Going camping is a great experience and fun for families, couples, friends, and more. It’s a great way to get out and explore while enjoying all that nature has to offer. It can be a wonderful experience, however, without the correct camping checklist, it can be one of the worst experiences ever. Use correct planning to be sure 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. We have put together a list but feel free to add or subtract items depending on your needs.
You may actually need to tailor your list slightly depending on whether you are hiking, driving, or RVing to your destination? Some methods will allow you to carry more than others.
To keep it simple, we will include the “essential” items first. You can judge whether or not they are going to be necessary for you.
- Tent + Pegs (Make sure you check it for holes)
- Sleeping Bag (Same as above)
- Roll Mat/Carry Mat (For sleeping on uneven ground)
- First Aid Kit
- Cell-Phone + Charger (Check if you will have signal before you go)
- 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
And now for some of the added extras
- Satellite Phone (If you will have no cell reception)
- 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 And Flare Gun
You could add even more to this list, depending on your needs and how much room you have to bring extras along.
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 should fully understand the facilities and services available. If it is 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 fire wood for sale, cell reception, and a first aid hut. When you know exactly where you will be staying, you can add and subtract from the above list to come up with your own personal checklist.
Safety First
The most important thing to pay attention to is your safety. Again, depending on where 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 and possibly even, a once in a lifetime experience. Make that camping checklist and be sure to check it twice, at least!