The Great Outdoors

Camping

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Now I know that listing camping doesn't seem like a difficult exercise regimen and probably conjurs up ideas of lazy Saturday afternoons and cooking smores over an open fire. Fortunately this family friendly activity is crucial to survival

                     Pictured: Survivalist                                                                            

However if you think about what is in store for you in a post-apocalyptic the reasoning becomes clear. For millennia humans have adapted their environment to be more comfortable, however when society crumbles it will take most of these adaptations with it, and its time once again to rough it with nature. If you currently spend most of your time in a shack in the forest disconnected form the grid then you may already be prepared for this step, however if you are a more standard suburbanite then you may want to take a couple steps to get ready.

I. Cabin Family Fun: This is the starting point for those whose ideas of roughing it is being out of range of pizza delivery. Start off with weekend trips to state parks with cabins bring plenty of supplies, easily cooked foods, giant coolers of water and (age permitting) alcoholic beverages and don't forget the smores. Weight restrictions will not be an issue as you will be sleeping near your car, however this step will provide an distinction of what is actually needed, what is wanted and what you end up tracking in and out without using. This knowledge will be helpful as you move onto more difficult levels of camping.

II. Tent Town: Similar to cabin camping there will still be no restriction on weight. The main difference will be that now it is time to start building some basic skills. This will include making a fire, pitching a tent and keeping that tent comfortable and dry. A majority of people are familiar with this level of camping and if this includes you then your starting point would be to make mental notes on what you need to do to elevate to the following level next time you go camping.

III. Off the Beaten Path: Now it is time to leave the extras behind. Backpacking out to camping site is a great way to build the endurance needed for long hikes as well as learn that everything you bring needs to be worth the weight of bringing it out. These will include several house of hiking out to a camping site and staying out there without running water or quick access to main roads.

IV. Man Vs. Wild: Here is the final level of training. It will consist of planning and participating in multi day backpacking trips and should consist of a lengthy hike each day, setting up camp and planning meals that will provide the caloric value as well as being light enough to carry and there will be the added difficulty of planning a trip with ample sources of water as well as bringing a means of purifying it. The final test will be going on a three day backpacking trip using only the pack that you have always packed (mentioned in the pack section). If you can do this you have proven that you have the skills of being on the run during the early days of the zompocalypse.