Emma 5 Essential tips for preparing for a camping trip
It’s camping season so we have pulled out our camping gear from the back of the hall cupboard! Now, in the process of packing, we’ve put together 5 tips to help prep for a camping trip. These might seem a bit common sense like, but as you’ll see… never assume you have everything!
1. Check the tent
If you can, set up your tent so you can check thoroughly for any repairs needed. Check tent poles, ropes and pegs. We went camping once and forgot to lift the tent poles! On that occasion we were lucky enough to cram into a friend’s tent. On another occasion we forgot the pegs but had enough heavy stuff inside the tent to prevent it from flying away!
So check you have everything before leaving! 😂
2. Check your sleeping bag
Pull your sleeping bag out of its cover and give it a good airing. Check the zipper is working, the insulation is fluffy and that it doesn’t need a wash or any repairs are required to rips.
If your sleeping bag needs a wash, use a mild washing liquid and a gentle cycle.
Do you use an inflatable mat? Check for rips and tears there too. Check you can inflate it, make room to do so, even if it means taking it outside!
3. Cooking equipment and lights
Night time toilet duties when you don’t have a torch aren’t much fun, so make sure you have a couple with you at least and do a battery check. Look over your camp stove and check for any repairs. Got enough gas canisters? What about a tin opener too?
4. First-aid kit
Camping can take you places where you are a bit away from the nearest town so put together a kit with painkillers, anti-histamines, tweezers, sunscreen, plasters – you know, a travel chemist!
Old fashioned I know, but take a map and maybe even a compass in case you get lost. Mobile phones run out of juice and don’t always pick up a signal when you get out of the big smoke. We once got separated for hours when walking in a forest between Oban and Fort William as our mobile network provider didn’t have much coverage there!
5. Food
Get a big plastic tub and store everything you need in one handy place. Can opener, kitchen foil, mugs, cutlery, that kind of thing. Look through it and make sure things are in date and/or working. Also, have a stash of food which doesn’t need cooking in case of emergency stove situations (crisps, cereal bars, fruit etc).
Finally, pack some duct tape. It will repair a gazillion things, and always bring bin bags/carrier bags to put any rubbish or wet/muddied items into.
Do you have any essential camping prep tips? Let us know!
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