The idea of going on a family camping or fishing trip to the countryside is enough to get most people excited. All the fresh air you can handle, exercise which is also great fun and the chance to tuck in to some barbecued food are all great incentives for getting out and sampling the great outdoors. What is easy to overlook though is the need to make sure that the practical issues are taken care of and that you aren’t caught short without a valuable piece of equipment.

As well as checking that the car is in working order, that the tent has all its accessories with it and that you are taking all the cooking utensils which you will need there are other things that need to be on your checklist. You need to look at the items which are going to give you light and music, let you take the photos which you will treasure in years to come and basically provide the power to let you enjoy some home comforts while having a great outdoor experience. Every electrical item you take with you should be checked to make sure that it works, that it has batteries and that you have back up batteries for it. Even the items taken as a back up cover and which you don’t expect to use need to be tested in the same way and need to have their corresponding batteries. You should work on the assumption that once you are out there you aren’t going to have the option of just going round to the shopping mall to buy anything you forgot.

Regarding the batteries themselves, taking brand new batteries is the best bet to avoid them running out when you most need them. During the journey and time spent in the countryside you need to make sure that you store them in a cool area where rain and direct sunlight can’t get at them and where you aren’t likely to forget where they are.

Good quality power supply units such as Duracell or Procell batteries are great options for ensuring that the power doesn’t die on you at the worst possible moment, as inferior batteries sometimes have the habit of doing.

Once you are out in the open you need to remember to store and take away with you any batteries which ran out during your trip. You want to leave the place looking as lovely and unspoiled as you found it.