Camping Essentials

[JoeS]

What are your most valuable camping musts for your camping trip. I know there are tents, pads for sleeping bags, food and etc , but what are things that you must bring every time you go out no matter where you go?

[CampsiteOutfitter]

Bring baby wipes on your camping trip. It's great for cleaning little messes and for freshening up. Eco-friendly wipes available too!

[artmart]

The 10 essentials. After that it depends on the campsite, location, weather probabilities, number of people in the party, etc. etc.

The 10 essentials are a variation of the following. They should apply to any camp opportunity from RVing to backpacking. Some lists combine items so they can include more things, but this is the one that works for me:

1. Water in suitable containers (or a water source and/or a water purification/filtration system.

2. Food in appropriate storage containers.

3. Extra clothing - depending on how often and what you want to change into.

4. Rain gear - could be a poncho, parka, whatever is appropriate for the weather type.

5. First Aid Kit (stocked with what you need - I have all the parts, but no longer carry some things like a snake bite kit. Don't forget insect repellent.

6. Knife (3", much more than that is overkill and a weapon)

7. Flashlight with extra batteries. Windup flashlights help minimize batteries but are kinda large and heavy if you backpack.

8. Firestarter (blocks or paste) and matches (waterproofed).

9. Sunglasses/Sunblock/chapstick. Even in winter!! The snow can wreak havoc on your eyes from glare.

10. Topo Map & compass. For the areas you traverse. You'd be surprised by unexpected rivers & obstructions and a map helps you get around this. A GPS can also be used but most truists still believe you keep the paper maps as well.

I've always wondered why a stove/fuel & cooking utensils have not made the list, but with a firestarter and some meals pretty much self contained, this turns this into a desire not a requirement.

Other things that are not interestingly enough on the list but somewhat necessary are toiletries, and a backpack or dufflebag. Also, not making the list are specific clothing like boots and NO COTTON. Cotton is a terrible fabric in the backwoods. Wool is much better but heavier than some of these fancy fabrics out there.

That's pretty much MY Must-Haves. Everything else is a convenience, nicety, or fun gadget to bring along. I have saved plenty of other persons in the wild because I bring these along.

[hideout]

1-firearm-50 rounds of ammo
2-fire starter-enough to start 3 fires
3-matches-lighter
4-clothes
5-food
6-hatchet
7-tent-sleeping bag
8-water
there is more but if your backpacking,weight is an issue,and yes these are in order of importance to me

[artmart]

My list is I need all 10 items. There is no priority, I need all of them.

Since you have a priority for yours it's nice to know your bullets are edible and can quench your thirst. I like that weapons, fire starting materials are very high and even a hatchet is above water.

I'm just messing with you. No disrespect meant. I have a pretty good sense of humor. I guess I've just been softened up too much over the years. []

[hideout]

most people can only carry enough water for maybe a day trip if that,if in snow,fire melts water,hatchet cuts wood to make fire,bullets kill dinner,and you need the gun to fire the bullet,hatchet cuts the wood i will need to make shelter if i forget my tent or my sleeping bag,so yes my list is right on the mark,except i forgot the beer,but that would be at the bottom annyway.
l.o.l

[hideout]

artmart-we all need a sense of humor,because it makes life interesting.

[artmart]

yes, I know and I was trying to be funny, too. I guess I fell short .... but I wouldn't call that camping. I would call that survival.

I couldn't clean a carcass to save my life. If I forgot my tent or sleeping bag, I would go back home and give up camping since I can't read a checklist. Guns and bullets are too expensive. 50 of rounds of ammo would clear a forest of all things edible, or else you're a really bad shot in which case I won't camp near by or I'll get the ricochet.

All things are possible.

[peanut]

Aerobed and CPAP. Obviously, I need to camp with electricity. No hard core camping for me.

[peanut]

Originally Posted by jpfree

First aid kit! Never, never head out without one. The most important thing you could have. Hope for the best, plan for the worst...

Excellent suggestion. We have a saying in our family: It's not a vacation 'till somebody goes to the hospital. Since we started camping 13 years ago we have had several concussions, broken arm, scratched cornea, burst eardrum, dehydration, 2 bouts of serius pneumonia, stitches, plus the usual vomiting and diarrhea, colds, fevers, and various cuts, bruises, and burns. And that doesn't even inclued the time we rolled our whole rig with 5 people in the SUV. We never know when we're going to need our first aid kit.

[artmart]

Great! Another Advertisement for a product that has too many useless size bandages. One of these days I'll have to post my contents and it won't be 200 useless size band-aids.

[hideout]

Originally Posted by artmart

yes, I know and I was trying to be funny, too. I guess I fell short .... but I wouldn't call that camping. I would call that survival.

I couldn't clean a carcass to save my life. If I forgot my tent or sleeping bag, I would go back home and give up camping since I can't read a checklist. Guns and bullets are too expensive. 50 of rounds of ammo would clear a forest of all things edible, or else you're a really bad shot in which case I won't camp near by or I'll get the ricochet.

All things are possible.

you are right artmat if i forgot the tent or the sleeping bag my wife would make me go home,and stay there.

[hideout]

Originally Posted by jpfree

First aid kit! Never, never head out without one. The most important thing you could have. Hope for the best, plan for the worst...

i have not found a first aid kit that had the right stuff in it,most of the time it was things i would neaver use unless i hacked off a finger or hand.

[peanut]

Originally Posted by artmart

Great! Another Advertisement for a product that has too many useless size bandages. One of these days I'll have to post my contents and it won't be 200 useless size band-aids.

My first aid kit is not commercial kit. I made it myself. it's not huge, but i can fix almost anything short of a serious head injury or amputation. I carry 4 drugs--Tylenol (fever), Advil (anti-inflammatory), Benedryl (allergic reaction), and Immodium(diarrhea). I keep some bandaids ( but NOT 200~), a few bandage materials, an ace bandage,tweezers, scissors, neosporine & hydrocortisone cream, digital thermometer, and an instant ice pack. I keep it in a small box, about the size of a small shoe box.

[old_guy_camping]

I bet he was talking about the post before yours. Constant links to outside sites.