Bad camping habits can be hard to break, and sometimes, you may not even be aware that you are guilty of them. However, these habits can not only make your trip unsafe and uncomfortable, but they may also affect the environment, your camping buddies, and the other people around you.
To make your next camping trip as safe, comfortable, and enjoyable as it can be, here are some bad habits that you need to ditch:
1. Overpacking
Many campers are guilty of this habit, especially those that are not used to staying in the outdoors at all. You’re about to sleep in the wilderness and not have access to life’s necessities, and so, of course, the tendency is to pack everything that you think you would need to make the experience comfortable. However, when you’re out in the forest and have hours of hiking ahead of you, lugging a huge pack around is definitely something you wouldn’t want to go through.
Instead of packing until your bag is half your weight, bring only the bare essentials. This could mean making more room for your Bogner men’s and women’s ski jacket and leaving the XL size of wet wipes at home; it may take some sacrifices, but it will well be worth it for a hassle-free camping trip and a painless back.
2. Wearing the wrong clothes
The weather is one of the most important things that you need to consider before embarking on your camping adventure. How sunny, windy, rainy, or cold it will be will determine what kind of clothes you need to wear and the backup you need to bring just in case Mother Nature has a mood swing. For example, if the weather forecast says it’s going to be sunny with a chance of light showers during your camping trip, bring light clothes, but pack some layers and an appropriate jacket just in case.
Similarly, don’t try to be too stylish when you’re going to go camping. Although comfort doesn’t always have to compromise style, don’t wear your cute outfits if they are going to make camping more difficult than it has to be.
3. Sticking to camping food
Canned beans, marshmallows, sausages, breakfast bars, and other traditional camping fares can make your trip feel nostalgic or ‘old school’, but they may not provide the kind of energy or nutrients you need to take on the outdoors. For instance, sausages and canned food are loaded with sodium; and marshmallows and cereal bars have lots of sugar in them. That said, these foods are not giving you the long-lasting energy that you need for the day, and may even be dehydrating or making you tired in the process.
Instead of these traditional camping foods, pack nutritious food such as boiled eggs, lean meat, whole grain bread, rice, fresh fruits, vegetables, low-carb peanut butter, nuts, and wheat tortillas.
4. Letting yourself get dehydrated
Dehydration can make you weak and irritable. It can also make you feel hungry even if you really aren’t. And in the wilderness, the last thing you want is dehydration-induced constipation.
Don’t let yourself or others in your camping group go too long without water. Drink whenever you feel thirsty and take a few sips even when you aren’t. When you’re camping, you are likely exerting more physical activity than usual, and so have to compensate with a higher amount of water.
Moreover, avoid drinking caffeinated beverages or alcohol, as these can easily dehydrate your body, especially when the weather is hot. Stick to water as much as possible, and if you must drink caffeine or alcohol, save them for the early mornings or nights when the sun is not high up in the sky.
5. Being inconsiderate of other campers
There are a lot of habits that can be considered as inconsiderate, but we will highlight some of the worst ones here:
- Being too loud. Unless you are in the actual wilderness and not on a campsite, keep the noise to a minimum.
- Littering. Nature does not need your trash. Take your garbage with you until you find an appropriate disposal site.
- Letting your dog run around. To avoid inconveniencing other campers, keep your pet on a leash until you are away from the campsite and they can run around.
These bad camping habits can make your experience more difficult, especially when you don’t like the outdoors in the first place. So if you’re heading off to another camping trip, kick these bad habits to the curb and make your trip more enjoyable for everyone.