Camping Gear: What Are The Essentials?
If you’re a camping beginner, what do you really need, and what can you get by without?
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Let’s start with the basics. You’re gonna need a place to sleep, stuff for personal hygiene, and something to eat. You’ll need water too.
So much about camping is personal preference!
Some people just have to sleep in a bed at night, and there’s nothing wrong with that! Some people bring tents that are bigger than a small studio, with inflatable mattresses and the entire kitchen! You do you! Just please observe quiet hours and don’t blast your loud music into the wee hours!
You can probably rent a tent to sleep in- REI has equipment rentals, and they even sell camping basics kits that include a 2 person tent, sleeping bag and sleeping pad for a decent price.
For a minimum of comfort, do bring a sleeping pad. Foam pads can be fairly inexpensive, inflatable pads are a bit more pricy. I have a combo foam pad that requires some inflation, to combine the best of both worlds.
A good idea is to remove rocks and pine cones from the area that you set up the tent– nothing is worse than settling into your sleeping bag for the night and feeling a rock right under your back.
If the seats in your car fold flat, you could probably sleep in your car, but you would be missing out on some privacy if your windows aren’t tinted. It might be ok for one night.
Note: Stake down your tent if you’re expecting wind! It’s weird to wake up in the middle of the night because the tent walls are blowing in on you.
A sleeping bag is nice, but you could make do with blankets from home if you don’t want to make the investment right away. It can get surprisingly cold at night, even in hot climates. Bring layers to sleep in, and a warm beanie, scarf and even gloves can help warm you up if it gets cold.
I can get by without a shower for a few days, but I do bring wet wipes and/or try to jump in the river if there is one! A solar shower is surprisingly functional- especially if you have one of those pop up shower stalls for privacy. Otherwise, good luck trying to find a place private enough to hang the shower from while you bathe!
Different campgrounds have different amenities. You can look up what your campground provides online beforehand. The bare minimum is a firepit, a picnic table, and a flat place to pitch a tent.
The next level is a pit toilet, which is exactly what it sounds like. Some smell worse than others! One step up is having running water in camp. You’ll have flush toilets, sinks, and probably spigots to fill water jugs. Luxury is having an actual shower. Don’t expect hotel quality though- you’ll likely find spider webs, bugs, concrete floors, scratchy toilet paper, no hooks to hang your towel, etc. Don’t let this scare you though! You’ll be surprised at how little we actually need luxury. It’s empowering to feel so self-sufficient!
Please bring biodegradable soap, and be mindful about where the graywater is flowing. It all goes back into the earth and can have a big effect on the environment. If you’re disposing of water outside of a drain, it’s good practice to distribute water by throwing it out in an arc rather than pouring it all in one place. Think of the way rain sprinkles down vs a heavy waterfall.
Do look up the weather in the area before you go! Be prepared for rain, freezing temps, or blazing sun. In the southern California sun, I do envy people with their “Easy-Up” setups!
You’ll want a safe way to store your food. If you’re in bear country, your campsite might have a bear box. These are heavy metal containers that have a “locking” mechanism that bears can’t maneuver. Put EVERYTHING SCENTED in the bear box. Bears have been known to tear apart car doors and tents because of a scented lotion or toothpaste that was inside.
Even if there is no bear box, squirrels and rodents will no doubt try to partake in your yummies, so it’s best to lock all food and trash away when you’re not eating.
A cooler with ice will do for food- try to eat all the perishable foods first. Freeze meats and bottles of water to help keep things cold longer. Premade meals make prep easy and fun.
Wrapping food in aluminum foil allows it to cook in the coals of a fire and is really fun to unwrap! You can put meat and veggies for a savory meal, or apples and cinnamon for a sweet dessert!
Headlamps are best when navigating in the darkness while carrying things. Shine a headlamp into a bottle of water to create a larger light source. Use the red light on your headlamp if you’re trying to look up at the stars- it can take your eyes 15 minutes to adjust back to the darkness if you look at a white light.
