Planning a camping trip, especially your first one, is a lot of fun but people often miss the most important thing: actual planning. I can’t tell you how many times our campground neighbors are caught so unprepared that they end up sleeping in their car one night and leave the next morning in frustration. This is by no means a comprehensive list of essential camping gear, and you may find that you won’t need some of these items for a simple camping trip, but this should give you a good start and make your first camping trips comfortable.
Sleeping Arrangements – Of course you know you will need a tent and a sleeping bag, but here are some items that you might find useful in keeping your tent sturdier and protected from rain.
Sleeping pad, mat, or air mattress to give you a little cushion from the ground. As an alternative, you can sleep on top of the sleeping bag and bring a blanket for warmth.
Tarps to provide added protection from the rain because the rain fly your tent comes with won’t do much in a downpour. You can also use a tarp over the picnic table.
Extra stakes in case the ones that came with your tent break and to keep your tarp in place.
Rope to steady the tent and attach the tarp to either trees or extra stakes.
Hammer to pound tent stakes in place. You can also use non-blade end of a hatchet.
Meal Necessities – Assuming your campsite has a fire pit and/or you bring a camp stove.
Wood or charcoal probably goes without saying, although you should check with the campground to make sure you can bring your own wood.
Lighters to light stoves or fires are probably more often forgotten than you would think.
At least one pot and/or one pan for cooking.
The same cooking utensils you would use in your kitchen or while grilling. It would be helpful to plan your meals ahead of time so you’ll know what to bring.
Paper plates and bowls to eat from. Hey, you could eat straight out of the pot if you wanted to, but only if you are flying solo!
Water jug so you don’t have to wander off to a water spigot every time you need to fill a pot with water.
Outdoor Adventures – If you plan on doing some hiking, biking, or anything that will keep you away from your campsite or civilization for a while.
Sturdy shoes or boots because I cringe when I see teenagers hiking to a waterfall in flip-flops. It can only end badly, and in fact, I’ve seen it end badly for people who don’t wear the right shoes.
Thick socks, especially if it is cold or wet outside.
First aid kits do not need to be big and bulky. Make your own in a plastic bag with Band-Aids of all sizes, antibacterial ointment, ibuprofen, and tissues.
Canteen or water bottle should also go with out saying, but again, I don’t care if it’s just a quick hike out and back, you never know what can happen.
Hats, bug repellant, sunscreen, sun glasses, and lip balm will prevent a lot of discomfort later.
A whistle is probably only necessary if you plan on being in an area with very few other people, but it can’t hurt to bring along anyway. Just slide it in the first aid kit.
Remember, camping is supposed to be enjoyable and fun so a little forethought can go a long way to make your trip comfortable. What essential camping gear you bring might be dictated by the size of your vehicle, length of your trip, and number of people in your party. Plan for the essentials and add a few creature comforts of your own if you have the available space. Take into consideration the weather and if you are prepared, you might find that listening to a downpour from inside the tent, while remaining dry, is actually a relaxing experience.
