If you are planning to take the family camping this summer, the first decision you will have to make is what to bring with you. Just Google™ camping list and you will get in excess of 50 million different opinions on exactly what it is that you should be taking and, while most of this advice is probably okay, a lot of it (even at some big-name outdoor companies) is written by freelance writers who may, or may not, have any actual camping or backpacking experience.
REI Halo (left) and Zen bags
Any camping list is going to vary depending on whether you are car camping (carrying all of your gear in a car) or backpack camping (carrying all of your gear on your back). If you are carrying everything on your back then weight is a primary factor in your gear selection and you can justify the premium price that you will pay for lighter gear. For example, an REI® Halo down-fill bag weighs just under two pounds and is $250. An equivalent synthetic bag, like the REI Zen, is less than $150 but weighs over three pounds.
A sleeping bag is part of the core set of camping gear that you will spend the most money on:
- Tent
- Sleeping bag
- Sleeping pad
- Camping Stove
- Ice chest
The ice chest is only for car camping, but the rest of this gear is available in lightweight versions that are more suitable for backpacking. Of course, you could go with backpacking gear even if you are car camping, but it will cost a lot more money and you will be giving up some comfort. There is a huge difference, in both cushion and warmth, between a ¾-inch thick foam sleeping pad (10 oz.) and 3-inch thick insulated foam and air sleeping pad (6 lbs. 10 oz.).
Therm-A-Rest™ Z Lite™ vs. DreamTime™ sleeping pads
In addition to the core set of gear you will also need a set of cooking gear for preparing meals and cleaning up:
- Matches and lighter
- Fire Starter / Tender
- Garbage bags
- Paper Towels
- Wet Wipes
- Dish Soap
- Coffee pot or tea kettle
- Sauce pan or dutch oven
- Cooking Oil for Treating Cast Iron
- Aluminum Foil
- Frying pan or griddle
- Hot Pads or Mitt
- Plates, bowls and cups
- Knives, forks and spoons
- Spatula, ladle, paring knife
- Large Sealable Bags for Food Storage
- Large Table Cloth (many picnic tables are 8-feet long)
- Wash tub
- 5-Gallon Drinking Water Container
The JetBoil Helios packs inside its own cooking pot
Of course, if you are backpacking then size and weight is a primary concern. Instead of packing pots, pans and a stove, there are integrated cooking systems like the Helios™, from JetBoil®, that packs inside its own cooking pot.
Likewise, there are a number of small, integrated plates, mugs and utensil sets from companies like MSR® that will save weight and space in your pack. The final list of gear that you will need for camping is for safety and comfort items:
- First aid kit
- Insect repellent
- Sunscreen
- Toilet paper
- Towels
- Pillows
- Small ax or hatchet
- Small broom or whisk broom
- Camp chairs
- Extra Batteries
- Notepad and Pencil
- Soap, Shampoo and Shower Shoes
The NEMO Fillow backpacking pillow weighs just 10.8 oz.
Some of the items on this camping gear list may sound a bit overkill, but even if you are backpacking it is nice to be comfortable at the end of a long day. Companies like NEMO™ make lightweight pillows that can add the little extra bit of comfort to a night’s sleep in the backcountry.
When you are trying to save weight and space, multiple-use tools are essential. A Gerber® Back Paxe™ weighs just 19 oz. and can be used to chop firewood, stoke the campfire and pound tent stakes. Note that this camping gear list is not meant to supplant the backcountry essentials, like water and food, that everyone should carry with them. A printable copy (PDF format) of the camping gear list is available for download here.
See also…
- How to use an ice chest
- Assemble a First Aid Kit for Family Camping
- How to make your own campfire starters
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Very timely post for me. My sweetheart Stephanie and I are taking our golden retriever Molly camping over the weekend, our first camping trip since last summer.
We’ll be camping somewhere on a little dirt road in the forest within about three hours of Mount Shasta. We haven’t picked our destination yet — I’m trying to figure out how high we can drive without getting stopped by snow.
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Sounds fun – it was 100+ here on Sunday and we started thinking about heading up into the Sierras.
No kiddin’ on all those camping (and backpacking) lists out there! And I’ve done it too, quite a bit, I must admit. Generally, though, I think it’s more about the good ol’ “ten essentials” to begin with, whether backpacking or car camping, and then whatever else you want (and can carry, either on your back on in your vehicle) to be comfortable. Obviously, with car camping, you can pretty much bring the kitchen sink. We just bought some of those foldable camping chairs after going without for YEARS. Sitting around the campfire just got a whole lot more comfortable. And the egg-crate foam pad we cut to the shape of our tent is swwwweet! After all this cushy car-camping lately, we’re going on an extended backpacking trip pretty soon, and I’m sure we’ll feel the difference when we get up in the morning.
Deb’s last blog post..A Short Walk Turns Into A Long Night
Here’s my list of ton ten things to bring camping (not the usual stuff):
http://motherskitchen.blogspot.com/2008/09/top-10-camping-supplies.html
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Deb – it’s hard to go back to roughing it
MK – good list! We cook with aluminum foil on almost every trip and we’re just getting started with our new dutch oven.
You definitely hit all the most important items Dan! I would like to include a small rug for outside the tent – it sure helps with cutting down the “stuff” that gets tracked in.
Happy Camping!
Sandy
i am always refining my list, culling anything we don’t use and, of course, looking for that ultimate piece of gear that improves the camping experience exponentially. ;^)
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Good Post Roy! One thing I’d add is a mallet or hammer because sometimes those stakes are a pain to get in the ground with your hand.
Eric
Eric’s last blog post..Cabin Camping – Is it good or the path to the dark side?
Good call, Eric – I use the hatchet, but I should add some verbiage about pounding tent stakes with it. There have been a few times I’ve had to use a claw hammer to get them out of the ground, too.
Lori – we’re the same way, it seems like we’re always refining our list.