If you are out camping, you will understand that you are “roughing” it. Your not going to be on a comfortable bed, but that doesn’t mean that you have to wake up with a sore back the next day. I’ve done my fair bit of camping, so I thought I would give you some advice on how I get up in the morning ready to get straight into it. You don’t want to struggle to walk around if you are somewhere as beautiful as Yellowstone National Park or Fuji Hakone Izu National Park
Photo: Flickr
Tent Location
Now some of this may seem straight forward, but I’m going to repeat it for everyone just in case. Firstly you want to find an area to set up camp that’s in a flat and level. If that isn’t easy due to your surroundings you can camp on a slight incline (just make sure you set up the tent so that your head is elevated above your feet). You don’t want it to be too steep or you won’t be able to sleep.
You need to find an area that is also free from rocks for obvious reasons. Sand works best, but that is not always available.
You also want to position yourself somewhere that is not going to be open to the weather. You don’t want to be trying to sleep while your tent is in a gale force wind.
Photo: Flickr
What to Sleep On
Now this really depends on a few things, mainly how much can you carry. If you are setting up camp only a few feet from your car, well, you are laughing. You can bring a comfortable blow up mattress to spend the night on. Now if you are on a long hike through difficult terrain, then you want to limit the amount of weight you are carrying. Here are some options for that:
- Take nothing! You can actually use nature to help you out. If you are camping in a sandy area, then you may be able to get away without any cushioning. However, if you are on a bit more rocky terrain you can use leaves to create a bit of a nature mattress for yourself.
- Blow up mattresses – With technology improving these are becoming even more and more light-weight. Some products can be less than a pound (450 grams), which is light years ahead of what they were when I was younger.
- Camping mat – These take up a bit more room and weigh a little more, but you don’t have to spend time blowing them up.
Personally I wouldn’t go out without my blow up mattress. A good nights sleep is worth the extra pound! Now none of these comfortable bedding are going to be like sleeping on a Saatva Martress or in some luxury hotel, but they will get you by.
Source: Flickr
Tent Type
This one is quite simple. Find a tent that is going to protect you from the weather. Simple as that. Don’t skimp on it. You don’t want water coming into the tent. You don’t want to freeze your ass off because your tent lets a breeze in. Here’s a quick guide to picking a good tent.
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