It’s still summer, it’s still hot, it’s still camping season, and it ain’t over til’ the fat lady sings. And boy does she sing here in Vancouver where we can expect a consistent drizzle of rain from October until late May. Today I was on the public transit (yes, we may have the greatest website but we’re still good, humble people) and I noticed an article about Glamping vs Camping. I had never heard of Glamping before but it’s pretty easy to figure out what it is based on the name. The first visual I got was my female friends wearing high heels, makeup all done up, and wearing formal dresses while camping. Unfortunately, I have seen that before.
Today we’ll be looking at some camping basics and things we should be bringing and not bringing. Most of this stuff is common sense but common sense is not always so common. For starters, you need proper footwear; heels aren’t going to cut it. I understand that a lady wants to look her best regardless of her location, but wearing high heel shoes to a place with trails and gravel campsites is not the brightest idea.
Bring a Tent, Not An RV
A lot of people will probably disagree with me on this one but it annoys me when I go to a campground and I see large RV’s backing up into their campsites. Most of the campgrounds these days are already made for little wussies with hot showers and electricity but come on man? What’s the point of even coming to a campground when you’re living in a mobile home? You can do that in your own back yard. You scared of a little bear bite? Big deal! Be a man and sleep in a tent!
By the way, I love RV’s and I think they’re awesome but I prefer them for long road trips.
Use a Checklist
The difficult part of the checklist is to make sure that you have everything on your checklist. You want to pack as light as possible but you also have to make sure you have enough of everything. It can be a delicate balance, especially if your vehicle isn’t large enough. One thing that my friends and I never seem to get right is the right number of chairs so that everybody can sit around the campfire. Sitting on a gravel ground (most camp sites I’ve been to are gravel) can be painful after a while.
Best method of making a complete list is to categorize everything. For example, under the Tent category, you would put things such as bedding (sleeping bag), pillows, air mattress, and tarp.
Food Category would not only include food but things such as cooler, ice, plates, cutlery, and BBQ with gas canisters. This is the method we have used in terms of making a list although we still manage to somehow screw something up.
Cooking Utensils, Meals, & Water
You want to avoid over packing but when it comes to food and water, it’s better to have extra then to starve. You can never have too much water, especially since most people go camping during the hottest months. Try to bring utensils that can have dual purpose uses to save room. And don’t forget to bring the matches or lighter! Oh, and a flashlight!
Non-Electronic Entertainment
Entertainment is fine but I personally am not a fan of electronics. You didn’t drive 100’s of miles out of the city to catch the news. And screw music, you can listen to it when you get back home. This is a time you should enjoy with your friends listening to their jokes, their stories, and maybe their live music. Other entertainment besides their drunkenness is card games. Watching your intoxicated friends whether it’s from alcohol or other natural herbs can be quite hilarious.
Floatation Devices and LOTS Of Them
This is one of the few occasions you get to go away and do silly things. My friends and I grab anything that floats and hit the lake where we slowly float from one area to another. Using your air mattress is an awesome way of getting four or five people to float at once. This is what I call quality time together.
Go in Groups
Okay, there are way to many things to list off and I have missed some obvious ones. The best way to enjoy camping in my opinion is to go in groups and book campsites next to each other. This way, not only do you have company you enjoy but there are multiple vehicles allowing for more cargo space should you need it. And a few brains working together is a lot better than just two so chances of forgetting useful things is decreased significantly.
This covers the bare essentials, but if you’re serious about exploring the outdoors take a look at this camping checklist for everything you’ll need to take
