Spending time outside is something that every medical professional will recommend, regardless if it is because of stress relief or to take a breath of fresh air and simply enjoy nature. That is why camping is so popular today, more than ever before, as people need to escape from overcrowded cities and areas and just relax and enjoy the scenic views. On the other hand, those who have never camped or hiked before should know that certain rules need to be followed even here.
How to stay safe while backpacking?
Yes, the most important thing is safety, which is why bringing everything one might need is a must, especially if you plan to spend a couple of nights in some area where you don’t even have a phone signal. As for what to pack and bring, it all depends on personal preferences, but everyone should bring the basic things, like tents, blankets, sleeping bags, flashlights, extra batteries, picking tables, shoes, clothes, water, and of course food. Now, those who lack backpacking experience usually bring too much or not enough food, which is why in order to bring only as much as you actually need, you should plan in advance what you will eat while in nature.
Why think about food when backpacking?
Another food-related thing to keep in mind is how to pack the food, as this is where most people make a mistake. Namely, there are two problems that might occur, and the first is bringing the food that needs to be well preserved as you want to avoid any spillage, but the second problem is a much bigger one, and that’s packing the food so that animals don’t smell it. Yes, this is something that people often neglect when planning a stay of any kind in nature, but something that can even save your life and something we will further discuss.
1. Use one bag only for food
Although it might seem easier to put everything in the backpack instead of carrying separate bags, it is always better to use one bag only for food. There are a few reasons for that, and first of all, it will be much easier if the food and cutlery are in the same place, so you will not lose time finding them in the backpack. Besides that, since all food is in the same bag, there is no need to worry about the smell from different bags, and you will have only one to keep an eye on. It is a simple yet highly effective trick that every experienced backpacker already knows and something that everyone should do.
2. Plastic bags can be a great solution
Most people have a lot of plastic bags from local stores at home, and they usually don’t know what to do with them. Well, wrapping food for camping in them can be a great way to give them a purpose, as they will block the smell, especially if you use two of them for an extra layer of protection. Besides that, they will also protect food from getting moist, and you can simply throw them away once they are empty, but it is important to find the appropriate trash can so they can be recycled, to avoid polluting nature, as this is one of the biggest problems today.
Make sure that there is no food in them before throwing them away, as the smell will surely attract some wild animals. Another great option is freezer bags with a zipper, and they will block even more of the smell when properly sealed. When it comes to salt and other spices of similar texture, the best way to store them is PET bottles, and besides blocking the odor, they will also provide waterproof protection. The best thing about plastic bags and bottles is that you surely already have them at home, so there is no need to spend extra money before a long-awaited camping trip.
3. Use bear canisters
Since most campers have trouble storing their food, it is possible to find various solutions online, and a backpacking bear canister is one of the most popular products. They are specially designed to block all smells, can be used for storing different types of food, and what is most important, can easily fit into every backpack. Using these canisters is extremely easy, but their overall importance and meaning are yet another thing why they are backpackers’ favorite items. The price is yet another reason why most people go with these canisters, as they are not that costly, and everyone can afford them.
As for how they look, most of them are transparent, so there is no need to make different labels, as you can easily see what is inside of them, and thanks to the wide opening, taking anything from them will not be difficult. They can be found in various shapes and sizes, and buying a few of them will surely make every camping trip much easier and less stressful. Overall, you can also use them for other events like picking or camping, as they will preserve the food and keep it intact while blocking the smell so that animals can’t smell it at the same time.
Extra safety tip
Hopefully, everything mentioned above helped you realize just how important it is to block the smell of food while backpacking. On the other hand, even though blocking the food smell is important to avoid some dangerous and unwanted guests, another thing that most people often forget is how important it is to store the clothes worn during cooking. Namely, we don’t cook without no clothes on us, which means that our clothes also get full of the smell of the food.
Yes, those clothes are full of smell, and even if we do not realize that, wild animals surely will, thanks to their sharp senses. Because of that, it is important not to sleep in the same clothes, and the best way to make sure no unwanted guest will visit you during the night is to store them in a similar way as food in plastic bags and put them away from the camp.
