Camping: The Great American Pastime

More people than ever before are enjoying the great outdoors. Young or old, big families, and couples, singles as well: all are packing up their stuff and heading outside in VERY large numbers. You'd like to be one of them? Well, if that's the case, then enjoy some of these camping tips, collected over many years of camping experience.

Your First Priority: Shelter

So, imagine that you are at your camping destination. Where are you going to stay? Or more accurately, in WHAT are you going to stay? You have two choices: a tent or a trailer. The tent has the advantage of lower cost, but is not as great a choice when the weather turns sour. There are tents in many ranges: little pup tents and tarps, tunnel or tub tents, extreme weather survivalist tents, and large family size camping tents.

If your preference is for trailers, again you have many options: compact camping trailers, motorcycle camping trailers, small camping trailers as well as large. Our recommendation? If you are going to go camping in areas troubled by inclement weather, take the plunge and get a nice trailer. If you are short of cash, you can find good used camping trailers, sometimes for a fraction of their original selling price.

Your Outdoor Kitchen

Where will you cook? How will you cook? You need to give very careful consideration to purchasing a camping stove - some units even come equipped with ovens for baking! Coleman camping stoves are some of the most versatile units around, and can operate on a variety of fuels. Units are even available for backpackers and hikers, which are very light and portable. You can purchase other accessories as well, such as utensil racks and griddles.

Home-Like Comforts

Do you get misty-eyed thinking about sitting on a log around the campfire? Well, that might be all right for the kiddies, but mom and dad, as well as grandpa and grandma, need something more comfy: folding camping chairs are a necessity for any adult. Lightweight and very durable - I have seen units for the overweight that will hold up to 800 pounds!

Needed In An Emergency

When you are outdoors and a medical emergency strikes, you may be miles from the nearest medical help, so having a good camping first aid kit is critical. Camping first aid kits are different from the first aid kits you may have at home, as they will be stocked with supplies to treat outdoor injuries, such as snakebite, burns, sprains as well as animal and insect bites.