The Big Camping Checklist

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Don't forget anything!

Don't forget anything!

If you’ve done all of your preparation and have packed nearly everything you thought you needed for your first big camping trip, it’s time to go through your checklist. But there’s just one problem: what if your initial checklist wasn’t comprehensive to begin with? If you start out with a bad checklist, you won’t necessarily bring all of the materials and supplies you’ll need to have a comfortable, fun camping experience. With that in mind, let’s take a look at some of the most important camping materials you’ll need to bring on your big trip.

For the Tent

Inside the tent, you’ll want the following things: sleeping blankets, an air mattress or at least sleeping pads, a flashlight or a lantern, reading material, and enough pillows to rest comfortably. You can also bring some optional material like camping cots, which keep you above the ground.

Why bring reading material? In case there’s a particularly rainy day, you’ll find that your tent is one of the most welcoming places you have. Bringing a favorite book or some humorous material to read can really boost your mood on those ugly-weather days. It should go without saying that you’ll need to bring a tent along with all of these items: do not forget the tent!

Food and Fire

After your sleep is taken care of, another high priority will be your stomach. There’s no point in going camping if the entire time you’re racked with hunger because the campfire won’t start, or you didn’t bring enough supplies to create effective meals.

Make sure you bring a cooler full of food that needs to be cooled: efficient foods include hot dogs, pretzels, energy bars, nuts, trail mix, and buns, breads, and bagels. You’ll also want to make sure that you bring along a camping stove to put over a fire.

When it comes to the fire, try to bring at least some matches or a lighter. It won’t hurt to bring a flint just in case you run out of either of those. If you plan on getting a lot of firewood together, bring a water-resistant tarp that you can store the wood in.

Medical, Communications, and Other Items

The most important thing on your big camping checklist? Safety. Communication with other people can help you stay safe, but you’ll also want to make sure you bring some medical supplies of your own.

In order to stay fully prepared, bring a Swiss army knife, a first aid kit, batteries for the gadgets you’re using, a compass, maps of your area, as well as phones and GPS devices if you can afford them.

Photo Credits: HGruber

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Posted by Hike Camp Fish on December 1, 2009 in camping, camping equipment. You can skip to the end and leave a response. Pinging is currently not allowed.

2 Responses to “The Big Camping Checklist”
  1. Bob Says:

    Yes it is great haveing a wood burning stove to sit a talk around
    My friend as a portable wood burning stove call Fire-Spout
    he got it from http://www.occuk.co.uk/outdoor
    It has help us keep warm on many a cold night.
    you could say it save our bacon and cook it :)

  2. Sandy Says:

    Great post. We’ve found that keeping our food that doesn’t need to be in the cooler in an air-tight container will help keep the critters out. And if you’re camping with kids, be sure you pack extra games to keep them busy if it rains :) .

 
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