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5 simple camping mistakes you will want to avoid

Camping, whether it be with your friends, your family, your colleagues, or just yourself can be a great experience for the mind body and soul. There are many simple mistakes that can be made whilst doing it and can ultimately ruin something that was suppose to be great. Follow these simple steps and you should be able to avoid any unnecessary frustration and get through your next camping trip as smooth as possible.

1. One of the biggest mistakes people make before heading out on their camping trips is forgetting to examine their tent. We will just skip over the fact that you have hopefully already purchased a tent to fit you and whoever you are camping with, as well as one that is easy enough to assemble depending on your camping experience. We’ll head right into that it is so important to make sure that 1. your tent is in good condition (no holes, no rips or tears, zippers working, etc.), and 2. you have all the pieces that go along with it (poles, stakes, etc). The last thing you want is to arrive at your campsite, whether its hiking for 3 hours or driving for 3 hours, and your tent has a giant hole in it, or you’re missing the cover.

2. Another common mistake campers make is counting on their campsite to provide fire wood. Unfortunately, not everything is like the movies and the likelihood of finding perfectly dry, thick pieces of wood to start your campfire are slim. If you are set on their being a fire at your campsite, be sure to think ahead and bring some wood along with you. And no I don’t suggest this if you are hiking to camp.

3. This brings me to my next point. Bringing too much stuff can quite possibly be the worst thing to do. Space is a luxury when you’re camping, so bringing unnecessary items on the adventure can spoil your comfort real quick. Plus, no one else is going to volunteer to lug around your sh*t, so think about that a couple times before you decide to bring it.

4. We have all heard that story of the man (or woman) who was in the woods and decided to use some leaves for toilet paper, and we all know that story didn’t end well. One thing you don’t want to do is ignore your surroundings. Treat everything you walk on, in, or around cautiously because just as much as you don’t want a blistering rash or a bad case of the runs, the living things around you don’t want to be in danger either. Think twice before you pick a flower, a berry, or before you decide to hike a trail without socks on.

5. Which again brings me to my next point; my final point. BE SURE to pack the right clothing. You will need sneakers or hiking boots and maybe some sandals if you’re in a fancy campsite where there are showers. Bring thermals as a just-in-case because you can always remove clothes, but you can’t always make yourself warmer. Trust me. And always prepare for the worst. That way, when you happen to fall into the lake fully clothed, you aren’t sitting by the fire like a mole rat waiting for those damn clothes to dry.

All in all prepare yourself as best as you can. Make lists, check the weather, bring a change of clothes, and plenty of drinking water. Imagine the worst happening so that when it does, you are fully prepared for it.