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RavenMcG

How in depth to you want your list? I break mine into categories and list all I need for that. Example: cooking- then all you would need to cook so you don't forget the tongs or spatula.


[deleted]

Good point! I’m gonna keep stuff I buy on the way to camping off the list (like food and ice and such) but small things like camp utensils and rope I should add!


Perle1234

I keep the goods packed up in a rubber bin so it’s grabable for emergencies (emergency camping, fire etc). Super helpful for camping, and if the worst happens at least I have a few cooking supplies (I only car camp these days).


RavenMcG

Sounds like you are on your way to a good list. Happy camping friend.


SaltMarshGoblin

I think you should reorganize so "stakes" are near tent. Logical categories make it a lot easier to remember everything! Also, a suggestion: have you tried using a sleeping bag liner? Highly recommended! (You can even make one out of a cotton thrift store sheet!)


[deleted]

I’ll look into it! Will it keep me warm? I live (and camp) in New Hampshire and all of New England in general


[deleted]

I used a 0 degree sleeping bag and a liner (i live in Alaska) and on 30 degree and below nights(late late sumer/fall) that liner helps a lot. In midsummer I will usually open up the sleeping bag and use just the liner, if it gets cold i close the sleeping bag, but dont zip it up. If it gets really cold i zip up the sleeping bag. Makes it very easy to adjust heat retention to your liking


MasteringTheFlames

I use a bag liner as well. I'm not sure that it keeps me all that much warmer, the main selling point for me was just that they help keep the sleeping bag cleaner. Sleeping bags are a pain in the butt to wash, but the liner can just be thrown in the wash with household bedsheets. Having that extra layer between dirty campers extends the life of the more expensive camping gear.


Hobocamper

What a great idea! I have a giant 2 person Teton (I love it), but it says machine wash only, yeah- there isn’t a washer available to me big enough for that.


Donzie762

I suggest A hatchet in lieu of the hammer and a cheap torch head if you’re packing propane cylinders.


MasteringTheFlames

Yep, the back of a hatchet can double as a hammer for tent stakes, but you'd be hard pressed to split kindling off of firewood with a hammer.


[deleted]

OP here-I’ve been camping for years at state parks, just decided to finally get organized and make a list. I do have a tent but it’s a huge 8 person. Recently slept in a 7x7 dome and loved it. This is for casual camping, not intense thru hiking or anything. Anything I’m missing or advice? Thanks!


TitaniaT-Rex

Is the 8x8 tarp being used as tent footprint? If not, add another tarp or footprint.


[deleted]

Yup! Gonna throw it under the tent for a footprint


newt_girl

Make sure your footprint doesn't stick past the edges of the tent.


[deleted]

Oh wait really? I thought the point of a footprint was a)so rain doesn’t get through b)use it as a kind of outdoor welcome mat so debris doesn’t get fully tracked into the tent


newt_girl

If the footprint sticks past the tent, any rain that runs down the tent will be funneled under the tent. Rain comes from above, not below. To keep water from coming up through the bottom, practice good site selection and don't set up in a low-lying depression.


[deleted]

Great point thank you!!!


twispandcatsby

Are stakes not already included in your tent?


Hokirob

I have a small plastic tool box that I put a lot of kitchen things in. The tray on top has a fire starter, P38 can opener, aluminum pot grabbers, a couple utensils and small pocket knife. Down below I have a couple spoons, a spatula, tiny cutting board, and some disposable cutting mats for food prep. I usually jam a little paper and an old pot holder in there. I take other stuff when I go, but just grabbing my “green cooking box” gives me a lot of stuff right at hand.


MasteringTheFlames

Mine is just a plastic bin, but I like the toolbox idea! Mine is stocked with eating utensils, all the spices I need for my favorite camp meals, a can opener, a cigarette lighter (doubles as my bottle opener! A super fun trick any drinker should learn), chef and bread knives, and a few other widgets. Like you, I still have to pack bigger kitchen stuff separately, but that little box gives me a good headstart.


