37 Tips for Camping Without Electricity in 2023

   
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Are you planning to go camping at a site where there is no electricity? We hope you are ready to deal with the challenges you are about to face. Even if you aren’t, we are here to make sure you are.

In this article, we will share some exclusive tips for camping without electricity so that you don’t miss out on any essential preparation needed for your camping to be as amazing as it should be. Take a look!

 Things to Consider for Camping Without Electricity

Let’s start with the necessary items you should consider carrying with you, along with several alternative options to choose from. Here we go!

1. Consider using external electrical sources.

Are you sure you’ve made up your mind to camp without electricity? You don’t always need an electrical connection to produce and use electricity. There are several other alternative portable sources of electricity as well. We hope you gave them some thought. If you haven’t, then do give some thought to these external electrical sources.

  • Portable Power Banks: These are undoubtedly the most feasible alternative options for electricity. However, it won’t be enough if you bring too many electrical appliances and plan to stay for too long.
  • Solar Panels: The best option through which you can use a number of electrical appliances at a time and for a longer period is through solar panels. It might seem a little troublesome to set up a solar panel in the camp, but if you’re planning for a long stay, it is absolutely worth it.
  • The vehicle’s cigarette lighter also functions as a charger: Did you know your vehicle’s cigarette lighter has the option to be altered with a charger through which you can connect your phone or laptop using their USB cable? Of course, you did. And, if you didn’t get one or don’t have one, get one for the convenience of camping without electricity.
  • AA Dry Batteries: It is better to carry a double dozen AA Dry Batteries with you, as they’re going to be your best friends while camping without electricity. You can simply carry everything you need electricity for in a battery-run version.
  • Portable Power Station with Lithium Batteries: These lithium-based batteries are very helpful for storing the solar energy from the solar panel for the night. Because these power stations can get charged by solar energy and then later provide electricity.
  • Your car batteries: This might sound like a crazy idea, but as long as it serves your purpose, it is worth it. You just need to know how to use the electricity from the car battery to power the electrical appliances you carry.
  • Fuel: For equipment or appliances that have the option to be fuel-powered, you can definitely use them as your alternative tools for camping without electricity. You can choose different types of fuels, including propane, kerosene, and gasoline, as per your choice and requirement.

 

camping stove

 

2. Take Alternative Cooking Tools

Did you make any plans, and how will you cook without electricity?You will not be able to take your lightweight induction stove with you. So, make sure you take any of the following options for cooking and have the proper skill and knowledge to run them.

 

  • Camp stoves (portable gas stoves): They are lightweight, small stoves that produce fire with the help of gas. If you have the space to take enough gas canisters to fuel up the stoves, then this is the ultimate option for you.
  • Flameless heaters: These are the safest and easiest options to carry with you while camping. These flameless heaters generate heat through chemical reactions rather than a burning flame.All you’ll need to heat them up is a little water, and you’re good to go!
  • Campfire: If you’re backpacking and want to completely avoid taking any extra weight for cooking, then the best option for you would be campfires. It’s more enjoyable and advantageous to go camping in the winter. Cooking near the fire also gets you a little warm.

 

 

camping light

 

3. Consider alternative lighting options

One of the important elements of daily life for which we’re mostly dependent on electricity is light. As a result, before embarking on your camping trip, you should definitely plan enough alternative lighting options that you can use while camping without electricity.Here are a few that will be extremely beneficial to you:

 

