Camping In Comfort Is Easier Than You Think. Find Out Here

Having a comfortable camping trip is much more than just taking your favourite blanket.

Some people see camping as something you have to endure rather than enjoy. Sleeping on hard ground, picking dirt out of your food and being plagued by bugs are all things that can put anyone off camping.

Fortunately, it doesn’t have to be like that. These days there is a solution to everything. Having a comfortable camp is much easier than you might think. You just have to know a few simple tricks.

Rather than just listing you a few things that might not help you I have created a guide you can go through to make your camp as comfortable as possible.

Before I get into the post I have to answer a question I get all the time about comfort and that’s “Why don’t you just get a RV if you want comfort?”

It’s a good question. RVs are without doubt more comfortable. You have somewhere clean to prep and eat your food, have your own shower and toilet and you even have a bed!

However, Rvs have other issues that I don’t’ like which I get into in this post.

Another thing worth mentioning is what comfort means to me. It’s not just about floating in a hammock (although this is very comfortable). It also mean having everything you want to hand and everything runs smoothly.

Comfort starts before you go camping

For any enjoyable camping trip it all starts with a pen and paper. You need to plan the essentials before you get going. I don’t mean create a strict regimen that everyone must stick to hour by hour. There would be no fun or adventure in that. This is just to make sure you have everything and to see if there is anything that would cause annoyance.

Enjoy this process. For me, this is actually a part of camping. I’m assuming that you’re the one organising the camping trip. If the group consists of more responsible adults then go through the plan with them and delegate some of the work. I’m also assuming that you’re car camping. This will make it easier to bring along extra comforts. For those of you wanting to camp in backcountry, read on. Even though you won’t be carrying a lot of extra gear you can still learn from some of methods I use to create comfort.

First start with the big things

Location?
Who is going?
How long are you going for?

Location?

So, now you have chosen a location

How are you going to get there? Will you all be travelling together or do you need two cars? Remember, you will also need room for your gear. Perhaps you will have to invest in a roof box.
How long is it going to take to get there? Should you stop on the way for a break? This is important if you’re travelling with kids.
What activities are available in that area? Knowing what is in the area will allow you to plan what clothes you will need. For example, if you are camping near water there will probably some water activities that you could try. Don’t forget you swimming gear. Or you could look at it the other way and it will help stop you over packing for things that aren’t there.
Are there available camping spots? Do you need to reserve a spot? There is nothing worse than travelling for hours only to be turned away when you get there because they’re full.
Are you allowed open fires? Most campground don’t allow open fires but it’s always good to ask. If you are allowed then you can plan accordingly. You might have to bring your own firewood and even have to buy it at the campground. Bring an old grill and pot to help you cook on the fire. Oh, and don’t forget the marshmallows. I have some advice for cooking on open fires here.
Is there electricity to the camping spots? Some campgrounds have power outlets near camping spots. This is a luxury that I’m not sure belongs in a campground but there is no doubt that it will add to your comfort. From charging your devices, to lighting, to using an electrical heater in your tent if needed or you can even get cooler boxes that you can plug in so your food is kept cool, electricity can make thing so much easier. So make sure you bring an electrical extension cord so you can bring the power closer to your camp.

Who is going?

This will determine lots of things and you will have to adjust depending on your circumstance but for this example I am going to assume you are young family going camping for the first time.

What tent should you bring? In the interest of comfort I would go for a bigger tent than you need. Remember, a two person tent is big enough for just two people sleeping side by side. You have to allow for your gear and a bit of wriggle room. For example, when I lived in a tent for three months in Spain we used a four person tent for two of us. This gave enough room for a double blow up mattress and all of our clothes along the sides. If you want to know more about buying a tent then read this post.
How much food and water should you take? This is essential and should be treated as such. Don’t assume you will get food when you get there. Check to make sure there are restaurants and supermarkets nearby. If you intent on cooking your own food make sure the food is stored properly. The only thing worse than no food is bad food. It will also mean taking cooking equipment such as a camping stove, BBQ or utensils for an open fire cooking. Just check with the campground that you are allowed to use that equipment. And finally prepare anything you can at home before you go like salads, potatoes and other things that will last a while when kept cool.

How long are you going for?

This is another essential element when making sure each day is comfortable, not just the first day or two. When deciding how long you should stay at a campsite you must take into consideration where you’re staying and who is going with you. There is no point planning on spending a week at a campsite with kids if there is no activities around. After a day or two the novelty of camping will wear off and there is only so many games you can play before you start to get bored yourself. By the way, here are some camping games that are great for the whole family.

You will also want to plan where you will be getting and storing your food. Coolers are great but after three day they won’t be much use unless you can top them up with ice or have a power supply.

Sometimes it’s better to move around after a few days to keep things new but it depends on the group. I have no problem spending a week in one place while just going hiking and preparing the camp during the day.

What gear do you need?

