It is easy to forget about tools until you need them. I have spent enough time trying to pound tent stakes into the ground with a rock to know that I need to keep a hammer in my camping bin.
Duct tape is useful for so many things. From fixing a damaged tent pole to securing a bandage on a wound, it is invaluable. I can promise that rope is equally useful.
The Survival Knife is something that surprised me with its usefulness. I guess that I should have known, but I thought it’s just a knife. I probably have only started to understand the uses, but the first time we forgot the hatchet and my son pulled out his knife to split kindling my eyes were opened. These things are great.
My son’s favorite knife. The sheath can be worn many ways, the little black pouch has a sharpening stone in it, and he has added a length of duct tape for just in case he needs to patch something away from the roll.
I’m sure everyone will have their own list of tools to add. A car tool kit is something that everyone should have. Ever try repairing the brakes 80 miles into the backwoods? Experience will teach you what you want to keep with you, but if you have anything worth adding, feel free to tell me.
Spending time away from your normal systems of support can be a dirty business. Getting hurt while far away from possible care can be frightening. This is probably the biggest reason that people are afraid to try it out. A little bit of preparation can help.
Personal Care Items
Hand Soap/Sanitizer
Baby Wipes
Toilet Paper
Comb or Hair Brush
Bug Repellent
Sunscreen
First Aid Kit
When my kids were little I was working in a coffee shop. So handwashing was ingrained in me as a habit. I set up a handwash station on the table during the day. Hand soap, a basin of water, and a towel were ready whenever I felt I needed them. But as time went on I relaxed my standards and the basin simplified into a bottle of hand sanitizer and a tub of baby wipes. Baby wipes are probably the best thing ever for basic cleanliness while camping. You can clean feet, hands, faces, or freshen up other areas when a shower is not an option. I bring toilet paper because you never want to be without it. Bathrooms may be provided, whether flush or vault toilets, but even the best kept facilities can run out of supplies between cleanings.
Bug repellent and sunscreen should be self explanatory. You will discover what works for your family if you don’t already know. I remember competing with my siblings over who had more mosquito bites and therefore was more miserable, but not everyone will want that to be the story of their campout. And as much as I personally dislike sunscreen, we made sure the kids got slathered with it. It only takes one time trying to wipe dirt off the toddler’s face, only to have a layer of skin slide off to make you dedicated to not letting the kids get burned again. She had only been sleeping in the shade for a half hour and the shade had moved, leaving her in full sun for a short time.
So yes, burns and bug bites and skinned knees are virtually guaranteed. That doesn’t mean they have to be catastrophic. Start with doing your best to pay attention to safety and common sense. Then have a decent First Aid Kit to patch up whatever happens. You could buy one or put it together yourself, but make sure it has what you need to deal with the most common problems that you’ll run into.
This box lives behind the seat of my truck. I chose what goes in it, but like everything in life it is a constantly evolving thing. FYI, paper tape degrades in the heat of a summer car. I couldn’t pull off a decent length last time I needed it. I will have to find a better adhesive tape to store in a vehicle.
First Aid Kit
Adhesive Bandages in various sizes
Gauze Pads and Rolls
Adhesive Tape
Wound Disinfectant
Gloves
Antibiotic Ointment
Burn Treatment
Anti Itch Cream
Sunburn Treatment
Benadryl, Ibuprophen, Acetaminophen
Butterfly Bandages
Elastic Ankle Wrap
Feminine Products
First Aid training would be a very good idea for everyone old enough to pay attention. But when it comes down to it, the most important thing anytime anyone gets hurt is to stay calm. If you are a parent that goes into panic mode over a skinned knee your child will be terrified over every bump and bruise. I would argue that a few bumps and bruises are good for kids and adults because they remind us that we have limits. Nothing teaches you what not to do faster than unexpected pain. We should be calm and accept the lesson, and make sure that we work around it in future.
Most of the items in the list above are self-explanatory. I almost forgot wound disinfectant because in my mind I also have hand soap and sanitizer. I would probably go to that and the baby wipes first, but it’s good to have disinfectant as well. I also remembered gloves when I looked into my existing kit. You never know when you might have to help out a stranger and blood-borne pathogens are no joke.
Butterfly bandages are in there because of a specific incident. I had put my kitchen knife into the cardboard box I was using and didn’t realize there were gaps along the edge, so when I lifted the box the next morning my arm rolled into the sharp edge, cutting a nice clean gash on my forearm. My boys, though nearly adults, freaked out. They didn’t know where we could get stitches so far from home. That was when I got to teach them when and how stitches can be avoided. A piece of paper tape was folded into a makeshift butterfly bandage and the trip was saved, though I had to be careful. Now my kit is ready and I am dedicated to keeping my sharp edges protected.
Watch out for those sharp things! injuries make camping less fun, but they do make stories for a lifetime.
Ladies will know why I added the last item. Make sure they are in a plastic baggie so they don’t get messed up. I even have told my boys to include those, and not really for first aid purposes. Just imagine how quickly your trip would be ruined if something so important was forgotten…having something on hand could save the day.