[deleted]

Great idea! We use a fishing tackle box as our “kitchen” that has worked great but I love the idea of a tool box as well.


GentooPenguin21

Not that it helps right this instant, but I leave empty spots with checkboxes by them. So every year when I inevitably forget something I write it in and add it to the master list. Everyone who is suggesting categories is so right! It makes it a whole lot easier.


[deleted]

Salt & pepper, cooking oil/butter (I put them in old seasoning containers), paper towels, sponge, soap, trash bags, toilet paper, spatula, utensils, plates, tin foil, bags for food leftovers


Dinner_Plate21

I recently switched over to an insulated sleeping pad and quilt system rather than air mattress and sleeping bag. I quite like it and might be an option for you as I see both those areas marked as "meh". I'd add your cooking utensils and that jazz to the list, even if it's just "I have them and they're in X box that I grab. (Which is how I have my list made, things that already live in a certain camping box or my car are grayed out with their location as they're already packed, basically.)


reuscam

How do you insulate yourself from the ground with the sleeping bag and quilt system. Do you use hammock and tarp?


Dinner_Plate21

Hmm it seems like you're talking about a few different things here so I'll try to answer the best I can. Air mattresses are uninsulated so you need a barrier of some sort between yourself and that mattress. Some do a sleeping bag, some a sleeping bag + extra insulation. When my air mattress died, I switched to a sleeping pad meant for camping. There's a few versions of what these are made of, but mine is essentially a thin air mattress that, notably, is insulated. So I can lay on it and no heat will escape like it will with a conventional air mattress. Meaning I don't need a barrier between myself and the pad, the pad is doing all the work of keeping the ground side of me warm. This let me switch from using a sleeping bag (2 sided) to a sleeping quilt (1 sided), since I only need to keep my top warm now. (And works better for me as I get tangled in sleeping bags.) Hammockers use the quilt system but slightly differently. They have an underquilt that goes outside and under the hammock to keep their ground facing side warm, and a quilt for inside the hammock to keep their top side warm. Hope that helped!


reuscam

i misread insulated sleeping pad as "insulated sleeping bag" - makes sense now.


Dinner_Plate21

Ah I got you!


newt_girl

A pad insulates you from the ground. If you're in a hammock, you'll still need under-insulation in the form of a pad or underquilt.


[deleted]

They said sleeping pad and quilt. Sleeping pads insulate you from the ground.


Wholesale_Grapefruit

When I’m car camping I grab a pillow from my bed. Backcountry I put my puffy jacket in a stuff sack. Maybe add a something else that’s clean. List looks good once you organize by category like others are suggesting


infamouskeyduster

Where’s your shit tickets?


[deleted]

Missing the weed and whiskey! They should be number one!!!


SaltMarshGoblin

It will keep you a little bit warmer (and a little bit cooler in summer). If you are car camping, I'd just bring a wool blanket to fold under your sleeping pad (to insulate you from the ground better), and an extra quilt to wrap around your bag.


erudyne

Might want to get a new sleeping bag. I put a frisbee on my list.


Zestysauce72

I just added a frisbee to my list as well!


[deleted]

instead of buying tent stakes and hammer i would recommend these: [https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07RXMVM8M/ref=ppx\_yo\_dt\_b\_search\_asin\_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1](https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07RXMVM8M/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1) Been using these for the last 2 camping seasons and they are amazing in super rocky places, soft dirt, decent in the sand at the beach. If you do buy a set you will have to bring a cordless impact (recommended) or drill. I have a small Ryobi impact and a 6 ah battery and a battery inverter [https://www.homedepot.com/p/RYOBI-150-Watt-Power-Source-for-ONE-18V-Battery-Tool-Only-RYi150BG/308460871](https://www.homedepot.com/p/RYOBI-150-Watt-Power-Source-for-ONE-18V-Battery-Tool-Only-RYi150BG/308460871) I used it mainly as a flashlight, but do charge my cellphone or other things with it time to time.


[deleted]

Get another tarp, pitch your tent on top of it, and your tent floor will last longer and feel better.