There is a list of items that you should take on every camping trip. Things that will make or break your experience. Make sure to read this post to ensure you have everything you might need.

So, after reading the above post, now you have everything you need, know where to go and how long you are doing it, it is time to get going. Like I said above, don’t make a rigid plan, but knowing what your options are will allow you to enjoy your days more.

Arriving at the campsite

If it’s the first time at this campsite then you probably won’t know what to expect. Hopefully it will meet or exceed your expectations but sometimes we make a judgement on our first impressions which can lead to you having a bad feeling about a place.

If this happens then it doesn’t matter if you have an entire bed with you, you will never get comfortable. You have two options here. One is you try to ignore it and hopefully whatever it was that put you off was false and you could actually end up enjoying it more because you weren’t expecting much.

The second option is to turn and find somewhere better.

I have only needed to do this once when the washing facilities were not fit for animals. The thoughts of my family and I facing a bathroom that I was afraid to stand in for a few day was enough to sent me packing. Sure, I could have toughed it out but why should I? I paid for facilities and I wasn’t getting what I expected. It would have niggled at me, stopping any chance of me have a restful, comfortable time with my family. I found another campsite just 30 minutes away and we had a great week.

Plan your campsite

So assuming your happy with the campground it’s time to pick a spot to pitch your tent. In some campgrounds you will be given a plot that you must stick to. During busy times you will probably have to stick to what your given but if you see another plot that you might prefer then don’t hesitate to ask can you change.

However, most of the time you will be allowed to pick whatever spaces are left so what should you look out for? If there are facilities in the camp then try to set up within 60 second walk to the toilets. That last thing you want when you wake during the night is have to walk for 5 minutes looking for somewhere to go.

But don’t camp right next to the facilities. Some toilets give off a bit of a smell during hot weather and you don’t want to be too close to that. Another problem with picking too close to facilities is that there will be more people walking past. I prefer not to have people walking past my tent every thirty seconds.

Another factor to consider are your neighbours. When you find a place that looks good have a quick chat before setting up. You don’t have to have an in depth conversation with then but rather a quick “nice weather?” or something to that effect.

If you get a bad responce or a bad feeling just move on. Try to camp beside others that have a similar reason to being there. For example, if you are there with your kids then you might be best to camping beside another family. If you camp next to people half your age and have a few crates of beer then you might not get on well.

Don’t camp right next to others. This will depend on the campground you’re staying in but if you’re in a place where you can camp wherever you like then respect other people’s privacy.

If you’re camping in backcountry then check out this post to help you pick the perfect campsite.

Pitching your tent

Now that you have chosen a good campsite it is time to prepare and plan it before pitching your tent. Decide where you’re going to have your fire (if you are allowed). Then decide where you are going to place you tent/s.

Remember, you should be at least 10 feet away from the fire. Is it windy and which direction is it blowing? Pitch your tent up wind from the fire so it doesn’t fill with smoke.

Will you get the sun in the evening or the morning? I like to face my door east so the sun hits me when I crawl out in the morning, however this is not alway possible.

Remove all debris like twigs and small stones from the area you intend on pitching. Use a ground sheet for extra comfort. Read this post to find out the importance of a ground sheet.

Setting your fire

You also need to prepare an area for your fire. I have a detailed post on how to do this here but basically you should make a fire pit and clear the area around it. If you intent on cooking on the open fire then you may need to set the fire pit differently, as outlined here. Make sure you have enough firewood with you or collected enough to last the night.

Setting cooking area

Having an elevated area that you can use to prepare meals will increase you comfort significantly. Not only will your back thank you but it will also stop dirt getting on your food.

You can get foldable lightweight tables that are ideal. It doesn’t have to be too big but I would say that the longer you intent on staying then the bigger the table should be. For a short stay, something big enough to hold your camping stove (if your using one) and a few plates. Once food is prepared you can dish the food out and you can all sit around the campfire with the plate on your lap.

For longer stays, you will want somewhere else to sit from time to time. If you have a large group then you’re going to want a bigger table with chairs. Now you can sit by the fire some nights and by the table on others. Whatever takes your fancy. You can also use this for other things such as card games or just somewhere to put things.

When cooking over an open fire you will still want to keep everything else, such as meat, utensils and plates off the ground.

If taking a table isn’t possible then use whatever you can so you are not cooking on the ground. On top of your cooler box (take everything you need out first), a large rock, even taking an small sheet of plywood with you that you can prop up with something is better than nothing.

Extra comforts

Now that we have all the basics covered we can now add extra comforts that are going to really make you want to stay longer.

Clothing

The clothes you wear will have a big effect on comfort. I’m not just talking about hiking gear which is important. I’m talking about the gear you intend on wearing when you lounging around the campsite in the evening. Lose fitting cotton or wool clothing are ideal for keeping you snuggly and warm as the sun goes down. Don’t be afraid to take your PJ’s if you want. It will make your campsite feel real homely.

