Preface

Recently, all my friends have been talking about camping, and my social media feed is flooded with camping photos. As an experienced outdoor enthusiast, I often receive inquiries from friends about what to prepare for camping and wilderness survival tips. After years of outdoor adventure experience, I've accumulated quite a bit of knowledge. Today, I'd like to share this with everyone, hoping to help more people who want to experience outdoor life avoid some common pitfalls.

Preparations Before Departure

To be honest, when I first prepared for wilderness camping, I was a complete novice. I remember that time I didn't fully understand the destination's conditions and brought completely unsuitable equipment, resulting in shivering through the night. After multiple attempts and exploration, I've compiled a relatively complete preparation checklist.

First, understanding the natural environment of your destination is extremely important. This includes terrain, climate characteristics, wildlife distribution, and so on. For example, if you choose to camp at high altitude, you need to pay special attention to the temperature difference between day and night. When I went camping in a mountainous area in Sichuan last year, the daytime temperature was over 20 degrees, but at night it dropped below 5 degrees. Without knowing this information in advance, it's easy to make mistakes when preparing clothing.

Plant identification is also a crucial skill. In North America, many ordinary-looking plants are actually toxic. For example, poison oak with its three leaves can cause severe skin allergies. Another example is poison sumac growing in humid areas, with serrated leaf edges that can cause redness, swelling, and itching upon contact. I suggest downloading a plant identification app or carrying a portable plant guide. This way, you can quickly verify any unfamiliar plants you encounter in the wilderness.

Speaking of first aid knowledge, this is truly a must-have skill for every outdoor sports enthusiast. I remember last summer while hiking in a national park, a backpacker accidentally cut his arm on a sharp branch. Although the wound wasn't deep, it was bleeding quite a bit. Fortunately, I had a first aid kit with me and had previously learned basic bandaging techniques. After disinfecting with alcohol, I did a simple bandage for him, which prevented the wound from becoming infected.

Now there are many institutions offering wilderness first aid training courses, and I suggest taking one of these courses before your first wilderness camping trip. The training usually includes basic bandaging techniques, fracture immobilization, burn treatment, and so on. This knowledge really comes in handy in the wilderness.

Besides first aid knowledge, checking weather forecasts is also important. I usually start monitoring the destination's weather conditions a week in advance, paying special attention to precipitation probability and wind levels. However, weather forecasts aren't 100% accurate, so we still need to prepare for both rain and sun.

Map reading is also a basic skill. Although smartphones are convenient nowadays, mobile signals are often unstable in the wilderness, and battery life is also an issue. So I suggest learning to read paper maps and mastering basic compass usage. I often take out my map during breaks to study the surrounding terrain, which helps plan retreat routes in advance.

Equipment List

Speaking of equipment, this is really a topic worth discussing thoroughly. I remember when I first started camping, I always tried to buy all the equipment at once. Not only did I waste a lot of money, but I also carried a bunch of unnecessary items, which was really making things difficult for myself. After years of experience, I've summarized some of the most practical equipment.

Let's start with tape. Many beginners might think tape is too ordinary to mention separately. But in reality, tape is truly a miracle tool in the wilderness. I've seen too many crisis situations solved by tape. For example, if a tent pole breaks, wrapping it with tape several times can temporarily fix it; if a backpack strap starts unraveling, tape can help you make it home; when shoes are causing friction, a small piece of tape can prevent blisters. To save space, I always wrap tape around my water bottle or trekking poles, which saves space and keeps it handy.

Waterproof liners are also my essential item. Regardless of whether the forecast calls for rain, I always add a waterproof liner to my backpack. Last year while camping in a mountain area, despite the forecast calling for clear skies, we suddenly got hit by a downpour. If it wasn't for the waterproof liner, my sleeping bag and change of clothes would have been completely soaked. There are many lightweight waterproof liners available now, weighing only a few dozen grams but offering excellent waterproofing. I suggest buying a quality one, as it's the last line of defense for protecting your other equipment.

Multi-tools are also essential camping equipment. A good multi-tool can help solve many problems. Whether it's preparing food and needing to cut vegetables, setting up the tent and needing to cut rope, or encountering situations requiring repairs, multi-tools can come in handy. I've used many brands of multi-tools and finally settled on one with great value for money. This tool not only includes commonly used items like knives, pliers, and screwdrivers, but is also moderately weighted and not too heavy to carry.

As for tents, this is possibly the most important piece of camping equipment. Tent selection should be based on the usage scenario. If you're camping in plains during summer, a regular three-season tent is sufficient. But if you're going to high-altitude areas or camping in cold seasons, you'll need a four-season tent with better wind resistance. Tent size should also be chosen based on the number of people. Although a two-person tent can accommodate two people, if you also have a lot of equipment, space might feel a bit cramped. So I suggest choosing a tent rated for one more person than your actual group size.

Sleeping bag selection is also crucial. Sleeping bags on the market usually indicate temperature ranges, such as comfort temperature and limit temperature. When choosing a sleeping bag, decide based on the camping site's temperature. Generally, choose a sleeping bag with a comfort temperature about 5 degrees lower than the expected minimum temperature to ensure comfortable sleep. Also, the filling material matters. Down sleeping bags provide good warmth and compress small, but lose their warming effect when wet. Synthetic sleeping bags, while slightly less warm, have good water resistance and are relatively cheaper.

