Free Camping & Recreation

Travel trailers are great for those people who love to travel, got to their favorite vacation locations or camping, especially if tent camping isn't at the top of the list. When looking at new travel trailers, often they can be quite expensive so sometimes a person may be more interested in purchasing one that is used. But, if you consider buying used travel trailer you need to make sure that you know what to look for. Some things to consider would be the condition of the different components on the trailer and knowing how to negotiate for a good price as well as whether or it the trailer meets a persons list of requirements.

When shopping for used travel trailers it is advisable for you to look at the trailer thoroughly, this means giving it a good physical examination, especially if you find one that you may be considering buying. Just because some travel trailers look really nicely kept on the inside of them, often the inside components as well as the accessories my not be up to standard. This means that you should check it out very well in person. It really isn't a very good idea to order one online without being able to check it out good.

A benefit of checking out all of the components as well as accessories that may be included in travel trailers is that it really makes it a lot easier to determine the actual condition that everything is in. This will make it a lot easier for you to decide whether or not you want to buy it or go check out some other travel trailers. You need to check and see if any of the components or accessories are going to need to be fixed or replaced. If they do, you may have to end up paying a lot more than you really want to pay for the trailer.

You should also take a good look at all the switches as well as any appliances that might be included with the travel trailer. In order to ensure a good deal you need to make sure that the comfort rooms are in good condition as well. You don't want one that may need to have them repaired or changed out. Make sure to examine the water system, pipes and the taps and see if the water flow is effective and efficient.

You will also want to examine all the mechanical parts of the trailer to make sure that the trailer is safe to use. Check under the trailer for any rust, damage or corrosion. If the frame is rusty or shows any signs of broken welds, cracks or impact damage you are going to want to avoid buying a trailer in this condition.

You will also want to know what the maximum load is that the trailer can handle comfortably. You want to make sure that it is a good match for your car because if it turns out to be too big you would have to have a different car to haul it.

Finally, when you go out shopping for used travel trailers you need to make sure that you have a budget in mind for how much you can spend and you need to make sure that you stick to this budget.

Whenever a person goes camping they know they need quite a bit of camping gear to take with them on their camping trip. They also know to pack things like soap that is biodegradable, trash bags, lighter fluid, matches and tons of other common items. However, there are some things that they may accidentally forget or not have a good quality one and if that is the case, this can make for a rough camping trip.

The first piece of camping gear that is essential is a tent. Most people won't forget to bring this but what they do fail to do is make sure that their tent is a reliable tent. It is important that the tent a camper has is a quality one that is made of extremely strong fabric and will protect the camper against thunderstorms, snowstorms or any other kind of severe weather conditions they might run into.

The tent also needs to be the right size. For instance if a person is going on a family camping trip then they are going to need a very large tent if they plan on sharing the same tent. There should be around 30 square feet of space on the floor of the tent for each person staying in the tent. This means that there may be a need for more than one tent if the family is large. If it's just going to be with one other person you can probably get away with about 18 square feet per person.

A sharp knife is an item that often gets forgotten when packing for a camping trip. A good camping or hunting knife is very important because it can be used to help build a campfire, help to prepare food during the rip, cut cords and take care of numerous other things that might need a sharp blade. The multi-purpose type knives are a great item for the regular camper. However, you should never buy a cheap one because it won't be very good for any precision type task.

It is important to look for a high quality knife that is made especially for camping and hunting.

One of the most common items of camping gear that gets left behind is an ax. Sure a knife is a great thing to have but it can't take care of everything. A good quality ax can help cut the firewood needed for a campfire or it can clear away overgrown brush if a person wants to go hiking. It can also be used like a hammer by using the blunt side of it.

All campers need to get around in the dark so it is very important that there is at least one very good heavy duty flashlight included with the camping gear. Those small pen lights are simply not going to work. A really good quality heavy duty flashlight or even a headlamp is going to be much better. Extra batteries are a must here as well. One of the best you can get is an LED light, these have long lasting batteries that can last up to 30 hours before they need a charge and they give off great illumination.

Finally, this is probably something that most campers never think of including in their camping gear and that would be a hand held emergency generator. It seems these days campers don't forget to bring their smartphones or other tech gadgets with them on their camping trips however they last only so long, 4 to 12 hours depending upon how much they are used. This is why a hand held generator will come in handy. These are hand cranked generators but will serve the purpose of recharging any phones or other items brought on the trip. However, nothing is going to give you the power you need to be browsing the Internet. Some of them however do have built in radios, solar panels and even flashlights.