I have known people who think being prepared means they are afraid of what might happen. I even know a person who refused to carry more than a couple of bandaids because having more might jinx them. Then again, I remember listening to a podcaster (I’ve forgotten which one!) who told the story of being at an outdoor wedding when a small plane crashed into the field across the road and he was able to help save the pilot’s life because of his well-stocked first aid kit. Mine isn’t huge but is respectable and it lives in my truck. I might never need it for any big things, but whenever I do pull it out for little things I am glad it’s there.
My most recent little thing where my kit saved the day. This is when I learned that my paper tape wasn’t doing so good. Someone tried to take off my mirror. I was able to secure it until I could access duct tape.
I could call this the Chuck Box Extras, except that they aren’t really extras. You could probably prepare food and eat without needing seasoning or washing dishes. You might even have some really good food that way. But most people are going to need some basics.
Cooking Kit
Salt and Pepper
Cooking Oil
A few favorite Herbs and Spices
Sugar
This is what I bring. I could probably leave some of it behind. The sugar is for my coffee because I am a wimp, but I am trying to cut it out as much as I can. If you want to be a minimalist just bring salt and oil. But if you want to cook a bit, even just an omelette, everything gets better with extra flavoring.
Dishwashing Station
Two Dish Pans or Large Bowls
Small Bottle of Dish Detergent
Sponge and Scrubber
Drying Rack and Dish Towels
Kettle to heat water
I guess this could be optional too. You could easily scrub your pots out with a handful of sand and rinse them in the creek. But that tends to be frowned on in more developed campgrounds. The more people you have in your group, the more important it is to get the dishes washed after each meal. Also, the more hands are available to get the job done. I’m sure my family is not the only one where the rule exists that whoever didn’t cook gets to clean the kitchen.
Dishes rinse best in warm water, so as everyone sits down to eat, set a kettle on the stove or campfire to heat up. Then get the dishes done before the water gets cold. When it comes time to dispose of the dirty water it is possible to throw it into the bushes at the side of the campsite, but it is often considered rude. Better to pour it down the graywater drain that is usually located every few sites in a developed campground.
I think that’s all for today. There really isn’t much more to say on these topics. Of course if I missed something, be sure to let me know. Tomorrow I’ll go on about the campfire.
The biggest secret I have found to a successful camping trip is making sure you can sleep comfortably. Really, if Mama doesn’t sleep then nobody is going to have a good day. I know some people can sleep anywhere they close their eyes. People like that are probably fine with one of those thin sleeping pads. I get the feeling that those pads are primarily for insulation so that the ground doesn’t suck away your body heat. Other people are more like the Princess and the Pea. I was miserable on the floor at sleepovers when I was 14. It has only gotten worse over the last 30 years.
Sleep
Cot, Air Mattress, or Sleeping Pad
Sleeping Bag
Pillow, Blanket, and Sheet
Only you can know how far you need to go to get the right level of comfort. No matter how careful you are to clear your tent site of rocks and pinecones, there are always lumps and bumps under the floor. If you go ahead with the area rug, that helps for sleeping straight on the floor, but most adults end up needing something more. Air mattresses are very popular. Bring a pump or be prepared to do crazy things to get your kids to inflate the thing. And be prepared to patch it at some point because I guarantee it will spring a leak. I have given up on air mattresses because I hate waking up with the sensation of being eaten by the thing while laying on the ground. Others I know swear by them.
I have traveled with a twin mattress in the back of my truck. A friend brings the memory foam topper from her bed. Covered with a double layer of fitted sheets and folded in half it did a pretty good job of letting her get her rest.
Big cot on the left, smaller on the right. A table for phones, glasses, and water bottles. Plenty of room for luggage and the food box underneath.
Nowadays I use a folding cot. It’s TwinXL and works beautifully. I sleep well, it gives me storage space underneath, and I can make my bed in the morning so that my tent doesn’t look like a disaster zone. One drawback is that cots are not the best for couples. And although they do make cot/air mattress combos in a queen size they are squeaky enough to wake the dead.
I bring my own pillow from home. Even if it gets kicked to the floor it smells right and makes me comfortable. Same with the big fuzzy blanket. On cold nights having the fuzzy next to my skin makes me feel warmer. The sheet may seem odd, but if you camp someplace really hot it’s nice to have something to cover up with that doesn’t roast you. And then the other bedding is there for when it gets cold.
Yes, something to remember: camping exposes you to the elements. It gets surprisingly cold at night. It can be gloriously hot during the day. There is no heating or AC to regulate your environment and that is good for your body. You do need to prepare. For myself, I bought a sleeping bag that is good for freezing temperatures. If it is too hot, that is what the blanket and sheet are for. By 3am you will likely appreciate the heaviness of a good sleeping bag, unless you are one of those people who needs a window open and a fan on in the middle of an ice storm. I’ve bundled up and still shivered through the night.
