Avoid preparing for a hiking or camping trip at the last minute

Life is crazy. Time is short. Adventurous people tend to be busy people, so you’ll no doubt be careening headlong toward your big day without a moment to spare. And as romantic as a last-minute camping trip is in theory, there really is nothing worse than pulling a soggy, mold-encrusted pair of hiking boots from the depths of your shed, only to discover that a family of slugs has taken up residence in the cozy interior.

Put a note in your diary to get your hiking or camping equipment out a week before to clean it and let it air out. The added bonus of this approach is that it provides time enough to realize that you actually lent your poles, pack, head lamp, tent, or other crucial item to a friend a few months back.

Even better, be prepared for last-minute camping trips when an opportunity arises by regularly checking and maintaining your camping equipment.

The weather 7-3-1 approach

Use the 7-3-1 approach to check the weather when preparing for a trip:

7 days out: Take a peek at the forecast to get a rough idea of what type of gear you need to take (this is the point when you get it all ready, as above).

3 days out: Take another look and make any adjustments: an extra rain jacket, a beanie, sunglasses. If the weather looks unsettled at this point, start thinking about a plan B. It’s all too easy to give yourself excuses and back out of adventure altogether. Is there a way to be better prepared, or a different location with better weather to visit? The better prepared you are for every scenario, the more likely you’ll be able to stick to your adventure masterplan.

If it’s going to be truly nasty and you don’t have the equipment to manage it, consider rescheduling. However, make sure you still do something the day of your planned adventure, whether it’s a local day hike, a trip to a greenhouse or museum, or a day in reading a good adventure book.

1 day out: Do a final last minute check, just in case. If it’s looking iffy, you may also want to check the morning of to determine what additional camping equipment you need. 

Whatever you uncover through the 7-3-1, remain optimistic at all times. Remember that rain leads to rainbows, mud to mud fights and fog offers up the best photo opportunities. It doesn’t have to be sunshine all the way to make for a memorable trip! Just make sure you’re prepared with outdoor clothing and footwear appropriate for the elements.

Charge your batteries!!!

A camera running out of battery mid-perfect-shot is devastating. Even worse is when you’re trying to make it back to the car and have to navigate via the light on your phone, because your flashlight has died. Worse than both of these is when a piece of safety or navigation equipment fails and you wind up lost or worse and in a whole heap of trouble. Two nights before you’re due to leave, get everything electrical out, charge it up to the max, check to make sure works and check it again. If any of your camping equipment needs batteries, make use you have enough spares of the right ones packed. You could also consider a solar or wood-burning portable charger for longer adventures.

Educate yourself

By far the most exciting part of going somewhere new, is what you learn about that place along the way. Wherever you’re headed there’s bound to be something fascinating about it’s geography or history. While you’re preparing for a trip and getting your camping equipment ready, do a little research on your destination, pick up a guide book or a book on true stories from the area or local lore. Maybe it was a civil war battle ground? Perhaps it’s haunted? It could even be the birthplace of Blackbeard, the original pirate. If you happen to be taking a hot date on this adventure day, a little pre-research will make you appear incredibly intelligent.

Outdoorsy + intelligent = irresistible.