First Time Camping Checklist: What Basics Do You Need?

Posted by: KHTS Articles in News Articles May 7, 2020 - 8:53 am 0 838 Views

Camping is one of the greatest ways to experience the great outdoors. You can enjoy the serenity of nature by yourself or with the company of friends and family. For a comfortable and fun trip, you need to ensure that you have all the essentials you might need out there. If it’s your first time camping, don’t worry, we’ve got you covered.

Here’s a checklist of what you need for your first camping trip.

Shelter Essentials

These items must include a tent and an ax or hammer to set-up the tent. When choosing a tent, you can find different variations that can accommodate from 1 to 10 people depending on your needs. The outdoor enthusiasts from 50Miler.com, strongly advise that you pay close attention to the tent’s material to ensure that you get a durable one that can offer you shelter and protection. Ripstop tents are generally the most durable ones on the market, but they do come at a higher price than their regular nylon counterparts. A tent is not just about size, but also about style, quality, functionality, and practicality. So when choosing your camping tent, make sure you get one that checks all of these boxes for a great first camping experience.

Bedding Essentials

For your bedding essentials, you will need a sleeping bag and a sleeping pad. Get yourself a nice, cozy, 3-season bag that can give you more leeway during unpredictable weather. Such sleeping bags are ideal for campers as you can easily adjust them according to your preferences, whether you feel hot or cold. As for the sleeping pad, its main function is to act as an insulator to prevent your body from losing heat to the cold ground. It comes in different lengths, widths, thicknesses, and insulation values (R-values). The higher the R-value, the more comfort and warmth you get.

Personal Belongings

Your personal belongings are mainly sanitary items. To be more specific, they are the items you use for daily hygiene. Instead of the regular, everyday items, opt for ones that can be multipurpose, such as soap that can be used to wash the dishes, your hands, and your body.

Here are some of the essential personal belongings to bring along:

Flip flops
Towels
Multipurpose Soap
Toothbrush and toothpaste
Travel size Deodorant
Hairbrush or comb
Shower bags or buckets
Camping shower or shower pump
Feminine hygiene products

In addition to these items, you need to make sure you bring along prescribed medications if you need any, and pack extra just in case. It would be wise to pack eye drops, over-the-counter allergy medications, and painkillers as well.

Cooking Utensils

For the fun part of camping, which is cooking, you need to have compact and light cooking utensils that do not take so much space in your bag. For cooking, you will need a simple two-burner camp stove along with a saucepan or a frying pan. You will also need a coffee pot to heat water for instant foods and warm drinks. As for the plates, each person will need at least a single plate. Opt for disposable, recyclable paper plates— an eco-friendly alternative to plastic plates.

First Aid Kit

Being prepared for the unpredictable is never a bad idea, that’s why you must be well prepared for any emergency that may come up. You never know what might happen on the campsite, but it’ll be just fine if you have it all under control. This is why it is crucial to bring a first aid kit along. From bandages and antiseptic ointments to gauze and sterile wipes, make sure your kit has all the necessary basic supplies you might need, and keep your first aid kit ready and available at all times. It would also be a bonus if you take the time to learn some first aid tips before you head out. Make sure that you place our first aid supplies in a waterproof container to keep them protected from any damages.

Planning ahead is a must for your camping journey. If you’re worried that you might be forgetting some of your camping essentials, make a packing checklist, and cross each item off the list before you hit the road. This way, you can rest assured that you have everything you will need out there. It pays to be prepared for anything that might come up, so be sure to bring a well-stocked first aid kit, pack extra food and water —but not too much— and always check the weather forecast before you head out.