Definitions of camping are as varied as the purpose they must serve, but what all of them share are three terms: recreation, outdoors, and temporary structures. The most basic definition would be: camping is the recreational activity of staying outdoors in temporary structures.
From that basic definition of camping, we can build on the three terms to get us to what every individual would call “camping”.
Nothing beats it!
Camping takes place in nature, it is mainly recreational and campers use temporary structures. If you leave an urban area and go out into nature for recreation where you live for a short or long period in structures that are meant to be temporary, then you are probably camping.
Modern living alternatives broadened the concept of camping to include people who camp permanently in tents or caravans, live in mobile homes or travel permanently while living in either vehicles or tents. Read more about the concept of camping.
These days people often “camp” permanently while working remotely. That would remove the “recreation” part from the definition, although even if you camp and work, it is largely recreational because of being out in nature. The experience of camping in nature makes work much more fun, and apart from working remotely you also work flexi-time because you can alternate between working, swimming, hiking, fishing and pursuing your hobbies.
The main feature of camping is that takes place outdoors in nature.
What do you need to camp?
What you need to go camping depends on so many personal preferences that it would require a book to cover everything. And then there will still be campers who do something in a way that is not covered in the book!
Every camper must decide for themselves how they want to camp but, in the camping community, there are many people who are willing to share their knowledge and help you plan your camp or decide what to take with you when camping.
How to camp
How you will camp depends mostly on your budget.
- Camping with a tent is the most affordable.
- Camping with a caravan requires a bigger capital outlay.
- Camping over weekends and holidays is more for people with school-going children and students.
- People who camp according to the seasons is called swallow campers. They follow the hot weather and camp mostly in warm areas in winter for the three winter months.
- Long-term or all-season campers are people who camp for extended periods, usually between 3 months and years. Permanent campers who keep their houses and are able to return at any time also falls under long-term campers.
- Permanent campers are mostly people who sold or rent out their houses and chose the camping or on-the-road lifestyle. This group includes retired people, people who work remotely and people who camp permanently because the affordability suits their circumstances.
What is important when camping?
Camping is the same as following any other activity that takes you out of your house and into situations that are unpredictable and where you are more exposed to the forces of nature.
It is extremely important and can save you piles of money if you prepare well and fit yourself out with reliable and dependable equipment.
Your caravan or tent
Like your house, proper shelter is the first requirement when camping.
Make sure you have reliable transport for getting to your destination and a well-maintained camping shelter whether it is a tent or a caravan.
Thanks to global warming South Africans experience increased volatility in weather patterns as December 2021 illustrated. Weather volatility will increase rather than become milder which makes it important to be well-prepared.
Your towing vehicle and caravan should be serviced regularly and checked thoroughly before you leave on your camping trip.
You should have everything checked that would form part of a caravan service. These are:
- Bearings.
- Caravan jacks.
- Coupler shocks.
- Wiring on the caravan.
- Brake cables.
- Brake shoes.
- A-Frame (Coupler Unit) regrease/service.
- Check all bolts and nuts.
- Chassis re-black (new rubberising) if needed.
- Check for sand in wheel valves if there are no valve caps (and then get yourself valve caps).
By now, you have all the camping accessories and tools to be able to camp, sleep and prepare food. That would be part of your temporary setup as a camper.
Camping is recreational
The biggest attraction of camping is that it brings people out of the cities and suburbs and into nature.
Nature has a relaxing and destressing effect on humans. Being in nature refreshes memory capacity and increases mindfulness and energy levels. Science indicates that we are wired to be outside and that nature makes us happy.
Campers will tell you that the first thing a camper notices once the camp has been pitched is that everything seems to relax and start moving without haste. It is not that things move slower, it’s more a case of things moving at the same pace, but you are better equipped to handle everything. You actually only need to be in nature for two hours to benefit.
What scientists have proved is what campers have known all along. Camping relaxes you and arms you with the will to live.
What more can you ask?
Camping is the outdoors
Being outdoors, is a completely different experience from your daily life, so it is wise to mentally prepare yourself for some changes:
- The sounds you are familiar with in the city do not exist in nature. You may find it difficult to fall asleep the first night.
- Your bed, whether it is your sleeping bag and a stretcher or a high-priced mattress in a motorhome, offers a different experience and needs getting used to.
- There is a range of different activities to do when you are in nature. You could hike, fish, watch birds, discover trees and other plants, jog, ride your mountain bike, swim, sharpen your photographic skills, have real conversations with friends and family, or just sit and contemplate how lucky you are to be relaxing in nature.
- You need to adequately prepare mentally and physically for a camping trip because it will offer a different experience from what you are used to. But don’t make it such preparation that it takes away the fun.
- You should look forward to camping to get as much benefit from it as possible. Make your preparation and your travelling all part of your camping trip.
Once you camp, be aware of your surroundings. Being in nature allows you to hear different sounds, experience different smells and see different things.
One thing about camping is that it teaches you that it is not the amount of time you have to relax, but the quality of the relaxation. Nature provides that quality. You relax more in an hour sitting in front of your caravan or tent than you are able to relax in a whole day sitting on your verandah watching cars drive by.
Camping with pets
There is renewed interest in camping with pets after 2020 because many people built a new connection with their pets during the lockdown. As older people increasingly camp, the occurrence of pets on campsites also increased.
Because it is still an issue on which there is no unanimity yet, wise pet owners train their pets to be as non-interruptive as possible.
Things to consider when planning a camping trip with your dog:
- Your dog’s personality.
- Find a dog-friendly campsite.
- Refresh your dog’s training – an aggressive dog may ruin your camping trip as well as that of other campers.
- Prepare for emergencies.
- Gear up – be sure to have everything your dog needs to be a well-groomed, well-cared-for camping dog
- Practice good camping site etiquette.
- Have fun.
Camping with your dog can be immensely rewarding as it builds mutual trust in a relaxed setting where your dog does not have to share your attention with the TV. It keeps your dog physically and mentally stimulated and you more active than when you would camp without your dog. Read more about camping with dogs.
Prepare well for camping
Never camp without proper preparation.
Nature is a revitalising place to be, but that same ability to revitalize also comes with unpredictability and unimaginable destructive power. Most people know what wind, water and fire can do, and campers are more aware of it because their camping accommodation is much more exposed to the elements than a brick and mortar house.
Maxcon Camping collects all the high-quality products manufactured and sold by Max Consumables (Maxcons) on this website. Maxcons provide products that are of tested superior quality and makes provision for all-weather events you would experience while camping.
The flagship product is the Max-Peg which forms part of the Maxcon System guaranteed to protect your camping gear against most of what Africa can offer, provided it is used correctly.