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backpack, backpacking, camping, camping for girls, camping trips, e cards, funny, girly, girly camping, hiking, humor, lists, nature, outdoors, packing, preparing, sleeping bag, stove, tent, tips
My Essentials
Today we decided to go camping this weekend- yay! The bad thing? We decided this morning and I still have to work today, get off at 5:00, drive 30 minutes, pack quickly, and leave by a reasonable time to avoid traffic but still drive 2 1/2 hours. So, the one thing going for me is my packing is almost done- and I haven’t even started! Here are 6 items I never take out to make my packing easier!
- Tent
- Sleeping bag
- Stove
- Sleeping pad
- First Aid kit
- Dehydrated food
Now all I have to do is add a pair of shorts, some undies, an extra pair of socks, and I’m good! I wear all my bulky stuff like a hoody, jacket, tee, and jeans so my pack isn’t full!
What are your essentials??
**I know this e-card has nothing to do with the information in this post but I like a good laugh and hopefully you do too 🙂
Girly Camping® 
I thought it was funny too. I tend to keep a small kit in my pack that has a flashlight, knife, and lighter in it.
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Yes!! I leave the knives and stuff to my boyfriend 🙂
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I have used a headlamp instead of a flashlight for many years, and it is much easier because your hands are free. REI sells some good ones.
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Oof. We go camping so infrequently anymore. When I was in middle/high school, my mom would plan abrupt camping trips like this one, and we could load up her SUV and be out at our land in 20 minutes flat.
But in a somewhat related manner- my hunting/hiking pack always, always has the following:
-Field Dressing gloves that go to my shoulder (if you have to ask you don’t want to know)
-Water.
-Flashlight.
-Knife
-Extra under layer
-Some type of snack, usually BelVita crackers or a granola bar. I am a grazer and need small bumps of calories throughout the day.
And I think that’s it. The rest of what’s in it is determined by our activities that day. Calls, shells, decoys, targets. It depends.
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Nice!! That’s a good list!
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I don’t overnight out of my pack, but for my daypack, I always have the following in it.
First-aid kit, multi-tool, compass, toilet paper, insect repellent, water purification tablets, candle, salt (for removing leaches, as I kayak and fish), throw rope, two giant trash bags, and a magnesium flint stick, most of which are stored in an extra water bottle.
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Awesome list! I totally forgot about the toilet paper! That is in my pack too!!
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Well, my list is put together to get me through a night or two if the worst were to happen. I did an entire page on what I carry while hiking or kayaking, and why, if you’re interested.
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can you send me the link?
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These! 🙂
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Holy Crap!! I need this! I think someone has mentioned it me before but I never really looked into it! I’m buying this today for my trip! Thank you thank you!
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They’re the best–enjoy! 🙂
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Such an excellent advice – I will get one too. Have no ideas how I have survived till now!
Cheers,
Ilona
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Oh yes, and the e-card was hilarious!
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I wish I could say that it was easy to determine my essentials– but it really depends on the trip I’m going! But generally it includes– first aid kit, fire starter, multi-tool, headlamp, sunblock(colorado’s sun can be killer!), emergency snacks, and for backpacking trips– water filter! Everything else is transient in my pack, it all depends on the type of trip! Sometimes it’s mountaineering, sometimes climbing, sometimes canyoneering, simple backpacking or a crazy summit attempt! 🙂 Fantastic article~!
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Oh gosh! I forgot my water filter too! Great list!
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Keeping a dedicated pack always ready to go at a moments notice makes for spontaneous bugging out a snap! So as not to get in the habit of bringing too much unnecessary stuff I limit myself to a 40 L ‘weekend pack’ and then add the essentials like my single person tent, sleeping bag, and pad. Which all three tie very easily to the bag itself leaving enough room inside to hold my MSR Pocket Rocket backpacking stove, GSI Outdoors Pinnacle Soloist Cookset, and a Lite My Fire MealKit. Throw in my headlamp, med kit, journal, and camera I’m set. My Pack is equipped with a 100 fl. oz bladder which I can top off in camp if there is clean water source, but if no clean water is available I rely on my CamelBak All Clear water purifier bottle. Great investment and to date I’ve had not gastro issues 🙂 I used to get dehydrated foods online or at my local shop, but realized I can spend half the money by shopping at the local grocery for some items like dried soups, pastas, nuts, dried fruits & veggies. And of course my favorite Top Ramen! FYI, you can by a box of the variety pack of instant oatmeal and throw a few of those packets in your bag. BTW, I discovered that you can add hot water directly to the bag itself saving time and water not having to clean up dishes! Tuna in a pouch is a great source of protein easy lunch and if you grab some packets of mayo, mustard, and relish from the deli section on your way out the store and some crackers from the soup island, you’ve got a meal ready to go 😉 Only major difference between the dehydrated prepackage meals and the stuff you can buy off the shelves at the store is packaging. All you need to do is transfer some of the items from its original packaging into reusable ziploc baggies. Geez, now I think I need to bug out this weekend and put my pack to some good use! Thanks for the inspiration!!
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Always here to inspire others to camp! Thanks for all the great info! We have the Pocket Rocket too! LOVE it!!
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Great minds think alike. I am working on a post for the beginning of next week that is list of essential items for camping. Mine will be more about camper camping, not backpacking. Still, it is the time of year to create our essential lists!
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Nice! I look forward to reading it!
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I often camp alone so I also take my stun gun. Will post on my blog about that soon, with pix
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I give you props to camping alone!! I’m not there yet 🙂 Looking forward to reading it!
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I would be so pissed off if I left on a camping trip without my LED headlamp. Essential for me. Oh, and coffee.
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I do the same – my hiking rucksack is always packed. Though I never pack the sleeping bags as these are better of in their day stowages rather than compression sacks between trips.
That said, I’m uber paranoid – so I still end up mustering all the kit to make sure it’s all there! 🙂
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As promised, here is the link to my list of essential items for the non-backpacking campers. We are about to get out for our first trip, and I can’t wait.
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The e-card is a total LOL
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Great post!
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Great blog! I like the way your posts are uniting so many people who have a love of camping and being in the outdoors. Good advice on what to keep in your pack, I also have a small zip-loc with “survival” type items (firestarters, first aid stuff, whistle, etc) just in case. Thanks for liking my blog on my upcoming Camino adventure!
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Great blog! It’s interesting to see the difference in how we use the term backpacker,I’m from England so what you call backpacking I call camping, backpacking to me is a way of travelling the world independently.
To add to the blog however, I have camped out in many places around the world, the jungles of Belize and Borneo, the Sahara desert and many other places (unfortunately in England we don’t have as many amazing places to camp as you guys do in America!) and I always carry my basic essentials with me. My sleeping bag and shelter obviously (which is generally a basha in most places but occasionally a small one man tent if the climate needs it), but then a small first aid kit, LED headlamp, small knife, firestarter, my canteen (which has a filter in it) and that is it. I do tailor it slightly by adding extra items depending on the environment I will be in too. My eReader is the one concession to modernism!
But I can’t believe someone takes a stun gun, seriously? I know mosquitoes are a problem in some places but isn’t that a bit excessive? ;D
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Pingback: What’s in your Backpack? | The Scoutmaster Minute
Great post. I never leave without vet wrap. I’ve had to wrap ankles, cuts etc. Our best use was when our lab burned his paws and we wrapped his feet in socks and vet wrap so he could make the hike out.
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Reblogged this on Inspiration, Motivation and Everyday Life! and commented:
Another great post about the essentials to always have with you. I add vet wrap and a headlamp to my list.
Enjoy!
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