Tips And Works

Camping doesn’t have to be expensive or involved to be comfortable and fun.

You just need some camping smarts.

So get ready to pack up your tent and sleeping bags and head for the great outdoors. These tips will help you camp a little smarter.

Planning and packing

* Make a list of emergency phone numbers for the area you’ll be in.

* Use a plastic toolbox to store small tools and necessaries, like matches, lantern mantels, spare batteries, a few basic tools and duct tape.

* If you’re camping for the first time, borrow a tent. When you’re ready to commit, buy the best tent you can afford. Get a model with a full rainfly because it will keep you dry during heavy rains. High-quality tents will feature good ventilation, even with a full fly.

Mealtime and campfire

* Save dryer lint in a pill bottle for great fire starter.

* Keep a candle in your fire starting supplies. Use one match to light the candle, then use the candle to light the fire.

* Rub liquid soap on the outsides of pots and pans before putting them over the fire. When you’re ready to wash up, the soot will wipe right off.

* An upside down Frisbee makes a great paper plate holder.

* Use a piece of window screen as a pasta strainer.

Setting up camp

* Put a plastic ground cloth under your tent to protect the floor from abrasions and to keep water from soaking up from the wet ground. Fold the edges of the ground cloth under the tent so raindrops don’t hit it and roll underneath.

* An old plastic shower curtain makes a good ground cloth.

* Keep the rainfly over your tent, even when the forecast calls for no rain, to protect the fabric from sun damage and bird droppings.

At night

* Heat water for morning coffee, hot chocolate, or oatmeal the night before and put it in a Thermos bottle inside your tent. In the morning you can avoid cranking up the stove or building a fire.

* Keep tent zippers closed throughout the day to avoid the whine of mosquitoes in the night.

Safety and convenience

* Keep a picture of your kids with you in case they get lost.

* Use a headlamp instead of a flashlight so your hands are free. New models are small, light and feature multiple settings.

* Large, black, plastic garbage sacks can be used as kitchen work surfaces, table cloths, rain ponchos, pack covers, firewood covers, and bathtubs.

* They also can provide a camp bath. Fill two with a few gallons of water and leave them in the sun all day. Step in one with your soap and rinse with the second.

* Don’t spray insect repellents with DEET near your tent. The chemical will harm the fabric.

* A section of garden hose split lengthwise makes a good edge guard for an axe or saw blade.

Activities and recreation

* Work on outdoor skills like navigation. Set up a compass course around your campsite and offer a prize to the first person who completes it.

* Carry a camera and look for unique photo opportunities. Lie on the ground and get an ant’s-eye view of your campsite. Take macro shots of dew on flowers or see who can photograph the most colorful insect.

* Use field guides and see who can identify the most plants, insects, birds or fish.

End of the trip

* Never put a tent away wet. Mildew will damage the fabric.

* Clean, repair, and restock your supplies before packing them away so they’re ready for next time.

* Write down the details of the trip, including useful items you took along, items you wished you had, ideas for future trips and interesting things you saw. Note the time it took to travel to your destination, things you saw along the way, costs for camping and other fees, and any other pertinent information. Keep a folder with this info so you can refer to it if you decide to camp in the same place again.