n the nonstop grind culture of today, one thing is certain, it’s more important than ever before to get out and be in nature. Time that used to be spent exploring, adventuring, and hanging with a few of your closest buddies huddled around a fire sharing stories, is now spent in the confines of our comfortable four walls, swiping through an endless feed of other people's lives. Camping is sadly becoming a lost hobby—one that was imperative to keep our natural order as humans in check. (For more interesting hobbies to help keep you grounded, check out our article that outlines the 17 best hobbies for men in their 20’s, linked here). Many of us were never taken camping in our younger days, and thus we have a skewed understanding of what it really can be. I’m here to tell you that camping can be easy, extremely comfortable and most of all, enormously rewarding.
The days of roughnecking through the bush, sleeping on the cold hard ground and having nothing to do are over. In this 21st century of ours, the notion that camping has the ability to be a comfortable and truly enjoyable endeavor is more possible than ever before. Today we’re here to discuss how that may be and how you can make camping more comfortable!
Why should you care?
If you’re still not sold, allow me to peak your interest into why you should consider giving it a shot. Camping has been shown, on a number of occasions, to have positive effects, not only on our physical health but our mental health and overall wellbeing as well. In one particular study of nearly 11,000 campers and non-campers, a host of interesting discoveries were made.
Here’s a few of the key findings from the study known as The Outjoyment Report:
- Happy: 97% of campers say happiness is their top motivator for going camping while 48% of campers reported feeling happy almost every day, compared with 35% of non-campers
- More connected to nature: 93% go camping to enjoy being in nature – the second highest motivator after happiness, and they score highly on measures of nature connection
- Enjoying better well-being: 93% of campers value camping for the benefits it gives to their health and well-being – an increase on the 85% of our Real Richness Report in 2011
- Flourishing: 44% are flourishing (have optimal mental health) compared with 31% of non campers. This increases for those who camp more often
- Less stressed: 88% of campers are motivated to go camping to take time out of everyday life and have higher levels of psychological well-being than non campers
To sum it all up, going camping is essentially a better anti-depressant pill in hobby form and without the side effects. If you’ve been feeling glum, stressed, and just out of touch…there’s a reason and that’s because you haven't ever done (or haven’t been doing) the thing that we were meant to do on this earth. Experience it!
But how can you experience the earth when you don’t have a bed, wifi, and the latest season of Mormon House Wives—that’s the spirit…baby steps! We’ll get there.
Choosing your campground
In the days of old, the idea of a campground was a national or state park consisting of a cleared patch of land, a fire ring and maybe an old picnic table to eat at. And for those who have never given camping a shot before, there’s a chance that this is exactly what comes to mind—just you and mother nature getting very intimate, very quickly. In my expertise, this style of camping should be reserved for seasoned campers who like a more immersive experience.
However, nowadays the options for choosing a campground are endless. In fact, camping has changed so much from the old primitive ways to newer, and more beginner friendly dynamics that they actually coined a new term, known as “Glamping” or glamorous-camping.
Glamping can look like many different things. It can look like a yurt on the beach, or a cozy mountain cabin retreat, or even a tent but not your traditional tent…no—we’re talking about a luxury tent with a full-size king bed and espresso machine. One thing in common that these examples that I’ve given all share is that they are all complete with hotel-equivalent amenities. That means they can be heated or cooled, and complete with a full size bathroom, kitchen and good old electricity.
You may be wondering, “Is that still camping though?” and as someone who has gone camping at least twice a year for 22 years, the answer is yes, and there shouldn’t be debate around it. At the end of the day, glamping is a dynamic initiative that was created in an effort to make camping more approachable to non-campers. Ultimately, all of these luxury set ups are nestled into nature much more than any hotel has to offer and thus, even though you may have access to electricity and wifi, mother nature just has a way of grabbing your attention when you’re that up close and personal.
For those who simply can abide by such an idea, that’s quite alright—here’s how we would maximize comfort in more of a traditional camping site.