Cookware selection should be based on the duration of camping and number of people. If you're only camping for a day or two, a simple portable stove is enough. But for longer camping trips or larger groups, you'll need to consider bringing a more comprehensive cookware set. I usually carry a lightweight gas stove paired with titanium cookware. This combination is both lightweight and meets basic cooking needs.

Lighting tools are also indispensable equipment. Besides regular headlamps, I suggest bringing a flashlight as backup. There are many rechargeable LED headlamps available now with good battery life. But just in case, it's still best to bring spare batteries.

Personal hygiene items should also be well-prepared. Besides basic toiletries like toothbrush and toothpaste, I also bring wet wipes and sanitizing gel. These items are really practical in the wilderness. Especially wet wipes, which can be used not only for cleaning but also for wiping down your body when there's no water source available.

Wilderness Survival Skills

In the wilderness, mastering some basic survival skills is really important. First is learning to build shelter. Although we usually bring tents when camping nowadays, in some special situations, we might need to use natural materials to build temporary shelters. For example, if the tent gets damaged or we encounter unexpected situations requiring temporary rest.

The first step in building a temporary shelter is site selection. Choose higher ground to avoid water accumulation. Also check if there are any dead trees or suspended large rocks nearby, as these could be safety hazards. If possible, choose a location sheltered from the wind to reduce heat loss.

There are many ways to build shelters using natural materials. The simplest is using a fallen large tree, building a sloped shelter on one side of the trunk. First find some thicker branches to lean against the main trunk at an angle, then lay thinner branches horizontally, and finally cover with leaves or pine needles. Although basic, such a shelter can provide fundamental protection from wind and rain.

Finding water sources is also an important skill in wilderness survival. Although we bring enough water when camping, knowing how to find water sources is still necessary in case of special situations. Generally, valleys and low-lying areas are more likely to have water sources. When there's no obvious water source, observe vegetation growth patterns, as water sources are usually near areas with dense vegetation.

However, note that wilderness water sources aren't directly drinkable. Even clear-looking mountain spring water might contain harmful bacteria. So any water source in the wilderness must be purified before drinking. The simplest method is boiling water or using portable water filters. I carry water purification tablets, which although requiring some waiting time for treatment, are a good option in emergencies.

Direction finding is also an important lesson in wilderness survival skills. During the day, direction can be determined by the sun's position, and at night by the North Star. If cloudy weather obscures the sun and stars, direction can still be determined through natural phenomena. For example, in the Northern Hemisphere, tree rings are usually wider on the south side than the north side, and moss generally prefers growing on the north side of trees.

Sending distress signals is another important skill. The international distress signal is three short whistle blasts or three flashlight flashes. This "three" is a basic pattern for many distress signals. For example, when placing ground distress signals, they should also be arranged as three conspicuous markers.

In the wilderness, maintaining body temperature is extremely important. Hypothermia is one of the most dangerous situations in wilderness survival. To maintain body temperature, first pay attention to clothing layers. The innermost layer should be close-fitting and moisture-wicking, the middle layer for insulation, and the outer layer for wind and water resistance. If clothes get wet, change into dry clothing as soon as possible. If no dry clothing is available, leaves or dry grass can be stuffed into clothes for some insulation effect.

Safety and Emergency Response

Speaking of safety issues, this is truly the most important aspect of outdoor activities. Before each departure, I always inform family or friends of my detailed itinerary. This detailed itinerary includes expected departure time, return time, specific camping location, and even parking location. All this information could become important clues for rescue in emergency situations.

Additionally, I check the locations of nearby medical points and rescue stations. Although they might not be needed, knowing this information provides peace of mind. Also remember the contact information for local rescue departments. Many places now have specialized outdoor rescue teams that can be called upon in emergencies.

If unfortunately you get lost, the most important thing is to stay calm. Many people panic when they realize they're lost and run around aimlessly, ending up getting further away. The correct approach is to stop, carefully observe the surrounding environment, and try to find some landmark features. If you really can't find your direction, the best choice is to stay put and wait for rescue. This is when informing family members of your itinerary becomes crucial.

While waiting for rescue, conserve energy and water. If there's a signal, try contacting rescue services by phone. If there's no signal, try to send distress signals. This is when the previously mentioned three whistle blasts or three light flashes come in handy. Also, choose an open area where rescue personnel can more easily spot you.

Encountering dangerous animals in the wilderness is another concern. Different animals require different responses. For example, when encountering a bear, never turn and run, but slowly back away while keeping facing the bear. When encountering a snake, maintain a safe distance and give it an escape route. Most wild animals won't actively attack humans as long as we don't provoke them.

Sudden weather changes are also common in the wilderness. If encountering thunderstorms, quickly leave mountaintops, areas under large trees, and other dangerous zones, seeking safety in lower ground. If encountering strong winds, ensure tent anchoring is secure, using rocks or branches for additional support if necessary.

Conclusion

After saying all this, the most important aspect of wilderness survival really comes down to "preparation." Good preparation work can help us handle various possible situations. At the same time, we should always maintain a humble attitude and not become careless thinking we're already very skilled. Nature is always full of unknowns and challenges, which is precisely the charm of outdoor activities.

I hope these experiences can help those who want to start outdoor life. Remember, everyone starts as a beginner, and with enough passion and patience, you can quickly become a qualified wilderness expert.