Tamperseal Travel Essentials Blog - Tips and Trends from your Travel Experts

Top 10 Tips for Camping Safely

Camping is a great hobby and offers a chance to get out of town, spend some time out in Mother Nature, and possibly experience a few thrills along the way. But whether you have a camping staycation planned with your family in the backyard or are going camping in Yellow Stone National Park, all experienced campers and hikers understand the importance of preparation. Thanks to HowStuffWorks, we have put together a list of the top ten tips to getting you on the right path for your upcoming camping trip.

1. If you’re taking the kids... While camping with your family is a great bonding experience, it does take extra preparation. Make sure you have the appropriate clothing to protect them from cold temperatures or the hot sun. Teach your children what to do in the event that they become separated and make sure they each have a flashlight. Review the rules for camping daily to ensure the entire family will stay safe.
2. Stop before dark. Whether you are camping under the stars or locating an RV park, make sure you always find or create your shelter for the night before it grows dark.
3. Sleeping bag selection is key. If you are sleeping out of doors, make sure you find a sleeping bag that is appropriate for the season. If the weather is cooler, make sure your sleeping bag has a lower temperature rating and will keep you warm enough in the event that the temperature drops lower than expected.
4. Those bare necessities... Limit the food you bring with you to the bare necessities, using sealed plastic bags to store and mix food. Make sure you carry a water bottle with you at all times if water is not readily accessible. The Platypus Softbottle is a great option since it can be easily rolled when empty and take up virtually no room. You can also sanitize spring water with packets of iodine.
5. As if you were never there.  Make sure you pick up after yourself, leaving no trace that you were there and leaving the ecosystem as undisturbed as possible. This includes burying human waste and bathing and washing dishes 200 feet away from any streams and lakes.
6. Dressing for the part. Make sure that you dress appropriately for the season, wearing layers of loose clothing that can be peeled off before you start sweating to keep you dry. Hiking boots are ideal for footwear, although whatever you choose should have a moisture-absorbing lining.
7. Things to avoid. To protect yourself from poisonous plants, make sure your clothing covers you from head to toe. Protective clothing is also important in protecting yourself from insects. Make sure you apply insect repellent regularly and have calamine lotion on hand in the event you need it for poisonous plants or bugs.
8. Don’t. Get. Lost. While this may sound obvious, an unprepared camper can easily become lost during a longer hike. Do not wander far from your site without carrying a compass, map, or GPS.
9. Don’t leave without a survival kit. Some of the basic things you will want in your survival kit include water-purifying tablets, a water filter, and metal bowl. Make sure you have a sharp knife that you can use to hunt, protect yourself or signal for help. Waterproof matches, a flashlight and extra batteries are also an important addition to your survival kit. Finally, have a basic first aid kit in the event that you or someone with you is injured.
10. Hygiene is still important. Keep hand sanitizer with you to use before eating or drinking. Brush your teeth using purified water with toothpaste or baking soda. Bathe once or twice a day using a sponge. Whenever possible, soak dirty feet in streams or lakes.

Waterproof Challenge: Window Dry Cylinder

My friend is getting married at Niagara Falls and I wanted to give her an early wedding present that she would both enjoy on her special weekend and many an occasion after. I decided to send her a waterproof cylinder because she's outdoorsy and goes camping a lot. It's a waterproof roll top dry bag capable of holding up to 5 liters of items. I tested it out before sending it to her, this thing held my shoes, a change of clothes (shorts, not jeans), cell phone and wallet. That's a whole day's worth of supplies if she decided to go hiking.  The best part about this waterproof cylinder is it rolls up fist size and can be tucked into a small side pocket of my suitcase- that is if I wasn't sending this waterproof cylinder up to her as a present.

Take the waterproof challenge, grab the window dry cylinder today and take it with you to the beach, camping, boating, hiking or even your nearest giant waterfall.

Waterproof Camping Essential: E-Case

When going on an excursion that will see some soggy days pack this Waterproof E-Case. When we first got this product we read that it could resist water at one meter's depth for 30 minutes. Well we put that to the test using the TamperSeal-product-quality-testing-secret-laboratory (the backyard pool). We packed up an iPAD in a waterproof E-Case and sunk it for 30 minutes. Sure enough it still worked when we pulled it back to the surface (was even bone dry to the touch). So how does this work?

 It's made of 600D polyurethane coated polyester and comes with a multi-layer laminate window that is still Touch, Talk & Listen™ friendly, making this an excellent iPAD 2 case. It's really lightweight, weighing only 2.3oz, and fits an iPAD 2 perfectly (dimensions are 68" x 12"). The E-Case even features corner lash points for tethering and bracing. Protect your valuables when you're roughing it, or better yet, protect your valuables all year round with the E-Case.

Waterproof Camping Essential: Hummingbird Hip Pack

"I'm going white water rafting this weekend and I need to know what to pack" my friend Christie says over the phone to me this morning. I couldn't help but tell her to type in waterproof on Tamperseal.com and to relay what she saw. The first thing that caught her eye was the Hummingbird Hip Pack. Thanks to its removable waist belt and shoulder straps, this tidy pack is as versatile as it is rugged. It can clip around your waist or even latch onto the raft (although I don't recommend it). The Hummingbird Waterproof Hip Pack can swallow everything from a camera and lunch to an extra layer and an external front pocket keeps your smart phone or wallet easily accessible. Best of all It is waterproof, brightly colored, and has excessive access that is easy and spacious. Needless to say  she bought it and piece of Delsey luggage to carry the collapsible water bottle, life jacket, wetsuit, bathing suit, blanket, towel, and a breathable dry change of clothes in.

Camping Essential: the Platypus Soft Water Bottle

 
When you are getting ready for your next camping trip, try something a little different. Throw away your canteen. It's heavy, bulky, and most of the time swings lifelessly from your pack. This isn't just wasting space, it's an offset to your balance.  Try packing a Platypus collapsible water bottle, its 80% lighter than a hard water bottle and just as durable. One of the most important things when packing for a camping trip is to be space concious and hydration conscious. A collapsible (soft) water bottle does both.

This particular model available on Tamperseal.com is eco friendly, made with zero BPA, so your water (assuming its properly filtered) is guaranteed to have a crisp clean taste to it.  The bottle itself holds about 34 oz (or 1 Liter) of liquid and is tapered at the bottom, so you can set it down on the ground, or even in a cup holder of your collapsible chair. When you're done with the soft water bottle it's simply a matter of rolling it up and shoving it into a pocket of your backpack, or sliding the absolutely soft water bottle down the side of the main backpack cavity.  For more information about the collapsible water bottle visit TamperSeal.com.