6 Beginner-friendly & Useful Camping Tips
Working life could be stress-filled but camping is fun-filled. Being outside in nature is the most popular way to reduce stress and contribute to emotional well-being.
According to the data from Annual North American Camping Report, in 2021, the number of U.S. households who went on at least one camping trip increased by 18% compared to 2020. This data reflects the rising popularity of camping.
Getting started with preparing and investing in camping gear can feel overwhelming to a beginner. Here are some of the basics guide to help you get started before embarking on your camping journey.
1. Reserve Camp Site
Before choosing your camping site, you should know how will you camp. There are three popular ways of camping including RV camping, backpacking, and frontcountry camping.
Once you've made the decision, learning a basic level of knowledge of the camping site is a good start. Some of the campsites may offer many amenities such as restrooms, fire pits, or even Wi-Fi to the glamping campers.
Be sure to review the campsites' requirements in advance as they may vary with different types of camping. Also, it's recommended to reserve the campsite and shelter as well for the sake of security.
2. Schedule Routes & Time
Now, you've known where to go. Then the next important thing is to map out how to get there.
The routes may be affected by the weather, season, or other emergency conditions. Having several alternatives will never go wrong.
The night could be overwhelming for beginners. Hit on the road earlier and arrive at the camp area in the daylight to set up since it could take hours to unpack, pitch your tent, and set everything up before dark.
3. Always Prepare for the Bad Weather
It is a good idea to check camping weather forecasts online in order to avoid unexpected surprises. The temperature is getting colder and the weather condition in the mountain changes drastically.
If you are planning to go hiking on the mountain, we recommend packing plenty of warm layers, waterproof/windproof clothing, and keeping your head, feet, hands warm to prevent you from getting cold.
4. Choose the Right Camping Gear
One of the basic and most important camping equipment must be the tent. If you’re a beginner and having trouble selecting a tent. Remember the several simple rules as follows:
- Pick a tent that is larger than you need for extra room and comfortable sleep. For example, if you have two people will be sleeping in one tent, then choose a three people tent.
- As a beginner who may not go camping frequently at first, you’ll be fine with a 4 season tent (meaning it’s good for Spring to Winter).
- Make your choice from the most-trusted camping brands., which ensures you'll get good quality and professional design. This rule never goes wrong when you choose other gears.
Speaking of other gear, sleeping bags, sleeping pads, backpacks, camp cookware, and camping chairs are also what you must put in the truck. As far as other options such as the camping lantern, camera, coffee machine, mini cooler, and other gear that can enhance the camping experience, it depends on how and what you want to camp.
5. Emergency Preparation
Consider the age, physical abilities, and medical needs of everyone in your camping team. Keep a portable first aid kit with you when you're outdoors, as it could save your life in the event of an emergency. If you go out with kids, you'll need extra prepping.
When you're off-grid, power is essential to run most of your gears for the long term. Without power, you may get the internet to receive the latest weather report or any warning information.
Having a portable power station at your disposal not only can juice up your iPhone to keep in touch, but also can charge other camping gear for a better experience such as the camera, camping lights, portable coffee machine, electric stove, and more.
Depending on how long your trip will be and the types of camping gear, pay attention to the power capacity, output wattage, the number of output ports, output wattages, and recharging wattages when you decide which power station to take with you.
6. List Everything
Whenever you pack for a trip of any length, you may worry that something will get forgotten.
Make a list of what you need by category and check them one by one. For example, sleeping gear, cooking tools, power backup, etc.