Sleeping comfort

This is what many think about when they first talk about camping comfort. There are many ways to get a good night sleep and I’ll list them below and some are obvious but there may be other elements that you haven’t thought about.

Blow up mattress

Much more than an inflatable camping mat, these are much thicker and offer way more comfort. You can even get them as tall at a normal bed so you dont have to crawl off the floor in the morning but, obviously, make sure your tent is tall enough to accommodate one, like a large tunnel tent.

The only problem with blow up mattresses is that they take a lot more air to blow them up. If you are camping as a couple and want to use a double mattress then know that even though they are very comfortable, they are not as stable. This means if your partner moves a lot in their sleep then the mattress will move and shake a lot as well so maybe two smaller mattresses will be better.

Hammock

Even if you don’t intend on sleeping in a hammock overnight, having one in camp is great for mid afternoon snoozes or just tucking up with a good book.

Sleeping cots

These around basically fold up beds. I haven’t actually slept in one but I’ve been told they are quite comfortable. I did lay in one briefly and they felt quite firm but nice. They are another great way to get you off the ground.

Bed clothes

When camping, one of the first pieces of kit you will think of is a sleeping bag. You can get some really cosy sleeping bags these days but if you are car camping then why not take your blankets and pillows from your own bed. This will give a much more familiar feel and will help you settle down for the night quicker.

Earplugs

There will always be strange sounds during the night and they’re nearly always harmless so if you are a light sleeper then a per of ear plugs are essential for a good night sleep.

Warm up your bed

This will depend on the temperature but having a bit of warmth in your sleeping bag feels great. The way I do it is to use hot water in a bottle. Heat a bottle full of water on your fire (in a pot).

If you have to boil water to drink then you can use that. After it has cooled a little, so it won’t melt your bottle, pour the warm water back into the bottle. Close it up tight, wrap it in a towel and lay it in the sleeping bag or bed a while before you go to bed. You will still be able to drink it in the morning.

Regulate the temperature

Sleeping in a tent that is either too hot or too cold can have catastrophic effects of the comfort of your camp. If you’re camping in cold or hot weather then you will need to know how to prepare for that. I have already wrote posts to help you in either circumstance. If you’re camping in hot weather click here and for colder conditions read this post.

Tent enhancement

There are a few things you can try that will have a surprising effect on the comfortness of your tent.

Soft floor tiles/Carpet

You know the ones. The colorful set that fit together like a big jigsaw puzzle. Normally used for kids to play on or for working out these are ideal for adding extra comfort to your tent.

Once you pitch your tent then just put them over then entire floor of the tent.

Another, even better, way to make you tent feel like home is to take a piece of carpet the same size on the tent floor. This is harder to travel with so the floor tiles can be much more practical option for this reason.

Light it up

Having a little light in your tent can make it feel much cosier. This is a must if you’re camping with young kids as things can get pitch black during the night. The simplest way to do this is to just use camping lanterns or headlamp hanging from the center of the tent but with a little more effort you can make it feel more magical.

You can get a short line of battery operated fairy lights that you can hang around the inside of your tent. Just make sure it won’t fall down on top of you and your kids during the night.

Sort your stuff

Having a messy tent can lead to frustration. Keep things organised. Have a basket for shoes in the vestibule of your tent. Have a box for all electronics that you can access easily. Keep you clothes in neat piles.

Bring a tarp, or two

Tarps can be used for all sorts of things. The most obvious uses are for building a shelter over your tent so that it doesn’t turn into an oven if you are exposed to the sun. Another popular use for tarps are to put them under your tent.

However, people seem to forget that you need to cover your camp, not just your tent. If I’m in an exposed area I will set up a tarp over my tent and over my “kitchen area”. This means I can prepare and eat my food in the shade. There will be plenty of time to soak up the sun later.

You could also use a tarp as a groundsheet for the entire camp. I used this when I was camping in a particularly dusty area. I was able to cover the area in front of my tent, under the table and around my kitchen area. It meant I could walk around in my socks and not drag dirt back into my tent. Just dont use this option if it is going to rain as you will have puddles of water around you camp. There are ground sheets that you can buy that will let the water through them if it rains.

I have even used a tarp as a windbreaker. You can use tarps in lots of different situations. You just have to get inventive to overcome any problem your surroundings give you. So make sure you have at least two large tarps with you in the car, you don’t have to use them but it will be better to have them with you if you need them.

Take extra rope or paracord

Like tarps, ropes and paracord are items that you are better to have with you than not. The list of things you could use a rope for is endless and will depend on you location. Common uses are to help hold up your tarp and to use then as clothes lines so you can dry your clothes after a swim or wash.

And finally, Relax.

It might seem obvious but people can spent so much time worrying if everything is perfect that they forget to relax. This is camping, it’s not going to be perfect. Things are going to happen that you haven’t prepared for and that is all part of it. Enjoy every bit of it because it will be over before you know it and you will be back to your busy lives.

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