Going camping means just taking the essentials; there’s simply no room for anything more, especially if you’re hiking and camping. But however you do it, you don’t want to be transporting more than necessary.
That applies to your personal possessions, too. The very nature of camping means you have to be very aware of where your things are, and you can’t put a lock on a tent! So taking care of your personal possessions takes on even greater importance.
What Not to Take Camping
You should take as few personal possessions as possible with you when you go camping. The more you leave safely at home, the less you have to worry about. Do you really need to take jewellery, for instance? It’s highly unlikely that you’ll be getting dressed up on a camping trip. If you have several credit cards, leave most of them behind; you don’t need them all.
Personal possessions, of course, can include radios, MP3 players, even battery operated portable televisions. Think twice about bringing them along, and if you do, when you’re not around, lock them in the car, in an area where they can’t be seen – remember what the police advise and follow it.
Personal Possessions in the Campground
It should go without saying that you shouldn’t leave anything valuable in your tent when you’re not there. That’s just asking to have things stolen. Most campers are very honest, but putting temptation in the way is just silly – someone won’t be able to resist.
If you’re in a car and have items you can’t carry with you, lock them out of sight. Anything portable you should carry with you all the time, preferably in an inner pocket or deep in your backpack. Have your cash and the credit and debit cards on your person, but not in a pocket that can easily be picked. If you’re using a shoulder bag, make sure it’s properly closed and carried across your body, not slung from one shoulder, where it can easily be stolen.
Know where everything is, and keep a list somewhere safe of the numbers on your credit and debit cards, along with the phone numbers for reporting if they’re lost or stolen. Hopefully you’ll never need it, but it’s better to have it, just in case.
Hiking and Camping
If you’re hiking and camping, then you’ll want to limit yourself to the absolute bare necessities. All the above advice applies, but also make sure you have a mobile phone with you, fully charged – you won’t need it on all the time, maybe to check messages once a day. But it’s a vital piece of equipment, not only for safety, but also to report any losses.
Once again, you want to make sure you keep it somewhere safe, as phones can be tempting, easy targets for thieves. It’s worth considering having a pay as you go mobile just for camping. That way, if it’s stolen, you don’t have the problems of contacting the network.
If you’re going camping abroad, then a record of all cards is vital – just in case. No matter where you are, keep your valuables out of sight and somewhere safe, where quick hands can’t reach them. Whenever you’re using an ATM, be aware of who’s around, and cover the keypad when tying in your PIN.