An Honest Review of the Pros and Cons of Camping
You may have heard that camping has become insanely popular over the past few years. Even before the pandemic took over, camping was on a serious rise among all demographics. You’re probably thinking about embarking on your own camping trip and wondering if it might be right for you.
In this piece, we’re weighing the pros and cons of camping so that you can decide for yourself if a camping trip should be in your near future plans.
Let’s start by getting all of the disadvantages out of the way, but don’t be discouraged by them. Keep reading to the end as it can only get better from here.
The Pros and Cons of Camping – Disadvantages
Camping Gear
This can really be both a pro and con of camping. You’ll need gear which is going to cost a bit of money. And once you start looking into all of the things you need plus the extra cool gadgets you want the price can rise quickly.
The good thing is that there are so many brands out there making quality, cost effective camping gear these days that you really don’t need to break the bank. And shopping around for the newest trends and products can be a lot of fun.
Sleeping Comfort
Sleeping on the hard ground in a cold tent isn’t for everyone. You can wake up with a stiff back and sore shoulders. Hiking Yosemite Park can be extra challenging when you’ve only had 4 hours of solid sleep.
However, there is tons of groundbreaking gear out there from sleeping pads to camping cots that make sleeping in the forest feel like sleeping at home.
Unpredictable Weather
Because of demand on camping sites you often have to book months in advance to get the site you want. The weatherman can barely tell us what it’s going to be like tomorrow let alone a few months from now.
Hanging out in the rain all weekend can really put a damper on your camping trip. There are products that can make it more bearable like a rainfly for your tent and a good tarp to keep you and your stuff dry. Nevertheless, camping just isn’t the same when the sun isn’t shining.
Pros and Cons of Camping – Bugs
Right when you want to start camping, those pesky critters are hatching and ready to eat you alive. They can drive you crazy if you aren’t prepared for and used to them. Each insect has its own lifecycle and generally speaking they go won’t bother you during the day time. Be prepared around dusk for them to come out looking for a meal. As the night progresses, they’ll retreat back to where they came from.
Now that we’ve taken a look at the cons of camping, it’s time to dig into all of the reasons that make camping great.
The Pros and Cons of Camping – Advantages
Peace and Relaxation
One of the most common reasons that people enjoy camping is for the relaxation they feel. Getting away from the chores of the house and unwinding on a small plot of land where your biggest worries are what’s for dinner and how cold are the drinks?
People love to bring along their favorite book and read while swinging in a hammock.
Nature and Adventure
Many people spend hours each week scrolling through pictures on Instagram of beautiful mountain ranges and forests and yet never take the short drive out to the countryside themselves.
Camping will put you in the heart of your Instagram feed where you’ll find hiking trails, tall trees and waterfalls right outside your tent. And who knows, you might even capture a few perfect pictures on your own.
Family Time
Whether you’re camping alone, with family or friends, you will be with the ones you love. A camping trip is the perfect time to reconnect, away from all of the noise and chaos of our everyday lives. I’d put this one at the top of the pros of camping list.
Activeness and Exercise
Not having all of your belongings from home will force you to reimagine what it takes to have fun. You’ll spend plenty of time walking around the campsite, swimming during the day or taking a day hike around the area to sight see.
Sleeping Patterns
Artificial light and long working hours can help to throw off our circadian rhythm or internal clock. In a way, we’ve been tricking our bodies into thinking that it’s day time all the time. Disconnecting from technology and the city lights for even just a few days can help bring our bodies back into rhythm. We relearn to sleep when the sun goes down and rise when the sun does.
This can be especially helpful after the long dark months of winter.
Soak in Vitamin D
If you live in a city and especially an apartment, chances are you’re not getting enough Vitamin D. Getting outside on a camping trip will ensure that you’re soaking up every last ray of sunlight and getting all of the health benefits to boot.
Increases Happiness
Maybe you’ve seen all of those memes about how your “happiest when you’re camping” etc. etc. While the pictures might be funny, the messages are true. As your stress levels decrease and your Vitamin D levels increase, you’ll notice a blanket of happiness overcome you. And that’s good for both you and everyone around you.
For me the advantages far outweigh the negatives of getting outside and taking a camping trip. And if this will be your first camping trip, I’ve put together a few tips for that as well. planning your first family camping trip.
Or maybe you think you’d love to try camping but with some luxuries attached. In that case, why not check out Glamping as a way to ease into it.
