The Advantages And Disadvantages Of Camping

Is camping all that it’s cracked up to be? Will my camping trip be a life-changing experience or and I just setting myself up for a night of sleeping in the dirt? If you are reading this article, these are likely some of the questions that you have asked yourself already. In this article, we will be examining the advantages and disadvantages of camping so that you can make an informed decision regarding whether or not to embark on a trip out into the wilderness.

Advantages Of Camping

Exercise –

The obvious advantage of camping is all the physical movement it requires. Everything from hiking on uneven terrain to lifting heavy objects can be encountered when you embark on a camping expedition. These awkward movements and heavy lifts offer a workout that is truly unique from anything you can achieve in your local gym. You may even find yourself swimming in a nearby body of water. Swimming in itself can prove to be an exhausting, full-body workout.

Survival Skills –

When we talk about camping in the wilderness (as opposed to a night out in your own backyard), we are discussing an activity that requires a certain set of skills to get through it. Skills such as building fires and general problem solving are essential in order to survive in the wilderness. These are skills that you wouldn’t normally be honing in the comfort of your own home. Only be exposing yourself to a camping trip can you be presented with an opportunity to trap food, build shelter, and purify your own water.

Sight Seeing –

The fact of the matter is, you would never see some of the greatest sites in the world if it were not for a planned camping outing. Sure, you could look at pictures online, but only when you plan to spend time in nature can you truly experience this outdoors firsthand. Normally, you would have no reason to go to a waterfall or visit a great ravine. Camping gives you the reason to get out and see these wonderful sites.

Mental Clarity –

Task-oriented thinking has a way of taking your mind off of work and other stressors. When your only focus is surviving, erecting your tent or finding shelter, cooking food, and staying warm, it has a way of focusing your mind away from all the noise that can accumulate in your day to day life.

Boding with others –

There is nothing that brings people together more than a camping trip. This is usually because camping creates an environment where everyone has to work together for the good of the group. It often takes two or more people to erect a tent. Multiple people will often venture out together to collect firewood. People will even work together to catch fish or trap food. When everyone is working together, a sense of community is formed which can lead to a unique bonding experience.

Time Away From Electronic Devices –

Many people fail to keep track of what is referred to as their “mental diet.” This is basically the collection of information that you feed into your brain on a daily basis. We do this by way of electronic devices and social media. Over time, this overexposure and over-stimulation from these sources can have an impact on our overall mood. Many people find their general moods being affected by what they read and watch on their devices. On the other hand, camping offers an escape from the information overload that comes with social media outlets and the ever-accessible cell phones.

Reawakening Of Your Primitive Side –

In an age of the internet and “next-day-shipping,” humans have fewer reasons to leave the house. This results in an overall loss of interaction with other people and, frankly, collective laziness among the population. Camping has a way of reawakening a dormant, instinctive side of ourselves that focuses on survival rather than comfort. Humans were built to hunt and forage and to fight for their own existence. Camping allows us to tap back into that instinct even if it is for just a short period of time.

Fresh Air –

Camping offers you a reason to exit the cities and suburbs and to take some time away from the pollution that accumulates in these areas. Time away from pollution can have wondrous effects on your mental clarity and your mood.

Disadvantages Of Camping

Expensive Equipment –

Let’s face it. Unless you plan to sleep in the dirt, you are going to have to purchase some basic equipment if you plan on having a successful camping trip. A basic, single-person tent can cost anywhere from $50.00 to several hundreds of dollars. There is also the matter of proper clothing that will keep you protected out in the wilderness. Such clothing can get fairly expensive. Then there is the matter of water containers and non-perishable food items that will last you the duration of your trip. Needless to say, camping requires a noticeable upfront investment.

Distance To Medical Attention –

Most of your woodland camping locations are going to be a good distance from civilization. This means that you will likely be far away from medical attention in the event of an emergency. Whether you plan to drive to the hospital yourself or if you seek the assistance of an ambulance, you will be facing a great amount of time and distance between yourself and the medical attention you need. This means that if you fall and break a bone or you suddenly become ill, your suffering will be prolonged due to the distance to the nearest medical treatment facility.

Infections –

The truth is, there really isn’t anything sanitary about camping. In fact, it can be downright filthy at times. With the overexposure to germs comes the added risk of infection. Furthermore, food poisoning is a real risk since proper food storage is sometimes neglected. Also, cuts and abrasions can pose a serious problem if they are not kept clean and covered.

Uncontrollable Environmental Challenges –

Mother nature is unpredictable. You may be expecting a sunny weekend in the outdoors but you could easily be greeted by a torrential downpour. Furthermore, terrain plays a part in the weather. Valleys or high altitudes can expose you to air temperatures that differ from what you expected after listening to the evening news. You have to plan for the unexpected. However, even with planning, you may still come up short.

Insects –

Insect invasions of your campsite are more than just a minor annoyance. These critters bring with them their own hazards that can be extremely detrimental to your camping experience. One of the more dangerous issues with insects is their bites. Specifically, mosquito bites can pass along the harmful West Nile virus. This virus can have a crippling effect on the human body and it can even result in death. Make sure to take proper precautions against these bugs and other biting insects when spending long periods of time in the woods.

Scavengers –

Many animals see humans as a source of food. This doesn’t necessarily mean that they will eat us. However, the can be attracted to the smell of delicious food that radiates from the campsite. Animals such as bears and raccoons often aren’t shy about helping themselves to the contents of trashcans and coolers that line campsites. This is why it is extremely important to take proper food storage precautions when camping in the vicinity of these animals.

Sunburn –

If you plan on going camping, odds are you won’t be spending the entire day in your tent. You will likely want to go exploring or possibly take part in a long hike along a trail. Either way, you will be out in the sun a lot. This extended exposure to the sun can put you at risk for sunburn. Many people don’t associate sunburn with camping expeditions and it is this oversight that makes sunburns such a common camping injury.

No Bathroom –

Camping usually means that you will be without a bathroom or a shower to clean up in. While this may sound like a mere matter of discomfort, life without a bathroom can actually be really dangerous. Whenever you go to the bathroom in the woods, your waste can actually attract curious animals such as bears and other scavengers. The last thing you want is to encounter a bear while camping. Furthermore, if you aren’t taking showers, you run the risk of infection to any open wounds that you make acquire during your trip. That is why it is so important to try to remain as clean as possible while camping. Be sure to wash up by any means possible and make sure you are establishing your “bathroom location” far enough away from your campsite to avoid any unwanted woodland visitors.

Lack of Activities –

Camping typically consists of catching food, building a fire or sleeping. Beyond that, there really isn’t much else to do. If you aren’t actively trying to stimulate yourself, camping can get old really quick. This is why you need to figure out ways to remain entertained. You can swim in a lake or go on a hike or even climb a tree. Bring a book with you so you have something to do during extended downtime.

Lack Of Skills Can Cut The Trip Short –

Many people dive into a camping expedition without properly researching the skills needed to survive in the wilderness. Even if you only plan to spend one night in the woods, you need to know some basic survival skills to make sure you make it through the night. If you cant build a fire or erect a tent then you might as well go home. If you didn’t pack enough food and you don’t know how to fish or catch something to eat, your camping trip may come to an untimely end as you head home to your fully stocked refrigerator.