Novice campers, or people who’ve never been camping before, wouldn’t always describe it as the most comfortable experience. They might picture sleeping on the hard ground, fighting off insects, and being unable to escape from the heat or cold.
In reality, when you camp in the right place with the right equipment, it can be almost as comfortable as spending time in your own backyard or staying at a motel. If you’re not yet convinced that you’ll ever enjoy camping, you might change your mind when you read this guide.
Purchase a Rooftop Tent
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A rooftop tent from a leading supplier like iKamper can sometimes be the first step to enjoying your camping experience rather than simply enduring it. This tents are the epitome of luxury car camping. You install the tent on the roof of your car, attach a ladder to it, and enjoy being able to sleep off the ground.
Rooftop tents are easy to set up, and you can purchase a wide range of accessories like self-inflating mattresses and down-filled sleeping bags to make them even better. Alongside being able to sleep soundly, you can wake up to glorious views, which might not be the case if you’re pitching a tent on the ground.
Pack Delicious Food
Many people go camping to spend time with friends and family, enjoying their company. Sometimes, food can be at the center of this. While tinned food like spaghetti and baked beans is easy to cook in the wilderness, they aren’t the most delicious or nutritious options. There’s no reason why you can’t get creative with camp food and enhance your overall camping experience.
Start each day with a hearty breakfast of sausage breakfast sandwiches, pancakes, a frittata made in a cast iron pan, or French toast. You can then move on to enjoying snacks like crackers, chips, muesli bars, and fruit, all of which can fare well in the great outdoors.
After a full day of exploring nature, you can satiate your hunger with a delicious camp dinner of Dutch oven chili and cornbread, enchiladas, veggie skewers, or tacos. One of the most challenging parts of cooking while camping is deciding what to eat, so if you prepare in advance, create a meal plan, and don’t forget oil and seasonings, you might be surprised at the quality of the food you can prepare.
Bring Heating and Cooling
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One of the many advantages of staying at home, rather than going camping, is being able to regulate the temperature within your home with your HVAC unit. Out in nature, you often have to put up with the harshness of the elements, be it sunshine, wind, rain, or snow.
However, there’s no reason why you can’t remain warm or cool, depending on your preferences, even when you’re tucked up inside a tent. You can simply purchase a tent fan or heater. Many camping product manufacturers create battery-powered tent fans and heaters that are safe for in-tent use.
Before jumping into a purchase, brush up on safe heater use and only purchase tent heaters that have safety features, such as automatic shut-off. Once you find the perfect model, you’ll likely be able to enjoy warmth or coolness in your tent when you need it the most.
Pack Charging Devices
While some people like to use camping as an opportunity to disconnect from technology and the modern world, others prefer to simply use their devices in a new environment. Rather than risk having your smartphone, tablet, or laptop go flat, invest in camper-friendly charging devices.
There are many different options on the market, such as power banks you can charge before you go, solar-powered chargers that recharge in the sun, and even wind-powered chargers that deliver energy to a battery from wind power. Review the pros and cons of each and consider each battery’s capacity before you make your purchase. The larger the battery’s capacity, the more devices you can charge.
Choose Your Location Wisely
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When you’re an experienced camper, you can typically set up camp in any camper-friendly area and enjoy the experience. Generally, this is because you have all the equipment and knowledge you need for off-the-grid living.
However, novice campers might not enjoy remote, isolated camping trips as much. When you’re trying camping for the first time, consider booking a spot in a well-known campground. Campgrounds typically have all the amenities you need, such as toilets and showers, and they sometimes even have camp shops if you forget something from home or get low on essentials. Campgrounds are often located in tourist hotspots, which means you can split your time between relaxing at your campsite and enjoying fun activities.
Buy a Cooler
One of the most challenging parts of camping for an extended period is keeping food cool. You might combat this challenge in part by packing non-perishable goods, but you might like to treat yourself to foods that require refrigeration, such as meat and dairy products. In that case, consider purchasing a camping cooler. You might opt for an inexpensive insulated cooler that you fill with ice bricks or ice cubes, or you might decide to spend a little more and purchase a camping refrigerator.
Typically, camping refrigerators run on 12-volt batteries and have enough space for all the essentials. Some high-end models even have freezer compartments for ice, ice cream, and meat you don’t want to cook first.
Plan Activities
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Many people go camping so they can lounge around their campsite, eat delicious food, and spend time in nature. However, if you always like to be doing something, there’s every reason to consider planning activities at your chosen camping destination.
You might decide to check out local walking tracks to go hiking or learn more about local rivers and lakes to catch fish. Water sports like kayaking and jet skiing might also be worth exploring. There will still be plenty of time for relaxing, but a few activities might enhance your camping experience.
Camping doesn’t have to be about roughing it and being without the creature comforts of home. It can be about trying new things, exploring nature, and enjoying your surroundings. By taking some of the actions above, you might be ready for an exciting and comfortable camping adventure that has you planning regular trips in the future.
