10 Clever Camping Hacks, Tips and Tricks

(SPEECH)

[00:00:00.15] Welcome, campers and camping curious.

(DESCRIPTION)

[00:00:02.17] The speaker stands behind a table in a room that is filled with outdoor wear and equipment. There are kayak and canoe paddles and fishing nets. Hats of all varieties hang on the back wall. Shelves hold sleeping bags, water bottles, books, and duffel bags. On the table there's a lantern, candles, a roll of duct tape, and bungie cords among other items. Text, Stephanie, L L Bean Tipmaster. She wears a multi-colored wool vest over a white long sleeve shirt and faces us.

(SPEECH)

[00:00:02.34] I'm Stephanie, and I've been on a lot of camping trips over the years.

[00:00:05.82] Camping is like one of those games that's easy to learn, but you can spend a lifetime mastering. Every camper comes up with a few hacks to make things a little more streamlined every time they go out. We're here at the L.L.Bean headquarters in between camping trips and outdoor discovery courses. And I've got a bunch of my gear here to show you some hints you might not know.

[00:00:24.96] Here are 10 of our favorite camping tips, tricks, and hacks for you to try next time you go to the campsite. Let's get into it.

(DESCRIPTION)

[00:00:32.47] Animation, a car with a canoe strapped to the roof pulls up to a campsite under a crescent moon. There's a tent and a roaring fire. Mountains and trees are among the clouds and stars. Text, L L Bean. 10 Awesome Camping Hacks, Tips and Tricks.

(SPEECH)

[00:00:37.02] We're trying to save space when we go camping. So rather than bringing the whole bathroom sink along on your trip, you can make mini versions of some of the things you'll need.

(DESCRIPTION)

[00:00:45.50] Text, 1. Make minis. Stephanie holds a toothbrush and a pair of cutters.

(SPEECH)

[00:00:45.66] When I get free toothbrushes from the dentist, I like to cut them in half using heavy duty scissors or clippers.

(DESCRIPTION)

[00:00:51.84] She holds the mini toothbrush next to a standard size.

(SPEECH)

[00:00:52.29] Doing this helps cut back on both space and weight.

[00:00:55.65] Another space saver is to cut up a bar soap into single use pieces.

(DESCRIPTION)

[00:00:59.75] She slices the bar with a knife and puts them in a plastic bag.

(SPEECH)

[00:01:00.21] That way, I don't have to pack up wet soap. If the bar is too hard, try putting it in the microwave for around 20 seconds.

(DESCRIPTION)

[00:01:08.15] She holds up a plastic bag filled with small white pieces.

(SPEECH)

[00:01:08.41] And these are toothpaste dots.

(DESCRIPTION)

[00:01:10.28] She puts several small dots of toothpaste on a sheet pan, about one inch apart.

(SPEECH)

[00:01:10.56] Instead of bringing your toothpaste tube, you can squeeze dots of toothpaste onto a tray or plate. 2 dots per day per camper. Leave them to dry, then sprinkle them with baking soda, and toss them into a bag. For the best results, avoid using gel-based toothpaste since they don't set as well.

[00:01:29.40] Hm. Camping.

(DESCRIPTION)

[00:01:30.98] She brushes her teeth with the mini toothbrush. Text, 2. Bring a pillowcase instead of a pillow.

(SPEECH)

[00:01:31.74] A pillow takes up a lot of room for something you're only going to be using when you crawl into a sleeping bag at night. You can save space by just bringing the pillow case without the pillow and stuffing it with extra clothing instead.

(DESCRIPTION)

[00:01:44.24] She starts putting piles of folded clothes into the pillowcase.

(SPEECH)

[00:01:44.40] I like to use my outfit for the next day. So it's within reach when I wake up in the morning.

(DESCRIPTION)

[00:01:50.34] On the table are some spice bottles, a pill box, matches and a roll of paper towels hanging from a branch.

(SPEECH)

[00:01:50.70] Moving onto the kitchen. There's nothing worse than going to fire up your stove and realizing your lighter is out of fuel or your matches are too wet to strike. So I've also got the perfect tip for matches.

(DESCRIPTION)

[00:02:01.31] Text, 3. Keep your matches dry and quick to strike.

(SPEECH)

[00:02:01.68] A mason jar. If you keep your matches in a mason jar and you glue a bit of sandpaper to the inside of the lid, your matches are sure to stay dry, and you'll always have the perfect striking pad handy. Now we're cooking.

(DESCRIPTION)

[00:02:13.98] Text, 4. Make a mini spice rack.

