This is the first post in a series I am going to do over the next couple of weeks or so about camping checklists.
Over the years I have read about and seen a couple of dozen different camping checklists, everything from the basic checklist for the day tripper to to the multi-page two hundred item checklist for the person that won’t leave the house without everything including the kitchen sink.
So I decided that it was time that somebody put together a comprehensive checklist that comes in parts that you can piece together depending on the type of camping trip you will be going on.
Let’s get started.
I don’t have any particular reasoning as to why I am starting here but I am going to start with the housing. When I say housing I mean your tent, RV, Pop-up, Hybrid or lean-to. Basically whatever it is that will protect you from the rain and weather while you are enjoying nature.
Here is a basic list of what you need when it comes to your shelter:
TENT- This is pretty obvious and yet it can be one of the most complicated parts of your planning. Where are you camping? When are you camping? What is the weather forecast? How many will there be in your tent? What size/kind of tent do you need?
TARP – This is one of the items that alot of people overlook or forget about. But it is extremely important. If you are sleeping in a tent having a tarp on the ground below your tent can make all the difference in the world. It is worth the time and money to get yourself a good quality tarp, it will give you that extra protection you may need to keep that dew or rainwater out of your tent.
SLEEPING BAG – Another obvious item and yet again another item that needs to have some thought and planning put into it. If you are camping only in July and August in the Northeastern United States then a very basic type of sleeping bag will do just fine. If you are a winter camper then you need an entirely different type of sleeping bag. Put some thought into it and you should be okay.
SLEEPING PAD OR AIR MATTRESS – This one is entirely a personal choice. Some people like the extra cushioning of the air mattress, some people prefer the sleeping pads because an air mattress can transfer the cold from the ground directly through it into your body.
COMFORTER – This is pretty much a must. You can always just leave it in the car but you’d be surprised how often it gets chilly up in the mountains or at the beach even in August!
THROW RUG OR MAT – You need to get one of these, it is pretty much the only way to keep the dirt and sand from the campground from invading the insides of your sleeping area. You would be amazed at how much dirt can get tracked into a tent no matter how attentive you are to keeping your feet cleaned off.
PILLOW – “There’s no place like home”, “There’s no place like home”. If you want to make sure you get a good night sleep in your tent, away from home and away from everything you are used to when going to sleep then you need to make sure you bring along your own pillow. It might be a subconscious thing but if you don’t bring your own pillow you will know the difference.
SMALL HAND BROOM – Keep one of these right inside the flap of your tent. Use it whenever you enter the tent to clean off your feet and lower legs. Use it to clean up inside the tent throughout your stay and use it to clean out the tent before you break it down. You can even get one of those little battery operated Dirt Devil things if you want. It makes life a whole lot easier.
HANDHELD RAKE – When you first get to a site you want to use the rake the site to remove any large rocks, branches and any other stuff that would make your sleeping uncomfortable.
Well that should get you started. We’ll talk more in the next installment.