Camping Plans – Everything You Need to Know

Experience has shown that the joy that comes with camping largely depends on how the camper understands camping activity.

Understanding camping activities means knowing the exact time to start preparation, the right camping gear to buy, the safety measures to take during camping, and a whole lot of information about the campsite or campground.

In this post, we provide all you need to know before embarking on camping.  Above all, we have reviewed camping materials that have proven to be reliable, durable, and affordable on this site.

Note – Please know, some of the external links on this page are affiliate links, this means that if you purchase after following one, I make a small commission from the sale at no additional cost to yourself.

What Really is Camping?

Camping is an outdoor activity that entails spending at least a night away from home in a tent or cot. Campers or participant usually leave their home for a more natural and remote area for camping.

Early and adequate preparation is the key to a memorable camping experience. In fact, if you really want to have a simple and hitch-free camping activity then pay attention to early preparation.

So What is The Right Time to Start Preparing for Camping?

A study has shown that to have a complex free camping experience, one needs at least 6 months to prepare. In fact, beginners or first-timers are advised to start a year ahead.

Preparation becomes easier after your first experience. You may be wondering, why do you need such a lot of time to prepare?

Yes, you want to make your campsite a “home away” where you don’t miss your home for any reason.

Before settling on the campsite to go to, you must make detailed research on the safety, facilities, management, and general environmental condition of the campsite.

If you are a beginner, you are strongly advised to camp not too far from home. Avoid terrain that is not friendly

Essential Camping Gear 

There are no limits to the number of camping gear you may need to enjoy your camping period. But here we are talking about essential camping gear that you can’t avoid while going on camping.

Below is a guide, if you want to see our product recommendations, you can read our best camping gear post.

1. First Aid Box

Safety should be paramount in your preparation for camping. In fact, you must know or have the knowledge of some common sicknesses that may occur during camping.

A complete first aid box or medical kit should contain enough bandages, moleskin, and medication that can last for four days.

2. Camping Stove

You need a camping stove that burns fast and can easily be operated. In fact, a propane camp stove is usually the best. You must consider features such as the rate of fuel consumption, weight, efficiency, and cooking control.

We have selected the best propane camping stove based on the high score of basic features.

3. Camping Cot

Relaxation and sleeping are essential during camping, therefore you need a very comfortable camping cot. The size of the cot depends on the number of people that will use it. If you are going alone, you should consider a portable camping cot.

But if you are not going along then you must consider buying a cot designed for two or three people.

If you are not comfortable with the cot then you can consider going for a portable bunk bed. If you are going for a bunk then you should consider some features such as the ease of use, the fabric, size, and weight.

4. Mosquitoes and Insect Repellent

You must protect your skin from insect and mosquito bites that may result in infections. Therefore, you need a repellent that will keep insects and even reptiles far away from your tent or cot.

5. Camping Lantern

In this case, I strongly suggest you go for a solar, or propane lantern that can easily be recharged by solar energy. Before buying any lantern you should consider features such as its water resistance level, design strength, charging, and discharge period.

6. Complete Cooking Gear

Remember, your aim in reading this piece is to have a camping experience that will make you feel at home. Spoon and other minor kitchen utensils are what most campers forget easily at home.

To avoid this, you need to buy complete cooking gear specifically designed for camping. A complete set comes with cutlery, cutting board, utility knife, and waterproof spice shakers.

You may also consider finding a good kitchen table to go perfectly with your portable cooking space when camping.

7. Compass, Maps, and GPS

Knowing how to read a compass, maps and GPS is a very essential skill every camper must acquire. This is very essential when you are going on camping with children. Make a provision of setting up a tracking device for each of your children

There are reported cases where children go missing during camping. Therefore, it will be wise if you get this security device when going on camping with children.

8. Multipurpose Tool

You need camping tools such as a folding shovel, the camp saw, a hand saw, and more tools on the campsite. The tools are basically used for clearing and preparing the ground for a comfortable experience.

Also, the camp ax and saw should be used for splitting firewood and kindling at a campsite. To get this right, you need to consider features such as the handle grip, the blade shape, and sharpness, etc.

