At some point in your life, you have spent some time outdoors. Maybe this is your first camping trip and you don’t have any idea what to pack. Whether you’re going on a solo hiking trip or camping for a week in the wilderness, the ultimate camping list is a effective tool for your expedition. Aragorn was right. Leave all that can be spared behind. Travel light.
At some point in your life, you have spent some time outdoors. Maybe this is your first camping trip and you don’t have any idea what to pack. I know I have been on a trip or two where I either packed too little or too much. No one wants to be the one with the collapsing tent; trust someone who knows from experience!
A Good Quality Tent
Camping, for the most part, involves sleeping outdoors. To truly gain the full camping experience, a good quality tent is vital to the success of the trip. Now, you may want to buy a cheaper, “budget friendly” option. I can personally say from experience this is a terrible idea!
The Ascend Orion 3-person backpacking tent is an amazing option at your local Bass Pro or Cabela’s. Its very good for the beginning camper. Based off the x-pole design, the Ascend Orion is a standard freestanding tent. Its one downside is that it only has one entrance.
Sleeping Bag
There’s nothing worst than getting to your desired location and not having the right sleeping gear. A good, quality sleeping bag is another vital piece of equipment on your camping list.
The Coleman Brazos 30 Sleeping Bag is a solid choice for diverse weather conditions. It can be used in either cold or warm weather, preferably the colder, the more comfortable. Paired with a good, solid pillow; you’re guaranteed a good night’s sleep.
Fire Starter
This item can be a myriad of things. Ranging from a cigarette lighter to fire steel. When camping, I bring an assortment of different tools to create fire. Fire is an essential part of every camp site. Thus, having the proper tools is a must for survival and comfort of the endeavor.
Camping Cook Set
This is another key item when camping that you don’t want to skip out on. A camping cook set. This particular set is stainless steel which is the best because it lasts longer than aluminum cookware. Plus, with this set, it offers a lifetime warranty which is a significant feature wit outdoor equipment if it were ever to become lost or stolen. Most sets come with several different pots and pans, often times a can opener, a handle to wield hot objects, a kettle, and utensils. By spending a little bit more in your purchase of outdoor supplies, you will have a much enjoyable and pleasant experience!
Knife
This one doesn’t need much explanation. A knife has many applications, especially in the outdoors. I recommend taking two types of knives: one with a fixed blade and one with a folding blade. Your local outdoors sporting goods store will have a bevy of options. Heck, even Walmart has a good selection of blades to choose from. A simple Swiss Army pocketknife and some kind of fixed blade like a Bowie knife will suffice for this role.
Water Bottle and Purification Methods
Depending on what type of you are trip on, water purifying tablets won’t be necessary. However, a water bottle is a non-negotiable when spending time in the outdoors. The human body can go for only three days without water. More likely than not, the water found in the wild will not be safe to drink, thus purifying tablets are essential to survival.
Now how are you going to collect the water? You’ll need a good, strong water bottle. Look no further than Camelbak. Their bottles are the best in the industry and offer numerous variations. Even its filtration system is powered by the Life Straw; a straw that allows you to drink water from any source that is filtered as you sip.
First Aid Kit
First aid kits are an essential to any outdoor activity. Accidents happen and a well packed kit could be the difference between life and death. Refuge Medical Supply makes some of the best around due to their mission to be prepared for any catastrophe. Over the last two years, I’ve personally built several medical kits for different purposes whether that be survival or everyday use for the car. The Stop the Bleed course is another very valuable trauma course that teaches how to apply a tourniquet. In a kit, it should contain a least: gauze pads, alcohol towelettes, band-aids, tourniquets, shears, Latex-free adhesive tape, anesthetic cream or spray, aspirin, antihistamine, antibiotic creams, safety pins, tweezers, and Latex-free examination gloves.
This can also include a toiletry kit: soap, toothpaste, toothbrush, etc.
Optional Items
- Lawn Chair– a comfortable lawn chair would be helpful so you’re not standing or have to sit in a dirty area.
- Folding Table– this can have many uses from being a places to rest kitchen wares, to a simple game table to play cards.
- Board Games– depending on what you want to do in your spare time, packing board games can be a way to pass the time.
- MRE‘s- If you’re roughing it for your camping trip these are always fun to experiment with. I’ve used them on outdoor trips before.
- Sun Screen/Bug Spray– these are always a good idea to pack when outdoors. You’ll thank yourself later!