The online and the outdoors may seem like two opposing concepts, but the internet has only served to make camping much easier than before.

From smartphones and their applications to social media and its pageantry, and environmental sustainability’s growing importance -  camping will be forever altered by the information era of the 2010s. Let’s discuss three things campers learned this decade:

Smart Campers, Smartphones

This decade will be remembered for the smart applications which entered the rugged world of the outdoors. A smartphone is a multi-functional tool that assists in the day-to-day life of modern consumers - and of modern campers, too.

Consider the array of applications that smartphones bring to camping. Smartphones are flashlights, compasses and maps all-in-one. Further, smartphones serve as an ideal tool for emergency situations. The smartphone has made camping much safer and efficient than years gone by. Speaking of smartphones…

‘Perfect Picture’ Camping

The digital representation of camping culture has arguably changed from here on out. Social media has given rise to “picture perfect” concepts like “glamping” and van life - ideas that did not have much of an audience before social media platforms gained such prominence.

Something like glamorous camping likely sparks distaste for the outdoors purists among us, but it is certainly something that has been embraced over the past decade. This trend mixes the rugged outdoors with comfortable accommodations which could include a bed, meals and electricity.

Glamping speaks to those who do want to return to the outdoors but with their creature comforts - and it also makes for great social media imagery.

Some blogs even cover specialist camping food recipes - from Pumpkin Spice Pancakes to camping cocktails. Maybe something campers in previous years never would have considered until the 2010s?

Environmental Sustainability

Last, but certainly not least, is the changing attitudes this decade regarding environmental sustainability. People all over the world - campers and non-campers alike - have awoken to the fact that global climates are shifting. This makes for people who are more conscious of their environmental impact than ever before. This is noted in the camping community for commitment to “leave no trace” and zero-emission outdoor activities.

Camping culture of the 2010s will not be something that ceases to evolve come 2020. Expect the rise of interconnectivity and environmental awareness to have a lasting impact on the generations to come.