But here’s the thing, when you’re camping you don’t have to worry about alarms. The sun will come up. Your bladder will drag you out of bed if the kids don’t. Somebody will need to make the coffee. Maybe you drag your blanket out to wrap up in your chair so you can sip that first cup by the fire while the world wakes up. Who cares if breakfast isn’t on schedule? The entire point of getting away is to let your body and soul rest and reset. Let it happen.
One of the basic human needs is for shelter. We need somewhere to rest that will keep out the elements. When you leave your comfortable house full of modern conveniences for a while it makes you grateful for those conveniences when you return. The simplest form of shelter can be made from a sheet of plastic and twine. I got to practice that for a week in my Senior year of high school when all 39 of the people in my class went on our retreat at the beginning of the year. It rained all week, but my shelter stayed dry.
For more comfortable camping you will want a tent. A good tent treated well should last you many camping seasons, so it is worth putting some thought into what you need. For a young family it is worthwhile to get a fairly large tent that can fit everyone and still allow room to get to the door without stepping on anyone still asleep. Just keep in mind that some campsites have limited space. One of my favorite tents was 18′ long, which made it difficult to fit into some campsites. For singles or couples it is nice to fit a queen size air mattress into the tent and still have space to set your luggage or food at the end. I like being able to stand up when getting dressed, so a tent that is too low to the ground is not fun. As the kids get older they like having space of their own so having a tent for Mom and Dad and a couple of smaller tents for the kids allows everyone breathing room.
My camp setup last July. My canopy gave extra shade to keep the tent cooler inside.
I have found that a 10’x10′ tent is just about right for me. They have enough room for my cot and I can still stand up in the middle. There is room enough for a guest or two, the cooler, and luggage. I’m actually in the market for a new tent since my most recent purchase failed the first night. Those “easy up” claims might be right, but they seem to be weaker than I like. If you buy a tent with flexible fiberglass poles I would recommend a tent that runs them through sleeves to the top. That way they have extra support when the wind tries to flatten your tent and are less likely to shatter.
One night of heavy wind destroyed this pole. I had bought this tent the day before. I managed to make it survive a couple more trips before giving up on it.
One thing that tents do not come with is a groundcloth. Casual campers can probably get away with not using one, but the minute you need it you will either be glad it’s there or regret not having it. A groundcloth is simply a tarp or sheet of plastic that goes on the ground under the tent. It is very important not to let it extend past the edges of the tent! It serves three purposes: it protects the floor of the tent from wear against any rocks or roots under the tent, it prevents damp from seeping up from the ground, and if it rains, it gives an extra layer of protection against moisture. Rain or heavy dew is why you should never let the groundcloth go past the edges of the tent floor. Any moisture runoff needs to go to the ground under this tarp, not be funneled between tarp and tent floor. So buy a tarp as close to the size of your tent as you can and fold the edges under when you stake down the perimeter as you set up.
A dining canopy is a luxury that I have decided I need. Yes, you can easily camp without one, but when the sun is hot or it starts to rain, being able to prepare meals under cover is so much nicer. Last year I went ahead and bought one of those pop-up canopies. It was worth every dollar. I even used it to sleep under on the last trip of the season because my tent had died. I left the legs at their short position and placed my cot under. It rained all night but I stayed dry. In the morning we moved it to the picnic table and fixed breakfast without getting soaked.
It is entirely possible to go camping without chairs and a table. Most campgrounds provide a picnic table to cook and eat at. Often you can get close enough to enjoy the firepit from the bench of the picnic table, but having chairs is better. Let the kids each pick out a chair to claim and make them responsible for taking care of it. A folding table is another little luxury that can have a thousand uses. When you have a larger group it is nice to set up a cooking area at a spare table and leave the picnic table for eating and socializing.
The last three items on the list are mostly obvious. Yes, you will need at least one flashlight. A lantern is better. Multiple lanterns and flashlights are best, and if you forget the batteries you will kick yourself. The need for a broom and dust pan is also obvious. Being in the great outdoors is not clean and tidy. Sand and pine needles get tracked into the tent and I can’t stand the mess. Well, I can for a little while, but I hate packing up a dirty tent. I actually keep a broom in my truck for sweeping things out as needed. The handle broke off of it long ago, but it still works fine in my hand.
Then there is the one item that feels like the most luxury but is the one that I would never do without if I can help it. Floor mats. Area Rugs. Carpet. The first time I brought a spare area rug to the campground it felt like cheating. I just wanted something more comfortable in the middle of the tent than the plastic floor. A rug can take up a lot of space when you are packing, but I feel like it makes up for it. I currently use a 5’x7′ inside the tent and a 3’x5′ at the door. Shoes are always left on the mat outside the door. The rug inside protects the tent floor from wear, catches sand and pine needles, and makes it more comfortable when I’m inside. Both of the carpets I currently use were about $15 at Walmart so I’m not worried about them getting ruined. When the kids were little I brought their hot wheel rug to put in front of their tent so they’d have a place to play with their cars. Plus it caught most of the dirt before they went inside so their tent and blankets stayed cleaner.
That covers the first category. Tomorrow I’ll talk about sleep. Because if Mama doesn’t get her sleep, ain’t nobody gonna have fun.
