What Your Camping Style Says About You
Camping is a universal activity that gets people out of the house and into the Great Outdoors. The land around us is seemingly starting to shrink, living spaces are getting smaller, and everyone gets so caught up in their worlds (and technologies) that they forget to look up. Camping brings your eyes up. Up to the stars, and up and around to see the expansive grounds of nature surrounding you. There are many different types of camping, which attract different types of people, but overall, the idea of just getting outside and away from the mainstream, is a healthy decision we should all make as often as possible.
Whether you enjoy your amenities, or like to shed away the modern ways, your style of camping says something different about your personality. But the important thing to remember, is that camping, in any form, is a great way to expose us to the more natural world.
So you're not really big into the whole sleeping on the ground thing. And just because you want to spend some time outside, doesn't mean you can't do it in style. Who ever said that camping and luxury couldn't go hand in hand? Glamping is for those who enjoy hearing the crickets, along with a nice glass of wine and a some decorative pillows on their bed.
You're most likely part of a huge family or are a retired couple looking to explore the outdoors, but with the comforts of home. There are a few that are as fancy as the glampers, with HD TVs and all the latest gadgets. But, others just like the idea of sitting by the fire with little Tom and Tina and then heading inside to a heated room with an array of sleeping options. RVers are often playing cornholl or grilling up some hot dogs and always have a smile on their face.
Car camping is the average man's camping. Comfortable but still one with nature (as in you are sleeping on/close the ground). Though, car camping allows for some extra packing. Some even go so far as to pack an air mattress in the trunk. Car camping is for those who like to have dry toilet paper and a stocked trunk of food to make over the fire while still sleeping cuddled up in a sleeping bag.
For those who like to be active and leave all the electronics behind (but still pack a sleeping mat and other essentials) bike camping is the answer. Get to your site quicker, and have some extra room to store in your panniers and bike racks. Popular amongst the hipsters and outdoorsy people of the pacific northwest, bike camping is for those whose bike is their best friend and who love to get places quickly with their own two feet.
Tent Camping
Backpacking and tent camping requires you to pack lightly. Bring what you need and what can be stored in your pack. Tent campers know how to use a Swiss Army Knife, they enjoy being alone in nature, and slowly soaking it all in. They can pitch a tent in a jiffy and love spending the days hiking uphill, and the nights laying among the sounds of nature.
Bivy sack campers are the ultra minimalists. They want to sleep under the stars (safely) and don't bother with the useless packing of tents and poles. They keep their packs light for more extreme climbing, and are most likely catching their dinner in a nearby stream.
Sleeping Under the Stars
Sleeping under the stars sounds so romantic. But without anything, even a bivy sack, is crazy. These people are crazy. And most likely going to be eaten by bears.