Going camping is a great experience and fun for families, couples, friends, businesses, and the list is endless. The great times that many have had camping is literally uncountable. However, without a correct camping gear checklist, it is just as easy to have a terrible experience. Use correct planning to ensure that your experience falls into the first category. Once your list has been checked, double checked, and checked once more, you are good to go. But before that, the list!
You will actually need to tailor your list slightly depending on your circumstances. Are you hiking, driving, hitchhiking, or travel by other means to your destination? Some ways will allow you to carry more than others.
To keep it simple, I will include the “essential” items first, then include optional ones later on. You can judge whether or not they are going to be necessary for you.
_Tent + Pegs
_Sleeping Bag
_Roll Mat/Carry Mat
_First Aid Kit
_Cell-Phone + Charger
_Sufficient Food
_Cooking equipment
_Firelighters/Paper
_Lighter/Matches
_Mallet for Tent Pegs
_Hiking Boots
_Extra clothing (Warm)
_Bottle(s) For Water
_Swiss Army Knife
_Shovel
_Toilet paper
_Towels
_Insect Repellent
_Sun Lotion
_Bathroom toiletries
_Compass
To download this basic list which you can edit in Microsoft Word or using OpenOffice, click here now.
And now for some of the added extras
_Firewood
_Fishing Gear
_GPS
_Sunshade
_Folding Chairs
_Child Carrier
_Broom/Dust-Pan
_Garbage bags
_Washing Line
_Extra Blankets
_Ice Bucket/Coolers
_Grill for campfire/BBQ
_Paper towels
_Swimming clothes
_Laundry bag
_Saw/Axe
_Radio
_Portable TV
_Extra Batteries for everything
_Marshmallows
_Popcorn
_Signal Flares + Flare gun
As you can see, this list can get huge and if you put some extra thought in, you would be able to add a few things.
Research Your Destination
When choosing your camping destination, you don’t want to just research it from a beauty-spot, ease of access, or proximity point of view. You want to fully understand the facilities and services available. If it is well and truly out in the great outdoors, you are going to need to take a lot more things than if it is a privately owned campsite with firewood for sale, cell reception, and a first aid hut.
When you complete this research, you should be able to use that information, and these suggestions to help you compile your own camping gear checklist.
Safety First
The most important thing to pay attention to, apart from making sure you have enough clothes (calculate how many you will need, then add 50% to account for rain), is safety.
Again, depending on whereabouts you are going camping, you should prepare for every eventuality and do thorough research on potential risks. Make sure you are going somewhere that matches your experience level.
With correct planning, research, and list making, a camping trip can go very smoothly and will be a wonderful, possibly once in a lifetime experience. Make that list and keep checking it.