Finding the Best Mattress for Camping and Backpacking

We are going to look at three types of mattresses that can be used for camping and/or backpacking purposes. We will look at the benefits and drawbacks of an air mattress, foam mattress, and a self inflating mattress.

Air Mattress

These mattresses can be found in dimensions ranging from 1" in height and 3 feet in length all the way to 12" in height and the size of a California King Sleep Number. They require some type of pumping of air into the mattress in order to inflate. This can be manual or with a small motor.

Benefits- This is a good choice when one is choosing to car camp or stay at a campsite. This is a good option when weight and bulk do not play a factor in one's camping experience.

Drawbacks- As mentioned before, the size and weight of this product is often the largest drawback. The plastic materials used to coat this product are often slippery and users may complain about excessive movement. You do not want to use an air mattress in cold weather camping due to heat loss factors.

Foam Mattress

For camping purposes these mattresses are normally found with dimensions 1-3" in height and with a maximum size comparable to a twin mattress.

Benefits- This is great option for many campers and backpackers. This is often the first choice for many ultra-light backpackers given the low weight. This is a good choice in cold weather camping as well because of effective insulation properties. In addition you do not have to worry about puncturing with a foam product.

Drawbacks- The largest concern of a foam mattress is the bulkiness. Some people complain about its stiff and rigid materials which take away from the comfort found in such products. Rigid materials will result in a bulkier product.

Self Inflating Mattress

This is a newer product that incorporates the benefits of both an air mattress and a foam mattress into one product. These mattresses average 1-2" in height and are normally 6-8 feet in length. They are called "self-inflating" because of a compressible foam layered between an outer coating of plastic. This plastic is PVC or TPU, and it is sealed with an air valve to allow air to enter or escape. When one opens the air valve, the foam sucks air into the mattress to inflate.

Benefits- As mentioned before, this product takes the benefits of both air and foam into play. This product often packs the smallest because the foam is compressible. This product also insulates well given the foam within the mattress. Important to note that one may want a taller mattress height in colder weather conditions. Many users find this product the most comfortable given the air and compressible foam materials used because the firmness is adjustable.

Drawbacks- Although this product compresses smaller than most foam mattresses it can be found to be heavier. This product is often only ounces heavier, but to an ultra-light backpacker this difference is often enough to make the choice. In addition this product is can puncture, although field repairs are relatively simple.

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Essential Equipment Needed for Your Camping Trip

There is no better way to appreciate the great outdoors than going for a camping trip. Living away from populated zones without all the basic amenities we are used to could be a daunting experience without the right gear. Having the right camping tools, though, would make your experience enjoyable and comfortable.

Here is a look at some of the essential equipment that you may need when going on a trip to experience the great outdoors.

Tent

A tent is the most basic piece of equipment that you will need when going camping. The tent that you get will have to be waterproof and weather proof and should be sturdy enough to endure possible storms, rains or high winds. It also needs to be large enough to accommodate the required number of people. Some people also like to have a sheltered porch attached to their tent to make sure that clothes and muddy clothes are kept dry without having to take them inside the tent. Tents are available in all sorts of shapes and designs. So ensure that you get one that meets all your needs.

Sleeping bags

While outdoors, it is highly unlikely that you will find a comfortable place to sleep in. A sleeping bag is, therefore, a very important piece of camping gear. They are available in different sizes and the one that you get depends on the climate of the area you are visiting. Also remember to get a cover which will make the transportation of the bag easier. You could also opt for an airbed or a raised camping bed to make sleeping in the tent even more comfortable.

Cooking supplies

If you are planning on cooking your own meals, you will need some cooking supplies. Some campsites provide fire pits or dedicated cooking areas. Otherwise, you might need to take a gas burner. The most common cooking supplies include a frying pan and a saucepan along with basic cutlery like plates, mugs, spoons, etc. Make sure that you store your food in such a way that it does not attract animals.

Furniture

Depending on where you are camping, you might need some furniture as well. A fold-down chair allows you to eat, drink and socialize without needing to sit on the ground, and is a popular piece of equipment. You could also get a picnic table which would allow the whole group to sit together while having a meal.

