Yesterday, we had our first 70 degree day of the year. The sun was out and the air was warm, and the Girl Scout in me just kept thinking: “camping weather!”
Camping was a big part of my Girl Scout experience. However, It’s definitely not a requirement and there are many troops that don’t make it a priority. That being said, in my troop, it was a massive part of what we did. Camping taught me a lot of important skills, gave me a hobby I was passionate about, and provided significant bonding time with my best friends.
Whether it was a camporee, a competitive weekend or a vacation, I love camping. Over the years, of participating in, planning, and occasionally leading these trips, I’ve learned what works and what doesn’t. I have nightmare stories and success stories to take from when preparing for future camping trips.
Here is my list of tips and tricks when it comes to camping:
Moisture is the enemy! I’m pretty sure I’ve said it before and I will say it again. No matter the weather, you do not want to get wet. You do not want your clothes to get wet. You do not want your equipment to get wet. This is why we waterproof everything.
Always pack in plastic bags. For less critical circumstances, just line the inside of your duffle bag or backpack with a garbage bag and bring a few extras just in case. For colder weather camping, or trips where the forecast looks rainy, pack everything in ziplock bags. Trust me, you do not want your socks and underwear to be wet. That alone is worth this extra step.
Bring rain gear! Even if the weather is supposed to be beautiful, it never hurts to have a rain jacket or poncho on hand. Nothing is worse than being cold and wet, especially when you can’t go inside to dry off.
Bring extra tarps! Tents, even if they’re waterproof, are not meant to withstand pouring rain. Therefore, putting a tarp under and inside your tent, will keep you dry. You can also throw one on top if your tent is leaking and they’re great for covering up piles of wood or fire pits to keep them from getting wet if a storm rolls in.
When you get home, make sure all your equipment is dry before putting it away. The second grossest thing I’ve experienced while camping (I’ll get to the first later) was opening a moldy tent that never dried from the last time we used it. It is nasty.
Stay hydrated! Moisture may be the enemy, but drinking water is your biggest friend. My troop leader always told us not to wait until we were thirsty to drink water. It’s easy to forget to drink, especially if you don’t have a sink nearby. My advice: never let your water bottle get empty.
Food is perishable! Ice melts! Pack your food and plan your meals accordingly.
For longer trips, find a nearby grocery store. For a two week camping trip in the summer, meats and dairy will not keep in cooler. Save yourself that risk, and buy them as needed.
Fill empty milk gallons and two-liter soda bottles with water and freeze them for ice. Ice cubes are little and melt quickly. Bigger chunks of ice will take longer to melt, and keep your food fresher. They also contain the water when they melt and don’t get your food soaking wet.
Another hack is to freeze the food you’re having later in the trip. It will melt in time to eat and keep the other food cold in the meantime.
If possible, pre-cook your meat. The first grossest thing I’ve ever experienced while camping: raw beef juice all over the cooler and the other food. By precooking your hamburgers or your taco meat, you save yourself a mess, you save yourself cooking time, and you save any potential of under cooking your food.
Pack lightly where you can, so you can double up on the essentials. You maybe don’t need three pairs of sunglasses, but you can never have too many pairs of socks. A few suggestions:
Bring a pillowcase instead of a pillow. It takes up way less space, and you can stuff it with clothes for support.
Use travel sized containers. You don’t need to bring the full bottle of sunscreen, bug spray, or soap. Only bring as much as you’ll need and put them in smaller containers to save space. An added bonus is that if one of them spills you won’t lose the entire bottle and it will make less of a mess.
Roll up your clothes instead of folding them. You probably aren’t bringing fancy or nice outfits on your camping trip so there’s no harm in rolling them up and getting them wrinkled. You’d be surprised by how much space this saves.
GORP, fruits and veggies! Meal planning is hard, and sometimes in the craziness of that, we forget to account for snacks. Something my troop always did is have every participant bring a different fruit, vegetable, and trail mix item. Upon arriving, we put them all together and pull from them for snacks between meals throughout the trip.
These are just a few of the things I’ve picked up over the years. For more general advice, specific stories, or another aspect of camping you’d like to hear about, leave a comment.
Thanks for reading!