Dry camping can be a lot of fun when you know what you’re doing. It can be daunting for a beginner but when you do it two or three times you start to get a hang of it. But for beginners who might not know what to do but really want to try out dry camping, this guide is certainly for you as it’ll be giving you the best tips on how to go about your dry camping.
But before we get to that, let’s quickly answer some frequently asked questions first
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What is Dry Camping?
Dry camping is a method of camping that may involve a motorhome or van without necessarily a source for water or electricity, and it’s also usually outside a designated campground.
It’s a method of camping that really gets the camper away from border society, and deeper into nature and natural landscapes. Essentially, it is not connected to any services that may help you in time of need.
Is Dry Camping Safe?
Seeing as you’ll be far away from amenities, civilization, and everything else, dry camping doesn’t sound like the safest way to camp but it’s actually pretty safe. And if you’re really looking forward to the feeling of being self-sufficient and solving problems, it can easily be the most fun and enjoyable challenge you could take on.
Here Are a Few Tips to Help You Along the Way.
This can be a whole topic on its own, but considering how important it is to dry camping, here are the basic tips to help you easily plan ahead before taking your next dry camping trip.
- Create a packing list so you don’t forget anything
- Knowing you’re going in for a dry camp, decide on a suitable location that will make your stay enjoyable
- If you decide to visit a public campsite, make sure to reserve a spot before embarking on the journey. This process will also require research on your destination. Make sure it’s suitable for you. Remember your basic supplies such as water, gear, a camera if you plan to take pictures, and a battery or gasoline-powered generator for your trip.
- Plan your meals, coffee, tea, and whatever else you may want on your trip.
- Always be prepared for all weather conditions. …
- Test your gear beforehand.
Always Try to Conserve Fresh Water and Wastewater.
This is one of the most basic and probably the most important tips you should know during any kind of camping trip, not only a dry camping one.
Freshwater
We all know how essential water can be and also how quickly your stored water can be depleted. You probably won’t be having a constant water source or supply during your dry camping trip, so make sure to plan ahead.
You should fill your water tank to the brim, and depending on how long you plan to camp for, take precautions to make sure that your water source, tank, or whatever you are storing water in, doesn’t completely run dry before the end of your trip.
If you find that you’re running low on water, and you’re not close to a natural water source, or nearby place where you can easily refill your water. Or you might want to consider cutting the camping trip early and leaving.
You can also look at getting some water storage containers, here are some on Amazon.
It should go without saying that depending on how long you plan to stay, getting a huge water tank is advisable. And a tank with clear measurements is highly advisable as well, so you always know how much water you’re using at each time.
That way you can keep an eye on your tank meter and you’ll always know how much water you have left. A tank meter will let you know when your tank is three-fourths full, half full, one-fourth full, or empty. And it’ll help you adjust your usage based on how much water you find yourself consuming.
Waste or Greywater
This includes water you’ve already used, it may include water used for washing dishes, bathing water, water used to wash your hands, brushing your teeth, etc. Conserving your grey tank capacity as it’s called, is also very important because disposing of grey water might not always be convenient as it’s usually not allowed to be disposed of just anywhere. Conserving grey tank capacity is another great way to monitor how much water you’re using so as to not run out of water fast.
Most times, your gray water or used water will be much smaller after use than before, hence you might need a smaller tank capacity than what you have for your clean water tank. Make sure to arrive at your camping location with the tank empty.
Generate Power and Electricity.
When camping, you might find the need to generate power and electricity to be very important, and it can be tricky if you don’t know what you’re doing. Here’s a quick tip to do just that. While dry camping, you can make use of your house batteries which can store electricity for you or your RV.
And most house batteries can be charged through a variety of methods such as via a solar panel rig. Solar panels are now more important than ever in camping, that way, you can easily power most of what you need on the road.
If you plan to camp for a day or two, this solution is perfect because you’ll have enough juice to power your entire stay at the campsite. But if you plan to stay for longer, you still wouldn’t face much of a problem if you come along with a few solar panels, and hopefully, with enough sunlight, you can power up everything you possibly need. and it can
You can also have a gasoline-powered generator. Having this will let you charge devices and batteries easily as well, you can check out the one below on Amazon
Most RVs may come with a gasoline-powered generator, but if yours for some reason doesn’t come with one, you can easily purchase one and hook it up to your batteries.
The only disadvantage you may have with this over a solar-powered method is the amount of noise a generator will produce, and if you’re with other campers, they may have a problem with that.
Consider running your generator during the day to avoid disturbing anyone around.
Manage Your Trash Disposal.
Don’t forget about your garbage. You probably wouldn’t have access to a designated dumping area while camping, so you will need to improvise.
Get separate trash bags for degradable waste such as food leftovers, pilings, anything food waste that can decompose, and biodegradable waste, such as papers, wraps, and whatever else. This way, disposing of them will be easier.
If you’re lucky, and if you ask nicely, Some gas stations can allow you to get rid of your garbage if they are filling up.
Lastly,
Practice With Shorter Trips, Extend Gradually.
As with everything, dry camping or camping in general needs a bit of time to get the hang of it.
Going from an amateur camper to a pro camper will take you a few tries, errors, and successes along the way. And it’s quite frankly the only way to learn. Hence, it’s always a good idea to start small.
If you’re new to camping, start by planning a one or two-day camp trip. Don’t overdo it, practice with short trips until you’re used to the environment camping provided and handling basic situations. Slowly extend the number of days you wish to stay continuously until you get it.
This gives you time to practice how to conserve water, resources, and electricity as mentioned above. Obviously the more you reactivate the easier it will get. And those 1 to 2-week dry camping trips done mostly by professionals won’t seem as challenging as it once was.
Quick Tips for Staying Safe During a Dry Camp.
Always Let Someone Know Your Location.
Probably the first thing you should always make sure to do before leaving your home for a dry camping trip is to let someone, perhaps a friend or a family member, know your location or where you intended to spend your time camping. This way, you’ll always have someone to search for you if things go south on your trip.
Beware of Thieves.
Tech gadgets such as laptops, cameras, smartphones, and even solar panels, are among the most stolen properties during a camp trip. Always make sure to keep your important gadgets inside your RV if not in use at the time to avoid situations where they could be stolen
Keep Windows and Doors Locked
To prevent creepy eyes from watching you, keep the shades drawn in your camper or van, or use window coverings if you are in an RV.
Keep your doors shut and locked, so that people won’t be able to tell what you have inside and if it’s worth breaking into and stealing. you can also easily protect your gear and tech as mentioned in tip two above.
Make Friends With Your Neighbors
It pays to be kind. Having someone close by who you can be friends with is good because you will have someone to talk to in case you run into a problem while camping or just to have a friendly conversation with. That way you can easily get help if and when you need it, but also always be ready to help if they are in need. And you’ll have other watchful eyes around your stuff. Perfect for your protection and the protection of your property as well.
Always Have a Quick Setup and Clear-out Time.
This is best done in an RV where you can easily drive off in case of emergencies such as forest fires, or bear attacks in which case you should also always have bear spray just in case.
Keep your driving area clutter-free so that you can quickly get in and drive out. When you get somewhere safer, you can then quickly arrange the rest of your stuff in the RV.
But if you have a camper set up that needs you to unhook before packing out, it’ll be best if you only set up what you need to reduce packing out time
Conclusion.
Dry camping can be safe and fun if done right. To avoid being in uncomfortable and unwanted situations, simply follow these 10 tips which will help you stay safe during your time while dry camping. Who knows, they may just save your life.