How much camping gear do I need?
Being a confirmed paraphernaliac (the first step is admitting it; 'though I don't really need a cure) I tend to gear up in spurts; gather more then use, then gather more...
When the gear accumulates to the point where it can, no longer be easily transported; its time to inventory, prioritise and reduce... This is something I tend to do each year, after January and before camping season/memorial day.; but can happen at any time that I get frustrated with the packing hassle.
To transport the gear I have broken it down into modules (cooking, cleaning, accessories/entertainment etc.) and packed it into cases and milk crates
I take each case/crate, open it and go over each item listing, on a written list, the things that are out of date (like medicines and batteries) are worn or have disappeared... this becomes my shopping list... one of the milk crates has developed a crack so a replacement is on order.
I also consider each item and ask;
Is this something I used last year?
Is this something that I'm (be honest) going to use this year?
Is this something that I need or did it just seem like a good Idea?
Is this something that is needlessly duplicated?
If the answer is no (except for duplications) I place the item in an "Optional/unused/extra" pile. To be stored for a couple of years (short term storage) so that it can be retrieved if actually needed.. If the item is an essential duplication (I pack multiple BIC lighters since they dissapear so easily) I keep it. Nonessential duplications are added to the extra pile.
I then consider that case and gear;
Are there other things elsewhere, in other cases or on the market, that can serve the purpose better, in place of any of this this stuff.... This year I am eliminating the wash basin because one of the smaller cases, when empty as it usually is after camphas been set up, can serve in its place, not sureif it is going to be better but if it isn't I can retrieve the wash basin and say that I tried.
Can this stuff be packed better/more efficiently to gain space?
Should anything be moved to this case from another or from this case to another?
Can I reduce the size of this case or should it be bigger?
After all of the cases/modules have been evaluated; I think back over the last few trips and consider any frustrations; can they be eliminated/improved to make camping more enjoyable? (over the years my pillow had consistently fallen off the end of the cot and had to be retrieved in the middle of the night; I made a folding headboard for the cot and have eliminated this minor frustration).
Has technology changed enough to allow any thing to be replaced with an improved/better version?
My old 35 amp hour sealed lead acid tent battery has pretty much died; so I replaced it with a lighter weight similar sized LiFePo4 50 amp hour battery (on sale) with nearly 4 times (perhaps more do to its age) the effective energy.
I had to buy a new cellphone because of the elimination of 3g and have loaded a good part of my e-book library onto it and can forgo bringing the e-book reader, spare batteries and digital camera.
If you are being effective and honest there will, likely, be at least a small pile of stuff to be stored and your overall load will be lighter or at least more compact.
I'm probably forgetting something; additions an exceptions are welcome! ...any improvement is good!
Enjoy!