Camping Tips List | Family Camping Tips | Camping Equipment etc.

It doesn’t matter how cautious you and the rest of your family are, in case you are planning on going camping, first aid kits need to be packed in with the rest of your gear. Even the smallest cut or insect bite can turn into a major problem if it’s not properly treated and many camping trips have been cut short due to infections.

There are a lot of different types of camping first aid kits available, that you can find the one which will fit your budget as well as your camping needs too.

For short stays in a public campground, the camping first aid kits need to include band aids as well as a topical antiseptic to clean wounds. They also need to contain items for insect bites or bee stings as well as gauze to provide a sterile dressing in the event of a larger cut.

Nearly all public campgrounds will have emergency supplies available to major accidents, so carrying a litter, splints and dressing for major emergencies probably won’t be necessary.

Even if you go the entire season without opening it, camping first aid kits should be checked before leaving on the first trip of the year. You never know when a family member might have grabbed a few band aids from the kit while still at home and when they are needed in camp, is not the time to find out they have all been used.

Check First Aid Supplies Often

Ointments and astringents that are oftentimes part of camping first aid kits do have expiration dates and before every season, the kits need be checked to make certain everything is still valid.

Antiseptics used beyond their expiration date won’t have the same benefits as fresh materials and you could still end up with an infection. In addition, using outdated products on an open wound may actually invite an infection.

This is also a good time to check on the supply of band-aids and gauze to ensure that there are enough in the kit. While many camping first aid kits are available in waterproof containers, it’s always possible that some moisture has leaked inside and ruined all or part of the products inside.

At the end of every trip it is suggested to replenish every item from the camping first aid kits that might have been used. It is easy to forget between trips that you might be out of something and the time to realize it is before that item is needed in an emergency.
 

When people go camping and plan on doing their own cooking, they will need to pack their own camping cookware, and the type they used will have to be made for the type of cooking they plan to do. Another variable in the type of camping cookware they carry will be how it will be transported.

Lightweight aluminum or titanium cookware is recommended for hiking, however if traveling by camper or trailer, heavy-duty stainless steel is recommended for durability.

How much camping cookware that a family carries will depend upon the size of the family and the type of cooking they plan to do on the road. A stockpot will certainly be needed to boil water as well as in which to cook soup and stew while a frying pan is used for many other type of cooking. A coffee pot or teakettle will as well be high on the list of necessities for any family that appreciates hot beverages.

Durability is one point when choosing camping cookware since many of the less expensive types will not hold up under such fiery conditions. Especially, if the cooking is going to be done over an open fire, the camping cookware will need to be heavy-duty, able to withstand the heat.

It’s Important To Keep Your Cookware Clean

When cooking outside, it’s important to remember to clean the camping cookware after every use, since there probably will not be an automatic dishwasher for you. Since using non-stick cookware in the wild is not feasible and most camping cookware is made of durable steel or another type of metal.

It also not feasible to carry different cleansers and if the pot or pan needs scoured, a little bit of sand and hot water can do the trick.

While scouring pads that include their own soap is convenient, after the first use you will probably want to discard them to prevent them from rusting in a plastic bag. Using a little bit of sand and a wet rag can clean the camping cookware and make it ready for the next meal.

If using most camping cookware for the first time, especially cast iron cookware, it should be properly seasoned. This is done by using a light layer or cooking oil and heating the cookware until the oil burns off. Not in flames, but from the heat of the fire. Instructions on how to properly season camping cookware that requires it are usually included with the instructions with new pieces.

When you go on a hike for several days in the woods, it might be acceptable to find an old log to sit on for the night, however when you are setting up a camp for a few days, don’t you think that camping chairs will be much more comfortable?

The folding styles are a lot easier to carry with a backpack, or to place inside a camper or the trunk of the car, but camping chairs will help to keep you off the ground while you are sitting around the campfire at night.

There are various types of camping chairs available, but those with an aluminum frame and canvas seats and backs are the most popular. On top of being comfortable, they dry quickly if your site is hit by a sudden rainstorm or the morning dew clings to the fabric.

Folding chairs with a metal frame and nylon straps, commonly called sling chairs, can be equally comfortable too but take up more room in the car. Hard metal or wood folding chairs can as well be used as camping chairs but are unwieldy to carry around to the campsite.

Regardless of the activities, camping chairs can offer seating when no other form of seating is available. A lot of people use their chairs when attending outdoor entertainment activities, as well as youth sports games when seating may be at a premium. It is infinitely more comfortable to tote camping chairs than it is to use a blanket spread on the ground.

Provide Extra Seating For Family Gatherings

Many individuals use their camping chairs when they have family and friends over for a cookout or other gathering. They can be found with built-in footstools as well as cup holders built into the arms of the camping chairs. Caution is needed against using the holders for hot beverages as the slightest bump might cause the liquid to spray out onto the person sitting in the chair.

Some camping chairs are designed for use on the beach, with exceptionally short legs allowing the user to sit almost on the ground. They keep them off the wet sand while enjoying the surroundings in comfort. This style of camping chairs is also good for those walking along a river and wanting to sit and wet a line waiting for the fish to bite.

There are many different styles and colors of camping chairs on the market and many are marked with a company’s logo for advertising purposes. They can also be bought bearing the logo and colors of your favorite sports team to show the world to which team your loyalties lie.

