Camping can be real fun if you have things planned and organised beforehand. If you are planning to go camping then you can just take your backpack and walk out but before that you need to have a good idea of the roads, things to be taken and preferably a certain degree of experience. Packing is an important part of camping since you will be halting on the road with no hotel to have food. Also, you may not find any shops that could provide you with the bare necessities such a camping AC unit in case you miss anything out. Therefore, you need to get the packing done in an organised manner to make sure that you do not miss anything out. Here’s what and how you should pack for camping.
Complexity Level: Basic
Time Required: 2 hours
Resources Required:
1. Backpack
2. Sleeping bag
3. Rain gear
4. Heavier items that include cooking gear, dry clothes,tent, medical aids, water and bear canisters
5. Map and money
Instructions:
1. Backpack
- The backpack is the most basic thing that you need to arrange before you start to follow your list and pack accordingly for camping. You need to have a lightweight backpack which can hold most things.
- You can make a fair planning of how you are going to arrange different things on the backpack. This will make your job easier. The idea of camping cannot go without a sleeping bag.
- You need to carefully place the sleeping bag at the bottom of your backpack. However, you can always use a compression sack to make more space and cover it with a waterproof liner in case there is a chance that the bottom of your backpack might get wet.
2. Survival gear
- Wherever you go it is important to have your survival tools along with you. You may keep a pocket-knife or a box of waterproof matches near at hand in your pockets.
- If possible you can keep a few non-perishable items and energy bars that can stand you in good stead in times of trouble and scarcity.
3. Distribution
- While packing you have to distribute all the things equitably so as to save space and make sure it’s not too heavy for you to carry. The heaviest things should be placed closest to your back and around the middle of your backpack.
- The food should be carefully placed in a leakproof pocket of the backpack and it is advisable to place some of the food in an accessible part of the backpack. If possible you should plan out your daily intake of dry food that you can carry. The rest of the food can be stored at the storage section of the backpack.
- If you want to take cooking gears then you should make sure that the kitchen tools and utensils get inside a large pot. Make sure that it’s closed tightly so that things do not keep falling out.
- While carrying a portable stove you have to be careful about the fuel canister which should not be leaking since leaking of white gas is a common problem during camping. If possible, store the fuel separately outside the backpack in a leak-proof case.
4. Arranging the items
- It is important to make sure that the different things are spaced out in a way that you can find the things easily when you unpack while camping and also while taking out one thing, the rest of the things do not fall out or get misplaced. To make sure that things do not keep bouncing against each other as you move, stuff the spaces in between with clothes.
- However, do not, at any cost, have your clothes packed in a packet where air cannot enter. This will just make it worse. Therefore, try and pack them in loose waterproof packs.
- If you are not going alone then you can keep some of your things in your friends backpack to make sure that there isn’t much pressure in your backpack.
Frequently Asked Questions:
1. What happens if things keep falling out?
Well, the whole idea is to avoid this by packing in an organised manner. It is also advised to check if your backpack is in a good condition so that it does not develop wear and tear suddenly leaving you and the contents in a mess. Do not risk carrying old backpacks out of sentimental attachments and then being in trouble with a torn backpack.
2. How to ensure that nothing gets soggy and wet?
Apart from ensuring that you carry dry food, it is important that you pack certain things like clothes well. Try not to carry liquid in a bottle which might be prone to leaking.
3. How do I do to ensure that the backpack is not too heavy and yet I take everything?
As you pack, try to carry the bag and move about to see if it seems too heavy. This way, you can have an idea on how heavy or light your bag needs to be while camping.
Quick Tips:
Travel light besides taking the bare necessities to make sure you are not down with a backache that impedes your adventures.
Things To Watch Out For:
- Avoiding leakages is the most important thing that you should keep in mind because it can spoil your other items in the backpack.
- Keep track of the map and the easiest sources where you can replenish your resources.
