Well… That’s Camping: The Honest Guide for First-Time Campers
Let’s just say the quiet part out loud:
There is no way to be 100% comfortable when you’re camping. You’re on an adventure, not at a resort.
You can have the right gear. You can check the weather. You can pack the cozy layers, bring the good snacks, set up the rainfly correctly, and still wake up at 6:30am thinking, “Why is my tent suddenly a sauna?”
That’s camping.
And we don’t say that in a dismissive way. We say it with love — because part of learning how to camp is learning what’s normal, what’s avoidable, what’s manageable, and what’s just part of sleeping outside.
At Basecamp Brooklyn, we help New Yorkers get outside without having to own all the gear, plan every detail from scratch, or figure it all out alone. But even with a good tent, a warm sleeping bag, a sleeping pad, chef-prepared meals at our events, and a community around the fire, camping is still camping.
If you’re a first-time camper, here is what you’re about to discover on your first camping adventure: camping is amazing, but it is not the same as sleeping in your apartment, a hotel, or an Airbnb.
The ground is still the ground. Weather is still weather. Nighttime in the woods is still nighttime in the woods.
And honestly? That’s kind of the point.
After years of renting camping gear to NYC campers and hosting chef-led campout weekends in the Catskills, we’ve heard a lot of first-time camper comments from friends, renters, and event guests.
Here are a few of the most common ones — plus what they really mean, what you can do about them, and how to make your next trip even better.
“It was really cold at night.”
Yep. It can be.
Even in summer, temperatures can drop a lot overnight — especially in the Catskills, the Poconos, the Adirondacks, and other favorite camping areas near NYC. A sunny 75-degree day can turn into a 48-degree night faster than you expect.
This is one of the biggest surprises for newer campers. You pack for the daytime weather, then suddenly you’re lying in your tent at midnight wondering why you didn’t bring a warmer sweatshirt.
The trick is to always pack layers. Not cute “maybe I’ll wear this” layers. Real layers. Warm socks. A hoodie or fleece. A beanie. Something dry to sleep in. And if you run cold, don’t be embarrassed to bring extra blankets.
Cold nights are not a sign that you failed at camping. They’re part of camping. But they’re a lot more fun when you’re prepared.
“My back hurt in the morning.”
Also very normal.
A sleeping pad helps a lot, but it is not a mattress. You are still sleeping close to the ground. Your body might notice that. Especially if you’re used to a real bed, fluffy pillows, and temperature control.
This is where expectations matter. If you go into camping thinking you’re going to sleep like you’re at a boutique hotel, you may be disappointed. If you go into camping knowing that your sleep might be a little weird but you’ll wake up to birds, fresh air, and coffee outside, the tradeoff starts to make more sense.
A few things help: inflate your sleeping pad fully, choose the flattest tent spot you can, bring a real pillow if you have room, and stretch a little before bed and when you wake up.
Will it be the most luxurious sleep of your life? Probably not.
Will you survive and maybe even love it? Very likely.
“The tent got wet in the corners during all that rain.”
Rain happens.
Even with a rainfly. Even with a good tent. Even when you did everything “right.”
Sometimes moisture sneaks into the corners. Sometimes condensation builds up inside the tent because warm breath meets cool night air. Sometimes a bag or blanket gets pressed against the tent wall and wicks moisture in. Sometimes the rain is just relentless.
The best thing you can do is make sure your rainfly is on properly, avoid pressing bedding or bags directly against the tent walls, and keep anything you desperately need to stay dry closer to the center of the tent — especially sleeping bags, clothes, and backpacks.
If you’re renting gear from us, we check the gear and provide tents with rainflies. But if you anticipate rainy weather, we recommend sleeping two people in a four-person tent when possible. That extra space makes it easier to keep your gear away from the edges.
But no tent is a force field. In real weather, outdoors, with wind and rain and humidity, a little dampness can happen.
That’s not a disaster. That’s a camping story.
“It’s scary going to the outhouse at night.”
We get it.
At home, the bathroom is down the hall. At camp, the bathroom might be a little walk away. In the dark. With trees. And sounds. And your imagination suddenly working overtime.
This is one of the most normal first-time camping feelings.
Bring a headlamp. Not just your phone flashlight. A real headlamp makes everything easier because your hands are free, the light is steady, and you instantly feel more capable.
Go before you’re desperate. Tell a friend you’re walking over. At our Basecamp Brooklyn events, you’re not alone in the middle of nowhere — you’re on our property, with other guests nearby, and a shared camp setup. But yes, walking to the outhouse at night still feels different from walking to your bathroom at home.
That’s part of the adventure.
And after you do it once or twice, it usually becomes way less dramatic.
“It was so hot inside the tent when I woke up.”
Waking up in an oven-like tent is a camping rite of passage.
A tent can get hot fast once the sun hits it. Even if the air outside still feels cool, the inside of the tent can heat up like a little nylon greenhouse.
This is why campers tend to wake up earlier than they expect. Not always because they’re well-rested, but because the sun has basically turned their tent into a toaster.
