Going camping can be a great way to have an adventure. Spending time in the wilderness can be exciting and a way for you to explore the outdoors. However, it can be difficult to have a pleasant camping experience especially if you do not pack well and you are not prepared. If you know what to pack and what not to pack you can easily make your camping experience into a relaxing one.

In this article, we’ve compiled a list of the 10 things you need to bring with you on your camping trip. Once you’re done reading this article, you’ll be an expert camper in no time!

1. Tent

A tent is the first essential on the list even if you wish to sleep under the starry night when you go camping. Having a tent handy is important as an emergency roof over your head. Sudden inclement weather might strike and if you do not have a tent you might fall severely sick. A shelter will protect you from the elements when it gets harsh. Even if there are no extreme weather events, a tent can protect against wind chill from high wind speeds. A tent will come with other important accessories such as ropes, tent poles and a rain cover. You must bring the relevant accessories to fully utilize your tent, regardless of the size of tent you bring – for individual or larger tents.

2. Sleeping bags

Another quintessential item that should be on your packing list is a sleeping bag. It might sound romantic and fun to be in touch with nature and lie on grass or moss but that will not shelter you from the elements. Keeping warm when camping is important because once the sun sets the environmental temperature will drop significantly and can pose a health risk to you if you do not keep sufficiently warm. A sleeping bag does more than just keep you warm, as it can keep you safe from creepy crawlies as well. Therefore a sleeping will be able to grant you a good night’s and protect you from unwanted exposure to the elements and insects. 

3. Water Bottle

This should go without saying as water is important for one’s survival. When you are outdoors, access to clean drinkable water is not always a given hence you require a water bottle to stay hydrated. You should always stay away from drinking water from unverifiable sources of water such as ponds or lakes as it can cause you to fall sick if the water contains bacteria. It can be useful to ring along water purification tablets as well so that you can ensure the water you refill from streams will be safe for consumption. 

4. Fire Starter

Keeping warm with a campfire is a staple for any outdoor adventure. There are several fire starter options you can go with such as matches, a lighter or a magnesium fire starter. If you decide to go with the lightweight option of matches, ensure you get the waterproof type so that they still work even if it rains. It can be good to have two options in regards to fire starters.  To complete your fire starter kit, you would require some kindling such as dry tree bark or small strips of newspaper and they likewise should be stored safely and away from water. It is good to prepare these ahead of time as finding dry materials to start a fire might be difficult outdoors. 

5. First Aid Kit

Although you might not think that you will suffer an injury on a simple hike or camping adventure, it is always safer to err on the side of caution. Furthermore, a first aid kit can help alleviate minor cuts and bruises that might derive from long hikes. It is good practice to attend to minor injuries as soon as possible to reduce the risk of infection, hence it is important to keep bandages and antiseptics in your first aid kit. Other important things you should keep in the kit include scissors, tape, gauze and insect repellent. Sunblock is important and commonly overlooked, hence it is important to have as unwanted sunburns can result in great discomfort. 

6. Pocket Knife

A well-furnished multipurpose tool can be useful when outdoors. It is a small and effective tool that will allow you to do simple tasks such as cutting rope or a fishing line. Sometimes it could help you easily accomplish a simple task such as opening a can of food or sharpening a stick. 

7. Map and Compass/GPS

Navigation is important, especially when hiking in uncharted territory. Having these navigation tools will keep you oriented to your environment. The last thing you would want is to get stranded and lost in an unknown environment that might not have a phone signal.

8. Weather appropriate clothing 

When hiking, you should dress for all-weather events which include rain. You have to be strategic as to what you decide to pack when you go camping. It will be unpleasant to hike in damp clothes that are difficult to dry. Wet clothes can also easily weigh you down so you should choose a lightweight waterproof rain jacket that should be slightly oversized so you can wear it over a few layers of clothes. 

9. Flashlight

When you are outdoors, you might not enjoy the luxury of street lighting. Hence it is important to have your own light source. If you forget to pack a torchlight you will find even simple tasks such as finding something in your bag or picking something up unnecessarily difficult. A good option would be to get a headlamp as you then free up your hands.

10. Toilet Paper

Natural solutions for toilet paper might not be viable solutions for less hardcore campers. To make your camping more comfortable and hygienic you would want to pack toilet paper. Even if the camping site you are heading to have bathroom facilities you should pack in case they run out of toilet paper. Do purchase biodegradable toilet paper or bring along a trash bag. 

Conclusion

Camping can be a fun and enjoyable experience if you pack well. As long as you follow the list of things in this article, you don’t have to worry about forgetting to pack anything!