7 Tips For Comfortable Camping

Most people, when they think of camping, think: "Ugh! Why would I want to spend a small fortune to live like I'm homeless?" I mean, it can be tedious to find firewood that will actually ignite. It can be a real pain to relocate your vast amount of camping gear (some of which, you do not need) from your vehicle to your campsite. If you aren’t very skilled at cooking on an open fire, hunting, or fishing, you could very well go hungry while on your journey to “become one with nature”.

I'm here to tell you that camping comfortably is entirely possible. You don’t have to remain in discomfort during your journey, just as you don’t have to force yourself into an uncomfortable situation to allow yourself to grow; in fact, quite the contrary is true. Believe it or not, you can live in complete luxury while enjoying the great outdoors, in all of the glory that it may offer.

Today, we are going to discuss seven tips to camping comfortably, whether going to a campsite, or creating your own campsite in the wilderness. We will go over only a portion of the plethora of methods and techniques you may use to make your next outdoor adventure more entertaining and fulfilling. These tips are sure to help you during your next extended outdoor adventure.

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Make sure to come adequately prepared

It can be quite frustrating when you are preparing for a camping trip, and you arrive at your destination, just to discover that you forgot an item that is vital to the success of your adventure. Most of the time, not properly preparing for your adventure can cause only minor inconveniences; however, in some more serious cases, a lack of preparation can spell certain disaster for, what would have been an otherwise peaceful and enlightening, experience. Trust me when I say, as someone who hasn’t always been as well equipped for the outdoors as I am today: forgetting a blanket and pillow can make your camping trip go from awesome to terrible very quickly.

The best way to ensure that such problems do not occur is to make sure you are fully prepared before even leaving your home. As soon as you decide that you want to begin an adventure in the great outdoors, you should start formulating a plan. Make a full list of every possible item you may need. Make sure that, when you are purchasing such items for your adventure, shop around to get the best prices, and purchase everything you may need well in advance (it can be quite irritating when you go last minute to the store to purchase a new air mattress, just to discover that they are sold out). As another tip, on these same lines, keep two copies of your list: one to purchase the items you need, and a second one to ensure that you pack the items that are necessary for your trip.

"By failing to prepare, you are preparing to fail." -Benjamin Franklin

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Find your campground based on amenities

Sure, when many people think of camping, they envision hunting their own food, purifying water, gathering firewood, and shutting off all of their technology; however, this isn't the way that camping HAS to be. As I stated in the first section of this article; this is most definitely a point that I need to emphasize, especially to my readers who *GASP* have never been camping. No two campsites are exactly the same, and as such, very few campsites offer the same exact amenities.

Basic amenities at a campground typically include: a port-a-potty, an option of electrical or non-electrical campsites, and some form of general store. More advanced campsites trade the port-a-potty for a bathhouse, and can even have a restaurant inside of their camp general store. One of the most luxurious campgrounds I have ever heard of is called Lake Rudolph, and is located in… Wait for it… Santa Claus, Indiana; their facilities offer vacation cabins, free wifi, a kitchen that specializes in pizza and 34 different flavors of ice cream, a fishing lake, cabins, mini golf, golf car rentals, and loads of activities.

As a general rule, the more amenities that a campground has, the higher the cost you can expect to pay by camping at that location. Many campgrounds with base amenities cost $10-$20 per night, which is quite reasonable; you can rent a camping space for a full month for $300-$600. On the opposite end of the spectrum, some campsites can cost up to $5,000 for two adults for three nights (YIKES!).

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Create your own amenities

If you choose to camp in the wilderness, instead of going to a developed campsite, then you will have to create your own amenities. The first amenity you should worry about is a toilet; the toilet is simple, for the most part, as all you need is a portable camping toilet, a shovel, and some type of “privacy”, which can be provided by hanging a tarp around your makeshift toilet. Keeping your mobile devices charged is also simple, as all you really need is your vehicle and a car charger. If you want to bring a movie projector, or some other form of entertainment, you can purchase a 12 volt adapter, which will fit many household power cords (just make sure to keep your car’s engine running while accessing power so that you don’t kill your car’s battery; being stranded sucks). All you have to do is be creative and think outside of the box.