For today’s campers the idea of sleeping on the ground just is not in their vocabulary. With the use of inflatable mattresses and camping cots, there is small interest in throwing a blanket on the ground every night. Whether sleeping in a tent or in an unfurnished cabin, there are a lot of various camping cots which can serve the demands of anyone. There are even bunk cots that stack for 2 people to share the same amount of floor space.

The simple cot consisting of a metal frame and a bed of canvas have come of age to include ones with a shelf underneath for storage as well as a nightstand which can sit alongside the camping cots for user convenience. While earlier models were usually made of heavy wood at each end, today’s camping cots are commonly made of aluminum or lightweight titanium to withstand the stresses of camping and frequent use in different climates.

The sling of most camping cots are made of nylon or some other artificial cloth as canvas is too heavy for people to want to carry long distances on hikes. In addition, the use of synthetic fibers help them dry faster too and offer ease in set-up and tear down.

Cots Remove Need For Tent Floors

Additionally to being more comfortable than sleeping on the ground, the use of camping cots rules out the need to have a floor in the tent. Typically, a cot will keep a person at least a foot off the ground and the tent, without a floor, will be lighter to carry and easier to set up.

This is truly beneficial whether it rains and water runs under the tent walls. Nobody will be sleeping on wet ground.

One of the nice things about camping cots is, despite their name, is that they can be employed anywhere at anytime. When your kids want to have friends or relatives over for the night, setting up camping cots in the backyard or even in the basement, makes sure none of them have to sleep on the floor or on other furniture. They can set up in the backyard and pretend they are on a campout.

A lot of the larger outdoor supply stores also carry camping cots for larger and taller campers. A person that stands over six-and-a-half feet tall may be uncomfortable on traditional camping cots however they also offer cots that will hold people over 84-inches tall and may be heavier than the average camper.

On a camping trip, when sleeping out , there is nothing that feels better than lying down on a camping air mattress, knowing that in the morning you will not wake up with the imprint of a rock or stick in your back.

If you select an individual mattress or a camping air mattress, the size of a queen or king sized bed will only matter to the size of the tent and the number of people who will be on the same mattress.

A lot of the single mattresses are just one-chamber bladder designed to simply elevate the camper from the ground. The drawback of this type of camping air mattress is that one little hole will find the camper sleeping on a piece of plastic on the ground.

The best type of camping air mattress is one that has multiple chambers enabling the mattress to remain essentially inflated even if a hole develops in one of the chambers.

When you go camping, always plan on how the camping air mattress will be inflated. While several campgrounds have air compressors for just that reasons, many do not. Besides, lugging a large air mattress to the dedicated compressor and back can be a trial of its own.

Having a foot pump makes inflating a camping air mattress easier and won’t require someone to manually inflate one by blowing into it for hours.

Check Vehicle Pumps For Camping Trips

A lot of companies sell tire inflators that plug into the 12-volt power plug in nearly all vehicles. Many of these pumps can be connected to a camping air mattress and inflate them in minutes. For larger mattresses, 120-volt pumps are available and if the campsite being used is equipped with electricity, they can make short work of inflating the camping air mattress.

Before you place the mattress on the ground, make sure to check out the area for sharp objects that can puncture the outside allowing air to escape throughout the night. In addition, even when sleeping on a camping air mattress, in case it is set on a large rock it can still make for an uncomfortable night. Don’t place an air mattress on plastic as it can slide as though it were sitting on ice.

A camping air mattress that is coated on one side with flannel or other cloth can be more comfortable than lying down on the plastic or rubber mattress. Make sure to have a sleeping bag or some blankets to lay on top of the mattress to prevent muscle pain from sleeping directly on the cold mattress.

The proper camping gear is what will make your camping trip fun, exciting and as well as safe.

 You will need the tent or camper for sure, but you also need the following gear like:

1. Pet camping supplies (in case you have a pet along)
2. Flashlights
3. A portable grill
4. Lawn furniture
5. Coolers and heaters
6. Insect repellent

If you think about it, you will probably need it when you are camping. This goes for your cooking supplies, bedding, and cleaning and bathing supplies.

When you go camping, you do need some camping gear to be happy and safe

Pet Camping Gear

The number one thing on your list for pet camping gear should be the pet tag that is motion activated. This stuff will help you to see the dog, but also allows others to see the dog when it is pitch black outside. Pet tag is going to protect your pet and other people from a potentially dangerous encounter.

You should also include a dog bed or a dog lounger for them. The lounger is nice since it keeps them off the ground. The pet gear should also include a first aid kit, toys and enough food and water.

Be aware that different water sources can affect a dog’s body and cause diarrhea.

Other Camping Gear

Who knows, but you might even need to bring along a repair kit for your camper top or tent. If you determine that there is a leak, you are going to need to repair it even if it is temporary, so you do not have any rain or bugs getting inside.

Camping gear must also include a first aid kit since no one knows for sure that they will not cut their finger or need some antibiotic cream.

You should also have plenty of batteries or a rechargeable battery for any of your gear that requires batteries.

 You should also have camping gear that includes:

1. Binoculars
2. Hunting knife
3. Rain gear
4. And of course tin foil

Once you have everything you need, you should be all set to get out on the road and find a good place to camp. Camping equipment is actually anything that you think you might need and while some people will not need the pet camping gear, others will need gear for kids.

The idea behind camping is to have everything that is going to make it fun, safe and relaxing. Whatever you need to accomplish, this should be a part of your camping gear.