Sunday, September 29, 2013

What are your best camping tips for a novice camper?

large camping tents coleman on NEW Browning Camping Kennesaw 2 Person Tent w/ Mesh Roof 5291111
large camping tents coleman image



PiscesRisi


I am going to a B&B, but they have a wide expanse of camping grounds, which is where a group of us (4) will be staying. They also have tent rentals, wood, access to a grill, and bathrooms. Since I'm a novice, I wanted to start this way. What should I bring? What should I know? I would love your expertise!

Love,
WIld Girl Wannabe



Answer
Bring along as little as possible. Air mattress under blankets or sleeping bags are much more comfortable than cots and take up less room while traveling. You will also need a small Coleman propane stove for cooking. Bugs are always a problem, so bring along bug lotion or spray and plastic wrap to keep food easily covered. Lots of dirt and debris gets tracked into tents, so a small plastic whisk broom and dustpan are most helpful. A large inexpensive door mat in front of the tent entrance really helps to keep the dirt down. Bring TWO large igloo coolers along. One is never enough. A fold-up camp chair for everyone is necessary. And, a nice camp light or lantern is needed. Keep the entrance flap closed and secured at night to keep critters from coming inside. They will try. Two big bungee cords are good for securing down a plastic tablecloth from the wind at both ends of a picnic table. Bring along a 30-50 foot length of plastic rope or clothes-line cord for a clothes line. Don't leave any valuables in the tent whenever you leave the campsite, even to use the restrooms. Keep valuables locked up inside your vehicle. Park your vehicle not so much for added privacy, but to block traffic from accidentally plunging into your tent.

What type of things wil I need to bring on a camping trip?




Lindsey


I've never been camping before. What should I bring?


Answer
It all depends on what kind of campground you're going to and what kind of camping you plan to do..
If you're tent camping, then you'll want to bring a tent of course. My husband and I bought a 3 person Coleman a few years ago that has worked very well for us. Pretty much every tent we saw camping this weekend was a Coleman too, so, I'd assume they're decent. Our coleman came with a little mallet and the tent pins and the directions are sewn right into the bag.
If the campground has showers and bathrooms then you won't need to bring toilet paper, but, I always bring one roll anyways just in case. You'll also want to probably bring a towel and your basic toiletries.. Don't forget a flashlight! Or it will be one dark walk to the bathroom at 3 am..
As far as sleeping goes, there's so many different options, make sure to be prepared for it to be cold, but, also have another option if it's warm. I bring a sheet and a heavy sleeping bag. We have cots, but, you could use an air mattress or even just a foam pad like the kind sold in a camping section at Walmart.. Remember though, the dew will rise through the bottom of the tent, so don't just use a regular blanket underneath you or you'll be damp by morning. You'll probably just want something cheap to make sure you even like camping before buying something nicer like a padded cot. It'd be a good idea to bring a cheap pillow if the one you use at home is a nice one you don't want ruined.
Most of the time they sell wood at the campground, but, a lot of the time people alongside the road near the campground have it for sale, so no need to bring wood. If there's a grocery store nearby, I wouldn't bother bringing food either, just buy it once you get there. I would bring a cooler though, it's probably best to get a larger one and share it with friends or family that you're going with..
You'll obviously also need bug spray, and pack clothing for hot and cold weather and rain..
Other then that, a lot is personal preference.. I can't survive without my coffee, so I have one of those little blue enamel coffee pots sold in the camping section. They're about $10 and work pretty decent. I also have an enamel cup that cost about $3. You can put it right over the fire to boil water for hot cocoa mix. I also have extending forks for cooking hot dogs and marshmallows and a Lodge cast iron skillet for cooking up eggs and bacon in the morning.. Most of the time campgrounds have fire rings with a grid over them that you can set a pan on, otherwise you may have to pick one of those up or just skip on the cast iron pan..
That's really about all I can think of..




Powered by Yahoo! Answers

No comments:

Post a Comment