10 Camping Equipment Essentials
When you’re staying in the great outdoors, the right camping equipment is everything. Gear is not only a great conversation piece around a raging campfire, but it can also keep you safe and comfortable when the unexpected transpires. Experienced campers know that quality equipment can often be the difference between a fun outdoor adventure and a regrettable one.
In this article, we’ll discuss ten pieces of essential camping equipment that you’ll want on any trip. This gear ranges from safety equipment, to convenience, to bare essentials. We’ve broken down some features for each item on the list and given pros and cons for each. We’ve also listed the price range you should expect for each item and what is an appropriate weight.
With an entire industry built around camping equipment, it’s hard to know what is worth throwing in your pack. In the end, picked one overall essential you should have in year kit above all else when heading into the outdoors.
Product FAQ
Why Should You Carry the Same Equipment As Everyone Else?
Will Essential Camping Equipment Really Keep You Safe and Comfortable?
You Have Your Camping Essentials, Now What?
Where Can You Buy Essential Camping Equipment?
How Do I Know What’s Essential and What Is Not?
How We Reviewed
Image via Pixabay
For this article we selected essential camping ranging from obvious bare essentials through easily forgotten items that can make life much more comfortable. These items represent a range of prices and functions and some are more essential than others. We picked items that should be in any camping kit and broke down what features to look for when selecting one from many comparable models.
For our top overall item on the list we chose a product that is the absolute most important thing to have. If your camping pack disappeared and there was only one key piece of equipment left behind, this would be the item you would want.
Overall Price Range of This Product
Camping equipment varies widely in price but the items on this list range between $2 and $50.
What We Reviewed
First Aid Kit
Features
A first aid kit is an absolute must for any camping adventure. This need not be a massive thing unless you’re on a trip with many people. The most important things to have in a first aid kit are a mix of wound dressings including Band-Aids, gauze pads, medical tape, and blister bandages. Antibiotic cream and alcohol prep pads are also a must for cleaning and sterilizing cuts.
You’ll also want a first aid kit with a few simple medications like ibuprofen, cold medicine, anti-diarrheal, and anti-histamin. Make sure none of your medications have expired and all of you bandages are clean, dry, and unopened. Most kits also provide a field guide for simple first aid procedures.
PROS
CONS
Weight
First Aid Kits will vary in weight, but they shouldn’t weight more than a pound for a trip of two to four people.
Waterproof Tarp
Features
Waterproof tarps can serve as emergency shelters and also a ground covers while camping. A tarp is an excellent spot to unload food and gear while setting up a campsite without placing items directly on the ground.
- Contains 299 essential first aid supplies for treating minor aches and injuries
- Clear plastic liner in nylon case for organization and easy access to first aid supplies...
- Soft sided, zippered case ideal for home, travel and on the go use
PROS
CONS
Weight
First Aid Kits will vary in weight, but they shouldn’t weight more than a pound for a trip of two to four people.
Camper’s Toilet Paper
- MORE FUN LEISURE TIME: Enjoy spending more quality time in the great outdoors or with your...
- DISSOLVES AS SOON AS ITS DONE ITS JOB: Septic Tank and Chemical Toilet Safe Toilet Tissue...
- 100% BIODEGRADABLE - Perfect for RVs, tiny houses, off-grid living, boats, yachts, marine,...
Features
Toilet paper is an easy item to forget when heading out camping, but it’s a must. Unlike regular toilet paper, camping TP is often more highly biodegradable and comes in smaller quantities so it’s easy to carry in a backpack.
PROS
CONS
Weight
Single units of camping toilet paper will only weigh a few ounces.
Rope
Features
Rope has a few key features essential to campers. The most important is to hang food bags and barrels overnight where they are out of reach for animals. Rope also has many utility features like hanging wet clothes and tying up tarps for additional shelter.
- Ram-Pro quarter inch all-purpose Durable light weight Diamond Braid Polypropylene Flagline...
