The Best Camping TipsCamping Supplies Checklist
Got Everything You Will Need?
Camping Checklist – make sure you got everything packed!
The most useful tool for planning your camping vacation is the checklist. Use the camping checklist below to identify everything you will need. You will have all your camping gear, everything for your meals along with everything needed to prepare the meals in the campsite kitchen, everything needed to build a fire, and all games and pass time activities.
Download the Camping Checklist by clicking here to get a printout of this list. Print it and save the Word.docx format document so you can modify it to include anything else based on your personal experiences and preferences. Hang it on your garage wall where you will see it while you pack your vehicle. You can even replace the pics on it with pictures from your own camping excursions!
Are we missing anything? Leave a comment below!
Shelter Coleman Montana 8 – 16×7 – 8 Person Tent
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Sleeping Accommodations
Why put a couple of zippers between you? Double up with the Coleman The Tandem 2 Person… [More] Price: $89.99 Buy Now
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Lights Princeton Tec Quad headlamp
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Outdoor Campsite Comfort Alps Chip Table
If you are looking for a table that’s quick and easy to set up, the Alps Chip Table is … [More] Price: $29.97 Buy Now |
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Cooking Gear
The focus of any camp kitchen is the Coleman Dual-Fuel Standard Compact 2-Burner Stove…. [More] Price: $119.00 Buy Now
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ToolsSee the Campers Toolbox post on this site. Be sure to include the following:
AMK’s Adventure First Aid Family Kit provides families with essential supplies for a 1-… [More] Price: $24.99 Buy Now
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FireSee the Starting a Campfire post on this site  The fire is roaring!
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Safety
The Silva Ranger 515 Compass and Ranger 515CLQ compass deliver superior accuracy, even in th… [More] Price: $42.93 Buy Now
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Kitchen Supplies
Enamelware blends old-fashioned charm and functionality into one sturdy package. The Pioneer 16 Piece Blue Enamelware Camp Set.. [More] Price: $89.99 Buy Now |
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FoodGroceries for all meals planned, include extras:
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Some places allow dogs, otehrs don’t. In my area, dogs aren’t permitted in state campgrounds, but most commercial campgrounds allow them as long as you clean up after them, don’t leave them unattended, and keep them on a leash. I bring my 85-Lb shepherd with me and she is happy to sleep next to me in the tent, on top of an old sleeping bag I cut in half. However, dogs are never allowed in or around rental cabins/trailers. Not a problem if you sleep in a tent or your own RV.Start off on short trips close to home and make note of the things you used, things you brought but didn’t need, and things you forgot. Organization and lists make for happy trips. And yes, it does make sense to plan and pack things in groups: Shelter and Furniture (table, chairs), Cooking/Eating Gear, Clothing/Foul Weather, Food, Water, Warmth (fire), First Aid/Safety. Some tips: Make sure to practice setting-up camp at home a few times before you go camping, especially your tent.Tie a silvery ribbon at chest and shin height on any guy lines to help prevent tripping over them. Your tent should go on top of a ground sheet or footprint. The ground sheet should be a few inches shorter than the tent floor on all sides to avoid collecting water if it rains.12-hour chemical light sticks are handy for marking your tent and any obstacles in your campsite and also make good night lights for younger kids.Get a cheap set of tableware (knives/forks/spoons), reusable plastic plates and bowls, and a plastic tub to hold them. Add some pre-soaped scouring sponges in a zip-lock bag, a couple of old dish towels and a piece of cheesecloth. Use the tub as a sink, running the dirty water through a cheesecloth before throwing it out (away from camp and all water sources). Put the debris collected in the cheesecloth in with your trash.Coghlan’s Mosquito Coils do work. Off Bug Lanterns work too and look nicer, but mosquito coils use the same chemical, take less space and are and less expensive.DEET is still the best bug repellent, but keep it away from synthetic materials. Permethrin is an insecticide that can be used to treat clothing, including synthetics, but should not be applied to skin. I wear a Permetrhin-treated buff to keep the bugs away from my head, then spray DEET on my arms and legs if exposed. Skin-so-soft and other alternative products never worked for me.Never bring food into or nearby your tent. Unless specific bear protection measures are recommended, it is best to store the food and trash in the trunk of your car. Setup your kitchen/dining area away from your tent. Scented hygiene products such as toothpaste, soap and deodorant may also attract animals and insects, so store with your food. Leave make-up and hair products at home.Use separate coolers for food and beverages. Your food will keep better without people opening the cooler frequently for drinks. Use frozen disposable water bottles, filled 3/4 full of water and frozen, instead of ice. They will last longer, your food won’t wind up soaked in water from melting ice, and can be reused. When you do need to add ice, block ice lasts longer than cubes.Freeze any food you can that won’t be needed the first day or two. Your ice will last longer.Give everyone a good emergency whistle and teach them that when you hear the whistle blow, stop whatever you’re doing and head back to the tent. If you’re lost, hug a tree and blow your whistle until help arrives.LED flashlights last longer and are brighter than bulbs. LED headlights are the same, but leave both hands free.Energizer Ultra Lithium Batteries, available in AA and AAA size, are lighter and run longer than alkaline batteries, especially in cold weather. Keep bucket full of water, or two buckets of loose dirt/sand, and a shovel near your campfire for emergencies.Coleman makes many fine grills, many of which use aluminum grilling surfaces, which saves both weight and cost. Resist the temptation to put a pot or griddle on top of this aluminum BBQ grill it will cause the aluminum to overheat and melt in a most spectacular way. Instead, get the appropriate Coleman Griddle or Put Burner accessories if desired, or bring a separate stove.I could go on and on. Check out the Expert Advice section on REI.COM (see below) for more help..
Some ok Commits on here, Love it.