the Travel Enthusiast
- 24 Nov
Edina in Travel tips and tricks | NO COMMENTSCamping gear 101: a guide for first-time campers
photo by Katie Brady on Flickr
Camping is a fun and eco-conscious way of exploring natural spots and forming a closer relationship with nature. But as much as making s’mores, getting lots in the woods or catching your dinner might be, organizing a camping trips is nothing if not strenuous.
After all, if you are camping wild, you will be stuck in the middle of nowhere and without the possibility of borrowing from someone that flashlight that you forgot to bring.
And even if you’re staying in a designated camping site, it’s no fun when you don’t pack everything you need and you can only look on with envy astyour camping neighbors’ belongings.So if you are a first time camper who doesn’t quite know what to pack, here’s an introduction to camping gear 101: a guide for first-time campers.
The basics
photo by Alexander Baxevanis
The first thing that usually pops into the mind when thinking about camping is the roof over your head, a tent. Unless you want to go camping in autumn or winter, a simple, cheap tent can do the trick – it doesn’t need to keep out the cold or the wind, because presumably you’ll go camping when the weather is good.
Better than spending a lot of money on a huge, high-tech tent, it might be better to invest in a good sleeping bag which you can use even when you go backpacking and you don’t want to deal with hostel sheets. A pad is also a must, especially if you end up setting up your tent on rocky ground, because it will make a world of difference when you wake up in the morning without a rock-shaped dent in your back.
Light
A campfire will give you warmth and light and night, but don’t forget to bring a flashlight (it’s especially helpful when you need to make a quick trip into the bushes at night), and you can also use if you want to read, or look at map sin your tent before going to sleep.
Kitchen things
photo by Garrett Wade
Of course you don’t need a fully equipped kitchen with you on a camping trip, but unless you want to eat baked beans warmed up in the can, you will need some essentials for whipping up quick meals.
A camping stove will allow you to prepare some simple meals without bothering to cook over an open fire and burning your fingers, and a pot and a pan will be more than enough for cooking some eggs for breakfast or stew for dinner (or even to properly heat up those canned beans). Don’t forget some heat-resistant plastic sporks, and you’ll be set.
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travel search by Travelgrove (get this widget)Safety
Never go camping without packing a medical kit, even if the most that will happen to you are a few bruises or scrapes. Insect repellent is also important if you’re camping in summer, as well as some ointment for bites.
If you’re camping in the wild, you must pack your food in containers for the night – you don’t want to wake up with some critter eating your leftovers. If you suspect that larger animals could be prowling about, suspend your food from a tree with a string or rope.
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