How To Pack For Your First Camping Trip

Camping can be a fun experience, but it’s not all glamping and s’mores when you’re miles into the woods and realize you should’ve packed matches in lieu of mascara. Going on a real camping trip, leaving behind the creature comforts of electricity and running water which you’ll find in any RV, is something that takes a fair amount of forethought and planning. Make sure you’re prepared whatever circumstances happen to come your way.

When shopping for supplies, it may be tempting to purchase the tent which offers a substantial amount of living space, as well as a super roomy sleeping bag, but remember — unless you’ll have use of an ATV to carry all of your supplies to your campsite, you’ll be carrying the weight of all your equipment yourself. You can, though, find tents that weigh around two pounds or less and also are a comfortable size, such as the Ultralight and Superlight line of tents from Big Agnes. They also offer several sleeping bag options in their Ultralight line as well.

Another essential item first-time campers may not think to pack is a first-aid kit. While you may think you’ll only need a first-aid kit if you’re camping along rugged, potentially dangerous terrain, they come in handy for small, annoying scrapes, splinters and allergic reactions. REI offers several different first-aid kits, but you can easily make your own as well, packing your supplies in a small, waterproof container. Make sure to include disinfectant gels or sprays and band-aids, as well as anti-itching solutions for bug bites or skin allergies.

While cooking Pinterest-worthy meals over an open fire sounds fun, and you should definitely try your hand at it, you’ll want to have a good supply of easy, travel-hardy snacks with you as well. Nuts, granola, dried fruits, dehydrated veggies and roasted seeds are all good options.

If you’re unsure of your fire starting skills, bring along an easier option. Getting a toasty fire going is a bit more difficult than just throwing matches on a pile of twigs and hoping for the best. While you can purchase a fancy fire-starting device, you can also make your own DIY fire starters that ensure success with common household items, such as egg cartons, wax and dryer lint.

Each time you begin to prepare for a camping trip, you’ll further learn what to pack or leave behind as you figure out what works for your personal needs. For a beginner, the task can seem daunting, but as long as you have a good idea of the situations you’ll be encountering and seek the advice of other seasoned campers, you’ll be off to a great start to a fun and memorable experience.