Camping is all about having fun outdoors with close friends, huddling up around the campfire, cooking some great meals, and simply relaxing. But without basic camping skills, you will only end up struggling, which will eventually stress you out too. With knowledge of a few basic survival and real-life skills, you will be able to make your camping trip so much more worthwhile.
Here are a few survival skills that can help:
Table of Contents
1. Building a Fire
When out camping, you will need to build a fire before it gets dark. This can help you keep warm, cook for yourself, and also keep predators away. Make sure to carry the necessary supplies with you, such as a lighter or matchsticks.
Remember, building a fire from scratch is harder than you think, especially if it’s rainy. When you have limited supplies, you need to learn how to start a fire with what you have on you. Try to find some dry tinder around. You can use a feather stick to help you. This can help generate a fire.
You need to find your way around places in case you get lost. For that, you need to have some basic navigation skills. In the era of Google Maps, you might think you don’t need geographical knowledge. But it is essential for camping. You also need to study the place you’re visiting and learn more about how you can find your way through places there. Finally, you should know how to read a map and observe terrain changes to help you find your way.
3. Setting Up a Shelter
This is one of the lost camping survival skills since building a shelter has now become so easy. All you have to do is set up a tent and then take it down when it’s time to leave. However, setting up a tent is also something that many struggle with.
When we talk about setting up a shelter, it is more than just your tent. You need first to find the best place to set it up. Make sure you aren’t too close to outhouses and aren’t setting up your space under a large tree. Falling branches can be a huge issue in windy weather. You need to set up your tent where there is some shade to help protect you from the sun’s scorching heat.
Once you have a place, you need to check the ground and ensure it is flat. When setting up, you must ensure that your tent lines are tight.
4. Tying Knots
On a camping trip, you must know how to tie knots. Whether you have to tie your bags and equipment or secure your tent, you will only be able to do so if you know how to tie knots tightly. There are many tutorials online that can help you learn how to tie knots easily.
5. Cooking Over Campfire
Cooking over direct flame can be extremely challenging. Especially if you are a newbie, you might not know how long to cook for and might also end up burning the food. Once you have mastered the art of starting a fire, you must learn how to cook over it. Make sure that you have the right cooking gear.
Cast iron cookware is great if you choose to cook over the fire. Make sure to do all the food prep at home so that you can save time. Even if you are starving, never cook directly over a naked flame. You will most likely end up with burnt food that is both unappetizing and unsafe for consumption. It would help if you had cookware for it.
Have some water and sand ready with you in case the flames get uncontrollable, and you need to take instant action to put the fire off.
6. Purifying Water
Water is one of the most important things you need to carry with you when camping. But if you run out of drinking water, you might find yourself stuck. It gets even worse if you don’t have a water filter nearby. So, you need to learn how to purify water to make it safe for drinking.
To do that, you can use iodine tablets. You can use water from the streams and then use iodine tablets to make it pure. But this can be quite time-consuming. Another useful way you can purify water is by boiling it. This helps get rid of any contaminants that might be present in the water.
7. Making a Weapon
You must protect yourself against predators when out camping in the wilderness. You cannot defend yourself if you don’t have a weapon. However, you can easily make a slingshot from basic materials. A forked stick, canvas, and rubber tubing are all you need. Once you have made it, you need to practice aiming and shooting to help you keep away from danger.
8. Basic First Aid
When camping in the wild, you obviously don’t have access to a healthcare facility. If you end up getting hurt, you need to have some basic know-how of first aid to help yourself before you get to a medical facility. You need to carry some bandages, along with some ointments and pain medication to help you.
9. Reading the Weather
With access to so many weather apps on your phone, barely anyone bothers to look at the sky to understand weather conditions. If you are a regular camper, you need to understand how to read the weather. You don’t always get cell reception everywhere, so you can’t rely entirely on that. So, you need to know if it’s about to pour or if a storm is on its way. You can only master the art over time with experience.
With these basic survival skills, you can make your camping trip worthwhile and have a great time!