One important thing to remember whenever going camping, the campsite or camping area you'll be camping at will need to be taken into consideration when buying and packing up your gear. If it's in the Everglades for example you are going to need an entirely different set of camping tools than if you were camping somewhere out in the desert somewhere.

Getting ready to go camping in the great outdoors requires a lot of good preparation whether it is your first time camping or your 100th time camping. And to be well prepared and make sure that you have all the essential supplies and equipment for your trip and to ensure that you have a great experience you should use a camping checklist to help you get organized.

A camping checklist is a great way to help you and your organization of all the things you are going to need for your outdoor adventure. All camping lists of course are going to vary because they will be organized around the kind of camping and activities that you plan on participating in, where you are going, the amount of time you will be gone and the time of year that you plan on going camping.

Just to get you started and to help you see what kinds of things might be included on a camping list:

Shelter – Tent, ground cloth or a tarp, some extra stakes for the tent, a shade tarp with poles, rope and stakes, a hammer or ax or both, a mat to put in front of the entrance to your ten, a dust pan and brush or broom.

Bedding – Sleeping bags, sheets, blankets, pillows, air mattress, sleeping pad, cot and tarp. Air pump for mattresses, repair kit for air mattresses, utility bags for storing things.

Cooking Items – Large water jug and bucket, coolers and ice, thermos, stove with fuel, matches or lighter, charcoal, firewood, Dutch oven, tin can stove, box oven, campfire grill or a BBQ grill, fire starters, newspapers for starting fires, tablecloth and some thumb tacks, plates, bowls, paper plates and bowls, silverware ad plastic silverware, measuring cups, heavy duty foil, paper towels, trash bags, dish soap, cooking oil or Pam spray, food storage containers, potholders, pots, pans and skillets, cooking utensils like spoons, knives and spatula, tongs, grill forks or skewers, can opener, folding table, mugs and paper cups, mixing bowl, cutting board, dish pan for washing dirty items in, dish rags, dish towels, scrub pads, seasonings, condiments and sugar.

Clothing Items – Shoes and boots, jeans, shorts, T-shirts, extra socks, hats, bandanas, sweatshirts, jacket, underwear, sleeping clothes, rain gear, swim suits, and a laundry bag for all the dirty clothes.

Personal Items – Flip flops, wash cloths, soap in a plastic container or zip-lock baggie, tooth brush and tooth paste, deodorant, comb and brush, razor, toilet products, feminine products, shower bag or a five gallon bucket, camp shower or shower pump if going where there are no facilities, personal medications.

Miscellaneous Items – Sunscreen and chapstick, lanterns with extra mantles and fuel, extra batteries, compass or GPS, bug repellant, whistles, water filters, camera, books, magazines, candles, maps and directions, miscellaneous tools, backpack, fishing gear and bait, radio, camp chairs, sunglasses, hammock, first aid kit, tissues, park map, guide books, trail maps, popcorn, marshmallows, graham crackers, Hershey bars for the traditional Smores, flashlight and batteries, pocket knife, trash bags, binoculars, rope for a clothes line, canteen, water bottles, coffee pot, bungee cords, cards, games, toys, duct tape or electrical tape, notepad and pens, cell phone charger, walkie talkies, small shovel, safety pins, bikes, travel alarm, work gloves, hand wipes, drinks and snacks, small sewing kit, fire extinguisher, hot chocolate, tea, coffee, scissors, watch. You will also want to have a complete list of all the food items you will be bringing with you for meals and what items you will buy as you get closer to your camping destination. It is also very important that you tell someone you know of your camping plans. Make sure to give them as much details about where you are going and when you will be returning. Make sure to give them directions along with any possible alternative roads that you might end up taking. Give them cell phone numbers, your vehicles description and license plate number. If you have a hand held radio give them the channel and the codes you might be using.

Here are some items you might want to consider putting in your first aid kit:

• Medications
• Roll bandages
• Adhesive tape
• Antiseptic
• Gauze pads
• Cotton swabs
• Tweezers
• Bee sting kit
• Tissues
• Sterile compresses
• Splinting materials
• Ipecac
• Razor blades
• Small bottle of water
• Small blanket
• Triangular bandages
• Band Aides
• Anti-acids
• Aspirin, Tylenol and Ibuprofen
• Hydrogen Peroxide
• Ace bandages
• Lotion for sunburns
• Snake bite kit
• Latex gloves
• Antibacterial soap
• Thermometer
• Butterfly bandages
• Road flares
• Nail clippers