Things You Must Take When Camping
Although there are many types of camping and each one has its own requirements, there are certain things you absolutely must take with you as a matter of common sense.
There are many different kinds of camping. Some people even consider driving a large RV into a campground and hooking up their DVD player to the electrical outlet to be a form of camping. Obviously, camping must haves for this person would differ from a wilderness backpacker camping in a primitive site in the woods. This actually gives the key to the first and most important camping necessity of all. This would be knowledge of where you are going and what you are likely to expect once you get there. Everything else stems from this.
For the sake of this discussion, let's confine ourselves to camping where you have to carry everything with you for some distance from your vehicle to the actual campsite. If you can drive your pickup truck right to the edge of the campsite, that is still camping, but you can pack a lot of extra items in the back of the truck and be prepared for just about anything. However, before you pack the truck full of coolers of beer and uncooked steaks, make sure you at least have the items mentioned below. These are the true camping necessities.
The most important item might well be the tent. It should be lightweight, waterproof, and easy to assemble. It is a good idea to practice putting it up in the back yard before the trip. A dark rainy night is not the best time to try to figure out which pole goes where. A second necessity is a sleeping bag. Although there are many inexpensive ones available and many people doubt they will need one in the summer, it is best to get one of those that keep you warm when it gets real cold. This is a just in case type of thing.
Just about any camping trip is going to involve bugs and exposure to the sun. Insect repellant and sunscreen are necessities, but you might just consider them part of the next item. This is the First Aid Kit. A good First Aid Kit is essential. It is the one item on the camping trip that you hope you do not even have to open, but it should be a well thought out and carefully stocked kit that can see you through any first aid emergency.
Other must have items for the primitive camper are a flashlight, bottled water, water proof matches, and some high carbohydrate snacks. A whistle and a pocketknife are also on the list. A good item to carry is a thermal reflective blanket. They are lightweight and can keep you very warm in an emergency.
There are many different kinds of camping. Some people even consider driving a large RV into a campground and hooking up their DVD player to the electrical outlet to be a form of camping. Obviously, camping must haves for this person would differ from a wilderness backpacker camping in a primitive site in the woods. This actually gives the key to the first and most important camping necessity of all. This would be knowledge of where you are going and what you are likely to expect once you get there. Everything else stems from this.
For the sake of this discussion, let's confine ourselves to camping where you have to carry everything with you for some distance from your vehicle to the actual campsite. If you can drive your pickup truck right to the edge of the campsite, that is still camping, but you can pack a lot of extra items in the back of the truck and be prepared for just about anything. However, before you pack the truck full of coolers of beer and uncooked steaks, make sure you at least have the items mentioned below. These are the true camping necessities.
The most important item might well be the tent. It should be lightweight, waterproof, and easy to assemble. It is a good idea to practice putting it up in the back yard before the trip. A dark rainy night is not the best time to try to figure out which pole goes where. A second necessity is a sleeping bag. Although there are many inexpensive ones available and many people doubt they will need one in the summer, it is best to get one of those that keep you warm when it gets real cold. This is a just in case type of thing.
Just about any camping trip is going to involve bugs and exposure to the sun. Insect repellant and sunscreen are necessities, but you might just consider them part of the next item. This is the First Aid Kit. A good First Aid Kit is essential. It is the one item on the camping trip that you hope you do not even have to open, but it should be a well thought out and carefully stocked kit that can see you through any first aid emergency.
Other must have items for the primitive camper are a flashlight, bottled water, water proof matches, and some high carbohydrate snacks. A whistle and a pocketknife are also on the list. A good item to carry is a thermal reflective blanket. They are lightweight and can keep you very warm in an emergency.
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