6 mistakes EVERY new camper makes at their campsite

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Camping mistakes. Where to set up a tent at camp. Best camping and backpacking ideas for hikers and ultralight campers. Camp etiquette.

[Sky-mdjn]

Tell people where you are going and when you should be back. I'm surprised how many people don't do that. That was always my Dad's #1 rule.

[Dreyno]

A water source? In Ireland, we call that “the sky”.

[hremaddox]

I've been camping for years and still think it's best to have a gear list and tweak it every time. It's the best way to learn what you need and don't need to shlep out

[jonsanford]

Another reason to avoid camping right next to water is you could be cutting animals off from their water source. Deer tend to look for water at night, and may go without if they are cut off from the pond. Or, a bear might accidentally enter camp on the way to water.

[ImGonnaMake]

Been camping for years through storms and never heard a tree fall until last March. We were in an area that was almost Wisconsin, the winds kicked up, and we heard 6 trees come down all around us that night. Definitely look up before setting up.

[coachjordan]

I rain camp in pacific nw, and common mistake I see is people laying tarp down beneath there tent to keep it clean from mud. Rain water collects on tarp underneath and seeps through leaving puddles inside your tent. Do a good job putting a tarp over and dig yourself a small 2" trench around the tent, ground underneath your tent will stay dry.

[GoingSoloOutdoors]

Widowmakers around camp are probably the only thing I’ve ever been truly afraid of in the outdoors. Especially since I know someone who is now paralyzed because of a falling tree. Great advice! Definitely an important step in picking a campsite 👍

[truckerenoch]

Too much gear is definitely an issue! Whenever my family went camping we took WAY too much stuff. We weren't "glampers" by any stretch. We used tents in backcountry, but we'd take: camp kitchen, pots and pans, stainless steel silverware, propane tanks, heaters, etc. My mom hated packing and unpacking so much, by the time I was a teenager it was: tents, sleeping bags, dutch oven, cooler, food, plastic silverware, paper plates and a lighter. Lol

[chrystalroberts]

I bought a 6person ozark trail tent to camp with the family this summer. My kids think I'm crazy because I set it up in our backyard the day before it rained....well I left it set up 2 days it rained and we had 10 mph winds tent was rocking but stayed up and dry. I can't wait to go camping with my husband and our boys this summer. Thanks for the tips everyone!!

[barbaranot]

These are so helpful. I’m a casual camper- and that is all I’ll ever be- and these videos give good information quickly and are easy to understand. Thanks!

[ricklundgren]

To Dan's point about Widowmakers, you not only need to look above you, but around you. I was staffing a scout training this summer and a bad storm roll though two night in a row. We went and looked at our sight between storms a large dead tree that woodpeckers had been working on was now split in half, and hanging above a row of staff tents.

Dead depending on the weather even in the ground can become hazardous.

[csiga]

Just a comment for anyone visiting Australia - don't pitch your tent under gumtrees (for example large or older River Red Gums). During hot or humid, or windy weather, they can drop large branches without warning. There have been deaths recorded. Not to say avoid those trees, just don't pitch your tent under them. 🙏

[westslopegear]

Having a campfire under snowy tree branches makes for a fun time when it starts to melt!

[ItsMeNanaD]

I’d say for first time campers they’d be best suited to stay at campgrounds & state parks rather than heading off into the wilderness. They’ll meet other campers who may have good advice as well.

[duane]

I went camping with my girlfriend and family kitty long time ago on the south shore of Lake Superior. We had the water bowl and food bowl setting a little ways from the fire. What we thought was the cat walking around the camp site wasn't the cat, but a skunk. It was like having a loaded grenade in front of you. Funny now, not so much then, lol.

[ingeleonora-denouden]

In this rainy country (the Netherlands) one of the most common mistakes is: putting the tent in a low spot, where the rainwater collects. They put the tent there on a dry day, but it can start raining during the night and when they wake up, they're all surrounded by water ... (not deep, but very annoying)

[Tactical_Equine_Attack_Unit]

Preparation is everything, especially when you're new to it.
Check, check, check.

Check how far you can comfortably walk with all the gear you plan to bring.

Check how your backpack is adjusted, and let someone else check- it can make the difference between a breeze /ok walk, or gruelling counting every step.

Check where you want to go, look at maps, look at them again, and again. Where's the elevations, what terrain is it, what will the weather be, where are good camp sites, what are key marks you will see, etc.

Check & test your gear, also test it right before you depart. Got all your tent poles? Guy lines? Enough fuel? Batteries for lights ok?

Check yourself, as in: let someone else advise you. Ask experienced people to go over your plans, the gear you want to take, etc.

Check in every now and again, with people back home. Let them know in advance what route you're taking, and update them where you are along that route.

For your very first trip ever, don't be afraid to reserve a spot on an organised campsite, drive there, walk a certain amount of miles, where you know you should be comfortable, arrive back at the camp site and set up camp.

This way, you can get a feel for it, do a bit of a test run. Maybe you ran out of water, or maybe you didn't quite bring enough, most organised campsites have water.
Maybe you still forgot something- you can then ask the people at the campsite for help.
Maybe your batteries didn't hold up as long as you thought- generally you can charge devices / batteries
Maybe you took a wrong turn, and end up back at the campsite absolutely beat.
Or perhaps it's colder than expected, or you forgot your sleeping mat.
You can then, if you want, just get in your car and go home.

[nickparf]

Nice pieces of advice! For the water one, we could add that if fog settles near water it can ruin your night, soggy down feels very cold from experience!

[tahoemike]

If you are in a dig a poop hole situation, after you set up camp go pick your spot and dig at least TWO holes a couple of feet apart, before you need them. Digging two means you can use one now, and save one for later. If you have to get up at night, or make the dash first thing in the morning, it's nice to have a place to go ready and waiting. Doing the dig in panic mode sucks. Find a couple of flat smooth rocks and set one on each side of the hole to use as a makeshift seat. If possible, dig into the side of a hill and set yourself up with a nice comfortable seat (preferably with a view). Digging into the hill gives you a more natural sitting position than flat ground, and makes it less likely that someone will step in that spot later. It's the small comforts in life that make all the difference.
Make the holes deep enough that once you fill them back up, and put a rock on top of it, the critters won't come along and dig it up. Don't bury the paper. It goes in the fire if you have one, or pack it out.

[mgillee]

SIMPLE AND HELPFUL. When you are ready to crash, these little questions are so important. Some folks might never think to ask, so great video! Possibly save some lives or at least an uncomfortable situation. :)