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Check out these 8 common mistakes you must avoid when storing camping gear for Winter.
12.5 million nights are spent camping in the UK every single year.
It’s sad when the camping season is over, but soon Christmas and other colder weather activities take our attention, and time. Soon enough though, camping season comes back around again and the outdoor fun starts over. But only if your camping gear was put away in great condition. If it wasn’t, you could end up with gear that is rusty, mouldy, smelly, and that has holes in – definitely not the ingredients of a fun outdoor trip.
To help you avoid these issues so that your gear gets through storage in great shape, avoid these 8 mistakes when you put your camping equipment away for winter:
1. Putting The Tent In Without Packing It In It’s Bag
Putting the tent away without packing it into its proper bag means that it won’t be protected how it should be. It could end up exposed to excess light, getting ripped if it is somewhere your family uses regularly, and getting otherwise damaged by its environment. Pack it in the bag it came in to ensure it stays protected.
2. Putting The Tent Away Without Airing It
If you don’t air your tent you could come back to it with mould on it, it could smell bad and it could even have holes in through mould damage. Air it out on a dry day before storing it to avoid these issues.
3. Putting The Tent Away Without Rinsing It Out
You should hose your tent down, then dry it, before putting it away. If you don’t rinse it down, the dirt and debris accumulated throughout your trip, you could end up with a stained tent. Even worse, you could end up settling into a grubby tent next time it comes to setting up on your camping trip.
4. Putting The Tent Away Without Drying It Thoroughly
Airing it out might seem like enough drying for your tent, but if you don’t properly dry it through it could still be prone to mould. Triple check it is totally dried through before you put it away to avoid mould.
5. Putting Everything Away Without Replacing Breakages/ Missing Pieces
It is important to ensure that all your camping gear is complete before you pack it. If you don’t replace missing or broken pieces, you could end up going on your next trip with a tent you can’t put up, or with a stove that doesn’t light.
6. Putting Pans Away Without Washing Them
Eww dirty pans… imagine getting them out months later to use them again. You could have grown some weird new food by then. Wash those pans out and dry them before you put them into storage.
7. Storing Torches & Accessories With Batteries In
Battery acid can literally rot and burn through an accessory and completely break it. Remove batteries and store them separately to protect your camping gear.
8. Storing In The Wrong Storage Environment
Storing in a shed with windows, a garage with a damp problem, or a room the pets and kids have access to all spell potential disaster for your camping gear. The ideal environment is somewhere like a cheap self storage unit that is clean, dry and well maintained. A storage unit with climate control is even better.
Avoiding the mistakes above can literally save your camping gear from being damaged, stinky, mouldy and incomplete come next camping season. This kind of gear isn’t exactly cheap, so it pays to take the time to pack it away carefully. With the right care, you’ll be all set for a great outdoor trip when the weather warms up again.