life’s tough. it’s tougher if you’re stupid.
That famous John Wayne quote was the long pole in the tent of advice I received as a child. All wisdom, guidance, and instruction that I got from my old man in the subtle arts of camping, cooking, hiking, fishing, and leading others boiled down to that one simple phrase, “Life’s tough, but it’s tougher if you’re stupid.”
At first, I just thought he meant life was harder for those of us who weren’t so good at thinking. But I came to realize that the first maxim of fatherhood was coupled with a second equally important maxim; “Stupid is as stupid does.” For the uninitiated, that means that your level of stupidity is completely controlled by the actions you take. Taken together, these two maxims are the building blocks of my life and, for the modern reader who has yet to receive the mysteries of a southern childhood, these maxims translate thusly: “Your choices directly determine how difficult or easy something will be. You have free agency and the ability to prepare. Act accordingly.”
This phrase applies to all aspects of your life, but has particular impact to camping. When you decide to go out in the woods, it is on you to ensure that you go prepared. Planning and preparation are going to play a major role in if you succeed and enjoy your time in the woods, or fail be miserable. Packing and preparing for every contingency is not a realistic choice of action, but thinking through your trip and bringing what you need is a given. Or it should be. Beyond that, what should you bring?
First Aid
I had the unfortunate experience of watching a car barrel into a telephone pole as a young man. I had training but no supplies. Luckily, a police officer was nearby who had a first aid kit ready and could render aid. Since that day, I’ve always carried a first aid kit with trauma supplies in my truck. I recommend you do the same. That said, the need for trauma supplies is interesting. You seldom need them, but when you do need them, nothing else will do. Many medical items fill the same category.
Not all first aid kits need wound packing, tourniquets, hemostatic chest seals, or other low demand items. When developing your personal first aid kit for camping, I would tailor it to what you actually will need on a regular basis and how far away from medical care you will be. Things you probably need: bandages, an antihistamine, an NSAID, alcohol wipes, some sunburn gel, a small set of scissors, gauze, blister pads, and your daily prescribed medications (if applicable).
If you are going to be several miles away from a trailhead or access point I would consider adding a soft splint or a triangle bandage and getting training on how to splint with natural materials. That should let you limp out on a rolled or broken extremity. The further into the backcountry you go, the more extreme the activity, and the more difficult it is to reach you, the more first aid materials you should bring, and training you should receive, but you should seldomly be loaded down like a medic on Utah beach.
consumables
There are a few consumables that are a given for any camping trip, and often help make miserable experiences fun. They include sunscreen, bug spray, electrolyte mix, and coffee. Each of these magical elixirs can be a game changer for your camping experience. Sunburn is not fun, and it can happen anywhere and anytime. Mrs. Biv is fair enough that we have gallons of the stuff laying around. I recommend SPF 50 or better when outside. You’re not there to tan - you want to stay protected. Remember; you’re probably an inside cat. Getting sun for 12 hours a day, multiple days in a row is not something you’re used to. Better to wear it than regret it.
Bug spray is a must. I carry it with me every time I go camping and I keep mini cans in various bags that I use for activities. My tackle box has bug spray. My backpack has bug spray. My fanny pack I walk the dog in has bug spray. I like to use the “natural” stuff - I’m no weenie, but if DEET can thin eggshells in bald eagles, what do you think it’s doing to your brain? That said, I do keep DEET based repellent on hand in case it’s a really bad bug day (like summertime Minnesota Mosquito season). I make the deliberate choice to apply it based on the conditions. I also will treat my clothes in permethrin for long hikes in tick country, to help keep them off of me. Lyme disease is for life, and I’ve avoided it so far (knocks on wood).
Electrolyte mix and coffee are critical for two things: 1. preventing hypernatremia (electrolyte mix) and 2. Morale (both). Hypernatremia is what happens when you drink too much water and not enough salt. Your body needs salt to function properly, and it gets out of wack. Electrolyte mix (I like LMNT and LiquidIV) helps to fix that problem, and it tastes good. Coffee is the elixir of the gods. That’s all the justification you need.
a rain coat
The weather guessers are always wrong. End of story. If you are camping and it’s not in a desert, I recommend packing a rain jacket. I keep one in the truck at all times, and I can’t begin to tell you how many times Mrs. Biv has used it because she left hers at home. I, of course, had to tolerate the rain. Seriously, pack a rain jacket.
fire & signal
I recommend having the materials to make a fire packed away in your kit. And I don’t need “start a stove” materials; I mean start a survival or signalling fire materials. Fire is a dangerous but incredibly useful tool that can keep you alive and help others find you if something is wrong or you get lost. My personal fire kit includes candlewax soaked dryer lint as a fire starter, some fat lighter cut like matchsticks, waterproof matches, regular matches, a lighter, and I have a knife that doubles as flint and steel just in case. I keep all of that in a plastic bag and I only break it out if needed.
In an emergency situation, signaling can make a major difference between rescue and disaster. A cheap and simple means to signal is via the use of a signal mirror. You can also use fire smoke, or lay out shapes on the ground. Of course, you can also just use your cell phone or satcom enabled GPS device. That’s easy too. I personally carry a signalling mirror and I tell my relatives my planned start time, route, and stop time when I’m in the outdoors. You should do that too.
Life’s tough. It’s tougher if you’re stupid. So make sure you pack all the essentials for your trip and bring along a couple extra items “just in case”. Sunscreen, bug spray, a rain coat, and a simple first aid kit can make a huge difference when it counts.
Want to share your experiences on the trail? Have a must bring item for every trip? Share it with Biv! Have a question about camping you need answered? Ask Uncle Biv.