5 tips for your first survival overnight stay outdoors!

Go to sleep at the top of the mountain under the starry sky. At the edge of the forest, where in the morning the birdsong provides an incomparable wake-up call. Or with a view of the lake, which promises a wonderful dip in the cool water for the next day. No matter which outdoor experience comes closest to your personal ideal - there is hardly anything that breaks through the stress of everyday life and the daily routine as much as an overnight stay under the open sky. No question: sleeping in a "zero-star hotel" is exciting and liberating. For those who are venturing into this experience for the first time, however, the idea of a night outdoors can also have something eerie about it. It doesn't have to be! Anyone who takes the following 5 simple tips to heart and starts this adventure well prepared is guaranteed to discover a new passion for nature.

Tip No. 1: Basic Equipment

If you're planning an outdoor night for the first time, you should definitely bring a tent with a sleeping bag and a sleeping mat. This will protect you from wind, rain, and animals. Experienced outdoor experts are also often seen with a hammock and a so-called tarp. This is a type of tarpaulin that is stretched over the sleeping area with the help of paracords and ground pegs and protects against night rain. However, if you don't know the terrain exactly and don't know if there are suitable trees for attaching the hammock, it's better to play it safe and pack a tent, especially at the beginning.

For provisions, in addition to food and drinks, you'll need a pot, a camping stove / hobo stove, and utensils. Also essential: fire and a headlamp.

Tip No. 2: At the beginning, a little more is okay

Your first outdoor overnight stays are about getting a feel for it and building confidence. So it's absolutely okay if you pack a little more in your backpack at first. You can always reduce and leave things at home later!

Therefore, in addition to the things mentioned in Tip 1, you should definitely pack a knife and a cord. A small first aid kit - you can buy this ready-made - also makes sense. When it comes to provisions, you should make sure you have enough water with you. You'll always need a pot to boil water anyway.

A warming campfire is also part of every survival overnight stay: an essential part of every outdoor overnighter's basic equipment is therefore a modern fire steel as a fire starter.

Unlike a lighter, a fire steel is particularly robust and durable, works even in the rain, and doesn't rely on petrol. To make fire, you have to rub a scraper or a knife over the fire steel to create sparks. If these land on tinder, you'll quickly have a nice, small flame. You can find tinder materials like dry grass or tree bark in the forest. However, this must be absolutely dry. That's why we recommend thinking about tinder when packing your backpack at first. You can pack toilet paper, make-up remover pads, or cotton wool. And for emergencies, as a beginner, it's better to also take a lighter with you.

As for your clothing, you'll definitely need a weatherproof rain jacket and outdoor clothes that are warm enough, as well as good footwear. You mustn't forget: even in summer, the ground can be quite wet from dew in the morning, and with simple sneakers, you'll quickly lose the fun here. An investment that always pays off in the long run is a robust backpack. Make sure it has sufficient volume and the necessary durability so that thorns or sparks from your campfire can't easily damage the backpack.