things that are needed to pack for camping

How To Pack For Camping Trip? Complete Camping Checklist

Are you excited about your first camping trip? Stupid question. Who doesn’t love camping? Leaving the hustle and bustle of city life, living openly in nature, clear sky full of stars- just thinking about the camping trip is an exciting feeling on its own. It is such a good feeling that keeps us awake all night wondering about the trip.

Camping in nature is an adventurous journey. However, it doesn’t take time for your camping trip to be your worst nightmare. So, to make your camping successful, you need to have full knowledge of camping essentials.

How to pack for a camping trip?

A camping trip will never be successful if you forget to pack the necessary things for your trip. To have the best camping ever, you need to spend some time doing the following:

First, make a list of what to include: Camping essentials.

Whether it is your first time or second time or even more, one thing never changes- camping packing list.  So, before you are ready to go, make sure to check the list. Otherwise, you will be on your worst camping trip ever.

To help you, we have prepared the ultimate camping packing checklist. We also call it the “car camping packing list” or “summer camp packing list” or “family camping packing list”. This list is helpful to anyone, no matter how, where and how often you camp. 

  • Tent: You need a tent to protect yourself from animals, rain, sun, snow, etc. It gives you a private space as well. Consider taking a lightweight tent so that you don’t need an extra pair of hands to carry it.
  • Sleeping bags: Unless you want to freeze in the cold night, take a sleeping bag to keep you warm and have an excellent sleep.
  • Sleeping pads: Like the sleeping bag, sleeping pads keep you warm from freezing ground and provide excellent cushioning when sleeping.
  • Pillows: You need a pillow to support your head when sleeping. It ensures that you have a good night’s sleep.
  • Tarp: You need a tarp because it protects you from the insects on the ground or water coming under your tent, and the uneven surface. It is handy for covering the holes in your tent as well. 
  • Clothes: There is no doubt that you need clothes to protect yourself from poisonous insects and animals, the heat and the cold. The clothes you bring depend on the weather and the place you are camping in.
  • Shoes: Walking with your bare foot is never an option. We don’t need to say why you need a shoe. Shoes aren’t a luxury on a camping trip; they are necessities. Consider bringing extra pairs of shoes. 
  • Food and water: Obviously, you need food and water to prevent yourself from starvation and dehydration.
  • First-aid kit: You never know when an accident and injuries can happen. You need to carry a first-aid kit every time with you. 
  • Sunscreen: You are mostly outside when camping, so having sunscreen protects you from sunburn. 
  • Flashlights: You need flashlights in the dark, so you don’t get lost.
  • Lighter: You need a lighter or a firestarter to start a fire. Fire protects you from animals and freezing temperatures.
  • Extra batteries: Unless you have equipment that runs on fuel, you need extra batteries to keep your mobile, flashlights, etc. running.
  • Knife: You need a knife to cut the rope, cut foods, repair items, etc. A pocket knife helps to protect you from wild animals. (hope you don’t encounter them.)
  • Chairs and table: If you don’t plan to eat and rest on the ground, you need chairs and tables. Most importantly, take foldable chairs and tables to have the extra space for other items in your vehicle.
  • Mobiles and camera: It is better to take mobiles for your safety and entertainment as well. Mobiles are necessary to call for support if you get lost. And it would be best if you had a camera to capture the breathtaking sceneries and bring beautiful moments and memories back home.
  • Powerbank: You won’t be getting any power socket to charge your mobiles, laptops, etc while you camp. So, take power banks with you to give you extra battery life on your mobiles and laptops.
  • Cooler: Your foods, water, and drinks might rot away because of hot temperatures. So, you need a cooler to store your foods, water, and beverages.
  • Camping stove: If you aren’t carrying firewood, then you need a camping stove to cook your foods, boil water, and, most importantly, to keep you warm.
  • Tissues: You will not get a luxury toilet with toilet paper or tissue paper on your camping trip. So, take them with you. Also, it is helpful when you are too sweaty.
  • Bugs spray/repellent lotions: Nature and its wilderness are home to many insects and bugs- some are poisonous, and some carry diseases. Take bugs spray and repellent lotions to keep them away from you.
  • Compass and maps: Compass and maps are crucial for navigational purposes. A wrong turn could be fatal for you, so take them with you.
  • Money: It is always better to keep extra cash in your pocket. You won’t be coming back for a while. So, if you need anything on the way or forget something to pack, you can buy them right away.

Second, gather everything included in the list

Now, it’s time to gather everything included in the list. If you’re a frequent camper, you’ll probably be covered on all the things you need. If not, buy every item included in the list. If you have anything like knives, utensils, flashlights, cameras, etc. with you, which are readily available in one’s home, then you don’t need to buy them.

Third, Pack and organize

Once you have gathered your camping items, you’re all set to pack it up. Pack everything in your backpacks and load them in your vehicle. Be cautious while loading as you need to  organize your supplies in a way that everything that you need fits in your car. Otherwise, you need to say goodbye to some items, which might not be possible either way.

Finally, we are ready to go!

Last but not least, embark on your camping trip and have a blast. Enjoy your trip to the fullest and make it the best trip ever.

Make sure you run through the camping checklist one last time before you head on your trip. It is better to spend some time rechecking your stuff rather than spoiling the fun. While you are on the camping site, enjoy nature, but keep in mind not to destroy its beauty. 

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