While creating your own amenities can initially be costly, having the supplies set aside for future adventures can be a real lifesaver. Items such as a personal camping generator, air mattress, camping stove, and a foldable camping toilet can be used multiple times, which can actually save you quite a bit of money in the long run. Most of these items that you would bring camping can be folded up and stored away when not in use, meaning that keeping such items handy won't take much of your storage space.

Generally speaking, I prefer camping in the wilderness, with as few amenities as possible. Doing this is a means of resetting yourself from the everyday norm, and focusing on relaxing and recuperating from life's everyday stressors. With that being said, bringing enough amenities to make sure that you aren't struggling to relax is the key to proper balance.

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Meal prep what meals you can

Generally, you hear about meal prep quite frequently when discussing diets or fitness goals, however, meal prep can save you quite a bit of trouble while camping as well. I have personally never seen a campground with an outdoor kitchen area, so preparing a meal from scratch can be a huge pain. Eating microwavable meals is difficult… Without a microwave and all… So that is not a viable solution. Restaurant food for the full duration of your camping trip can be very expensive, and to be honest, takes away from the magic of camping. This is where preparing your meals for easy cooking once you arrive to your campsite comes in.

Depending on your dietary needs, there are literally hundreds of recipes that can be utilized while you are in nature. Personally, my two favorite meals that can be prepped before leaving home are kebabs and steaks, however, there are so many more options. One year, for my birthday celebration, my wife took me and one of my best friends on a camping trip, where, for breakfast, we had eggs, bacon, toast, and coffee (all prepared over an open campfire). The key to proper meal prepping is seasoning and assembling the meal (as is the case with kebabs), storing them in an air-tight container, and keeping them in a well-iced cooler until they are ready for use.

Remember that when preparing your food for a camping trip, you should still follow all food safety rules possible. Use clean dishes and cutlery to help prevent contamination from anything that may come into contact with said items (this normally isn't a problem when you are preparing food and putting it directly on the grill, however, some bacteria can "speed-spoil" food of it is not cooked immediately). Also, remember to keep meat and dairy products cold with a cooler to help keep them from spoiling and making you sick.

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Bring clothes/equipment for seasonal weather changes

Have you ever been at school or work when a sudden rain shower hits, and you are left with one of the most uncomfortable situations possible: wet shoes and socks? Well, unfortunately, unexpected bad weather can strike anywhere and at anytime. If you are camping in an area with temperamental weather, such as Missouri (I mean, seriously, snow and ice one day, followed by 60° weather the next), it is always good to be prepared for inclimate weather.

When camping, I typically try to bring clothing that is meant for the season we are camping in (cool clothing in hot months, warm clothing in cooler months), but I also bring some clothing for sudden changes of temperature. In the summer, I pack a hoodie just in case a cold front moves into the area, and in the fall or spring, I bring tee shirts and a pair of shorts in case the weather becomes unseasonably warm. Another must is, always, a waterproof raincoat, in case rain clouds drift into the area. Also, I always bring an extra pair of shoes, just in case my first pair gets damp or wet.

Furthermore, beyond just thinking about your clothing's ability to keep you protected in inclimate weather, you should also remember to protect the rest of your gear. Keep all of your technology in water tight containers, as a little bit of moisture can cause a lot of damage. Also, make sure that the waterproof coating on your tent is properly maintained; it's typically a good idea to waterproof your tent with a special aerosol spray (can be bought at most outdoor stores) at least once per year. As another tip, always bring a waterproof tarp… Just… Trust me on this one.

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Keep your technology charged

I can never stress this point enough: ALWAYS. KEEP. YOUR. CELLPHONE. OPERATIONAL. While your cellphone is a portal by which the outside world may contact you (and, if you are like me, annoy you… I mean, come on… who wants to receive calls from bill collectors or salespeople while you are trying to relax), your cellphone is also a portal by which you may contact the outside world. You want to ensure that your cellphone remains handy and charged in the event that you fall into an emergency situation, and need emergency assistance. Furthermore, music is definitely a great way to break the silence of nature, if you wish to do so, and thus, the built-in media player on your phone can serve you very well.

If you opt for an electrical campsite, then it should be quite simple to keep your technology fully charged and operational. Make sure to bring an extension cord and surge protector to help keep your mobile device charged, as well as to operate many other amenities you may wish to bring on your outdoor adventure (such as a small box fan, or even a projector for outdoor movie time). On top of the extension cord and surge protector, make sure to bring any phone chargers that you may need.

