Even though it’s still raining and cold here in Portland, Oregon, the camping season is getting started in warmer areas of the country so it’s about that time to make sure you’ve got all the essentials in your garage for a great camping trip. While camping with the bare minimum is certainly an option, we’re here to give you the inside scoop on what kind of gear will make your trip more comfortable. It seems appropriate to use the classic Boy Scout motto of “always be prepared” when packing up your gear, whether you are hiking to your destination or just driving to a convenient camp site. Pack all the right tools and you can have a relaxing weekend away from civilization. Just don’t forget to turn off your smartphone.
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Hitting the road this summer? Make sure to check out our new weekly gear guides with tech-inspired packing lists for your next adventure. Last week: The ultimate music festival packing list.
Tent
An obvious essential, make sure you have a tent that is made for the elements you will be camping in. If you pack a hot-weather tent for the rainy season, you might regret it. If you plan on staying up late into the night playing card games with friends, consider a high-tech option like the Eureka Solar Intent Tent ($240) includes a solar-powered LED light inside that charges up during the day to provide up to 8 hours of light in the tent.
Solar charger
While we advocate turning off your electronics during your trip to maximize relaxation, it’s always good to be able to connect to technology if necessary. There are many options for non-outlet charging, including this Brunton Explorer Foldable Solar Panel ($79), which harvests the sun’s energy to provide power for small electronics via USB.
Rain jacket
Even if you don’t live in a rainy climate or the weather forecast is all clear for the weekend, there’s always a chance of unexpected showers to ruin your day. Getting wet and cold because you don’t have appropriate rain gear is the worst, especially when you are nowhere near a hot shower or indoor heat. Rain jackets are lightweight, so make sure to throw one in your bag no matter what. We like this Marmot PreCip Rain Jacket ($69+), which offers superb rain protection, breathability, and small packing size.
Knife
Even though you might not expect to need it, a knife is hands-down one of the best tools to pack in your bag. Whether it’s cooking up dinner or cutting ropes to help hang wet clothes, it will always come in handy for something. This Benchmade REI 585 Mini Barrage Knife ($160) has a great, all-purpose 2.9-inch blade with an ambidextrous, folding design.
GPS
This won’t be a necessity if you are driving to a large, easy-to-find camp site, but if you are taking a long hike to get to camp or plan to take off on adventures while at your site, having a GPS along with you is never a bad idea. The Garmin GPSMAP 60CSx GPS ($220) is a handheld device that will ensure that you don’t get lost, or can at least find your way back if you do. Mark up to 50 routes with this GPS to have exact directions wherever you go.
Stove
Unless you are going with the bare-minimum approach, you are going to want some hot food at the end of your day in the wilderness. While you can always cook basic hot dogs over the fire, a stove gives you more options for a full, delicious meal. Try a quick-start version for convenience, like the Century Matchless Ultra 2-Burner Stove ($99), which ignites both burners with the touch of a button. You can even cook two different things on the burners at different temperatures.
Sleeping bag
Sleeping bags and sleeping pads are also mostly a given for camping scenarios, but it’s also important that you bring the right one for your trip. Pack an extra-warm version if the weather is still cold, a breathable one for hot weather, or a cozy couples sleeping bag if you’re escaping to the woods with your significant other. This REI Kingdom + 30 Double Sleeping Bag ($200) will keep two people warm and toasty and is breathable and compressible, too.
Lantern
Even though fire is great for outside light and heat, you’ll probably want some type of light inside your tent for chatting, game-playing, drinking, or just being able to see all of your stuff. Pick a compact style if you want to pack light, like this ML-1 Mini Lantern ($55), which weighs in at only 300 grams. The small lantern has no bulbs that will burn out on you, and if necessary you can charge the lantern yourself with a little arm power.
Hammock
This one is definitely not on the list of essentials, but if you can find the extra room, it would make for some pretty fantastic relaxation, particularly if you’ve found a camp site near a lake or other beautiful scenery. This version, the ENO DoubleNest Hammock ($65), can fit two or more people for snuggling or family bonding. Marine-grade line and a metal snap make it easy to hook to trees, posts, or whatever else you can find.
Fire starter
As everybody knows, fire is the ultimate necessity when camping. It provides heat, light, cooking opportunities, and is of course a great place to sit with friends and discuss the day. If you’re not good with starting a fire on your own, it’s always a good idea to have some sort of helper with you to get the flames started. A steel flint, like the StrikeForce Fire Starter ($24), will help get things going, especially if you’ve set down camp on wet terrain.
Headlamp
A headlamp is an invaluable tool when you are out in the woods with no direct light. Much easier to use than a flashlight, you can make use of both hands while directing bright light onto whatever task you might need it for. It also comes in handy for finding things in your tent or when stumbling around outside at 3 a.m. to go to the bathroom. Try this Petzl Tikka XP 2 LED Headlamp ($55), which is small but packs bright lighting, a tilt head, and a battery status indicator.
Hitting the road this summer? Make sure to check out our new weekly gear guides with tech-inspired packing lists for your next adventure. Last week: The ultimate music festival packing list.
