With autumn weather now upon us, it's a great time to go camping. We've put together some tips and advice for tenting camping to help you in preparing for your first trip. Packing for a camping trip for the first time can be intimidating, but with a few of our helpful tips, you can become a camping pro in no time.
While tents used to be pretty basic, the amount of different kinds that you could buy today can be daunting for a new camper. There are three main types of tents: 3 season, 3-4 season, and 4 season tents. Three season tents have good ventilation and protection for spring, summer and fall weather. The 3-4 season tents are a little more sturdy with fewer ventilation panels. These tents are built a little tougher so they can withstand higher elevations and lower temperatures. The 4 season tents are built to hold up in snow and high wind. These tents are great for winter camping in high elevations. Along with the different types of tents to buy, there are also important aspects of the tent to consider: tent height, floor length, tent doors, tent poles, rainfly, and tent material.
The next things to consider are your sleeping bag, pad, and pillow. Picking a sleeping bag can be complicated, especially if you want to get something that will last a while. Sleeping bags are categorized by their temperature rating, or the minimum temperature they will keep a regular sleeping person warm.Their are three main temperature ratings: summer, 3 seasons, and winter. The summer sleeping bags have a temperature range of +35 degrees and above. The 3 seasons sleeping bag is equipped to handle temperatures from +10 degrees to +35 degrees. This sleeping bag allows for a larger range of weather to camp in. The winter sleeping bags can handle temperatures below +10 degrees. A sleeping pad will make sleeping on the ground a little more comfortable and you don't want to forget a pillow!
No matter the weather, you always want to be prepared in the clothes department. Bring extra sets of clothes, especially socks. It is not fun going to sleep in wet clothes, and wet socks are the worst. Even on the hottest days, pants and long sleeves can protect you from the sun and annoying bugs. And don't forget a hat!
There are a couple different ways to build a fire, but the main ingredients you'll need are tinder, kindling, and firewood. Tinder is important for getting the flame started and consists of small twigs, dried leaves, or a fire starter. Kindling helps keep the flame going while the firewood gets warmed up. Our favorite way of building a fire is using the teepee technique. You always want to build a fire in a ring, fireplace, or grill so that you decrease the risk of a forest fire. Place tinder in the center of your fire ring and surround it with kindling in the shape of a teepee. Make sure to pack matches or something to light the fire. Once you've lit your fire and the flames are strong you can start adding larger pieces of firewood. When you're done, make sure the fire is completely out before leaving, and don't ever leave a fire unattended.
Camping is a great time to get creative in the cooking department. The KOA website offers many recipes to cook over the fire, so you won't be left just cooking hotdogs the entire time. Maybe try baked potato in a can or even try a bar-b-que bean bake. The possibilities are endless. And don't forget plates and utensils!
(All information gathered from REI.)
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