Other accessories

There are a whole lot of extra accessories which could be extremely useful when camping. Remember to get torches, as it could get really dark at night. A lighter or a pack of matches are essential for starting a fire. You could get a headlamp as well, which would make finding things in the dark extremely convenient.

Even though outdoor camping is an enjoyable and exciting experience, it can also throw up some extremely unpleasant surprises if you are unprepared. Therefore, it is always important to carry protective gear along with your camping equipment to ensure safety. Remember to ensure that the products you get are of high quality and come from respectable manufacturers.

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Top Three Things That You've Never Thought Of Taking Camping With You

Camping can be great fun; fresh air, freedom, no telephone ringing or emails to read (as long as you leave your smartphone at home!). You can take some great outdoor things to do; fly a kite, play football or take your binoculars to study the birds and wildlife. It's fun cooking outside; even very simple food tastes great when you cook it on the bank of a river.

Despite all the fun you can have, there are a few simple things you can take with you which will make your trip much more pleasurable and relaxing. Why make it harder than it needs to be? Whether you are camping at a festival, in a campsite or out in the wilds it's worth giving some thought to your packing. Here's a list of the top 3 things you've never thought of taking camping with you.

1) A pillow. Sleeping on the ground may be bearable but without a pillow you will probably end up with neck ache, a sore shoulder and have difficulty getting to sleep with your head on the hard ground. A pillow might take up a lot of space in your rucksack but it can make all the difference; you will enjoy your trip much more if you can sleep well and get some rest. If you really don't have space you could get a compression bag to compress your favorite pillow as much as possible, or alternatively get an inflatable pillow. A sleeping bag compression sack is a good idea to minimize the volume of your sleeping bag in your packing.

2) Ear plugs. Camping can be really noisy; other campers coming back late at night, arguing in their tents and tripping over guy ropes will wake you up and ruin your trip. Wind, rain and the local farmer's cockerels can all disturb you and make you tired and grumpy the next day It's a good idea to get good sleeping earplugs which are comfortable when lying on your side. Try them out before your trip to make sure they are comfortable and are good enough to block the sound of snoring from the tent next door.

3) Curry powder. A small film case with a few teaspoons of curry powder in it goes a long way to livening up meals cooked whilst you are camping. Food can easily end up being overcooked if you are using a camping stove you aren't used to so you can make it more palatable by adding some curry powder or spicy hot sauce. If you are camping for some time your menu might end up becoming repetitive; boiled pasta with tinned tomatoes can become monotonous after eating it for lunch and dinner 4 days in a row. You could take a few small twists of tin foil or cling film containing dried herbs, dried garlic, parmesan cheese, salt and pepper and then use them in varying quantities to give your meals some variety.

Hopefully your camping trips will now be a little more enjoyable after eating some great food and sleeping soundly with your pillow and ear plugs.

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How to Plan a Family Camping Trip

Camping is a fabulous activity for families, especially those that need an electronics break. Because there are fewer distractions - be it TV or chores - your family will have more time to talk and enjoy each other's company. Get started planning your family getaway with the following steps.

Step 1 - Determine Your Location 
When you are looking for a campground, think about how far you want to drive and what activities or amenities you would like to have nearby. Consider the amenities you would like. Are you looking for a resort like camp ground? Do you want to hike or take advantage of other outdoor adventures? What about some historical site seeing? Keep this in mind as you look for grounds. Guaranteed you will find something near any site or activity that you want to visit. It's just a matter of knowing what you want and where you want it.

Step 2 - Establish Your Itinerary 
Decide how many days you would like to be away. If this is your first trip, I'd recommend three days and two nights. When calling the campground to make a reservation, have a few dates in mind, especially if you plan to camp during a peak season. After you've made your reservation, do an online search for any special events planned while you are camping. Factor that into any other activities you would like to participate in on your trip and schedule accordingly. Remember that you'll need a little extra time at the beginning and end of your trip to set up and pack up camp.

