Camping tips for novices and experts

Camping tips for novices and experts
By: Chantal Rogers
Rating:***

This article is very informative, with information that could have helped me on our hiking trip. That's why I'm giving it a 3/4.

The article suggested a few ways to jump start your campfires. The first method was wiping Vaseline petroleum jelly on cotton balls to use as an easy fire starter that lasts for about 10 minutes. The second method is by taking a charcoal briquette soaked in paraffin. The article then descibes how you can use old film canisters in many useful ways. The first use of it is by making it into an emergency fishing kit, just put a fishing line with a few hooks and weighs in and you have a simple emergency fishing kit. They can also be used as waterproof match containers, simply by gluing a strip of sand paper to the top and slipping a few matches in. It then tells you of the many uses of baking soda while hiking. A few of the uses of baking soda are: as toothpaste with a little cinnamon, mouthwash when added to water, boot deoderant by shake a little in your boots etc.

This article made me think of all the camping trips I've been on. I noticed that I have actually used some of the methods, especially the different ways film canisters are used. However I did learn a few new ways to make fire starters.

Rogers, Chantal. Camping tips for novices and experts. Ottawa Outdoors. Spring 2011. Page 40.