Description – Find out more about the UK’s love for camping, and how to store your own camping gear safely and securely.
Did you know that every year 9.3 million camping trips are taken by Brits who just love the outdoors and spending time in nature? Barbecue every evening, the cosy sound of rain pattering on the canvas, the sound of birds waking you up in the morning – what could be better?
Whilst camping itself is great, it is important to look after camping gear to make sure that the trip isn’t ruined by issues with the tent or other accessories. There is nothing worse than getting your camping gear out ahead of an impromptu trip, only to find that it is not in great condition. Worse, if you just grab and go only to put the tent up and find parts are missing, or that there is mould and damage that potentially puts you at risk of sleeping in the car tonight. To help you ensure that your gear is as you left it when the time comes for another outdoor adventure, here are some tips for storing camping equipment:
Check Everything Is There & In Good Condition
If there have been a few pegs lost during your latest trip, or parts are ripped or broken, it is better to fix or replace them now, than just before a camping trip. Even better, if you know the tent is due to be replaced, or you know that you want new camping chairs, buy them in the end-of-season sales and replace them now, rather than paying top dollar next year when the season starts again.
Give The Tent A Rinse
Give the tent a rinse to get rid of dirt and debris that can scratch or damage the gear whilst it is in storage. The rinse should be especially focused on areas of the tent that have been soiled by bird poop, soil and beverage spillages. They might not come off just with a gentle spritz and you may need to properly hose and even scrub those parts to get the debris off.
Remove Batteries Or Other Things That Will Leak
If there are batteries or any containers containing liquids, you should empty them so that they don’t leak or degrade. Batteries, inparticular, can be a very nasty item to leak as they contain acid, which then goes on to degrade and damage other items that are packed with your gear.
Dry Everything Out
One of the biggest causes of problems with camping gear is when they are packed wet. They then degrade over time, and tends inparticular can become mouldy and stained. The best way to avoid this is to air dry your camping gear as soon as you get home. Give the gear a good rinse and then let it fully air dry in the garden.
Waterproof The Tent
Even the most waterproof of items will lose their waterproof protection eventually. This is when you need to waterproof the item so that when it rains on your trip you don’t end up with that cosy rainy weather flooding you out. You can buy tent spray really cheaply and should use it multiple times to ensure good coverage. This should be done after the tent has been rinsed out and dried out.
Organise & Label
Organising your camping gear now might seem boring, but future you will love you for it. Think tent pegs held together with an elastic band, strings and other parts bagged up, and even different categories of camping gear kept together. This kind of organisation is a great way to protect yourself against loss and struggling to put things together when you unpack. To further add to this process you can label your camping gear. Just a marker pen on a bag or box is so helpful, and also helps you pack up the car on your next camping trip as you will know what should be more accessible to you immediately when you arrive. Most people like the tent and tent accessories available first, and then everything else packed further back in the car.
Store Camping Gear Well
Another big issue with camping gear is the way it is stored. It can be stuffed away after a camping trip and kept in unsuitable conditions. Spaces that are damp, dirt, subject to extreme temperatures and worst of all – open to pests. Mice love to nest in sleeping bags and tent materials, and in the wrong storage space there’s no protection against those kinds of issues. Additionally, camping gear can take up a lot of space in the home when it might only be used once or twice a year. The alternative is to use affordable London self storage which is affordable, flexible, dry, secure and often climate controlled. Storing in affordable self storage means your camping gear has the best possible chance of remaining in fantastic condition, until next time you head out on an adventure.
Wherever you do store your camping gear, be sure to stack it carefully. Remember that thin metals can warp if they have heavy things stacked on top of them, and unstable stacks can fall and cause more fragile items to break. Stack sensibly and so that you can access everything with ease.
Are You Ready To Utilise Your Local Self Storage Facility For Your Camping Gear?
Why not speak to your London self storage facility about their available spaces, which come in sizes as small as a gym locker, so you can only store camping gear if you like, or choose a bigger space and store other seasonal items too, to make the most of monthly fees.
It could be exactly what you need to protect your expensive camping gear – ensuring that your next adventure won’t be scuppered by any issues. Of course, the weather can’t be guaranteed, but with self storage, the condition of your camping gear can.
