Words: Klean Kanteen / Images: Dan Holz
май 11, 2021
Camping Hacks to Start the Season
Camping Hacks to Start the Season
Amongst the team at Klean the word “camping” has a lot of different meanings. We have glampers, multi-day backpackers, car campers, overlanders, boondockers....well, you get the idea. The common thread that runs through all these camping sub-species is a desire to get outside as much as possible. Over the years we’ve developed some practices and hacks that help us make that happen. We wanted to share some of our favorites to kick the camping season off on the right foot!
Use The "Off Season"
The truly committed will argue that there is no off season for camping. But if you’re like us the cold, wet months inevitably slow down the weekend overnights. A favorite practice amongst the Klean camping contingent is to use those quiet months to get ready for the high season.
Trip Planning
Bust out the maps (yes paper maps are still a thing!) and start brainstorming on some new locations and adventures. We’ve found that the notes app, or similar, on your phone is a great tool for keeping a running list of trip ideas and locations.
Gear Check
When you are rushing to get out the door on a trip to maximize your limited weekend time nothing is worse than discovering you forgot you’re out of fuel for your stove or the residue from last fall's coffee is still sitting in the bottom of your camp cup. Use the slow season to clean, organize and repair your camping gear so that it’s ready to rock when you are. We actually kind of like this process. Is that weird!?
Make The End The Beginning
We like to think of the end of each camping trip as the beginning of the next one. This mind shift helps take some of the sting out of ending an amazing trip and gets us prepped for the next one. Build gear care, cleaning and organizing into your unpacking process. That way everything will be ready to grab and go when you’re rushing out the door on your next adventure. We like to accompany this stage with a cold beverage in one of our Insulated Tumblers. It’s actually a fun and productive way to wind down from an adventure and helps with that “just get out the door” hurdle the next time around.
Build a Custom Klean Camping Set
We may be a little biased, but we think Klean solutions are a great way to streamline your camping setup while keeping single-use plastics out of the equation. Grab the same group of Klean products for every trip and your hydration and food storage programs will soon become second nature. Here are a few of our favorites: Klean Food Boxes work great inside a cooler to protect fragile foods like berries or greens. For hydration we love the big Insulated TKWide 64oz for water storage at camp. Headed out for a hike? Transfer some water from your 64oz over to an Insulated TKWide 20oz with Twist Cap and you’re ready to roll. Nothing classes up morning coffee and evening campfire cocktails like an 8oz Tumbler or two. Need some help building your set? Check out our tried and true bundles.
Gear Check
When you are rushing to get out the door on a trip to maximize your limited weekend time nothing is worse than discovering you forgot you’re out of fuel for your stove or the residue from last fall's coffee is still sitting in the bottom of your camp cup. Use the slow season to clean, organize and repair your camping gear so that it’s ready to rock when you are. We actually kind of like this process. Is that weird!?
Leave No Trace
We wholeheartedly believe in leaving the places where we recreate cleaner than how we found them. To us this means following the 7 Leave No Trace principals on every trip. Social media also adds an interesting element to leaving no trace. Did you discover a hidden off-trail hot springs or luck into a pristine old growth cedar grove? Maybe stay away from the location tags for those under the radar spots and share the beta with friends the old-fashioned offline way. Luck into a campsite at a well know and spectacular drive-up beach front campground? You’ve earned bragging rights. Tag away!
Embrace the Traditions But Don't Stop the Exploration
Ask anyone who has been camping for years about their favorite trips and they’ll likely mention some spots they return to year after year for certain holidays, family celebrations or just to enjoy an annual natural event like the aspen leaves changing in the fall to their beautiful golden hue. We love these traditions and look forward to them every year but we also make it a point to explore at least a few new locations each season to keep things adventure forward! The fun part is seeing these new discoveries turn into traditions over the years.
Best Picks for Camping
For the nature lovers out there, we've got the best camping water bottles, cups and food storage containers. Durable stainless steel solutions for explorers that appreciate performance and quality. Lightweight and insulated bottles for all your camping adventures - whether you're a multi-day backpacker, car camper, day hiker, or just love a casual outdoor adventure!
