Outdoors and MRE: Backcountry Camping

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“”Two roads diverged in the wood and I took the one less travelled by. And that has made all the difference.””

Now, that you have qualified to become an experienced camper after having made some great memories in your car camping and RV camping trip it is finally time to gear yourself up for the venturesome backcountry camping trip. No different from traditional camping, except of course you are not at a traditional camp site with ten other camping groups flocking the area, neither do you have the access to the very convenient water supplies and restrooms. Backcountry camping is all about getting up on your foot and tracing the less taken trails. It is all about witnessing nature at its best and in its rawest form, untainted and untarnished by the artificiality of human existence. Primitive camping is another name that is given to backcountry camping because it requires you to develop some survival skills while exploring the isolated regions of the forests. You need to be an experienced camper or have some experience when it comes to an outdoor adventure activity because surviving out in the open can come as a mighty challenge to people who are a tad bit too settled in the comforts of their homes. What you need to remember while planning for the a backcountry camping trip is that it is no picnic. A lot of efforts and preparations are involved in preparing yourself for the possible dangers of backcountry camping. And no matter how hectic preparing for it may seem, it is all just to ensure that you have nothing but fun on your trip. Here is a list of some much-needed tips and tricks that promise to make your experience a lot more smooth and memorable.

1. Starting with some extra trash bags, they will come in extremely handy when you are making sure that you abide by one explicit rule of backpacking which is not to leave any mark behind. Moreover, they are quite light in weight and do not add anything when allotted a small corner in your big backpack. What they can also help with is that you can use them as a makeshift poncho or even instant pack covers which you will need in case it rains. Another thing that these multi-purpose trash bags can be used for is to collect rain water which can further be used by you during the trip.
2. Telescopes or binoculars with an extensive range can help you like you wouldn’t assume. Most of the times people forget to pack them thinking they don’t need them, but when you are exploring the backcountry, then you cannot ignore that river fordings, rocky terrain and outcrop regions can easily fall in your path. Yes, backcountry camping is all about being energetic and ready for all the physical workout but being just a little kind to your knees, and ankles and the rest of your body in short will only do good to you. You will feel tired irrespective of that so why to add to it. A telescope or a binocular in your backpack will guide you on the right path avoiding all the exhaustion.
3. Mosquito bites are the worst thing to deal with on any outdoor trip. They get on your last nerve, and you end up using a lot of mosquito repellant. Consider yourself lucky if it lasts you the whole trip unless of course you have taken a big bottle. If not then there certainly is no need to worry. All you need to do to deal with these irritating creatures is to look for bay laurel or elderberry bushes. Pluck some leaves from the bush and rub yourself with them. You will do so much better with the rub than without it.
4. If you ever wonder that the weight of the backpack can be owed to the heaps of items you are carrying with yourself then remember that it is not always the case. Sometimes, you have not packed it the way it needs to be packed which is the cause of all the imbalance and the struggle while carrying it around. What you need to do is sort all the items according to their weight. Now, take the heaviest ones and pack them close to your spine, yes not at the bottom but closer to your spine. While packing them all at the bottom of the backpack can interfere with your centre of gravity making it easier for you to lose your balance and fall, carrying them close to your spine will give you stability.
5. We are all for keeping your body hydrated, especially during outdoor activities such as backcountry camping but nevertheless you also have to balance that with your skill for survival. The nights can get cold and with no roof covering your head, keeping warm can be a struggle. One trick that will help you through it is not to drink a lot of water before going to sleep.
6. Food: The biggest mistake that people make is not being able to make wise choices when it comes to picking what food to take along. More often than not, it is canned and packaged products. If you are planning to prepare your meals, then that only adds to the weight of all the equipment you need to have. By just shifting your focus from these canned foods to MREs or Meals, Ready to Eat you can do so much better regarding taste, weight, nutrition and convenience. There are some definite advantages that MREs enjoy over any other food for an outdoor trip.

As much as you might like preparing meals by setting up a campfire, you know that preparing food when not in your kitchen is quite tiring especially if you are alone or in a small group. The central idea of cooking a fresh meal is that you think you will consume more nutrients, and the food will be hot. MREs or Meals, Ready to Eat are a superior alternative and here’s why.

These meals are ready-to-eat right out of their packs.

In case you want to eat a hot meal then you don’t have to worry about treating them with boiling water or anything like that. These meals come with a self-heating system that is activated as soon as you open the packs.

Each box of MRE is brimming with nutrients to make sure you get the required supply of proteins, vitamins and minerals for the day.

The packages are convenient to carry, and you don’t need extra utensils as they come with them.

You don’t have to carry spare water bottles because some MRE packs come with water bags. They also have beverages and desserts.

The best part about MREs is that they are rugged and impact resistant. Also, they last for a long time, and no matter when you consume them before their expiry, you will be eating a healthy and tasty meal.

To get hold of MREs, you need to rush to a military convenience store or check our XMRE products.

Apart from MREs, you could choose some high-calorie snacks like dark chocolate, nuts, apricots and cheese because as compared to the small space they will occupy, they will indeed act as a significant supplier of calories.

For water supplies, you can go with MRE water bags. You should also take water purifying tablets with you because you never know when you might run out of the water and before you fill your bottles up from a natural source you need to make sure that it is of drinkable quality.

1. For a pillow, you could take a sack bag and stuff it with your clothes, so it works as one. This way, you can save a significant amount of space when it comes to packing. Alternatively, you can also take an inflatable pillow that you can inflate while sleeping and deflate, wrap and stuff it in your bag during the day. If inflating balloons is not a problem for you, this is the best option.
2. Do not be too excited about the new hiking boots because with them on your feet you will end up with blisters. So no new footwear for an outdoor trip and let’s just leave it as it is.
3. Do not ignore the fickleness of weather and prepare accordingly. It is sunny today, but tomorrow is whole another story. Rainy weather is the worst enemy of any outdoor trip so make sure that you carry a small umbrella and waterproof packs to safeguard your essentials. Waterproof clothing will help you but not if the rain Gods are a little too generous. However, having them in your bag is never a bad idea.
4. When choosing a backpack befitting your backcountry camping requirements you might get drawn to the extra zippers, pockets and buckles. Well, just to let you know you will do a lot better without them because all they do is add to the weight and unwanted clutter that you won’t necessarily need. So before you choose the right backpack for you, it will be good if you would figure out what you are taking and how much space it will need. Over packing is as big a blunder as under packing.
5. A whistle will take up a tiny space in your pocket or no space while simply hanging around your neck but will be quite useful because you can use that to scare animals away if you feel their presence in your vicinity. You can also use it to shout out for help or locate your group just in case you lose your way too deep into the wild.
6. While maps, compass and GPS are relied upon to find your way into and out of the wilderness, it would be of great help to you if you don’t solely rely on those. You must study the area you are going to and use the knowledge to judge which way to proceed and which to avoid.

These tips and tricks may seem insignificant in front of the big trip that you are going to undertake but knowing these little things and using them to your advantage is what marks the difference between a fulfilling, happy trip and a not so happy one. Pack your bags keeping these in mind and there is no way you won’t have a good time out there.

Cheers!”