- Ram-Pro Polypropylene Rope is especially treated to resist sun damaging effects of UV...
- Braid, also known as braid on braid or Yacht Braid rope, is constructed from a...
PROS
CONS
Weight
A 50-foot length of five weight para-cord will weigh just a few ounces.
Camping Cooler and Picnic Table
Features
A cooler and picnic table aren’t essential for camping, but they’re very nice to have. These items won’t be viable when backpack camping, but they can add lots of comfort and cool, refreshing drinks when lounging around a camp ground.
- Ultratherm insulated body and lid keep ice for 5 days at 90 degrees Fahrenheit
- Reinforced swing-up handles with tie-down loop feature
- Dual snap-fit latches secure lid closure
PROS
CONS
Weight
A cooler and picnic table set will weigh around 20 pounds.
A Jar of Peanut Butter
Features
Peanut butter is one of the most classic camping foods of all time and for good reason. Peanut butter is a high-fat food, so it can keep the body energized during lots of strenuous activity. Jars of PB also usually plastic, so they travel well without breaking.
- AMERICA’S FAVORITE* – From a brand that has been trusted for generations, Jif creamy...
- SPREAD THE LOVE – It’s easy to do with our smooth peanut butter! It is smooth textured...
- PROTEIN – A perfect option for lunch or snack time, Jif creamy peanut butter sandwich...
PROS
CONS
Weight
This will depend on weight, but most jars of peanut butter will weigh around one pound.
Water Treatment Tablets
Features
Whether you’re camping in the deep backcountry or your local town park, you’ll want to ensure that you have clean drinking water. With a tiny jar of water treatment tablets you’ll never need to question if the water from a sink tap or mountain stream is safe to drink.
- One bottle of 50 Potable Aqua Germicidal Water Purification Tablets
- Makes questionable water bacteriologically suitable to drink within 35 minutes
- Emergency water purification tablets effective against Giardia lamblia when used as...
PROS
CONS
Weight
A jar of water treatment tablets weights around 3 ounces.
Portable Spice Rack
Features
Veteran campers often appreciate the importance of a spike kit when camping. Freeze dried meals can be delicious and nutritious but a little extra flavor can go a long way, especially during extended camping adventures.
- PREMIUM QUALITY - Made of BPA free plastic. clear design let you easily identify contents,...
- EASY ORGANIZATION - The 3 Sharp oil Bottles for liquid seasoning such as oil, vinegar, soy...
- LIGHTWEIGHT & PORTABLE - Comes with 2 carry storage bags, easy to carry.Super lightweight,...
PROS
CONS
Weight
A good quality portable spice rack will only weigh around 3 ounces.
Camper Multi-Tool
Features
A multi-tool can be a lifesaver during a camping trip. As the old saying goes, “whatever can go wrong, will go wrong.” With a good solid multi-tool you’ll at least have the chance to fix it.
- Multitool with axe - Come with a nylon pouch. Integration design, multiple tool in one to...
- Multi function tool - Made in durable 2CR13 stainless steel with nonstick coating, smooth...
- All in one Multitool - Axe, Hammer, Pliers, Phillips head screwdriver, Saw, Rasper,...
PROS
CONS
Weight
Most quality multi-tools weight less than a pound.
The Verdict
If we had to choose one item from this entire list of camping equipment to bring into the outdoors with us it would a fresh, dry book of matches. This could be a contentious choice, but we feel that the ability to build a fire trumps all else in an emergency. With a little creativity a camper can build a shelter out of scavenged resources and potentially get by without a first aid kit.
With a book of matches, however, you can build a fire that will provide warmth, a visual sign of your whereabouts, light, comfort, and even the heat needed to cook scavenged food and boil water. Though many of the items on this list are essential camping equipment, a book of matches and subsequent fire can help sustain life in an emergency like few other items can.
Featured Image via Pixabay