  • Natural Sunlight and Moonlight: While camping, nothing will satisfy you more than natural light. This is your time to fully enjoy the natural light that the sun and the moon provide for us. Make sure you place your tent in a place where you’ll get enough natural light.
  • Headlamp: A headlamp might not be the only source of light you depend on while camping without electricity, but it will be a huge help to you when you’ll have to go outside your tent at night to collect wood for a campfire or to meet nature’s call.
  • String lights: Okay, so it is not mandatory to only set up string lights on special occasions. As long as it serves your purpose, you can use it however you want. One of the best features of string lights is that they are extremely lightweight and easy to handle. So, why not use them to light up your tent as well?
  • LED Tent Lights: Do you have one of those tents that have LED lights attached to them? Then you don’t have to worry about lights at all. They’re enough to serve your purpose inside the tent. And if you don’t have a tent with fixed tent lights, don’t worry; you can buy these lights separately as well.
  • Flashlight: A flashlight will not only help you find your way in the dark at night, but it will also keep your tent or campsite illuminated.So, if you have one, it is absolutely worth taking it with you.
  • Torches: If you’re a professional or an experienced camper, you already know how important battery-run torches are for camping at night. You never know when you’ll run out of your lighting resources in the camp. So torches are always saviors when you need a light close to your hands.
  • Lanterns: Now, this might sound like a backdated idea. But it will be a great experience camping in the wild with lanterns as your source of light. If you’re fond of adventure, this is the coolest option for you. However, lanterns can be a good idea when you run out of lights and need to manage something urgently.
  • Fire: If you are camping in the winter or fall, then nothing is a better option than fire. It will not only illuminate your entire camping area, but it will also warm the environment.

 

camping food storage

 

4. Manage the foods smartly.

Did you forget that you will not have the option to store your food in a refrigerator to eat later? So, you have to be extra smart to deal with your food while camping without electricity. Make sure you follow these simple techniques.

 

  • Carry Sufficient Drinking Water from Home: Don’t depend on rivers or streams for your drinking water. It can make you sick if you drink unfiltered river water for a long time. As a result, bring a sufficient and calculated amount of drinking water from home.
  • Bring a High-Quality Cooler: Coolers are the most basic option for storing and preserving food without the use of electricity.They are very well insulated. And so, they can be used as coolers when ice is added, as well as insulators to keep food warm inside.
  • Use Insulated Food Carriers: This type of food carrier is really helpful while camping without electricity. You can use it to store and transport your food, as well as bury it somewhere in the camping area to keep it warm and preserved.
  • Take Canned and Processed Dry Foods: For camping, be it with electricity or without, canned and processed dry foods are the best food options to carry with you. They are not damaged by heat and can be carried with you wherever you go.
  • Learn to Make Coffee the Old-Fashioned Way: If your morning feels incomplete without coffee, then it will definitely prevent you from enjoying your camping trip. Thus, learn how to make coffee the traditional way without a coffee machine ahead of time. This is also a helpful survival skill.

 

 

How to Camp Without Electricity: Exclusive Tips

Camping without electricity requires double the preparation you’ll need to camp with electricity. We will try to help you as much as possible to make your camping experience easier and more enjoyable without electricity.

That is why below, we are listing out some of the best tips that will save your day and make your camping experience less troublesome when you don’t have access to electricity. Here we go!

 

1. Camp in a dry place where firewood is available.

As camping without electricity is incomplete without a campfire, you need to make sure you place your camp at a location where firewood is easily available. It can be somewhere near a forest. But it is better to not camp inside the forest, as there are risks of wild animals attacking your tent or heavy branches falling over your tent.

 

2. Camp near a river or running water source.

Trust us when we say you will need more water than you think you will. Apart from drinking water, there are several other purposes for which you will need water, such as cooking, cleaning, bathing, and so on. The water you’ll bring with you will run out faster than you imagine. So, make sure you locate your camp accordingly.

 

how to shower while winter camping

 

3. Take Solar Showers to Stay Clean

In case you could not manage a location near to a river or running water source, you will still need to clean yourself and your clothes and belongings up. Don’t make the mistake of wasting the water you’ve brought behind this. And also, don’t stay dirty for days.

A good alternative option to bathing is taking a solar shower. That is, sit or stand directly in front of the sunlight and let the sunlight kill the germs from your body. You can do the same with your clothes and other belongings as well.

 

4. Bring a Book for Leisure

If you’re a bookworm or even if you seldom read books, bring one with you to spend quality leisure. Books are man’s best friends when they are alone. A good book will make you forget about all the inconvenience you will be facing for not having electricity in your camp.

