Search Helium

Home > Sports & Recreation > Outdoors & Sportsman > Camping

Tent camping for beginners

by Jeremy Rutherfurd

Created on: April 08, 2007   Last Updated: April 10, 2007

Tent camping is a lot of fun and can be done very cheaply. I once drove from Madison, Wisconsin, to San Diego, California, over a period of ten days, stopping along the way to visit national parks and famous sites.

My girl friend and I never stayed in a hotel once, and we learned a lot about camping along the way. Here are some tips for beginners:

1. You don't need a fancy tent. We bought a two-person "backyard tent" on sale at Sears and it worked fine. The only problem was that condensation collected on the ceiling and would drip down on us in the morning.

I solved this by buying a plastic tarp and throwing it over the tent (driving stakes through the corner eyelets to keep it lashed down). After that, the condensation problem disappeared.

Other tents are lighter, easier to build, with fewer parts and have features like a "window," screen flaps, etc., but these can cost upwards of hundreds of dollars. If all you're going to do is sleep in the tent, then buy the cheapest one you can find and throw a tarp over it.

2. Invest in a sleeping pad. This will make your nights much, much more comfortable.

You don't need anything expensive. A basic hard-foam pad placed under your sleeping bag will do just fine.

The pad shields you from stray stones and bumps in the ground that will make it impossible to sleep. It also helps you better retain body heat.

3. Buy or prepare pre-cooked foods that can be easily re-heated, preferably in a pot over an open fire: soups, stews, chili, ravioli, curry, etc. If you're in a real hurry or just want to fill your face and sleep, then cold sandwich makings are recommended.

4. Be respectful at campgrounds. Don't walk through another's campsite, walk around it. Obey the campground's quiet hours.

Leave your campsite the way you found it - cleaner, if possible. Be sure to read and follow all campground rules.

Happy camping!

242263_m Learn more about this author, Jeremy Rutherfurd.
Click here to send this author comments or questions.

Helium Debate

Cast your vote!

Should hunting be used to control deer populations?

Click for your side.

190286

Featured Partner

The MAGIC Foundation for children's growth

Major Aspects of Growth In Children (MAGIC) is made up of 25,000+ families whose children (and affected adults) have growth hormone deficiency or other medical conditions which affect their growth. While growth hormone deficiency is the ...more


CONNECT WITH US

Read
our blog
Helum for writers

Write and get published
Share with other writers
Polish your freelancing skills

Join our active writing community
Helium Content Source for Publishers

Quality articles from proven freelancers
Exclusive rights, fast turnaround
Brand engagement, business blogging -- our writers do it all

Get custom content today!

INFORMATION


Helium, Inc.
200 Brickstone Square Andover, MA 01810 USA
#