Winter is a good time to reach for your camping gear and lay it out in the garage or on your living room rug. Why? To check it over and make sure it’s ready once the weather improves.

To make your camping equipment last as long as possible, and to improve your own comfort and safety when camping, you need to give it a service regularly, just like you do for your car.

Sleeping bags should be hung out in the sun and aired. Then examine them. If they need cleaning, follow the manufacturer’s instructions on the label. Most bags can be hand-washed, very gently. Some need to be dry-cleaned. Be careful of fumes from the dry cleaning process, they will kill you if you sleep in a freshly dry-cleaned bag. So hang it out on a line for a day to air thoroughly. Then you can pack it away for later use.

Your sleeping bags should also be checked over for faulty zippers or tears in the fabric. Small tears can be repaired with a needle and thread.

If the bag’s zip is jammed, you may be able to free it by gently pushing or pulling. And if it moves a little roughly, just get an ordinary white household candle and rub the wax on the teeth of the zipper to lubricate it. Then grab the zip and carefully zip it closed and open a few times to be sure it is working smoothly.

If a zipper is broken, replacing it will be expensive and can probably only be done at the factory that made the bag. It is worth while if the sleeping bag cost you several hundred dollars, but otherwise, it might be time to throw the sleep sack out or use it as a throw-over quilt for visitors who sleep over … if they aren’t too fussy, that is. You could always give it to the dog, couldn’t you? It won’t complain.

Your camping tent also needs to be taken out of the bag and checked over for rips and tears. If you do sew on a patch, remember the needle is making small holes that water can get through. So apply a sealant (bought from the camping store) to waterproof the area, or make do by rubbing with a wax candle. That’s much cheaper and works fine, too.

Double-check the tent for any sign of mold or mildew, as these organisms will slowly try to digest the fabric, and the enzymes they secrete will weaken it badly. You can use a nail brush or an old toothbrush and a little diluted bleach to scrub away mold, but it will probably bleach the tent too. The best thing is to look after the tent properly in the first place, and never, ever, store it away when it’s wet. If you have to break camp in the rain, you should open up the tent at home and dry it out thoroughly.

Check your tent pegs and guy lines (the ropes that keep it anchored and steady the tent). Count them and make sure any missing pegs or ropes are replaced now, before you repack the camp tent.

You’ll also want to go over the items in your camp kitchen. Make sure the pans and kettles are clean and rust-free. Cast-iron cookware should have a thin layer of protective grease anyhow. It gets baked on while cooking, so don’t wash them with detergent or you’ll have to season the pans again. This is especially applicable to Dutch Ovens.

Check your camping stove for damage, and make sure the fuel bottles are refilled before you need them. If you need to take spare parts for the stove (such as pricking needles for a pump operated kerosene or dual fuel cooker) make sure they’re in the tool kit. Don’t forget a box of matches and / or a little gas cigarette lighter to start the cookers or as fire with, and never forget the can opener. A small first-aid kit, including band aids, insect repellant and headache tablets is a must as well. Most small wounds just need washing in soap and water, but a tube of antiseptic cream is still a good idea, too.

If you have battery-operated appliances in your camping kit such as flashlights or battery lanterns, even portable radios, take out the dry cell batteries so they don’t leak as they run down and destroy the equipment.

Lastly check your camping and outdoors clothing to be sure it is serviceable. Cleaned, mended and packed away ready for next use. That way your camping gear won’t let you down, and you’ll get maximum enjoyment on your next camping trip.

By: David Harvey
David Harvey has enjoyed recreational camping for more than 40 years, sleeping alone or with friends in tents large and small, summer and winter. He has been both a Boy Scout and a Scout Leader, and still makes use of his camping gear whenever he needs a break from his Internet Publishing pursuits. David is a the publisher of several web sites, including http://www.1campingtent.com.

Camping information featured by Resources For Attorneys, a Legal Resources and Lifestyle directory for attorneys, lawyers and the internet public.

I may be the last camper on the face of the earth with children to have discovered the joys of Yogi Bear's Jellystone Park campgrounds. But to cut myself some slack, I will also note that camping is a relatively new activity for our family.

Because we got our new trailer late in the season, we only got to go on three camping trips in before winter set in, but the last one sure whet our appetites for this spring when we can start planning more family camping trips anew.

We went to Yogi Bear's Jellystone Park Campground for their end of season, Halloween celebration and it was such a fantastic experience - despite the onset of some frigid temperatures and rain.

If you've never been to one of these places, it is like a trip right into cartoon land. There are carousel rides, train rides, movies, crafts and even a real fire engine ride for the kids. Of course, each location has many different offerings too that are designed to entice campers to try their slant on the old favorites - Yogi, Boo Boo, and Cindy Bear.

