The Camping Addict

posted by Simon on Jan 15

Camping can be a lot of fun, but when you get back home, it pays to spend a little extra time with your camping equipment to make sure it is clean and properly stored. Spending a little extra time when you get home will insure that you won’t have any nasty surprises on your next trip (like mildew or bad smells), and it will also prevent you from spreading invasive species from park to park.

Here are a few tips for cleaning and storing your equipment properly:

1) Sweep out your tent thoroughly and clean any food stains.

2) Wash your sleeping bags if they are dirty and air them outside (not in a dryer, which can damage them).

3) Clean all your tent spikes, shovels, cooking equipment and more with soap and water or spray cleaner and dry them well.

4) Repair anything broken—you won’t remember if you wait and you’ll end up at the camp site with a nonfunctional essential item. 

5) Never put anything away even slightly wet—this can cause mold and mildew to form and can ruin a tent completely.

6) Store everything together is a dry, clean area.

Don’t shove it all in the corner of your wet basement or the eaves of your garage. Take a little extra care and your next trip will be as perfect as the last.

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posted by Simon on Jan 11

Wintercamping.com is a winter camping blog with lots of good information for how to have a safe and fun experience outdoors when the weather turns frightful. Knowing what to take with you at all times is essential. Here are ten items that, according to the writers at Wintercamping.com, you should always have in your fanny pack when enjoying the outdoors in chilly weather:

A map of the area you are visiting, a compass, a flashlight, extra food, rain gear and extra clothes, sunglasses and sunscreen, a first aid kit, a pocket knife and/or a multipurpose tool (like a Swiss Army knife), a fire starter and some matches, and finally, a good supply of water and water purification materials. Assembling all of these items is an expensive task and the items take up little space, are lightweight, and can keep you safe and sound in an emergency until help arrives.

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