If youโre hiking to the campsite, be mindful about the weight and bulk of what youโre carrying. Nobody wants to schlep a 50-pound pack up a mountain.
This checklist from Montgomery Country Parks should help you stick to the absolute essentials and leave the fancy extras for when you next go camping in a car.
๐๐๐๐ ๐ฎ๐ค๐ช๐ง ๐ฅ๐๐๐
Choose a backpack based on the length of your trek and the length of your spine. Manufacturers list the volume of their packs in liters. Multi-day packs are 60 to 80 liters, and these are perfect for 2- to 5-day hikes.
If youโre driving to day hikes from a base camp location, a small day pack will be more than enough for daily provisions and supplies to tide you over while youโre out and about.
๐๐ก๐๐๐ฅ ๐ฌ๐๐ก๐ก
Donโt forget the tent, sleeping bag, sleeping pad (for extra cushion!), and pillow. Being an adventurer doesnโt mean waking up with a crick in your neck.
The size of the tent (๐) depends on how many people are squeezing in. Itโs also sensible to make sure itโs weather resistant, becauseโฆ well, youโre going to meet some weather, arenโt you?
A lightweight three-season tent is made for spring, summer, and fall conditions โ designed to keep people dry during light snow or rain while keeping the bugs out! If a winter camping spree is in the cards, go with a mountaineering tent that can withstand harsh weather conditions.