When we visited, Yogi was in hibernation for the winter, but during the summer Yogi wakes up little campers, has breakfast with them and generally makes their camping trip one for the memory books.

There are activities planned for all ages at just about every hour on the hour 7 days a week during summer months. Even during our fall visit, the activities pretty much ran non-stop. In addition to ceramic painting, pumpkin painting and gem mining, there was a haunted hayride, haunted walk - that rivaled most commercial offerings - and of course trick or treating and other Halloween themed events. They also sponsored a campsite Halloween decorating contest in four different categories and some of these campers go all out! It was so festive to see all the decorations and see so many people enjoying their camping experience.

Needless to say, we are watching the calendar for the first signs of spring so we can plan our next camping adventure with Yogi. Hope to see you there!

By: Stephanie Mulac
Stephanie Mulac is a Motivational Coach and owner of http://www.90PercentAttitude.com, a website dedicated to helping Marketing Professionals Make Money With Websites on the Internet by developing a positive, winning attitude and providing online encouragement to others who don't have a support system in their lives. For additional camping information, visit RVCampingTips.com.

Camping information featured by Resources For Attorneys, a Legal Resources and Lifestyle directory for attorneys, lawyers and the internet public.

An outdoor recreational activity, camping involves people spending the night in tents at a campsite. They do it in an attempt to temporarily avoid the din and bustle of city life, and to get close to nature. If you are looking to spend a comfortable time in camping, you can opt for the recreational vehicles.

The recreational vehicles are luxurious and have all types of modern facilities like air conditioning, bathrooms, kitchens, showers, satellite TV and internet connection. Some feel that the real experience of outdoor camping comes from tent camping. Various touring bicycles, boats, and bush planes are used. For camping, you need to carry with you some basic camping equipment. Tent, sleeping bag, portable stove, flashlight, axe for cutting wood, and a rope.

A tent consists of sheets of fabric that are attached to different poles to produce a shelter. Tents can be of different types like the flysheet, gazebo, fishermen's tent, or a beach tent. Sleeping bags are warm and well insulated. They provide protection from wind, perspiration and exposure to view. A portable stove is a lightweight stove used for camping. They are usually single burner stoves using solid or liquid fuel for ignition. A flashlight is useful in the dark to illuminate the surrounding.

It is important to plan your camping well in advance. Always expect the unexpected. Consider the worst possible cases that you may have to face and think of ways how you can deal with the problem. Send copies of your route to your family members. Register yourself before going out for a hike and similarly sign in after coming back. Use a two-way radio to communicate with your partner.

Always be prepared to face weather change while you are camping. Make sure that you are carrying the necessary camping gears like waterproof backpacks, tents, sleeping bags, and other such things. Carry a waterproof jacket and pants with you. Carry layer clothes so that you can remove or add a layer according to the weather condition. Carry along with you a topographical map of the area so that you don't easily get lost while camping. A whistle may come handy.

Beware of insect bites and stings. Always use a DEET-based insect repellent and check for bites behind your ears, under the arm, and in the groin area. Camping provides the best way of engaging in adventures and getting close to Nature.

By: Sharon Albright
Sharon Albright is the owner of Camping. Read more articles on Camping and visit her recommended resources.

Camping information featured by Resources For Attorneys, a Legal Resources and Lifestyle directory for attorneys, lawyers and the internet public.

A number of my friends take their kids to the desert in December to go dirt biking and they complain about the cold camping. Well, here are a number of tips that I’ve used when cold weather camping that will make your campout more enjoyable.

The obvious first tip is to bring warm clothes. So why am I mentioning this? So, you’ll bring the right clothes! Bring gloves, ski jackets, wool hats, wool socks, long underwear, turtleneck shirts, sweat pants, sweaters and lots of extra clothes that you can layer. Unlike summer camping where you can get away with a couple of t-shirts and a pair of shorts. Plan to over pack during cold weather. As the old adage goes, “It’s easier to put on clothes you have than clothes you don’t have!”

Shelter – Find a place to shelter your tent from winds. I know it may be hard to do this in a desert, but try to make camp on the edge of a dry lakebed, not in the middle. If the wind seems to be coming from a particular direction, park your vehicle to block the wind.

During the day you keep warm by being active - hiking, dirt biking, etc. At night when it gets colder and sleep beacons you is when you need to be prepared.

Bedding – Make sure you bring lots of warm bedding. I usually take a 0° F rated sleeping bag, a sleeping pad, an extra blanket and a summer rated sleeping bag. Make sure you have lots of padding between your sleeping bag and the ground of your tent. If you don’t, the cold ground will suck all the heat out of your body while you sleep! Burrrrr!

