10 essential items to pack on any camping trip

Heres a list of 10 items that I never leave home without. I admit I don’t have the choice as my life is one big camping fiesta, but nonetheless, if you are going camping here is what to take. Let me know if I missed anything. All of the items can be found at any Camping Gear Outlet.

1. Tent

I carry a 1 man, lightweight, fully waterproof and breathable tent. If weight is not an issue, than sure why not go for a huge 4 person or dare I say it, a 10 person tent.

Key thing to look for:

simple set up – the last thing you want to be doing is taking an hour to set up your tent whilst everyone else is getting nice and toasty by the fire. Click here for camping tents.

2. Tarp

So you just bought a new tent that only takes 3 minutes to set up, now if you want the tent to last longer than 3 minutes, than you will need a tarp. However strong the floor of your tent claims to be, it will only take one sharp thorn or piece of glass to rip straight through it. A tarp will provide an extra layer of protection for under your tent, it will also keep your tent a lot cleaner.

Key thing to look for:

Make sure the tarp has holes in the corners, that way you can tie it to a tree or something and use it as a windbreaker, sun shelter or to keep the rain off your gear whilst you are out on a trail.

3. Sleeping bag/ liner

If it’s cold out then your bag will be your best friend and if it’s warm out than a sleeping bag liner will give that extra comfort needed for a good sleep.

Key thing to look for:

A down bag will be much warmer and also compress down a lot more, but they are also much more expensive compared to the bulkier synthetic bags. Personally, just the thought of being wrapped up in a cocoon of goose down feathers, warms my heart. If you are going for a liner, silk is the best as its light, compact, and keeps you warm in the cold, and cool when it;s hot out.

4. Sleeping mat/pad

I had to learn the importance of a good sleeping mat the hard way. Even with a good sleeping bag you will loose a lot of heat to the ground, and this is where your mat will make things both much more comfortable and also much warmer.

Key thing to look for:

Inflatable or simple ready to roll mats, the choice is yours, each mat should come with a ‘ R rating’ which tells you the warmth of the mat.

5. Stove

I use a multi fuel stove that makes getting fuel on the road that much easier, it runs off gasoline. But there are many other alternatives out there.

Key thing to look for:

Make sure the stove is easy to use and setup, and also the availability of fuel, if it has specialized gas canisters than be sure to stock up on these, when going off the beaten track. Also, remember to pack them! Click here for camping stoves.

6. Cook set

I have a two set stainless steel pans and a non stick frying pan. Depending on the cooking you plan to do, there are numerous options out there.

Key thing to look for:

Keep it simple, there is no point having a set of 10 pans when you only have 1 stove. A big pot, a small pot and a frying pan should do the job. Non stick pans will save you the chore of washing up when the food inevitably burns . Click here for camping supplies

7. Flashlight

It’s one of my favorite things in life. It goes without saying the importance of a flashlight, but I will say that you wont appreciate it fully, until when you have to go for a crap in the woods in the middle of the night.

Key thing to look for:

Different functions, sure a 1 beam light will do the job, but a red light is nice for reading, and also a blinking light is nice for cycling in the dark. Look for one with the features you might need. Your friends will soon hate you when you have a light that is on full beam all the time, blinding anyone you make eye contact with.

8. Knife/multi tool

Most things can be done with a knife. Forgot your tin opener, no worries if you have a knife. Need to dig a hole, forget the shovel, use a knife. Even better a machete, but I’m in mexico.

Key thing to look for:

4″ to 6″ should be enough. Look for a good blade that wil stay sharper for longer, if you do get trapped by a boulder and have to cut your arm off, then better to use a sharp knife. (see 127 hours).

9. Insect repellent

That beautiful camp spot by the lake might look nice from a distance, but if it turns out to be plagued with insects, than some repellent will make all the difference.

Key thing to look for:

Deet seems to be the go-to for a while now, but it is not very good for the skin. However there has been a recent increase in good quality natural repellents that not only smell nice, they do the job.

10.  Axe/machete

Collecting firewood can be made simple if you have an Axe or machete. Also, sometimes there can be one dead stump or something in your otherwise ideal camp spot, and you never know when these kind of items can come in handy, you’ll be surprised.

Key thing to look for:

No need to go overboard, in this case the smaller the better.

Tags: camping