This is a great time of year to purchase outdoor camping equipment to include in your emergency kit. Often sporting good stores offers great sales on these items to make room for the seasonal winter sports equipment. We have managed to purchase tents and sleeping bags for over fifty percent off in the fall. This involved watching the sales, visiting the clearance rack at the store several times, and waiting until the items were the agreed on price. Here are five items you should consider purchasing at this time:
1) Backpacks are often an essential tool for an emergency kit. They are also nice to have if your family enjoys hiking. You can find hiking backpacks at most sporting goods stores, and through catalogues. You can buy a hiking backpack for each adult in your family and for each teenager as well. It is important that you purchase a backpack, which will fit you properly. If you are purchasing through a catalogue go to a store and try on the backpack before you order it. This will help you decide if it really is worth purchasing.
2) Another item that you should consider purchasing is a tent for your family. The size of tent you choose to buy depends on the size of your family. If you have a large family you may consider purchasing two or three smaller hiking tents. The full size family tents tend to be heavy to carry, and awkward, while hiking tents role up into a small bundle and can be very lightweight. Once you get your tent practice setting it up right away. This is one way to make sure you have all the required parts before you actually need the tent.
3) Sleeping bags are another great thing to purchase during the fall. You should purchase the bag on the temperature guide on the bag. My husband claims that you need to plan at least twenty degrees colder than the bag actually says, because they never keep you as warm as they say they do. He won’t buy a bag with a temperature rating higher than zero degrees. This may be different if you live in a warm area, such as Florida.
4) Propane camping stoves also go on sale during the fall. You will want to decide on the size of the stove based on your family size. You will also want to thing about the portability of the unit. You should try to find a balance between size and portability for your family.
5) Don’t forget to purchase the fuel for your stove now as well. That way you will have it on hand when an emergency occurs. When you use it, be sure to replace it.