Sleeping – Before you go to bed, put on your long underwear, wool socks and a wool hat. Your body loses lots of heat through an exposed head. If you wake up cold, put the extra blanket or summer sleeping bag on top of you or another layer of clothes such as: sweat pants and a sweat shirt. If you get too warm, vent your sleeping bag by opening the zipper, or vent yourself by taking off your wool hat or a layer of clothing. The key is to keep warm, but not to sweat. Perspiration will make you wet and cold. If this happens, peel off your wet clothes and put some dry clothes on and start again. Now aren’t you glad you brought lots of clothes! :-)

Warmth – A couple of tricks I use are to build a fire at night so everyone can sit around, chat and get toasty before going to bed. But, also while the fire is burning, put a pot of water on the fire, bring it not quite to a boil, pour it into a canteen or heavy-duty water bottle and take it to bed with you to warm the sleeping bag! Additionally, it’s always good to have some hot beverage – cocoa or tea prior to bed to put something warm in your body. But, you better rid yourself of the fluids before you go to bed. Nothing is worse than waking up in the middle of a cold night to the “call of nature.” :-(

Hopefully you will find these tips useful and feel comfortable enough to camp when the weather is cold. Try it! It’s quite a sense of accomplishment.

By: Tim Dales
Tim Dales, author of “Discover the Secrets of Family Camping Without Breaking the Bank!” reveals the tips and techniques that he has learned from over 25 years of camping and hiking as a Boy Scout, camping with his own family and as a Scoutmaster, leading Scouts on campouts. This book is chock full of camping secrets that will make any campout a success. For more information go to: http://www.thecampingguy.com.

A percentage of the proceeds from the sale of the book will go the Boy Scouts of America.

Camping information featured by Resources For Attorneys, a Legal Resources and Lifestyle directory for attorneys, lawyers and the internet public.

What is it that makes us want to sleep out under the stars or cook over an open flame? What is it that makes us want to be out enjoying God's great creation? Is it something encoded in our DNA? Whatever it is, it makes life interesting doesn't it?!

A person that lives a camping life spends most of the time thinking about the next camping trip. When they are packing up at the end of a trip, they are already planning the next one. They will plan a vacation based on the location's campgrounds or backpacking permits. Does this sound like you? I know that describes me to a T!

A person that lives a camping life usually thinks in a unique way. A three day weekend? "Let's go camping!" Vacation time? "Let's go camping!" A nice quiet weekend? "Let's go camping!" The "perfect" getaway? Spent in a tent, with a camp fire, surrounded by what God has provided: trees, creeks and plenty of hiking trails, preferably on the shores of a lake, so can get a little fishing in too!

A camping life is not for everyone. You have to enjoy the outdoors. You have to have an appreciation and a respect for nature. If this appeals to you then you either already are or are ready to live "A Camping Life".

However you live your camping life, whether you are camping just to be camping or if you are camping as part of a hunting, fishing or hiking trip, there is certain equipment that you will need.

Basic requirements would be a tent and a sleeping bag. Depending on your idea of a camping life and your level of comfort the list of camping equipment could get quite long. You may need all, some or none of this equipment, just choose what fits into your camping life.

For comfort, you may need an air mattress. If your like me, getting a little older, sleeping on the ground in just a sleeping bag does not fit into my camping life. Just make sure you buy a quality one, if not it won't be much better than sleeping on the ground. Of course you don't want to blow this up yourself, so you will need an air pump, same here with buying quality, you don't want to end up spending an hour fighting with the pump just to get your mattress aired up.

Now that we have covered comfort, it is time to look to the practical. It is time to set up your camp. Your idea of the camping life may include cooking over an open flame or you may want the convenience of a camp stove. Either way you will need cookware. Make sure when you buy your cookware, if you are cooking over a camp fire, you get the kind that is made for this type of cooking. Now that you have your camp set up, you don't want to be tripping all over this camping equipment, so don't forget to get a lantern to light your way.

Now let's talk about the extras for your camping trip. If you are camping as part of a hiking trip through the back country you will need a backpack, make sure it is a hiking backpack, not one like kids carry to school. This can make a huge difference in the way your load carries. While you are hiking you may want to do a little bird or wildlife watching so you may want to invest in a good pair of binoculars. You will definitely want to pack a camera for all the beautiful scenery you will be seeing. A good waterproof one would probably be the best, as these are usually more rugged than the average camera. One last extra a lot of people don't think of is walkie talkies. If you are in a large group these can serve several purposes. One purpose could be smaller groups can hike in different directions and still stay in touch with each other. Or even if you are not in a large group, if someone is lost there is a means of communication.

Whatever your idea of the perfect camping life is: I hope your next camping trip will be the best camping life you can live.

By: S. Bennett
S. Bennett enjoys all of the outdoors, but camping in particular. For more information on camping, visit http://acampinglife.com.

Camping information featured by Resources For Attorneys, a Legal Resources and Lifestyle directory for attorneys, lawyers and the internet public.