Cool Camping
Ideas
Smarter than the average camper
Ready to go? Fantastic! If this is your first trip
out, here’s the advice that usually takes years to
learn.
Purchasing camping equipment is an
investment. When you stay in a hotel your money
is gone, but tents and trailers can almost always
be sold when you’re done with them. A good tip
is to buy used when you first start out because a
tent or trailer will depreciate very little in the
time you own it and you can use the money you
make to buy a bigger and better tent or trailer.
Brand names do make a difference. Some brands
cost more than others but that’s because they
don’t cut corners when it comes to windows,
slide outs, tires and warranties. As a consumer
you may never be able to spot these differences,
so trust your salesperson on this one. Buying the
better brand will always get you more money if
you ever decide to sell.
Take a real tour before you buy. If you are buying
a tent, picture your family setting it up, taking it
down and huddling in it during a rainy day. If you
are buying a trailer, go in the bathroom and try
to shut the door, imagine your family eating at
the table, lay on the mattress for several minutes
straight, and count how many electrical outlets
there are. If at any time you get the feeling the
space may be too big or small for you then you
need to keep looking.
You can store camping-specific clothing,
blankets, dishes, bed foam and even activities
ahead of time so when the weekend hits you
only have to pack your food items before
leaving. If you are tenting, invest in waterproof
containers for these items; if you have a trailer,
store them in cupboards.
Always leave room for growth. Kids will want to
bring friends, grandchildren will want to visit
and relatives will want to stay with you when
they unexpectedly come to town, so pay the
extra money for extra square footage and beds if
you can.
Always pack extra dry clothes and blankets,
tarps are your friend and keep the firewood dry.
Search camping tips
at Pinterest!
Safety Tips
From the Essex County Firefighters Burn Unit Foundation
Campfires…
u Should only be started, looked after and put out by an adult
u Avoid building campfires on wi