How You Can Stay Safe When Camping In The Sticks

How You Can Stay Safe When Camping In The Sticks

Perhaps you’re going on a trip from A to B and camping each night until you get there. It’s popular with those taking long walking trails. Maybe you just want to head out with your friends or family and set up camp on a random stretch or beach or in the forest for a couple of nights. There are many things you can do to ensure you and the other campers have a great time.

Even putting a small amount of effort into research and safety before your trip can pay pretty huge dividends when you’re travelling and camping is no different, even if you’re staying local. You may have considered some of these but they can help you think further afield if necessary.


1 – Take The Right Clothes

You need to make sure that you’ll be comfortable if the temperature drops, and it drops quickly in some places. If this happens and you’re not expecting it you might end up in a bit of trouble, or it could just ruin your trip as you’ll be uncomfortable and want to retreat to your tent pretty early. You need to buy weather resistant clothing. Places like Great Lakes Clothing have decent examples but you can find what you need in your local high street.

Check the temperature first to make an informed decision but also make sure you know how much that temperature drops in the night. You’ll need the right clothes to sleep in, as well as the right clothes to spend the day in. Sometimes, if you’re going somewhere that drops below 0 you might need a specialist sleeping bag and camping equipment. Don’t fool yourself into thinking the standard stuff might apply because it won’t work.

Image by Pexels from Pixabay


2 – Know Your Critters

It depends where you’re staying, but most places, especially if you’re camping out in the sticks, come with critters. They might be harmless, or you could end up somewhere with scorpions, snakes or spiders. Again, bites and stings are usually pretty rare but you’re better off knowing how to prepare. For example, you’d shake out shoes before putting them back on in the morning, or take a sting kit to treat any wounds. 

As long as you know what type of being you’ll run into and you’re prepared you’ll likely be fine. It might be there are bigger animals to be worried about, like bears or other dangerous animals. You can usually buy deterrents like bear spray off places like Amazon, just be sure you buy them off a reputable seller approved to sell a gated brand before you place your order. Once you have it, make sure you take the time needed to become familiar with the deterrent so that you know how to deploy it if needed.

Image by Håkan Carlander from Pixabay


3 – Keep External Communication Open

Especially if you’re going on your own!

In the first instance you need to tell people when you’re going and how long you’re going for. It means if they don’t hear from you they can alert the authorities. If you’re going well into the wild consider investing in a satellite phone, which won’t lose its signal like most usual phones with the standard issue providers. Before you go anywhere which is deep off the beaten track, ensure you have thought about keeping the lines of communication open to the best of your ability.

Remember, download and install satellite navigation details to your phone instead of relying on streaming it because if it cuts out you may end up in the middle of nowhere without a clue where you are or how to get back to civilization.

Image by Pexels from Pixabay


4 – Make Sure You Maintain Your Vehicle

You don’t want to be in the position of a car not starting when you’re about to come home. Ensure you check everything before you go. Tyre pressure, oil, windscreen wiper fluid, etc. Take some maintenance items with you too, like spare oil, a spare tyre etc. A jump pack is a good bet too, because using jump leads is great but if there isn’t another car it won’t do you any good.

Ensure you carry extra water in the car, in case you need it for yourself or for the engine and be sure that you have the type of car which can handle rough terrain. Even certain 4×4’s struggle so ensure you do your research first. If you start going downhill remember that it’s easier going down than coming back up. If you’re going right off the beaten path then it’s probably sensible to get a winch system installed.

Image by Public Co from Pixabay

 

Share it!



Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.