Ever since we were little, we have been welcomed by a number of myths and legends. Even more so when out in the wilderness. Out at night in front of the campfire, while eating s’mores, the adults love sharing these tales for children either to enjoy or to simply scare them. Scare? “How?” you may ask. To keep them from doing harm to themselves. Don’t go outside when camping because you may catch a cold through chills, kids being too young to go camping, you can only go camping in the summer, and more. But are these facts or fiction? We’ll list all the most known myths that we need to debunk once and for all.
- “You don’t need to bring more than one tent for two! It’ll be heavier on your backpack!” Unless the other one is a small child or a dog, and you don’t need to hide any gear inside your tent, then two in a tent is doable. Sacrifices may be made for ultralight adventures, especially when you go camping and want to feel as free as possible. But if you want to feel most comfortable when you’re resting, we don’t recommend sleeping with two people in a tent.
- “Let’s go camping! Like, right now!” This is a dream for most people, but sadly, it’s not recommended. It could feel like embracing your freedom to the fullest, but it requires a good amount of preparation to ensure success. Reservations may be necessary (months in advance for some campgrounds, especially in peak season). For some solo backcountry camping, let someone know your plans as a safety precaution. Bringing the proper gear is also an important prep activity for camping depending on your needs.
- “No matter the season, camping food ain’t that good.” People may be used to eating pre-packaged camp meals bought from a nearby convenience store. Despite being used to this, it doesn’t mean that it’s the ONLY option campers have. Camp food can also consist of delicious, healthy foods that will not only satisfy your cravings but can possibly be the highlight of your trip! When do you have the chance to make your own campfire and cook grilled recipes out in the wilderness? Take advantage of this and prep some good, ready-to-grill, healthy concoctions!
- “Be careful of the cold!” Despite the presence of sunny, summer days, nights can still be cold. But don’t be too afraid of the struggle being too real. The secret is simply packing the right gear, especially for planned winter camping trips. In most cases, the trick to stay warm is to stay dry. Gear with water-repellent coating would be useable for these. Some people think that you could catch a cold easily by just going out, but The New England Journal of Medicine has debunked this back in the ‘70s. You need to come in contact with a virus to catch a cold.
- “We should only camp in the summer!” Long hot days and nighttime temperatures are perfect during summers in June and July. People find this the perfect time to go camping. But summer season = bug season in certain areas as well. This can be a significant turnoff for some, and adding the humidity in elevated areas could be more of an annoyance. Some people have come to convert to becoming fall campers. That is, bringing their gear out in late August into September to see the leaves turn from green to warm colors. Not only is the fall foliage a breathtaking sight to see, but the significant decrease in the number of campers makes outdoor activities better. Bonus: there are more discounts with fewer people around.
Enjoying sunrise while car camping over a cliff in Sedona, Arizona. Photo Credit: Unsplash, Jimmy Conover
For some campers, they are scared to try out camping due to some of the myths we listed above. If you remember being told these myths when you were younger and have continued to believe them years after, you can finally be free from the fear of these every time you camp. Being held back by these myths wouldn’t be enough to stop some campers from enjoying the great outdoors. Nothing beats doing the appropriate amount of preparation on every camping trip to avoid these could-be myths.