#1 Camping Tip. And You Only Have to Do It Once.

My husband went camping once and thought he had packed everything. He had – except for one thing. The poles for the tent. More recently he had tent poles. Just not the right ones.

So here’s our #1 tip for camping: Always set up your tent at home first. It’s much easier to figure out a new tent when you’re at home with access to decent light, the possibility of replacing any missing pieces and not having a deadline.

Read hundreds more tips and what gear to take from expert campers in our Camping for Beginners Guide and Camping Gear for Beginners.

– Jan Schroder, Editor-in-chief