Wilderness Wisdom: Get those Camping Supplies Together!
Spending your vacation out in the wilderness is both enjoyable and rewarding. It is also an activity that need not be limited to your free time. In fact, any weekend can be devoted to a camping trip – and this means that you should stock up on those camping supplies if you are a real camping enthusiast.
So where can you get camping supplies, and what should you store? To know where to begin and how to go about shopping, take note that there are nine main types of camping gear and supplies.
• Tents – Buy the number of tents you need, but keep an extra one in safe storage. Insects can get to the fabric and chew holes into it, so you should have extra tents just in case you suddenly find yourself out in the woods without a suitable roof over your head.
• Lighting Equipment – Stock up on batteries, and always keep rechargeable ones fully charged, so that your lighting equipment is always working. If you have rechargeable lamps, charge them completely and keep them clean, since dust can destroy circuits.
• Light, Waterproof Clothing – Buy this type of clothing in two sizes, one in your current size, and another at least two sizes bigger. This will allow you to layer your clothing just in case you find yourself in freezing cold without proper jackets or covering.
• Tools – Keep your hunting knives and wood-cutting materials sharp, and out of reach of children.
• First Aid Kit – Stock up on bandages and ointments, and make sure that the medicines and vitamins you carry have not gone past their expiration date.
• Communication – As with lighting, stock up on batteries for your walkie-talkies; make sure your cellular phones are completely charged; and carry extra, fully charged batteries for your equipment.
• Toiletries – Stock up on shampoos, soaps, and other cleaning materials.
• Food – Stock up on canned goods, and keep water bottles clean and filled with purified water. Make sure that the food you have on hand is fresh, with expiration dates at least one month away.
• References and Guides – There’s no need to stock up on your maps or compasses, but make sure that your map is the latest, updated one of your camping site.
For successful camping trips, simply stock up on these supplies and store them in a safe place. Keep the food fresh and clean, and the tents away from the insects. As long as you maintain the quality of your supplies, you can simply take them out of their storage space and pack them up for that next trip into the great outdoors.
Keep in touch even when camping out
How should you do just that when you are outdoors and away from all the amenities and convenience of civilization?
Easy, there are various ways and means as well as gears that are available to cater to a camper’s every need.
The following are tips and advice to make keeping in touch during camping as easy as a-b-c.
Set boundaries and follow them
Camping, especially if there are kids around, could be quite a complicated activity. To make it less complex and safe, try to set some boundaries in and around the campsite. Advise campers, especially kid campers, what are the things they should do and not do with or without an adult. Usually, an effective method is requiring kids to always be with a buddy. This could be an assigned partner where one could check in on each other on where the other’s location is, or update the rest of the group of any location changes.
Familiarize with the surroundings
Once one has arrived in the camp, make sure that you and the campers immediately familiarize yourself with the surroundings. Try to take note of any noticeable landmarks that are around. A large tree perhaps,, yet make sure these landmarks are locatable in relation within the campsite.
Whistle, whistle, whistle
Give each camper, especially children campers, with their very own whistle. Establish a code for specific situations that everyone could easily follow and heed. For example, a whistle blown two times could be established to mean “help.” Whistles that are blown three times could mean “I am here.”
Color your world
Or at least, have campers carry trash bags that are colored brightly. Once lost, these bags could be used as a device to signal to the others your location. Also, the bags could be used during an emergency like when it is cold outside and they need temporary shelter. Simply cut a slit at the bag’s top and have it pull it through their heads. Believe it or not, this plastic bag could serve as an effective albeit temporary protection that could keep a kid camper alive through the night.
Choose a camp that provides high-tech communication
Believe it or not, there are camp sites that provide campers the same amenities one would usually find in civilization. Email facilities, fax as well as phone equipments are available in a New Zealand camp site called Old Macdonalds. That is if you prefer to surf the internet while enjoying the comfort and glory of the natural outdoors.
This type of camp is perfect for those who might want to be in touch with their business or personal affairs while at the camping grounds. This type of camp strikes a balance between the rugged outdoors and the comfort and convenience of modern technology.
Make use of high-tech communication gears
If you really want to stay connected, utilize modern technology through the following gears:
Hand-held radios. This equipment is very handy now-a-days and so could be easily transportable anywhere and anytime campers need to communicate with each other. Currently though, such an equipment is also used not just in camping but also by families that are out shopping or attending a large sports event.
Laser Range finders are now just as handy as radios. Though they were once large and difficult to actually use, today’s finders are light, user-friendly and extremely accurate. Believe it or not, these laser range finders are also used in golfing.
Global positioning system. Currently, units that have gps are used by the military and units involved in search and rescue operations. Though these equipments have features that are high-tech, they are still easy to operate and very user friendly.
Night vision goggles. The movies are not the only place this equipment could be seen and used. These devices are now readily available. Though these equipments are sophisticated, they are very easy to use, weighs light, and is compact and handy.
All in all, staying in touch while camping out may be a bit difficult if you have no idea how to go about it. To be able to avoid this, prepare beforehand the equipments, rules and stuff you need to go through. Camping should be fun. Ample preparation adds to enjoyment and lessens the stress.
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