Emergency Fanny Pack Kit
In addition to the gear you pack for the camping trip in your backpack, a solo camper should keep an emergency fanny pack kit at all times. This kit should include matches kept in a waterproof baggie, a whistle, compass, water purification tablets, bandages, a small flashlight, a snakebite kit, mirror and a multi-tool knife. Don't forget to toss in a spare cell phone that has been fully charged and kept turned off until you need it.
Practice
Before you head out on your solo camping trip for the first time, do a run-through of the set-up in your backyard or inside your apartment. Educate yourself on problems that you may face. Learn the intricacies of lighting your stove and purifying your water. It's much better to learn from mistakes in the comfort of your home than alone in the wilderness.
Keep Informed
Bring a battery operated radio so that you can become aware of sudden changes in the weather. This is a necessity not only because you will want to be aware of any bad weather approaching the location of your campsite. If you remain uninformed of what is happening in the world outside, you may find yourself heading back home directly into the path of a tornado or on bridges weakened by an earthquake or through low areas made into lakes by flooding.
Learn Signs of Health Problems
Take the time to learn the signs of health problems associated with outdoor activities. Not knowing the signs of such things as dehydration, heat stroke and hypothermia can quickly lead to a potentially fatal condition.
No Alcohol
Do not bring any alcohol with you on your solo camping trip. Alcohol is dangerous enough when you've got others around you, but the way in which it impairs thinking can be fatal if yours is the only brain at work.
Activities
Always be aware that you are alone before you decide to engage in outdoor activity. Swimming, fishing, kayaking, climbing and all other outdoor activities may be second nature to you, but the situation changes significantly when you are by yourself. A fall from a rock that strains your ankle when no one else is there to help you can become as much a burden as actually breaking your ankle when you have a partner.
