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This article was last updated on May 22, 2024.
At first, camping may seem intimidating. You need to pack everything you need to be comfortable outside your home, plan meals, routes, and even the amount of water you will need.
However, once you get used to it, everything becomes simple. To ensure you speed up the learning process, below is a list of some tips that will ensure every camping experience is a great one.
Table of Contents
- Beginner Camping Tips – How to Select a Campsite
- Beginner Camping Tips – Why You Need a Generator
- Beginner Camping Tips – Plan Your Meals Ahead of Time
- Beginner Camping Tips – You Need a Quality Flashlight
- Beginner Camping Tips – Invest in a Good Camp Stove
- Beginner Camping Tips – Tips for Camping With a Dog
- Beginner Camping Tips – Final Thoughts
- Other Recommended Camping Gear
Beginner Camping Tips – How to Select a Campsite
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Selecting a campsite involves two different methods that depend on the type of camping you’re doing.
Let’s start with the easier task, which is finding a designated campground. This is relatively straightforward – you go online, type campgrounds in the area you want, and choose which one suits you the best based on price and reviews.
Keep in mind that you may need to do this a few days in advance as the campsite may be fully booked – especially if you are traveling through a touristy area at the peak of the holiday season.
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The second type of camping is wild camping. Wild camping involves parking in an area that is usually away from any main roads or big cities. These are not designated camp spots but rather a location that offers great views and solitude.
This type of camping may be intimidating at first as you spend the night completely alone.
Such spots can be found through research. By using an application like GAIA GPS or Google maps, you can search around for mountain peaks or flowing rivers. Pinpoint a location that looks good and just drive to it. When you arrive, you might be rewarded or disappointed – you can never be sure of what you will find!
Because of this, it is a good idea to have a few backup camp spots in the same area.
The iOverlander application may also be a good reference point both for designated camp spots and wild camping. It also offers photos so you can see what you are in for.
Beginner Camping Tips – Why You Need a Generator
A generator can drastically increase the comfort levels of your camping experience.
As long as you have fuel, you will have power; therefore, you can stay connected, warm, or cool.
You can also run kitchen amenities like coffee machines and blenders, comfort items like electric blankets, and charge your gadgets.
Our camping generator of choice is the ALP 1000-watt propane generator.
It offers a 60-hour runtime on a 20-lb tank, which is plenty of juice for a long weekend away in the woods.
This unit is also EPA and CARB approved, so you can run it knowing that it’s more environmentally friendly than other options.
The ALP 1000-watt propane generator weighs just under 30 lbs, so it’s easily maneuverable, too. And with a max wattage of 1000W (rated wattage of 850W), you get plenty of power for camp. You can also run two of them in parallel for double the power output if need be.
Add to that the fact that this generator is quiet with a noise rating of 52dba.
This is a great product that I have used extensively with great success. I would highly recommend it to anyone that needs reliable power on camping adventures.
Beginner Camping Tips – Plan Your Meals Ahead of Time
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When heading out camping, a plan of the meals you will make throughout your stay is important.
It ensures that you buy all the necessary ingredients to stay at a single spot for the days required. The last thing we want is to find out that there’s not enough supplies and that we have to pack up camp, head over to a supermarket, and come back to set up camp all over again.
You can even make meals from home and take them with you if you have a fridge or freezer. This will save you from the fuss of having to cook and clean while at camp.
For many, cooking off-grid is enjoyable; therefore, this may not be an issue.
Beginner Camping Tips – You Need a Quality Flashlight
No matter where you camp, having a solid flashlight is a must-have. You’ll need light for those occasions when you get to camp after dark. You’ll also need one when nature calls in the middle of the night.
It’s also smart to have a good flashlight that you keep in your vehicle, just in case something goes awry on the way to your favorite camping spot. For that, the SureFire G2X LED flashlight is a great choice!
This flashlight is solidly built with a nitrogen body, an anodized aluminum bezel, and a virtually indestructible LED emitter. In other words, you can throw this thing in your glove box and let it rattle around in there for years and years without ill effects.
The light output comes in two settings – 15 lumens for situations in which you need a little light and 600 lumens when you really need to light things up. In either case, the light is smooth and bright, giving you the necessary illumination to do what needs to be done.
Operation is simple, too – press the click switch on the tailcap to cycle through momentary-on low, constant-on low, and high, and you’re good to go!
Beginner Camping Tips – Invest in a Good Camp Stove
Speaking of cooking off-grid, if you want tasty camp meals, you need to invest in a good stove.
A product such as the Camp Chef PRO60X two-burner stove will provide quality and power regardless of where you happen to be.
It has a 60000 BTU total output, matchless ignition, and a 14 x 32-inch cooking grate. The stove comes with a three-sided windscreen, folding side shelves, and the ability to be paired with all camp chef branded 30”/60” accessories.
This stove provides endless abilities for cooking any meal you may desire. You can even make a pizza!
Beginner Camping Tips – Tips for Camping With a Dog
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Camping with a dog is not as straightforward as you think. Before you leave, make sure that the campgrounds you are planning on camping at allow you to have a dog with you. You will be surprised at how many don’t.
Furthermore, you need to make sure that your dog doesn’t become an annoyance to others. While at the campground, make sure your four-legged friend can’t walk away and disturb other people in the area. Also, take with you anything that keeps it occupied to prevent barking.
You also need to consider where your dog will sleep. In your tent may be the obvious answer; however, this is not as straightforward as you think. First, tents do not offer much space. Then you have the issue of staying clean. If the dog is running around in the dirt all day, chances are it will be dirty. You don’t want all the mud and dirt in your tent!
So, think ahead. A clever solution may be a smaller tent for your dog or a large one that can accommodate everyone. Just make sure you keep the little guy clean!
Finally, you will have to take all the necessary dog equipment with you. Here is a list to make remembering everything easier:
- Food and water
- Food and water bowls
- Treats
- Toys
- Bed and blankets
- Collar, leash, and harness
- Poop bags
- Towels for cleaning and drying your dog
- Medications, if needed
Beginner Camping Tips – Final Thoughts
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At first, camping requires some thought, but after some time, everything becomes second nature.
By using the products and tips mentioned above, we can guarantee that your camping experience will be easier and more enjoyable from the get-go!
If you have any further camping-related questions or need any other off-road or overland information, head over to the forum section of our page!
Other Recommended Camping Gear