Here at Nikwax, we wanted to know what your favorite “camping hacks” were.
Utilizing our various audiences across our various social and digital channels, we put out the call to the masses…
…and you answered!
We received over 1,000 submission ideas that answered the question “How do you make camping a simpler, smarter, more efficient, and better experience than it already is?”
With that many submissions to sort through, it made it extremely difficult to select only 10 hacks to make our “Top 10” list, so major props to the folks that made the list!
We picked these 10 Camping Hacks for their simplicity, flexibility, accessibility, and general problem-solving ability.
We wanted as many people as possible to be able to try these themselves.
Enjoy!
TOP 10 CAMPING HACKS
1. A Tasty Firestarter…
“Use Doritos as a firestarter, as well as a snack.”
– North B.
2. Rest Assured…
“Tuck the end of your camping pad inside a t-shirt and wedge your inflatable pillow underneath; this will keep your pillow from sliding off your pad all night long.”
– Hunter I.
3. Eggs Too Easy…
“Crack your eggs into a wide-mouth bottle beforehand, rather than bringing an egg carton… makes for easier clean up, easy meal prep (simply shake the bottle for scrambled eggs), and no accidental egg-breaks in the cooler.”
– Jean K.
4. Shed some light…
“Make a lantern out of a plastic gallon water jug and an inward-facing headlamp.”
– Gayle S.
5. Wise Old Sage…
“Add sage to your campfire to keep the mosquitoes away.”
– Kyle C.
6. Hydration Innovation…
“In colder temperatures, flip your water bottles upside down, so that they freeze from the bottom of the bottle, rather than from the lid, which blocks the flow of water.”
– Eric C.
7. Breakfast with Precision…
“Pre-fill an empty squeeze water bottle with mixed pancake batter or pre-scrambled, uncooked eggs. You’ll be able to squeeze out the exact amount you want, cook it over the fire in a pan, and cap the rest and save it for later.”
– Stephen L.
8. Syrah Ah-hah…
“Use wine corks soaked in rubbing alcohol for a fire-starter. They weigh practically nothing.”
– Brandy W.
9. Essential Oils FTW…
“Mix some tea tree oil in with water in a spray bottle and spray it on your pant cuffs, socks, shoes, and anything else you’d like, as a natural tick deterrent.”
– Lisa C.
10. Sleeping Bag Spa…
“Heat up clean stones near the fire for a while, then carefully remove them and wrap them in an old t-shirt or sock and stick them in your sleeping bag for added warmth.”
– Sheri K.
HONORABLE MENTION (Because they made us laugh):
“Camp within range of a pizza delivery place… just in case.”
“Forget your coffee filters? No worries! Use a clean sock.”
“Take a bucket and dig a hole. Place that bucket in the hole. Use a circle pool inflatable as a seat, and voila… bathroom.”
“To successfully camp, it is best not to die.”
“Make sure you set your tent up BEFORE you start drinking.”
“If you get cold, start thinking about a time when you were even colder, and you’ll immediately start to warm up.”
“Don’t sleep with snakes.”
“Buy an RV.”
“Don’t bring the kids.”