Step 3 - Pack 
You are going to think of things to bring from now until your trip. Set up a plastic bin where you can start collecting your items. Use the following list to get you started:

• Map 
• Clothes and toiletries 
• Food and drinks (don't forget the fixings for Smores!) 
• Bottled water 
• Trash bags 
• Tent, sleeping bags, pillows 
• Flashlights and extra batteries 
• Camp chairs 
• Hammer 
• Paper products (don't forget a roll of toilet paper) 
• First Aid Kit 
• Deck of cards, book 
Wow, that seems like a lot of stuff for one night.

Step 4 - Enjoy Your Trip 
Remember to check the weather before you go. If rain is in the forecast, throw ponchos, rain gear, and a canopy to go over your tent or picnic area into with your gear.

Step 5 - The Evaluation 
Did you have a good time on your trip? Do you want to do it again? If so, you may want to consider creating a plastic container where you can store and keep all of your camping gear so that you don't have to repack each time. This can also serve as part of your emergency kit as many of the items that you use while camping are the same items that you need for emergencies and evacuations.

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Important Camping Tips and Equipment

Well, a fair percentage of people like camping. Some of them, during weekends, would even desert their well-furnished bedrooms and pitch a tent in their gardens where they would then spend their nights.

Please be sensitized that camping that is done very often can be addictive.

Did you know that retired soldiers that have spent a good part of their service time staying in camps that are located in isolated places like forests, jungles, woods and mountains always burn with desire to go camping?

If you want to go camping at a very far place you should make a very good plan for your trip before you go. Always make sure that somebody trustworthy who is not going with you knows the coordinates of the place that you are going to camp at.

The other thing he/she should know is the length of time you are going to spend away. This is a very important matter in case something bad happens to you.

I really feel obliged to share with you this story of what happened to one of our brothers while he was camping with his family.

The story goes like this, "On Saturday, at daybreak, this guy together with his wife and their two teenage sons got inside their Land-Rover and left their house. The vehicle was laden with all necessary camping equipment and foodstuffs.

They were going to be back on Sunday at noon.

Six hours later, their vehicle stopped and they all alighted and stretched their bodies. They were in an area that was colonized by savannah vegetation. The area was also infested with zebras, wild-beasts and antelopes. Though tired, the four quickly pitched up three tents.

The first tent was for the man and his wife, the second one was for the two boys whereas the third tent was for housing their camping provisions.

After they had their lunch, they left the camp and went west shooting videos and taking pictures. Towards sunset they returned to their camp. They were just some two hundred meters away from the camp when they saw something like a mound next to their tents. The third tent had been pulled down. That thing that had invited itself to their camp was a male elephant.

The four waited until the elephant decided to leave the camp. They watched it as it went eastwards slowly limping. Its left hind leg was injured. It had either been injured by another male elephant or perhaps some poachers. They shook their heads as they stopped next to the tents.

All the fruits, vegetables and bread that was in the tent had been eaten by the elephant. It had only left them some canned foodstuffs. It had also crushed two twenty litre water bottles.

After assessing the damage done by the elephant they erected the tent that had been pulled down. Later on they were enjoying their supper around the fire. Around 2300 hours when it was now time for them to go to bed, the boys told their parents point-blank that they were not going to spend a night inside their tent.

They were afraid that the elephant might return to the camp at night and cause serious havoc.

The father honoured the boys' emotions and presented them with the key for the Land-Rover. After the boys had gone to the vehicle, he kissed his wife and then put off the fire and then they went to their tent.

On the following morning after breakfast, the man went to the vehicle. He wanted to park it under a tree before they leave the camp to tour the surrounding area like on the previous day. He turned the key but the vehicle could not start. The battery had been chewed away. The boys had left the car-radio playing music when they slept last night.

The radio had played the music the whole night until the battery discharged all its power.

They were now in real trouble! The nearest settlement was 75 miles away and they were around 10 miles away from a sandy road that could be referred to as a main road. And that sandy road was seldom used. All the phones that were in their possession had lost network. It was now obvious that their vacation had been ruined!