But, what if you are in the wilderness, or there is no electrical outlets near your campsite? Well, there are still several options for you if your site lacks electrical outlets (I am still trying to learn how to use squirrels in the wilderness to conduct electricity… Maybe static electricity?), and you wish to keep your tech charged. Power banks are relatively affordable, and can charge your cellular devices to a full charge overnight. Utilizing your car’s phone charger is also a terrific option for providing electricity to your campsite; just make sure not to kill your car’s battery, as I stated before in this article. Finally, for a few hundred dollars, you can purchase a rechargeable silent generator for your campsite.

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Properly organize your equipment

Proper organization of equipment? How does THAT help make camping more comfortable? Well, if there is anything that my wife has taught me about life, proper organization ensures that items can be easily found quickly, without wondering if you remembered to even bring the item you are looking for. Keeping items stacked in a plethora of bags can lead to chaos when you are trying to find your toothbrush, for sure. Or, if you quickly have to find spare batteries for your flashlight because the light is getting dim, organizing your camping gear can help you find spare batteries or other light sources.

Proper organization is key to not only ensuring that all of your supplies can be easily accessed, but also adds ease to transporting your equipment from Point A to Point B. If your equipment is stored together, in some sort of receptacle, then you can greatly reduce your trips to and from your vehicle when packing or unpacking your camping gear. And in the end, what good is it if you are spending your entire camping trip recuperating from just setting up your campsite? Is this just not… Anti-productive? When I am camping, I prefer to only make one or two trips from my vehicle to the campsite. The quicker you can unload your vehicle, then the sooner that you can get everything set up and reap the benefits of camping.

Personally, to help better organize your camping gear, there are several items I highly recommend packing. First and foremost, I recommend packing all of your camping gear possible into a 45-gallon storage tote (sure, this is a large tote, but I can easily carry everything inside of the tote to the campsite, leaving only a trip for our cooler and food; this camping hack actually saves us a lot of time and energy). Next, I recommend keeping your items categorized and separated; we keep our toiletries, cooking gear and utensils, and electric cords separated from each other in small bags inside of our camping tote for quick access. Finally, as a final tip, I recommend packing your gear back where you found it when packing for your trip back home; doing this can help you tremendously during your next journey.

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As I previously stated: there are plenty of ways to help ensure that you remain comfortable during your next camping trip. Some of these methods are just plain common sense, while other methods may take some creativity. There are HUNDREDS of camping hacks out there, and they may just take a bit of research or experimentation to find. Camping, just like all other things in life, can be whatever you make of it.

To recap this article:

• Remember to make sure you are adequately prepared for your camping trip before you ever leave the house, as in many cases, when you discover that you have forgotten something, it may be too late to return to retrieve said item.

• When looking for a campsite, make sure to research what amenities the campsite offers. This can save you a lot of hassle in the end.

• If the campsite you have chosen doesn’t offer amenities, research ways to create your own amenities. This can, in most cases, be done quite easily.

• Meal prep can help you to make your next camping experience quite magical. A beautifully prepared meal, that has been cooked over a campfire, definitely beats protein bars any day.

• Bringing seasonal clothes is good, however, bringing inclimate weather gear is just common sense. Make sure to bring waterproof clothing, as well as waterproof gear when you are camping, even if you aren’t expecting rain.

• Keeping your tech charged can help break awkward silences, as well as ensures that if you need to reach the outside world for assistance, you are not out of luck. Cellphones are wonderful devices that can help reach emergency services if tragedy strikes, however, they don’t work too well if the battery is dead.

• Proper organization is the best camping hack that I have learned. Before I learned how to properly pack and store my camping equipment, I typically needed a nap just to recuperate from setting up my campsite, which killed precious time.

Following the tips above can greatly enrich your next camping experience, and you may add, remove, or alter any of the steps above to make your camping trip what you NEED it to be. While I have offered just a few ideas, there are tons out there, which I highly recommend you searching for yourself. Camping can definitely be a life altering experience, and it is up to you to make the experience what it should be to match your needs.

And, if you’ve never been camping before… For the love of all that is good, just do it. You won’t regret it, if it is done properly.