5 Camping Preparation Pearls Of Wisdom From The Experts

Spring is here which can only mean one thing: camping season is about to begin! Here at Waudby's we love all things camping so we've decided to help you prepare for this year's camping season by rounding up some of the most important camping preparation pearls of wisdom from the experts.

While the official start date is debatable, even the experts agree that the Easter Bank Holiday provides a great opportunity for a first camping getaway. The only thing standing between you and the perfect camping trip in April, however, is the weather. Looking at weather forecasts can help, but most hardcore campers agree that those forecasts are not always accurate.

James, a camping veteran from Hull, shared his secret for finding the right time to go camping: “It might sound a bit silly but my secret is to go on the Met Office website and check rain patterns in the area I'm planning to visit. I noticed that June tends to be the best month for camping in the South, whereas August seems ideal for camping near Newcastle. So far this trick has worked really well for us.”

Now we can really focus on planning the perfect camping trip. Here are our top 5 camping preparation tips from the experts:

1. Pitch your tent and air your sleeping bags in advance

It might sound like common sense but this is a detail that is commonly overlooked by many campers. Check to see if your tent has any holes in it or if any of the parts are missing in advance to avoid any unwanted surprises later on. Pro-tip: this will also help air the tent out and get rid of any nasty smells. It is advisable to also air your sleeping bags before your trip to make sure they're fresh and clean to sleep in. This way you will have time to wash and dry them in advance if needed.

2. Waterproof your tent

Because we are on the topic of tents we have to mention this really important detail. Lucy from Scunthorpe says: “We reproof our tents every couple of years when they start leaking. It usually doesn't take very long to do and there are many spray-on solutions that will do the trick. We will probably have to reproof ours this year, actually. I like using a spray-on formula to do this. Here's a pro-tip: certain kinds of reproofers can also be used to waterproof clothing made out if synthetic fabric! It's a very handy product to have you go camping.”

3. Straighten bent metal pegs

If your tent pegs are made out of metal it's much easier (and cheaper) to simply straighten them and continue using them rather than buying new ones. “For goodness sake, there's no need to replace bent pegs! Just use a hammer to straighten them if they are really bent and they will be as good as new” advises Rich, a senior camping enthusiast from Durham. Remember to do this in advance when you are still at home and have access to all your tools. There's nothing worse than arriving at the camp site and realising you can't use your tent's pegs.

4. Camping chairs are bound to break

When it comes to camping chairs the rule is that one of them is always bound to break or have something happen to it. Linda explains how she deals with broken camping chairs :“If you go camping you have to be prepared for when this happens because it inevitably will! I suggest you always carry a couple of footstools or smaller folding chairs with you to make sure that everyone has something to sit on around the table.”

5. Check your adaptor

Remember that amazing new phone you got a few months ago? Remember how you were so excited about it and couldn't wait for your next camping trip so you can take really nice pictures on it? Well...charging your new gadget will be difficult if you don't get an adaptor update as well. This is one of those really small details that is easily overlooked but can cause huge issues later on. If you won't have access so electricity in your camp site it's definitely worth investing in a good phone charger for your car and a high capacity portable charger. While we are on the topic of electricity: don't forget to check the amenities available in the camp site you're planning to visit to avoid having to pay extra. This way you will also know what you need to pack in advance and prepare accordingly.

The bottom line is this: camping should be an enjoyable and stress-free experience for everyone to enjoy. With a little bit of preparation in advance you can ensure things run smoothly and you can kick back and relax knowing that you've got everything sorted! We hope these pearls of wisdom help you plan for your next camping adventure.

Have you got any other camping tips that we've missed? Let us know in the comments below!