Oh, dear. There are so many things wrong with this video…but it’s still funny!

Anybody else want a camping trailer that has everything (including the kitchen sink) you could ever want? Donald Duck, Mickey Mouse, & Goofy’s camping trailer seems to have anything - just flip it out from the wall!

Trying to choose the best tent for your camping and backpacking needs? This series of articles should help you make the right decision!

Step 1 to choosing the best tent is to define your needs.

What do you need your tent to do?

• Capacity: How many people will sleep in your tent? How much gear needs to fit in the tent?
• Seasonal Use: Will you use your tent mostly in warm, cool, or cold weather?
• Packing: Will you need to backpack your tent in, or will you drive to your camp site?
• Rain: Will you ever ben camping in the rain? (Or are you a wimp…and cancel your trip if rain is forecasted?)
• Wind: Will you be camping on locations where there could be strong winds?

Check out our selection of 1-person tents, 2-man tents, 3 person tents, and 4 person tents.

In this clip from the 1998 movie The Parent Trap, we once again are reminded how fun it can be to take a stuck-up city person on a camping trip. (If you haven’t seen the movie yet, do yourself a favor and rent it. If nothing else, it proves that Lindsay Lohan used to be able to stuff other than get into trouble!)

If you are tired of all the “rules” you have to follow when going camping, this article is for you! Here 7 super easy ways you can break the rules and ruin a camping trip…have fun!

1: Don’t Secure Your Food Items - Bears And Other Wild Animals Are Too Scared Of You To Bother Your Food

People who tell you to store your food out of the reach of wild animals have just been reading too many westerns. As all normal people know, bears and other wild animals are very scared of people - no wild animal is going to venture into your camp to steal your food. So save yourself the trouble, and just pile your food on the ground outside your tent.

2: Pack Everything You Might Possibly Want - Packing Light Is For Wimps

Ever heard the advice to “pack light” when you’re going camping? Humph - that proverb is only for total wimps. Any real outdoorsman is tough enough to pack everything he needs or wants to his campsite. So go ahead and load up - you want plenty of beer and games so you can have fun, right?

3: Don’t Worry About Campfire Safety - That Stupid Smokey Bear Will Keep Your Fire From Getting Out Of Control

Have you ever wondered what Smokey Bear is smoking? “Only you can stop campfires”??? Please, get real! Campfires aren’t dangerous - you can just leave them and they will burn out without harming anything at all. Every camper knows THAT! So go ahead and fire up a nice big bonfire, sit back, and bring out the beer.

4: Don’t Spend Too Much Time Picking Your Camping Spot - Your Sleeping Bag Will Keep You From Feeling Any Rocks And Sticks

Once you get to your chosen campsite, just get your tent pitched quickly and start having fun. You don’t need to remove sticks or stones before you pitch your tent, either. Any decent sleeping bag will provide plenty of padding so you can’t feel what is under your tent.

5: Don’t Read The Rules Or Signs Where You Are Camping - All The Park Rangers Are Home Asleep At Night

If you really want to get the best possible camping spot, just go pick one! Don’t worry about or even read the laws or signs - they will just cramp your style. All the park rangers are home asleep anyways, so they’ll never see you. Besides, you could just tell them you didn’t see the sign.

6: Don’t Pack Drinking Water Or A Water Purifier - You Can Just Drink Right From The Creek

Pssst. In case you haven’t heard, the idea that creeks aren’t safe to drink from was a myth started by the communists back during the Cold War. It’s just not true - you don’t need to purify water - just drink right from the creek and you’ll be fine. Water purifiers are too expensive anyway.

7: Don’t Pack A Tent Fly Or Groundcloth - All Tents Are WaterPROOF

As anyone knows, tents are made of plastic, which is waterproof. Hence, do not buy a fly or groundcloth for your tent - those are just ways for the tent companies to make extra money off of you. You’ll stay perfectly dry and comfortable with your tent - no tent fly or groundcloth needed.

How Else Could You Have This Much Fun?

So, yeh…follow these rules and have fun. If you follow these rules correctly you are almost guaranteed to do one or more of the following:

1 - Have way more adventure than you planned on
2 - Drop by the local jail for awhile (or a long time, depending on how many acres your campfire-turned-forest fire burns)
3 - Win a Darwin Award
4 - End up on StupidVideos.com
5 - Have a great story to tell your kids about what NOT to do

Camping is for the most part a safe, fun, and health sport – but there are a few safety rules you should follow if you want your camping trip to be safe and healthy.

Safety Rule #1: Respect Nature

First, respect animals, and the nature that surrounds you. Be aware of any dangerous animals (such as bears or snakes) that live in the area you are camping in. Your policy should be to leave everything exactly the way it was when you came through – in fact, you should try to pick up any garbage you see so you can make it better.

Safety Rule #2: Water Goes Downhill

Be aware of potential flood areas when you’re setting up camp – don’t camp in the bottom of ravines or right next to a creek. Flooding can be dangerous, so make sure you avoid the hazardous areas. Mountainous areas are especially susceptible to flash floods.

Safety Rule #3: Look Around

Third, when you set up camp you should check for any potential dangers. Always look overhead and see if there are dead tree branches above the area where you will be camping. They could fall in the night, directly onto your tent. That is an unpleasant way to be awakened (to say the least), so just avoid areas where that is possible.

Safety Rule #4: Only You Can Prevent Forest Fires

Just like Smokey Bear says, you should always be careful with fire. If you are even slightly irresponsible with your campfire, you could end up burning down large tracts of forest. Make sure you know proper campfire technique so that you can contain it and burn it in a controlled manner. Never start a fire unless you have water handy to help control it.

Safety Rule #5: Cool, Clear Water

Finally, be careful of what water you drink. You should never drink anything unless you’re 100% sure it’s purified. You don’t want to be stuck in the middle of the wilderness with painful stomach convulsions. Whether you bring your own water, boil it, or use a purifier, just make sure you aren’t ingesting any dangerous water.

If you follow these 5 rules safety rules, you’ll be well on your way to ensuring a safe and fun camping expedition for all involved.