Camping for Beginners: Essential Camping Tools

Camping is a fantastic way to explore the great outdoors, get some fresh air and spend quality time with friends and family. It's also an essential survival skill that we should all know how to do, as it could save your life one day! There's nothing like waking up in the wilderness surrounded by nature. 

Camping is the ideal getaway because you can tailor your trip to fit your needs, wants, and level of experience. Whether you are seeking a relaxing, woodsy retreat or an adrenaline-fueled escape, you can find it outdoors. The best way to learn to camp is to jump right in and try. You may encounter a few bumps along the road, but it is important to remember that no camping trip ever goes exactly as planned. As long as you know the camping basics, the rest will become memories and experiences to help you grow each time you embark on another trip.

That said, camping does require some essential tools if you want to make sure you have a successful trip. In this article, we'll discuss those essential tools and what they do for your camping experience.

Camping for Beginners

tent

For your first time camping, you'll have a lot of options for campsites. Things to look for include whether they're kid-friendly, if dogs are welcome, and the amenities such as toilets and showers that are available. As a beginner Camper, it's a good idea to reserve a campsite with high-quality facilities and a city close by so you can get food and supplies if you forget something.

If you're going to be camping for a long period of time, it's important to protect the underside of your tent from debris. Always put the back of the tent toward the wind and drive your pegs into the ground at a 45-degree angle.

Planning what you'll eat and how you'll prepare it may save a novice camper a lot of time and trouble. Check the campground rules to see if campfires are allowed, and look into the local area for any pubs or restaurants that might help fill in the gaps if something goes wrong!

Camping for beginners can be exciting and memorable if you get it right.

Essential Camping Tools

Tent

If you desire to sleep outside, whether under the stars or in a shelter, you should have one on hand at all times. Otherwise, you'll get drenched, frustrated, and risk hypothermia if it rains at midnight, a freak blizzard strikes, or the dew is heavy. A tent can protect you and your belongings from severe winds. Make sure to bring along all of the necessary accessories for the best two-person tent (ropes, tent poles, stakes, rain fly), as well as any other gear that may be required for your outdoor excursion (helmet/beanie).

Sleeping Bag

Resting on a bed of moss and leaves may appear to be amusing, but it won't keep you warm when the sun goes down. Temperatures can drop significantly at nightfall, sometimes 20 degrees or more. Keep in mind that many insects are most active at night and could find your unswaddled form. Going without a sleeping bag is not only unpleasant but also dangerous since children will toss and turn all night if they don't have their own sleeping bag. And if you've ever attempted to go camping with your children, you know how difficult it is to rest while carrying them about for long periods of time.

Water Bottle

Water is critical for survival in the wild, and the farther off the beaten path you go, the faster it seems to run out. The last thing any camper wants to face is being stranded without water, especially because drinking from a pond or lake may result in serious illness due to germs. Even if your destination is only a few feet away from your vehicle, bring along a day's worth of wet stuff in a Camelbak or other large container. Then have a filter or water purification tablet on hand in case you need to obtain water from a nearby stream.

Fire Starter

Camping isn't camping without a warm, crackling campfire, so you'll need the instruments to start one quickly. A flint and steel, matches, a cigarette lighter, or a magnesium fire starter can all be used to start fires. If you choose to use matches, make sure they're waterproof. It's not a terrible idea to bring two fire starters with you just in case one fails. Dry bark or strips of newspaper should be kept in an airtight container for when you really need it. Finding dry kindling when you need it may be difficult outside.

First Aid Kit

Even a lengthy day of trekking might result in blisters that require bandaging, and minor cuts and scrapes can quickly become infected if left untreated. Keep bandages and antiseptic on hand as well, especially for small wounds or scratches. Other necessities should be included in your first-aid kits, such As scissors, adhesive, gauze, soap, a CPR mouth barrier, and an emergency whistle. Make sure to include bottles of sunscreen and insect repellent as well. Sunburn and bug bites may destroy your adventure just as swiftly as any laceration.

Pocket Knife

A pocket knife is a one-of-a-kind multipurpose instrument for the outdoors. A knife may be used to trim a rope, cut fishing line, dice bait, slice cheese or sausage, open a tightly sealed package, sharpen a stick, deal with tangled vines, tighten a screw, or skin a small animal. Such activities would become almost impossible if you didn't bring your knife with you. Expect to feel irritated if you don't bring your knife with you–often.

Map and Compass

If your camping trip requires you to venture into remote regions, bring a map and compass or GPS. Forest features may become unfamiliar after frequent changes in the sun's position, causing hikers to get lost. Unprepared campers have occasionally gone missing for days before being found or returning to camp. Getting lost or stranded in the woods, especially while on a limited water supply, is no joke. Even if your children just want to walk down to the closest creek from their campsite, make sure they have a means of getting back safely.

Weather-Appropriate Clothing

Because camping necessitates only a few changes of clothing, keeping them dry is essential. Walking about in damp clothing in cold weather when hypothermia is a concern can be dangerous as well as unpleasant. Wet gear is also heavy gear, which makes carrying a backpack cumbersome and uncomfortable. Consider getting a lightweight, waterproof rain jacket that will allow you to layer your clothes inside it. If the jacket doesn't cover all of your belongings, consider purchasing an extra rain bag to keep them safe.

Flashlight, Lantern, or Headlamp

A campfire may be light and bright for a few feet in all directions, but it isn't always safe. A portable, battery-operated LED flashlight is useful if you need to find something inside your tent or go to the latrine at night. Having a head lamp is essential if you're a camper who likes to read or tell stories around the campfire after dark. A lantern is perfect for providing a little extra light in a large area without having to hold something in your hand.

Many campers tout LED headlamp as the best option because of their hands-free functionality. Make sure to find the headlamp that fits your needs.

Toilet Paper

To many hardcore survivalists, toilet paper is a frivolous item in the wild, but it is regarded as essential by many campers. In terms of comfort and sanitation, bark and leaves are unsuitable substitutes for latrine duty, and an irritated butt can make sitting unpleasant. Campgrounds with restrooms have also been known to run out of toilet paper on occasion if you're camping in the middle of nowhere and concerned about the ecological effect of using TP. Purchase biodegradable or take a refuse bag for disposal if you're camping in the depths of the woods and concerned about the environmental impact of using toilet paper.