What should you be taking on a camping trip?

Packing up for a camping or hiking trip can be quite overwhelming if you are a total beginner. There are so many things that come to mind when you think about camping – what tent to buy, what type of sleeping bag to get, the right shoes, and so much more.

Even if your trip is a short-day hike, there are still some camping hiking necessities that you need to be getting in order to ensure you are both comfortable and safe.

We will narrow down some absolute essentials that you should definitely have on a camping trip, and you can later build on this list if you feel the need to.

As a beginner you will at least have a solid understanding of what things matter the most when you are going camping after reading this article. So, let’s get right into it!

Back Pack

Whether you are hiking or on a camping trip, your backpack will more or less be the same for both types of excursions.

When it comes to getting a backpack, the most important thing that matters is that it should fit you properly.

You will be carrying around your backpack that will have all of your other things, so if you don’t have the right one it can quickly get super heavy and uncomfortable to carry around.

Make sure to try on different backpacks, and see if they mold around your body properly ensuring that all the weight of the backpack is distributed evenly around your entire body.

Shoes

The right type of footwear is equally important as your shelter, or the food that you will need. Camping and hiking trails are always uneven and rocky, and wearing the wrong type of shoes could potentially be very dangerous.

Even if the trip is a short one, you want to make sure that you get footwear that is designated for hiking purposes. Yes, it might cost you but you don’t want to be making any compromises when it comes to these things.

Tent

The tent will be one of your pricier purchases in this entire list of camping essentials. But the good part about a tent is that if you get the right one it will last you for years to come.

When it comes to buying a tent, you want to make sure that it is durable, light and easy to set up.

If you are going with friends, you can talk about splitting the cost amongst yourselves and get a good and sturdy one. The right type of tent will help you sleep better at night, which will lead you to wake up fresh and ready for your camping excursions!

Sleeping bag

With a sleeping bag, the most important thing that matters is how efficiently it can be rolled and packed again.

Other things don’t matter as much as this one, because you don’t want your sleeping bag to take up more space in your backpack than it should.