Common Mistakes Made by Rookie Campers

Camping is one of the more relaxing and invigorating past times that North Americans embrace to the tune of Billions of US dollars a year in gear and camping fees. The swimming and fishing, casual eating at a picnic tables, and hammocks strung between trees holding napping and happy campers in their loving embrace is what we seek when camping. The tent is roaring in a beautiful fire, and the stars are popping out of the black night skies like, wait, what, the tent's on fire? The tent's on fire! Get water! One rather common mistake made by campers is either setting their tents up too close to a fire pit, or not paying attention to flammable items, children and pets while having a roaring bonfire.

It is not only the beginner campers who make mistakes while camping, even the most seasoned and experienced campers can and do make mistakes, but the difference is that they are ready for these common mistakes with . The beginner camper tries to learn from their mistakes, and carry on with their camping trip, trying to make the best of their current situation. With each following camping trip, the beginner camper starts to learn the tricks, the ways and means of camping, as well as the etiquette involved in both how they treat their campsite and surroundings, as well as their fellow campers.

Common mistakes made by beginner campers range from forgetting things at home, to getting sunburned, getting poison ivy or poison oak and scratching it all day and night, to having the family dog chase the first animal it sees outside of park properties. And, just why is that animal usually a skunk, full of a fresh batch of spray? Make sure you have your dogs' leashes, a tie down, and some rope to tie the dog(s) up while at the campsite, since dogs running free is a danger to children and other animals in the area. Another common rookie mistake is forgetting the dog food, and not bringing extra water for the first day or two, just in case there is no water at the campsite.

Camping in the woods, where an outhouse would be a luxury, getting poison ivy in a bad place, in a bad way, could very well ruin the rest of your trip, if not only for the embarrassment factor. A common mistake made by beginner campers that is not at the forefront of most camper's minds when getting ready to go camping is not bringing a chemical, portable toilet where there are no washroom facilities. These portable loos can come in very handy when camping in the wilderness. As would a bug suit, bug tent and bug spray, as the amount of black flies and mosquitoes can also ruin a camping trip, and the next week at work as well.

Not bringing the more important things in life for camping is one of the more common mistakes made by beginner campers. Once you realize that there is no Kleenex, paper towels or toilet paper it is usually too late. The same goes for flashlights, bug and sunburn lotion and, poison ivy/oak ointment. Extra batteries and the cell phone's car charger, cooking gear that can handle being used over a campfire and eating utensils round out the list of the more commonly forgotten gear by beginner campers.

Some people even realize once they get to where they are camping that they really should have brought some ice from home. And some more common mistakes made by beginner campers is not bringing the proper sleeping gear, nor the proper clothing, and too many perishable goods, which go bad too early in the heat without enough ice, instead of canned packaged goods. A sleeping bag should be brought for camping no matter if it is summer or winter, and a pillow is more than just a luxury item, as both can be critical for a solid night's sleep, and forgetting these luxury items is usually a rookie mistake that happens only the one time.

Common mistakes made by first time campers include bringing the wrong types of clothing and footwear. Proper, quick-drying, sweat-wicking clothing should be brought over heavy cottons, except for one favorite warm sweater. Good hiking boots, decent sneakers and a pair of older sneakers for walking through water and marshlands are also forgotten at home by the beginner camper.

The big space wasting mistakes made by first time campers include bringing way too much clothing, make up, cooking and cleaning gear, and heavy blankets for everyone in the heat of the summer, and forgetting the bathing suits at home. A more experienced camper should be able to live out of one knapsack for the entire camping trip, and their cooking and eating gear should not take up more than one small box. Well, except for that big pot for beach-side clam boils.

Unless you do major research before going on your first camping trip, and asking advice from experienced campers, there will most likely be some mistakes made, from small to catastrophic. Each time that you go camping in the future, you will be making fewer and fewer mistakes, until you yourself become an experienced camper.

There is no use in getting mad or ruining your camping trip by sulking the entire time when common mistakes are made, so just think of the mistakes you make as learning experiences.

Camp safe. Camp informed.