The Essentials

When going camping, or preparing for a camping trip, it’s important that you check and double-check you have the following items:

• First Aid Kit – absolutely essential. Don’t EVER leave without this.
• Pocket Knife – go with a good brand. See below for more information.
• Good waterproof tent – again, the name brand is going to serve you best.
• Food & water – it may go without saying, but it’s useful to remember that the human body needs water.
• Good sleeping bag – purchase a below-zero bag.
• Good clothes for drastic weather changes.

OK, now that we have the essentials down, let’s look at each one a little closer.

Your First Aid Kit:

• personal medication
• bandages
• aspirin, Tylenol
• medical tape
• sterile gauze
• elastic wrap
• antibiotic wipes
• antiseptic cream
• burn ointment
• sunburn lotion
• hydrogen peroxide
• scissors
• tweezers
• eye wash
• sanitary napkins
• snake bite kit

When camping, it’s very important to have a good first aid
kit. If you’re hoofing it with a backpack, you’ll want a small light one that
fits either in your pack or on your belt. If you’re driving in somewhere, you can have one in your car (which is a good idea to have anyway). REI
has some of the best deals for First Aid kits.

Pocket Knives

Not all pocket knives are created equal. Much like anything
in real life, you get what you pay for. If you’re trying to cut something and the
blade breaks off cause you went cheap, you’ll regret it. Leatherman is the most well-known brand
for multi-use knives, which are basically like swiss knives, but are all-metal
and tougher. Again, REI is a great resource
for good knives.

Depending on the size needed, tents are fairly straight forward.
Again, if you’re travelling on foot, buying a light tent is an absolute necessity.
If driving in, you don’t have to worry about it. Either way, buying a
waterproof tent is a huge priority. Without that, you’re screwed if it rains.
Keeping dry is a major priority in the great outdoors given the drastic
temperature changes in the majority of camping areas (usually in the
mountains). There are sizes from solo to 6+ person tents. Only buy what you
need, as the bigger they are, the heavier.

Food & Water

When camping, water is ALWAYS necessary. Don’t ever
underestimate the amount of water you’ll need, even for a day. If you do, you
may be forced to boil or chemically alter any water you find. Even if you haven’t
seen anyone for days, the water that looks so clear there is loaded with
bacteria & viruses from visitors, animals and other influences. Don’t ever
drink water from a stream or even a spigot at a camp site without filtering it
first. If you use dehydrated food (see below), be sure to plan for enough extra water too.

Food is secondary to water, but again, very necessary.
Without the proper calories, you can easily crash and burn when camping. Go with
some high-carbohydrate foods, and go with some food that is either dehydrated
or easily transported, especially when backpacking.

Sleeping Bags

Sleeping bags are another necessity when camping. Without a
warm cozy place to sleep, you’ll be pining for that time in college when you
crashed in your bathtub (you know who you are). Nancy Prichard’s
blog on what to look for in a bag is one of the best on the web. Remember,
that like everything, weight is important, but with a bag, you also want to
keep the below-zero temperature in mind. If you underestimate how cold it gets
(even in summer) at night, you’ll be freezing all night.

Clothing

Clothing comes in all kinds of types. Depending on the
weather conditions when you plan to camp, you’ll want to deal with at least the
following kinds of clothes, and have spare socks!

Clothing List

• t-shirts
• shorts
• jeans/pants
• socks (bring spares!)
• boots
• hat
• sweater
• underwear
• swim suit
• laundry bag

If you’re planning to go camping in the fall or post-winter months, be sure to bring warmer clothes, and if going in the summer or spring, bring lighter clothes.

This guide is definitely not definitive, but it’s a good start to the very basics you need for a night or two of camping. Thanks for playing.