With the weather turning wet, cold and miserable, a lot of camping fanatics are saying farewell to the tent life and packing away the gear for the winter season. If you aren’t planning on braving the cold, it is important that you store all of your gear correctly if you want it to stay in good condition.
But what is the best way store all of your camping gear?
Don’t pack everything away
Whilst you may not think you need any of your camping gear and want to just stick it in a cupboard and forget about it until the spring, there are a few things that may come in handy. When it comes to packing your gear away, think about whether you could use it at home. That way, you won’t need to go digging through everything when you need something. Good things to keep out are any torches and headlamps in case there is a power cut, and any bedding in case you have any guests.
Storing gas bottles
If you have any gas bottles leftover from your trip, you need to take a little more care into how you store them. You should never store them in your house as they are extremely flammable. Instead, keep them in an outdoor shed in case the worse happens and to keep you safe. Gas bottles should always be stored upright, off the ground and covered with tarpaulin to keep out any moisture. Any moisture can corrode the bottle and cause a leak, so keep them dry no matter what.
Clean the kit
Whether you’ve been for a few days, a week, or longer, all of your camping gear is going to be dirty and will need a clean before packing it away. Not only does this give you the chance to make sure your equipment is clean for next time, it also allows you to check everything over for damages. And if you do find any damage, the winter is the perfect time to repair it or look for a replacement.
After you have washed all of your gear, make sure everything is completely dry to prevent any damp smells and mould.
Tents, awnings and canopies
A staple in any camping trip is a tent but you may also use an awning or canopy for extra space. No matter which out of the three we use, you should treat them all the same when storing them for winter. To make it easier to clean and check over, you should pitch it up, in the garden or the house, to you can sweep out any dirt and wipe it all down. Once clean inside and out, and completely dry, you can store your tent, awning or canopy loosely folded.
Tent pegs
Something you might not thing about and may just throw in a bag with the rest of your gear are your tent pegs. Whilst they are often forgotten about, it is really important to keep your tent pegs in the best condition possible. After all, they do keep your tent secure!
Before packing them away, sort through them all and check for any damage. If any are broken or damaged, you need to throw them away and replace them for your next trip. Any you have left should be washed to remove any dirt, and then dried before storing in a separate bag to your other equipment.
Bedding
If you are wanting to store any bedding you use for camping, it is pretty straightforward. Just treat it like any ordinary bedding – wash, fully dry, and store loosely in a cool, dry place to prevent any damp smells.
Kitchenware
One of the most important parts of your equipment you definitely need to make sure is clean is your camping kitchenware. As you have used it for food, there may still be some remnants left that can go mouldy – not something you want to happen to any of your gear. To keep all of your cooking equipment in the best condition over the winter, you should remove any food and clean any utensils, crockery, pots and pans as best as possible at your campsite. Once home, you should thoroughly wash them on a high temperature, dry, then store. If you have lots of cooking items, it may be easier to store them in a plastic box so you can keep it all together.
Barbeques and grills
Just like your kitchenware, storing your barbeque and grill correctly is important to keep it in its best condition. If not cleaned and stored correctly, your barbeque can be prone to rust – not what you want to happen an expensive piece of equipment. To avoid any rust and damage, make sure to remove any traces of food from all parts of the barbeque. You should then deep clean everything to remove any leftover grease and soot – hot soapy water will do. Once fully dried, either store in a cool dry place like a garage, or cover with tarpaulin to protect it from any moisture.