 

5. Hand-Wash Your Clothes

Don’t keep your clothes dirty and unwashed for days hoping to wash them all at a time after reaching home. Dirty clothes can make you sick while camping. So, it is better to hand-wash all your clothes at a time that have been worn once by you while camping. In this, you will not be wasting much water as well.

 

6. Keep Your Gear Dry

You need to make sure you keep your gear dry as much as possible. Because you will not get a dryer here to dry up your gear. And camping gears are too thick to be able to air dry. Once they get wet due to any reason, they will take a lot of time to dry completely.

 

7. Know the Weather Pattern of the Area

While planning the camping, you should gain some idea about the weather pattern of the area you will be camping. Know about the average temperature of the area and the most common weather state as you will need to prepare yourself accordingly while packing.

 

8. Check on the Rain and Water Level

Plan your camping as per the weather condition of the camping area. Check how much the area is prone to rain. Because rain isn’t good news while camping without electricity. If the water levels of the area rise too high with risks of flood, then it will be really hard for you to manage. So, check these beforehand.

 

first aid kits for camping

 

9. Learn Basic Wilderness First Aid

Because you’re camping, it’s not unthinkable that you’ll get hurt.However, if you are injured in the wild, you may not have any first aid supplies to treat yourself immediately, or you may not be able to call for help.However, there are several first aid methods for the wilderness that will help you in such situations if you learn about them.

 

10. Plan ahead of time and conduct research

If you’re planning to camp somewhere with no electricity and want to stay for at least 3 to 4 days, you must not set out without proper research. We know that it is more fun to camp unplanned. But it might get dangerous as well. Especially if you’re camping somewhere where a mobile network isn’t available.

 

11. Bring personal cleansing wipes.

Remember, hygiene always comes first. You don’t want to return home ill after camping. Do you? So, to maintain proper cleanliness while meeting nature’s calls, you must bring enough personal cleansing wipes with you.

 

12. Arrange a map of the area and a compass.

One of the biggest struggles when camping without electricity is keeping your phone charged. No matter how much you try, you will face the possibility of your phone going dead while hiking or hunting. So, for safety purposes, always keep a map of the area along with a compass with you to find out your location if you ever get lost.

compass 

13. Look for houses, stores, or coffee shops near the area.

As I said before, you must do proper research before setting out for camping. However, you should also do some research and make inquiries after reaching the site as well.

Look through the entire location before setting up your camp and see if you can find any houses, stores, or coffee shops to help during an emergency. Set up your tent in a place a bit nearer to these.

 

14. Know that it’s okay to feel uncomfortable.

You should know that if you are feeling uncomfortable or uneasy while camping without electricity, this is how it is supposed to be. No matter how many alternatives you bring with you, you’ll definitely not feel very comfortable. But again, that’s the point of camping, right?

 

15. Bring Musical Instruments That You Can Play

When you’re camping in a group, even the most uncomfortable trip turns out to be fun. So, make the most of your leisure at the camping site. If you know how to play any musical instrument, then bring it with you to create a festive mood in the camp and to keep everyone entertained.

 

16. Plan camping games or bring board games.

Board games will definitely not add any extra weight to your shoulders. They are lightweight and one of the most enjoyable ways to spend time in a group. Apart from board games, you can also plan and arrange other camping activities to stay entertained.

 

17. Bring Walkie-Talkies for Better Long-Distance Communication

As you have already known, you will face troubles like a drained battery on your mobile phone or no mobile network. So, in order to communicate over a distance, you can use walkie-talkies instead. You won’t have to worry about the battery draining so quickly when you have walkie-talkies with you.

 

campfire with family

 

Special Tips for Camping in Summer Without Electricity

 1. Set the Camp at a Cool and Shady Place

Even though it is important to place the camp somewhere with good exposure to sunlight. However, don’t place it somewhere directly exposed to sunlight as well. Because it will make your tent warmer and heated. And you will crave a cool and shady shelter. So, set the camp at a cool and shady place where sunlight reaches.

 

2. Adapt with Nature’s Natural Cooling Cycles

It might get a bit uncomfortable and painful at first to adapt to the warm air of summer without electricity. But gradually, you should get adapted to the natural cooling cycles of nature. So, embrace it for your comfort.

