A great adventure can happen when you spend a week in the great outdoors.
or a real bad dream. Most of the time, a good or bad camping trip comes down to just one thing: what you brought (or didn’t bring) with you. Having the most important camping gear in your backpack can make the difference between a relaxing trip in the woods and a trip to the nearest hospital. No matter if you’re a first-time camper or a seasoned survivalist, our readers say you can’t go on a nature trip without these things. There are various pocket knife manufacturers in the market with good options available for you.
TENT
Even if you like sleeping under the stars, you should always have a tent or some other kind of emergency shelter with you. If you don’t, a midnight rainstorm, a random snowstorm, or a heavy dew will leave you soaked, miserable, and at risk of getting hypothermia. A tent can also protect you and your gear from strong winds. Whether you choose the best two-person tent or a larger cabin-style tent, don’t forget to bring the rope, tent poles, tent stakes, and a rain fly.
SLEEPING BAG
It might sound fun to lie down on a bed of moss and leaves, but you won’t stay warm when the sun goes down. When night comes, the temperature can drop by as much as 20 degrees or more. Also, keep in mind that many insects are most active at night and may find their way to your body if it is not wrapped. If you don’t have a sleeping bag, you might have a bad night’s sleep or even get cold. And if you’ve ever tried to go camping with your kids, you know that they’ll toss and turn all night without a kid’s sleeping bag.
WATER BOTTLE
Water is a must if you want to stay alive in the great outdoors, and it seems to run out faster the further you go from the main trail. No one who goes camping wants to be stuck without fresh water, especially since bacteria in a pond or lake can make you very sick if you drink from it. Even if the wilderness you’re going into is just a few feet from your car, bring enough water in a water bottle or other large container. Then, keep a filter or water purification tablets on hand in case you need to fill up from a nearby stream.
FIRE STARTER
Camping isn’t camping without a warm, crackling campfire, so you’ll need the tools to start one quickly. A flint and steel, matches, a cigarette lighter, or a magnesium fire starter can be used to start a fire by campers. If you choose matches, make sure they can stand up to water. It’s a good idea to bring two fire starters, just in case one doesn’t work. Bring some kindling with you, like dry bark or newspaper strips in a watertight container. In the outdoors, it can be hard to find dry kindling when you need it.
FIRST AID KIT
You probably won’t get hurt seriously while camping, but even a long day of hiking can leave you with blisters that need to be bandaged. Even small cuts and scrapes can get infected quickly if they aren’t treated, so always have bandages and antiseptic on hand. You should also have scissors, glue, gauze, soap, a CPR mouth barrier, and an emergency whistle in your first aid kit. Don’t forget to throw in some bottles of sunscreen and bug spray as well. As quickly as a cut can end your trip, so can sunburn and bug bites.
POCKET KNIFE
The pocket knife is the most useful outdoor tool that can be used for many things. A knife can be used to trim a rope, cut fishing line, dice bait, slice cheese or sausage, open a tightly sealed package, sharpen a stick, get rid of tangled vines, tighten a screw, or skin a small animal. Without a knife, it’s hard or impossible to do these things. If you forget your knife at home, you will get frustrated a lot.
MAPS AND COMPAS (OR A CHARGED GPS)
If you plan to hike in remote areas while camping, don’t go without a map, compass, or GPS. Changes in the sun’s position can make forest landmarks look strange, which can make hikers lose their way. Campers who weren’t ready have sometimes been lost in the woods for days before they were found or found their way back to camp. Getting lost or stuck in the woods is no joke, especially if you don’t have much water. Even if your kids just want to walk from your campsite to the nearest creek, make sure they have a safe way to get back.
WEATHER-APPROPRIATE CLOTHING AND RAIN GEAR
When camping, you only have a few outfits to choose from, so it’s important to keep them dry. Not only is it uncomfortable to walk around in wet clothes, but it can also be dangerous in cooler climates where hypothermia is a risk. Also, wet gear is heavy gear, which can make it uncomfortable and hard to carry a backpack. Choose a rain jacket that is light, waterproof, and can fit over several layers of clothing. If it doesn’t cover your backpack, you might want to get an extra rain bag to keep your stuff dry.
FLASHLIGHT, LANTERN OR HEAD LAMP
A campfire might be nice and bright, but only for about six feet in any direction. A portable camping lantern that runs on batteries is very helpful if you need to find something in your tent at night. Many campers say that headlamps are the best choice because you can use them without your hands. A pair of flashlight gloves from flashlight-gloves.com could also be helpful.
TOILET PAPER
Some survivalists may think that toilet paper is a luxury that doesn’t belong in the wilderness, but many campers swear that it’s a must. Bark and leaves don’t make good toilets, both in terms of comfort and cleanliness, and a chapped bottom can make it painful to sit. Also, there have been times when toilet paper has run out at campgrounds with bathrooms. If you’re camping in the middle of nowhere and worry about how your toilet paper will affect the environment, you can buy biodegradable toilet paper or bring a trash bag.
Even though there are the basics, there are a lot more things you need for a good camping trip. Check out our camping check list to see the whole list.
Cristal C. and other Eureka! fans helped me come up with this list by sending me their top 10 must-have camping items.