The best move is to open vents when conditions allow, choose a shaded spot if you can, and accept that camping mornings often start earlier than city mornings.
The upside? Morning outside is beautiful. The birds are loud, the air is fresh, and coffee tastes better when you had to earn it a little.
Want your first camping trip to come with a little more support? Our Catskills campout weekends include the fire, food, community, and setup that make the learning curve a lot more fun.
“There are so many sounds at night.”
There really are.
If you live in NYC, you might be used to sirens, trucks, neighbors, radiators, music, and the general hum of city life. But the woods are not silent. They just have different sounds.
Leaves moving. Bugs. Birds. Frogs. Wind. Small animals. A branch cracking somewhere in the distance that your brain immediately decides is probably a bear.
Most of the time, it’s just normal nighttime nature.
For newer campers, this can be both magical and unsettling. The first night outside can feel loud in a way you didn’t expect. But once you understand that the forest has its own soundtrack, it becomes part of the experience.
If you’re a light sleeper, bring earplugs. If you’re nervous, camp with friends or join a group event where there are people nearby. And remind yourself: nature is not quiet, but that doesn’t mean something is wrong.
“There are bugs everywhere!”
Correct. You are outside now.
There will be bugs. Mosquitoes, gnats, flies, moths, beetles, spiders, ants, and mysterious tiny things you may never fully identify. Some seasons are buggier than others. Some campsites are buggier than others. And if you’re camping near trees, grass, water, or a firelight, bugs are part of the deal.
That doesn’t mean you have to surrender completely.
Bring bug spray. Keep your tent zipped. Don’t leave food sitting out. Avoid leaving bright lights on inside the tent at night unless you want to host a tiny insect rave. Check your shoes before putting them on in the morning. And if bugs really bother you, long sleeves and lightweight pants can make a big difference.
At Basecamp Brooklyn events, we do our best to create a comfortable setup, but we cannot negotiate with the entire insect kingdom. You are still camping. Nature lives there.
The good news is that most bugs are just doing bug things. Annoying? Sometimes. Dangerous? Usually not. Part of the experience? Absolutely.
“My tent got all dirty.”
Yep. It was outside.
Tents get dusty. They get grass on them. They get a little mud around the bottom. They pick up leaves, pollen, pine needles, and whatever else the campsite has to offer.
That’s completely normal.
If you’re renting gear from Basecamp Brooklyn, please don’t stress if the tent looks like it went camping — because it did. We clean off the tents after renters return them, and we are not taken aback by normal dirt, dust, or outdoor evidence.
The main thing is to treat the gear with care. Shake out the inside before packing it up, avoid dragging it through mud if you can, and let us know if anything unusual happened — like a spill, a tear, or a truly soaked tent.
But a little dirt? A dusty rainfly? Some grass stuck to the bottom?
Well… that’s camping.
So… why camp at all?
Because being a little uncomfortable can be good for you.
Camping reminds you that you don’t need everything to be perfect to have a great time. You can be a little cold, a little tired, a little muddy, a little unsure — and still feel more alive than you have in weeks.
You notice things. You solve tiny problems. You laugh at yourself. You help your friend find their headlamp. You learn that coffee outside is better. You realize that a campfire can hold a whole evening. You wake up with messy hair and no phone signal and somehow feel more like yourself.
That’s the magic.
Not perfect comfort.
Presence.
The goal isn’t to suffer. The goal is to be prepared.
We’re not saying camping has to be miserable. Quite the opposite.
Good gear matters. Warm layers matter. Dry socks matter. A properly set-up tent matters. Knowing what to expect matters a lot.
That’s why Basecamp Brooklyn exists. We want to make camping more approachable for New Yorkers who want to get outside but don’t necessarily own a closet full of gear or have years of camping experience.
With our camping gear rentals, we provide the basics so you don’t have to buy everything before you know what you need. With our Catskills campout weekends, we create a welcoming outdoor experience with chef-prepared meals, shared campfires, and a community that makes it easier to try something new.
But we will never promise that camping is the same as staying in a hotel.
It’s not.
You might be cold. Your back might be a little stiff. Your tent might get damp in a rainstorm. The outhouse might feel far away at night. The birds might wake you up early. Your dinner might cool faster than you wanted.
And still, you might drive home thinking, “I needed that.”
A better way to think about camping
Camping is not about eliminating every discomfort.
It’s about learning which discomforts are normal, how to prepare for them, and how to enjoy yourself anyway.
So the next time you wake up a little chilly, hear something rustling in the trees, or realize your coffee tastes better because you’re drinking it outside in yesterday’s hoodie, you can smile and say:
Well… that’s camping.
And honestly, that’s why we love it.
Want to try camping without buying all the gear first?
Basecamp Brooklyn rents tents, sleeping bags, and sleeping pads to NYC campers, with pickup in Greenpoint, Brooklyn.
And if you want an even easier first camping experience, join us for one of our Catskills campout weekends — where the gear, fire, food, and community make the learning curve a whole lot more fun.
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