Camping (recreation)

Camping may be defined as an outdoor recreational activity involving the spending of one or more nights in a tent or camper at a campsite, with the purpose of getting away from civilization and enjoying nature, but that definition is inadequate. Camping may be engaged in out of necessity, as in the case of homeless people, or people waiting in very long lines (queues). Campers may also, for various reasons, use a modified sleeping bag called a bivy sack in place of a tent, or no tent at all. Camping describes a whole range of activity from those survivalist campers who set of with little more than their boots to those who arrive in large recreational vehicles equiped with their own electricity, heat, patio furniture, etc.

Most campers prefer to use campsites with special facilities, such as fire rings, bathrooms, and utilities. (For more on facilities, see the campsite article.) Indeed, camping is often restricted by law to designated sites, in order to prevent campers from damaging the environment. Camping is engaged in as an end unto itself, but often it is in conjunction with other activities, such as hiking, swimming or fishing. National parks and other duly designated areas of interest are popular venues for camping.

Important items of tent camping equipment

• A tent or other shelter device
• A sleeping bag for warmth
• A sleeping pad is usually placed underneath the sleeping bag for cushioning against sticks, small rocks, and other pointed objects underneath the tent. An air mattress[?] may be used for additional cushioning.
• A portable stove to prepare hot meals and/or drinks where campfires are not allowed
• A lantern, in addition to a flashlight, for nighttime activities
• The Scout Outdoor Essentials are in fact a list of hiking gear, but may be used as a partial guide for camping gear as well.

Camping may be referred to colloquially as roughing it.

See also: camping (disambiguation)