The man suggested to his family to remain behind meanwhile he goes to search for somebody who could assist them with a battery but his family disagreed. Without him on their side, they felt unsafe. They broke the camp and loaded their stuff into the vehicle. After locking the vehicle, they set off on foot eastwards carrying a few valuable items.

After covering around mile, they met a pride of lions that were coming their way. They quickly changed direction and ran southwards. On their flight they went through another pride that was resting. The lions were full, they did not attack them. Next to them, there was a carcass of a buffalo which they had killed and eaten over the night.

They changed direction again and now ran westwards and changed direction many times. By the time they stopped running they were now all lost. None of them could tell the direction to the sandy road they had desired to reach.

After undergoing tougher obstacles in the savannah for good five days, they were very fortunate to be found by game scouts who were scouting for poachers that had killed a rhino for its precious horn.

From the game scouts, they learnt that the elephant that pulled down the tent that was housing their provisions had been probably attracted by the scent of apples. Elephants like apples!

LIST OF ITEMS YOU NEED FOR CAMPING VACATION

1. Tent, camp-chairs, propane-stove, camp-beds, sleeping-bags, collapsible camp tubs

2. FIRST-AID KIT (For your medical needs that do not require very serious situations)

3. MAP (If you are not familiar with the place you want camp to camp at, you really a map because you might get lost)

4. WEATHER REPORT (Be update with the weather report or else yo may find yourself in the path of a tornado.)

5. REFUSE-BAGS (Keep your environment clean. Wherever you camp, put your rubbish in the refuse bag)

6. ROPE (At least 10 meters long. You may need it to tie something or tow a car)

7. CANNED FOOD (They will not go bad quickly in case you overstay)

8. WATER BOTTLES (Always take five more bottles than you need. The radiator might leak unexpectedly)

9. PROPER CLOTHING (If you camp in the jungle you really need a hat. Snakes from branches above will strike your head)

10. TORCH AND NEW BATTERIES (For lighting in the dark)

11. MATCH-BOX AND CIGARETTE-LIGHTER (Matchbox can be soaked by the rain but not the cigarette-lighter)

12. SHOVEL (Good for digging a hole for a temporary toilet. Also can help when your vehicle is stuck in the sand)

13. An AXE (For cutting firewood)

14. PLATES AND CUPS (It is up to you to choose whether you need disposable one or not)

15. POTS (It is up to you to decide the sizes and the number you need)

16. PAPER TOWELS (Get them according to your needs)

17. Spare-wheel (Can be of great help in case one of your tires get torn)

18. SET/PACK OF VEHICLE TOOLS (It should be always in your car)

19. KNIVES (Get them according to your needs)

20. LAPTOPS AND CELL PHONES (These are optional. Other people need constant connection with the world and others need privacy when camping)

21. EXTRA-MONEY (You might need to hire somebody to tow your car)

22. Fuel (Ensure that there is sufficient fuel for the trip. It is wise to carry extra fuel in jerry-cans)

23. BINOCULARS (They will bring distant objects closer to you.)

24. COMPASS (For assisting you to be precise with directions)

25. CALCULATOR (You will probably need to quantify something. Avoid carrying solar-powered calculators they are not reliable)

26. WRIST-WATCH (There are certain tasks that will require you to time yourself

GENERAL TIPS ON CAMPING

1. HEALTH (Do not go camping with your friends when not feeling well, you may spoil their vacation)

2. ENVIRONMENT (Avoid doing things that will harm the area that you are camping at)

3. FOOD (When camping at sites that are infested with lions and hyenas avoid carrying raw meat as the scent of meat can attract these animals to your camp)

4. FLASHING LIGHTS (Flashing lights at night will scare away animals from your camp)

5. Avoid areas where there are mudslides

6. Avoid areas where there are sink-holes

7. Avoid areas close to blasting sites

8. If you are going to camp at areas where malaria sleeping sickness are prevalent you must see your doctor to prescribe for you the medication that will protect you from these two diseases. They are very dangerous as they can terminate your life or harm your brain leaving you mentally disturbed.

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