(SPEECH)

[00:02:14.22] One area where I don't like to compromise when I'm camping is my food. But I also don't like bringing the whole pantry to create a well-seasoned meal. Here, I've got a 7-day pill container with some of my favorite cooking spices instead of the whole spice rack. With a little planning ahead, you can have exactly what you need for tasty food all in just a tiny pinch of space.

[00:02:33.84] If you're doing it right, camping can get a little messy. To make sure you always have paper towels close by and they won't roll away, you can make a dispenser using a bungee cord.

(DESCRIPTION)

[00:02:42.23] The roll of paper towels hanging from a branch glides on screen. Text, 5. Turn a bungee cord into a paper towel dispenser.

(SPEECH)

[00:02:43.47] Loop it through the paper towels, and hook the ends on a tree branch, car rack, or tent pole.

(DESCRIPTION)

[00:02:48.99] She tears off a paper towel. Text, 6. Turn a mesh laundry bag into an automatic dish dryer. A bag filled with cups, dishes and pans sits before Stephanie.

(SPEECH)

[00:02:50.85] This may look like a mesh laundry bag because it is, but it's also a really convenient way to dry your dishes. Once they're clean, simply hang your mesh bag full of dishes from a branch, so they can air dry. Can we get the branch in again?

(DESCRIPTION)

[00:03:04.70] The branch appears and Stephanie hangs the bag on it.

(SPEECH)

[00:03:06.30] When it's time for your next meal, you'll have dry dishes. Pretty cool.

[00:03:10.68] All right. Let's move on to some of my favorite comfy campsite hacks.

(DESCRIPTION)

[00:03:14.36] Lights off in the room. Stephanie pops up from behind the table and places a filled water bottle on it. A lit headlamp is wrapped around it, illuminating Stephanie. Text, 7. Create a lantern with a headlamp.

(SPEECH)

[00:03:15.45] Let there be light.

[00:03:16.95] If you're in need of an improvised lantern or you just find your flashlights or headlamps too harsh for reading or sitting around the table, you can strap your headlamp around a clear water bottle facing it. Or you can put the light facing bottom up and use it as a lantern around the campsite. This creates a soft, diffused light with a cozy glow. It's like a bottle lamp or a flash turn. Hm. I'll stop.

(DESCRIPTION)

[00:03:43.76] She turns the headlamp off. Back in the lit room, she holds a coffee pot. On the table is an empty water bottle and a sleeping bag. Text, 8. Make a water bottle bag warmer.

(SPEECH)

[00:03:45.21] There is nothing worse than climbing into a cold sleeping bag at the end of the day. An old camping trick is to heat up some water before bed. Pour it into a water bottle,

(DESCRIPTION)

[00:03:54.66] She tightens the lid.

(SPEECH)

[00:03:55.94] and place that at the foot of your sleeping bag.

[00:04:01.03] The water bottle will radiate heat, warming your feet and the rest of the sleeping bag. Just be careful not to burn yourself, and make sure the lid is tight and doesn't leak.

(DESCRIPTION)

[00:04:10.01] Text, 9. Make zippers zing with candle wax. Stephanie runs a sleeping bag zipper back and forth.

(SPEECH)

[00:04:11.17] A sticky zipper can be super annoying, especially when you're getting up in the middle of the night to answer a call from nature. But you can put the zing back in a sticky zipper with just a little candle wax or lip balm.

(DESCRIPTION)

[00:04:23.19] She runs some balm along the zipper.

(SPEECH)

[00:04:24.61] Aah.

(DESCRIPTION)

[00:04:26.24] Text, 10. Always have an accessible repair kit. She holds a large water bottle that has some duct tape wrapped around it.

(SPEECH)

[00:04:26.50] And here's my last tip and probably, the most important. The only certainty in camping is you can't be certain what will happen. So make sure you always have a quick repair kit handy by wrapping duct tape around your water bottle. This could help with a leaky tent, rip jacket, or whatever else you need to quickly repair. It might not be perfect, but you'll be happy to have it in a pinch.

[00:04:46.54] There you go. 10 tips to make your next camping trip a breeze. Impress your friends by sharing these around the campfire and like and subscribe for more how-to videos and outdoor advice.

[00:04:57.22] Let us know your camping hacks in the comments below.

[00:04:59.80] For more outdoor stories and inspiration, visit llbean.com/outside, or sign up for an expert led course with our outdoor discovery programs.

(DESCRIPTION)

[00:05:09.82] She reaches down and picks up a backpack.

(SPEECH)

[00:05:09.88] And I'll see you next time.

[00:05:12.07] [JAZZ MUSIC]

(DESCRIPTION)

[00:05:13.89] She smiles and walks off.