9. Waterproof Matches, Firestarter

You must buy a Sealed firestarter or waterproof matches because fire is an essential part of camping. You need fire to cook and at night it serves as security against harmful animals.

10. Brush, Dustpan, and Repair Kit

A neat environment promotes healthiness. In that case, you need a broom and dustpan to always keep the camping surrounding clean. In addition, you need a repair kit for emergency repairs of other camping essentials that may develop fault along the way.

There are hundreds of camping gear out there for campers. And there is no way you can get all of them; therefore, you need the basic ones that will serve you during the camping period.

Camping preparation depends on individual needs and life patterns. Therefore, to get everything right, you must start preparation on time.

11. Camping Fan

To enjoy cool air during camping, more especially during the summer is one aspect of camping you can’t joke about. with varieties of camping fans on the market, buyers are usually confused on which one to go for.

But you need not be worried because we have the solution to it. Battery operated fans have been widely accepted. This is because you don’t need a power source to use it on the campsite. Below is a link to a detailed review of the best battery-operated fan available and affordable on the market today.

12. Camping Cooler

One of the memorable camping experiences happens around the cooler. Taking chilled beer or any type of drink during and after the day’s activities brings back lost energy. Thereby reinvigorating you for the next moment on the campsite.

10 Camping Health And Safety Tips

There are set down health and safety tips you must follow in order to make camping fun and accomplishing. The tips are as follows:

1. Vaccine

Prevention is better than cure. Therefore, it is wise you undertake all the necessary vaccines before going camping. To do this you need to visit a doctor for proper medical advice before embarking on a camping

2. Proper Food Safety

It is obvious that eating contaminated food and drinking contaminated water endangers your life. Therefore, to be free from food and water-related diseases and other infectious diseases then keep your food and water safe.

To keep your food safe, you must do the following:

• You need an insulated cooler to store the food. The food should be packed in airtight and waterproof bags.
• Wash your hands before handling any food or always use hand sanitizer
• Always keep cooked food away from the raw foods
• Make sure that your food is well cooked

To keep your water safe, you must do the following:

• Use a clean container to store your water
• Don’t leave the drinking cup uncovered
• In some case, boil the water before drinking

3. Do Safe Physical Activities

The camping period is not the time to learn a new skill, especially in physical activities. Therefore, a safe physical activity is indulging in what you know how to do best on the camping ground. If you are good at biking, hiking, swimming then do these ones.

Always know your limit to avoid injuries or over-stressing yourself, which may lead to some common sicknesses on the camp.

4. Don’t Cook Inside The Tent

Cooking stove emits carbon monoxide, which is poisonous and harmful to health. In fact, inhaling about 0.3% of it can lead to suffocation. Therefore, never cook inside the tent to avoid suffocation or inhaling the poisonous gas.

5. Avoid Touching Animals and Protect Your Pet

Most wild animals are disease carriers. Therefore, avoid touching them so as to avoid being infected by their diseases. Most animals are better watched from afar.

Also, to avoid a clash between your pet and wild animal, always put your pet on the check.

6. Protect Yourself from Bug Bites

Don’t ever go to the campsite without an insect repellent. Mosquitoes, ticks, and insect bites transmit diseases, which is deadly. Therefore you must avoid coming in contact with these insects by using insect repellent.

In addition, use protective wears that can cover almost every part of your body to prevent being biting easily by insects.

7. Protect Against Temperature Related Sicknesses

Hypothermia is a health disorder resulting from a fall in body temperature. To prevent it, you should come along with adequate bedding and clothing to stay warm. Use a plastic ground cloth under the tent.

But if this occurs, then do the following:

• Remove all wet clothes and material around you
• Drink warm water or tea to raise your body temperature
• Rob your fit and hand to generate heat thereby increasing the body temperature
• Wrap the person with a blanket
• Do not immerse the person in warm or hot water especially children

If after all these steps, the body temperature did not get back to normal then it is time to go home and visit a doctor.