- Be sure to find a campground that offers “hookups,” by hookups, I mean they have electricity and water on sight…don’t get any nasty ideas.
- Ensure the campground has a bathhouse relatively close to your campsite. And ensure that the quality is satisfactory through online reviews.
- For beginners, as a general rule of thumb, you will want to avoid national and state parks because they are less likely to have the aforementioned amenities. (However, this is a general statement. Be sure to do your research, as there has been a push to make camping more beginner-friendly in the state and national parks.)
Choosing when to go
The real key to making camping more enjoyable is choosing when you should go. Ultimately this comes down to preference and a little bit of common sense. But if you just need some guiding tips for when the time comes to book a trip, let me shine some light on the subject.
Research, research, research
- Most weather services are only able to provide a forecast up to 14 days in advance, however research suggests that accuracy diminishes past 7-10 days. Although it can’t hurt to check!
- If you are planning to go camping in a region that is different from your own, and one that you are unfamiliar with, be sure to check what season the area in which you are planning to camp in falls. (For example: wet season, dry season, tropical storm season, tornado season). It’s good to be aware of this as it can give you a baseline to gauge expectations from when planning a trip a long time in advance.
Pack accordingly
- If you know that your trip lies in a period of time where the weather is expected to be exceedingly hot, or exceedingly cold (because you did your research) then you can pack and dress accordingly. The last thing you want is to be in Florida during July and all you have packed is long sleeves and sweatpants.
Furniture
For those of you who are opting for a more traditional approach to camping, because the idea of glamping just doesn’t sit well with you—stick around, because the remainder of this article is for you!
But can camping still be comfortable without being in a temperature controlled cabin with a shower and an espresso maker? The short answer?...absolutely—in fact, I’d go so far as to say it can be more comfortable than being in your own home when done right. The longer answer is that it absolutely can be, however, there are some key factors that tie into setting yourself up for complete and utter relaxation. One of the biggest factors in the discussion for how to make it more comfortable is what furniture you decide to take. I’m not talking about your living room sofa, I’m talking about equipment designed with the concept of portability and outdoor elements in mind.
Here are a few examples:
Inflatable Couch
Who needs the living room sofa when you can purchase one of these bad boys! Inflatable couches are a great way to make your campsite go from a 2 to a 10. They are easy, convenient, and very comfortable. There are countless options to choose from. This option actually doubles as a bed! You can check it out here.
Camp Chair
Look, every real camper knows that true comfort starts when they are able to sit down in a high quality camp chair that embraces you better than mother nature ever could…she can be hard on the body sometimes. Having a good camp chair is essential in this discussion, and speaking from experience, the trip feels a bit stiff without one. It will be your sword and shield against all things uncomfortable.
A Good Quality Bed
Being able to sleep soundly during a camping trip is of paramount importance. Not only do you need to be well rested to tackle the day's events with energy and vigor with everything from tediously making a fire to going for that long hike that you’ve been yearning for, but also when done correctly, it can be the best slumber of your life—I promise you! Being well rested is a priority which is why choosing a good bed can easily be considered the star of the show, especially in the discussion of how to make camping more comfortable.
Tip: This should be one investment that you splurge on. Cheap air mattresses commonly lose air throughout the night making it extremely uncomfortable, and budget cots and mats tend to lack padding and warmth. Save up, do your research, and invest wisely.
Putting out the fire
Camping doesn’t have to mean “roughing it.” Many people have such a skewed notion of what it is supposed to be; it’s not about proving how tough you are or how little comfort you can survive on—it’s about reconnecting with the world around you in a way that modern life rarely allows. Whether you’re glamping under the stars of a luxurious yurt with a cup of espresso in hand or cozying up in a less glamorous tent with a good sleeping pad and a book, what truly matters is that you’re outside, breathing fresh air, and soaking in the quiet beauty of nature.
Making camping more comfortable isn’t about removing the essence of the experience—it’s about enhancing it. The wilderness is waiting for you!