 

3. Choose the Right Tent Size

This might sound strange, but the size of the tent is a huge factor to adjust to the environment of the place. If your tent is too huge, it might contain less airflow and thus, more heat.

 

set up a tent

 

4. Arrange Your Tent Wisely to Avoid Heat

If you want to avoid the heat from the scorching sun of the summer, you will have to pitch your tent smartly. Don’t place it with the sun facing you.Because this will heat up the entire tent, making you more uncomfortable.

 

5. Wear lightweight and breathable clothes.

We know that whenever you imagine camping, you think about heavy gear and camping jackets. You don’t have to follow these traditions on a hot summer day. So, wear more lightweight and breathable clothes for your comfort.

 

6. Have a Good Non-Plastic Camping Mat

You can carry non-plastic, easily foldable camping mats to set inside your tent and in front of your tent or camping space. This will prevent the hot soil floor from heating up the tent as well as burning your feet.

 

7. Bring portable battery-based fans.

There are small, portable, battery-run fans on the market. They are usually very lightweight and easy to handle. You need to hold them by your hands and place them in front of your face to experience the heavenly cold air in the hot summer.

 

8. Learn How to Stay Cool

While camping without electricity in the middle of summer, you will have to be very smart and clever to stay as cool as possible in the camp. Little things like wearing a cap or hat, carrying an umbrella, and keeping the tent well-ventilated are essential tips to stay cool while camping.

 

winter camping activities

 

Special Tips for Camping in Winter Without Electricity

1. Set the camp at a location where sunlight reaches

Just like when camping in the summer, you must check the weather before setting up camp in the winter.However, while in summer you have to avoid places with direct exposure to the sun, in winter you should place the camp at a location with good exposure to the sun to get extra sunlight to stay warm.

 

2. Select a Well-Insulated Tent

The type of tent you will be carrying is a very important thing to note while camping in the winter. You must carry a double-layer, well-insulated tent with you to resist the coldness of the outside environment. You will not have the option of running an electric heater here, so keeping your tent as insulated as possible is the best solution.

 

3. Pitch Your Tent Wisely to Avoid Cold Air Ingression

You must not pitch your tent so that the entrance or exit faces the current of the cold wind. Because if you do so, the strong force of cold air will make its way to the inside of your tent. So, always place your tent facing the direction of the flow of wind.

 

layer up clothing for winter camping

 

4. Wear layers of clothes.

One of the most essential parts of winter camping is layering your clothes. You must carry at least three layers of clothes to stay warm each time you dress up. Or else, you might freeze in the cold without being able to do anything about it.

 5. Put down a well-insulated camping mat.

This is a point in common between summer camping and winter camping. Because, like in summer, the floor of the tent becomes too hot, in winter it becomes stiflingly cold. So, when you’re buying a camping mat for winter camping, make sure you get a well-insulated one.

 6. Carry portable battery-based insulators.

The battery-based insulated materials and appliances will become your savior while camping in the winter without electricity. They can serve all your essential purposes without requiring electricity.

Hence, you should definitely consider carrying the following portable battery-based insulating items for your better comfort and convenience.

  • Battery-Based Heated Air Mattress for Sleep
  • Heated Blankets Powered by a Battery
  • battery-run portable water heater
  • Portable Heated Chair Powered by Batteries
  • Battery-based insulated jacket

7. Bury water bottles in the snow

We know this will sound insane to you, but snow is a really good insulator that has the potential to keep your stored water warm. If you think that snow is as cold as ice and will make anything colder, you’re wrong. See the miracle for yourself by burying your water bottles in the snow.

 

8. Consume Carbohydrate and Fat-Rich Snacks

Your body burns calories a lot more while camping in the winter than in the summer. Winter camping and hiking require more stamina as the body fluid absorbs more due to the dryness of the weather, as well as more energy.So, to stay healthy and fit through the whole camping trip, you must intake more foods rich in carbs and fats.

 Final Words

We hope you took note of all of these exclusive camping tips without electricity. Enjoy your camping for now, and thank us later!