Hyperthermia is a situation where the body temperature goes higher than it supposes to be. To prevent hyperthermia you need to drink plenty of water. You shouldn’t wait until you are thirsty to drink water.

Wear simple and light clothes to avoid heat. Above all, protect yourself from the sun. In case, hyperthermia occurs, do the following:

• Move to the nearest shed
• Remove the warm clothes
• Drink a lot of water chilled or not,
• Create artificial air by fanning

If it persists then it time to go home and visit your doctor

8. Avoid Water-Related Injuries and Sicknesses

This aspect is for swimmers. If you are having diarrhea then don’t swim, and don’t mistakenly swallow the water you are swimming in. In fact, don’t swim alone even if you are a good swimmer because any health-related attack can occur at any given time thereby making you unconscious.

9. Protect Yourself from Sun

You should develop the habit of avoiding the ultraviolet rays all the time. The rays cause serious skin problems such as skin cancer and many more. For safety, measure Use a broad-spectrum (against UVA and UVB rays) sunscreen and lip screen with at least SPF 15. Seek shade, especially during midday hours, when the sun’s rays are strongest. Cover up with clothing, a wide-brimmed hat, and sunglasses.

10. Always Prepare for Emergency

Nobody prays for wounds or accidents but these things are unavoidable. Therefore, you must be prepared for unforeseen occurrences such as food poisoning, hyperthermia, hypothermia, and many more.

You start your preparation by having a complete medical kit, and once you get to the campground, you should know the contact person on the ground in case of any emergencies.

10 Things to Avoid During Camping

In this section, you are going to learn things you should try as much as you can to avoid when camping. They are as follows:

1.  Late Arrival

Avoid getting to the campsite late at night or when it is dark more especially if you are new to camping. You need the daylight to set up your tent in order to ensure that your tent is completely free from any reptile or insect.

2. Avoid Arriving Under the Sun

Avoid getting to the campsite at the peak hour of the day when the sun is harsh. This basically applies to those that wish to go on camping in the summer. Getting to the site when the sun is harsh will make you uncomfortable. Therefore leave the house as early you can to get to the campsite at the right time.

3. Wandering or Staying Alone

Never be alone at the campsite, especially when camping in a forest. Make sure you have other campers around or always keep people at home informed about your position at any given time.

4. Food Stuff Uncovered

Food poisoning can result from eating unhealthy or infected food and can be deadly in some cases. To avoid such a situation, make sure that your food and foodstuff are covered from insects, reptiles, and animals like a monkey.

5. Excess Drinking of Alcohol

Camping is a time for relaxation and enjoyment but it should be with moderation. Getting drunk during camping has resulted in serious injuries and even death in some campgrounds. Therefore, drink responsibly during and after camping.

6. Nuisance

In most cases, you don’t camp alone. Therefore you must behave well to avoid irritating your camping neighbors. Don’t play music so loud and don’t throw dirty indiscriminately around the surrounding.

7. Being Careless with Camping Bag

There are reports where campers leave the zip of their camping bag open and unknowing to get home with dangerous reptiles that find comfort in their back. Also, some camping gear can fall away if the zip is not locked.

Therefore, always make sure that your bag is properly zipped at any given period in the camp.

8. Annoying Animals

If your campsite is where you will come in contact with wild animals, then follow the instructions given to you religiously by the camp regulators. Do not go contrary to instructions given to you before coming in contact with the animals.

For an instance, you may be told never to run when you come face to face with an elephant. Just obey because running will provoke the elephant. So don’t provoke wild animals during camping.

9. Leave the Ground Without Cleaning

Always remember to keep the surroundings clean before you leave because the site will be used by others. If everyone leaves the campground without cleaning it will not be used another time.

10. Dressing Irresponsibly

Your dressing tells much about you. Therefore, let other campers get to know you and access you by your dressing. Remember to use camp wears to avoid unnecessary accidents on the campground.

Conclusion

Your take away from this post is that you should always prepare well ahead of your camping date. Always be very careful to avoid an accident, and behave decently throughout the camping period.