Wearing layers is key to camping in the winter. This lets you add and remove layers depending on fluctuations of your body temperature and moisture. Typically three layers are used: liner, insulation, and shell. The liner layer is work directly on your skin such as long underwear. Next you wear an insulation layer made of some sort of fleece. Finally you have an outer shell that is both water-proof and wind-proof.

Cotton is a material to avoid because it loses its insulation quality when it gets wet and it takes a long time to dry. Even if it’s not raining or snowing, the cotton will absorb your perspiration. You really want to wear something synthetic or made of wool.

Below are a couple of quick and easy tips to help you start your campfires. Struggling with the fire can certainly decrease your camping experience.

Start saving your dryer lint. It makes great tinder as it catches fire quickly. The only downside is that it burns up very quickly as well so make sure you have other tinder touching it to catch on. Read the rest of this entry »

Bringing along a pair of work gloves can help you in several ways while camping as they serve many purposes. First for protection when gathering tinder for your campfires. Once the fire is started, wearing gloves while moving or adjusting your wood will protect you further. You may also want to wear them when cooking to touch the cookware. Lastly they could serve as potholders when done cooking.

Understanding the different parts of a tent and how they work together is important in many regards. You’ll have better knowledge when you are ready to buy your first tent and what to do with it afterwards! Read the rest of this entry »

Sealing the seams on your new tent is an absolute requirement in order to stay dry. Rain and even morning dew will seap in through the seams without any waterproofing. It is very easy and inexpensive to seal your tent.

After setting up your tent on a sunny day, apply seam sealer to all threads on both the outside and inside. Usually you must shake the bottle before applying. You will also want to seal the seams on your rain fly.The sealer will need a few hours to dry. For best results, repeat the process again.

It is a good idea to repeat this procedure each year if you do a lot of camping. Besides for waterproofing your tent, you now know how to assemble it.

When camping in fields or the woods, definately use a tarp under your tent. You must be careful when laying the tarp as it must not extend past the edge of the tent. Rain or dew will drop down the sides of your tent and collect underneath your tent floor. So to make sure you don’t wake up in a puddle, fold the edges of the tarp underneath to make sure it isn’t longer than your tent.

When camping at a sandy campground or the beach, a tarp under your tent is not necessary as sand absorbs water very efficiently. Having a tarp underneath your tent will cause rain to pool up inside. You can put the tarp inside your tent if desired.

In general you want to try to camp on as high ground as possible. Also remember to seal your seams on an annual basis.

Look for high and level ground when selecting the best location to pitch your tent. Setting up your tent in a low spot or depression will allow rain to pool underneath the tent and waking up in a wet sleeping bag is no fun - trust me.

Machine Wash
You don’t want to wash your sleeping bag in a home washing machine. Instead take it to a laundramat where you can wash it in a front loading machine. A top loading machine can damage your bag. Your choice for detergent depends on your bag’s insulation material. For synthetic bags, a mild detergent or cleaner specially designed for synthetics is your best bet. Use specially formulated down soap or mild soap for a down bag. Srubbing the outside of the bag especially the head and foot area before washing is a good idea. Water temperature for washing should be warm, with a cold rinse.

Hand Wash
You can also hand wash your sleeping bag in your bathtub using warm water and mild detergent for synthetics and down cleaner for your down bag. Scrub the head and foot of the bag but be gently. You will not be able to remove every stain on the bag. After scrubbing is done, drain the water and press soapy water out of the bag with your hands. Keep the bag on the tub floor and don’t wring it. Refill the tub with cold water at least three or four more times to be sure all the detergent is rinsed. Leftover soap will cause the fill to mat.

Drying
Gently roll the sleeping bag to squeeze as much water as you can. Place the bag into a plastic clothesbasket carefully. Don’t lift from one end of the bag. Tumble dry in large commercial dryer on medium low heat. You may also put in some terry cloth towels to decrease drying time and minimize static electricity. A couple of tennis balls will fluff the fill. UV sun rays will damage nylon so you don’t want to hang your bag to dry in the sun.

WD-40 applied on your sleeping bag or tent’s zippers will allow it to close much easier. A pencil (#2 works best) rubbed along the zipper teeth will also work in a pinch. Beeswax is another option.

One of the most fondest camping memories is the camp fire. They provide heat for warmth and cooking as well as set that perfect atmosphere. Sitting around the campfire roasting marshmellows and telling stories is the perfect end to the day. Below are some important rules to remember: Read the rest of this entry »