Camping: Pack for Versatility

Spring is just around the corner, and I’m absolutely stoked for its arrival. Though this winter hasn’t been too harsh or snow ridden, it has stuck around for some time, which is becoming pretty typical lately here in the Midwest.

A big part of my excitement for spring is being in the outdoors a lot more. I enjoy camping at state parks, hiking to see beautiful sights, and being able to walk my dog a lot more often so that he’s not so cooped up in the apartment. Just as well, I’ve sorely missed hanging out on my back porch during nice weather and grilling out, so that’s a huge change to my lifestyle I’ll be welcoming in soon enough.

With those hiking and camping trips comes a bit of planning and packing, though, and one thing I swear by during my trips is taking a few extra packaging supplies. Things like folded up cardboard boxes can be a godsend to lay beneath your sleeping bag if you’re lying on particularly hard ground, but it’s also great when you need a few “compartments” to store some of your things or at least keep them organized and not rolling around the campsite. Versatility is key when you’re on camping adventures, so I like to bring along things that get multiple uses.

Other packaging supplies that come in handy are packing tape and sharpies. First off, I think everyone should have their camping gear labeled with their name and phone number on it in the off chance that weather carries it away while you’re off hiking, canoeing, or foraging around. Just as well, if your buddies have extremely similar gear, it helps to avoid them taking yours and vice versa.

As for the tape, I often find my trash bags getting minor tears in them while I’m on camping trips, oftentimes no thanks to the raccoons. Having some tape to patch them up and keep them useable for the weekend can be quite a useful tool. And if you’ve got any extra food leftover from cooking dinner and want it “bagged up” but don’t have chip clips or rubber bands on the likes, tape can at least reseal it in a very basic fashion to last another day or so.

Ultimately, trips in the great outdoors just require a little bit of planning, a little bit of packing, and a whole lot of ingenuity. Try to think outside the box when bringing items so that you’re covered in a great variety of scenarios in the off chance that something goes wrong or you don’t have the exact tool needed for a situation. You’d be surprised at how versatile a lot of your gear really is!

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