If you happen to camp in a tent, it’s a lot simpler to get a superb evening’s relaxation on a stage campsite than one which’s on a slope. There’s nothing worse than sliding off your sleeping pad all evening lengthy since you picked a crappy place to arrange your tent, you’re too drained to discover a higher tent web site, otherwise you’ve run out of daylight since you didn’t begin in search of a superb tent web site quickly sufficient. The rationale this occurs is that individuals are notoriously unhealthy at figuring out whether or not a campsite is flat by eye and as soon as they arrange their tent it’s usually too late to maneuver it once more.
I’m not speaking about designated campsites in campgrounds which have their very own points, however wilderness websites the place nobody has camped earlier than, or not usually, or these bald patches the place individuals have camped earlier than close to lean-tos, path shelters, and privies.
There are two easy methods to find out if a spot is stage and appropriate for sleeping on. I favor the Bottle-Stage Methodology which makes use of a water bottle, however the Snow Angel Approach can work for those who don’t use water bottles.
- The Snow Angel Approach
- The Bottle Stage Methodology
The Snow Angel Approach
The Snow Angel Approach is fairly easy. Lie down on the piece of floor that you simply suppose may make a superb tent web site…proper within the dust. Flap your arms and scissor your legs. If the bottom “FEELS” stage, then you definitely’re in enterprise. It’s that easy. You’re physique and vestibular system are very dependable in the case of feeling sloping floor, to not point out nasty roots and rocks. It’s referred to as the snow angel method as a result of it’s like making a snow angel in winter.
The issue with the snow angel method is nasty bugs. If you happen to choose a spot to check that has natural matter on prime, there’s a really actual probability that you simply’re going to select up ticks or chiggers in your garments, hair, or hooked up to your pores and skin. You actually don’t need that to occur for well being and luxury causes, so it’s form of a last-resort method in my e-book.
The Bottle Stage Methodology
If you happen to’ve ever used a carpentry stage, it makes use of a water bubble to find out whether or not a floor is stage or not. If you happen to carry your ingesting water in a transparent plastic bottle, you’ve got a stage that you should utilize to check whether or not a tent web site is stage or not. Neat, huh?
Merely tip a largely stuffed plastic bottle onto its facet and place it on the bottom that you simply wish to consider. If the horizontal bubble is in the midst of the bottle, then the bottom is flat. If you happen to transfer the bottle round to totally different contiguous spots, you may rapidly decide if they’re stage too or sloped. Keep in mind, you simply must discover a flat area massive sufficient to carry your sleeping pad, or two for those who’re tenting with a accomplice.
The bottle method was recommended to me years in the past by a reader and I feel it’s simply plain good. It’s one of many the explanation why we invite feedback and full of life neighborhood discussions on SectionHiker.com. Everyone has one thing to share in the case of climbing and backpacking and we will all profit as a neighborhood, it doesn’t matter what form of journeys and adventures we take.
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