While there are many items that you could take on a camping trip, my family finds that there are a few things we cannot do without. While you may always plan to take these same things on your camping trip, some of the others you may have never thought of and they could make the trip more enjoyable. Hopefully you will learn at least one new thing through this article.
First, we are tent campers. If we are on a camping trip, we take our tent. Since I am over six feet tall, the best tent for us is a cabin style tent rather than the more popular dome style tent. If it has been a while since you have assembled a cabin style tent, you will find that the poles are now attached to each other with a rubber bungee cord that runs through the poles, making setup almost as easy as a dome tent.
We also like to take plenty of plastic tarps. Before setting up our tent, we place a large tarp on the ground under where the tent will set. This keeps the moisture from the ground from seeping up through the tent floor and keeps our tent clean from pitch and pine needles for easy storage.
Tarps also make good quick emergency rain flies for tents that may leak during a cloudburst. We generally tie a tarp in place over our tent so that we are not taken by surprise.
During cooler weather tarps make great windbreaks for the picnic table. We use a canopy and tie the tarps to the support poles on three sides to make a very warm enclosure during early spring camping.
There are times that we pay a little extra to get a campsite with electrical hookups. We can travel much lighter without our camp stove. Anything we cook can be done on a hot plate, in an electric skillet or in a coffee percolator. On more than one occasion we have added an electric fan for the warm nights or to drown out the noises outside that tend to keep the kids awake. Noisy neighbors do not bother us when we have our fan.
A good attitude is the most important thing we take camping with us. As long as the adults have a good attitude, the kids will have fun. Begin the trip with a bad attitude and you will get it back all weekend long.
First, we are tent campers. If we are on a camping trip, we take our tent. Since I am over six feet tall, the best tent for us is a cabin style tent rather than the more popular dome style tent. If it has been a while since you have assembled a cabin style tent, you will find that the poles are now attached to each other with a rubber bungee cord that runs through the poles, making setup almost as easy as a dome tent.
We also like to take plenty of plastic tarps. Before setting up our tent, we place a large tarp on the ground under where the tent will set. This keeps the moisture from the ground from seeping up through the tent floor and keeps our tent clean from pitch and pine needles for easy storage.
Tarps also make good quick emergency rain flies for tents that may leak during a cloudburst. We generally tie a tarp in place over our tent so that we are not taken by surprise.
During cooler weather tarps make great windbreaks for the picnic table. We use a canopy and tie the tarps to the support poles on three sides to make a very warm enclosure during early spring camping.
There are times that we pay a little extra to get a campsite with electrical hookups. We can travel much lighter without our camp stove. Anything we cook can be done on a hot plate, in an electric skillet or in a coffee percolator. On more than one occasion we have added an electric fan for the warm nights or to drown out the noises outside that tend to keep the kids awake. Noisy neighbors do not bother us when we have our fan.
A good attitude is the most important thing we take camping with us. As long as the adults have a good attitude, the kids will have fun. Begin the trip with a bad attitude and you will get it back all weekend long.
About the Author:
Rick Finley writes articles on finding a good camping lantern at Buy Camping Lanterns.
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