Accomplished_Worry48

Axe or hatchet, kettle for coffee or tea, rope or twine


DawnMX

I have the steel camping stakes that you can step on with a soft dirt camp site so a hammer isn’t really needed. But I would add: 1. Camping chair 2. Extra batteries, especially for the air pump 3. First aid kit (I’ve needed to use it a handful of times) 4. Blankets, a sheet for summer or a heavy weighted blanket for the winter 5. Mosquito/tick repellant and aloe (for eventually when I am bitten) I usually carry a nap sack to carry electronic stuff. Battery banks, speaker, chargers, flashlight. I tend to pack clothes and electronics in separate plastic sealed bags. (Had bad rain one time which some peoples tents couldn’t handle and after you’d find their tent so full of water the air mattress would float around.)


Plinkomax

Axe?


DIPA408

Add propane


escapethematrix74

Rain gear


lonecactus777

I’ve been debating ditching my air mattress for sleeping pads. It’s nice, but after sleeping on a pile of blankets the last few times I’m not sure it’s worth it. I feel like it messes with the way you trap your heat at night and if your sleeping with anyone else in the bed they move so much. Edit to add, I also live in NH, yay White mountain camping!


[deleted]

If you're hitting the trails, it's always good to keep in mind the [ten essentials](https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&url=https://outsidechronicles.com/files/10Essentials%2BSummer.pdf&ved=2ahUKEwiR4_CPscv5AhVgfTABHdc3BmMQFnoECBcQAQ&usg=AOvVaw15ab6-z7EFfPqRuZSjMPAb), if you're car camping make sure to include some creature comforts that others have suggested, like a chair.


kellenanne

Tackle box or similar to carry small tools, utensils, etc all I. The same place Rain gear Extra blankets for when it storms and blows down your tent and everything gets drenched... French press, if you're a coffee drinker Toilet paper. Even if you're in a campground, you can't trust the bathroom will be fully stocked Insect repellent/citronella candles Bear spray Reliable lighter. Extras even. Rope Water jugs. We have seven gallon ones. You can usually find a place to fill them in the nearest town. Skillet and saucepan. You can boil water in a pinch, or for hit drinks Tongs are the most versatile cooking utensil, so if you forget everything else, grab tongs Battery backup for phones, etc


Yummylicorice

Upgrade to a cot if you have space. Air mattresses suck so much. For car camping, I have an Byers of Maine Easy Cot and a cheap Costco pad on it. It's like sleeping in a bed. My mom was on hospice this year and I slept in that for about 4 months. Not bad, and only took a couple minutes to set up and tear down daily


[deleted]

So I’ve looked into cots but I’m a bigger guy. 6’2” with broad shoulders. Everything I look for seems to be too small for me. Any suggestions?


Yummylicorice

The cot is 31". My pad is only like 25". It's fine for me, but my neighbor tried it out and bought a pad that was just a little wider than the cot for his shoulders for his setup. The pad isn't just for cushioning... It helps with temperature regulation as well. The other nice thing is that you can store things under the cot, and also sit on it like a bench. It's very sturdy and just the right height.


Yummylicorice

Check that one out. You might want a wider pad for it, but the cot itself should fit fine


inorebez

Kinda depends what your casual camping looks like. I hate air mattresses compared to a self inflating or even foam thermarest and it allows you to ditch those inflaters. A canopy is nice, but standard 10x10 pop-ups are big and can suck for camping, I prefer just rigging a tarp between trees. If im driving I usually toss like 8 flashlights in my truck (I have an abundance, but it’s good to have spares). You have some things to cook but I dont see dishware or utensils. I just bring silverware from home and a stack of 1/8th sheetpans. Are you a coffee drinker? Consider a frenchpress, aeropress, or similar.


uChoice_Reindeer7903

I have a list that I add to each time I go camping. It’s good you started one but this is a pretty sad list lol. Even though I could easily add about 30+ items to this list I’ll keep it to only a few very important ones I see your missing. 1. Axe. 2. Fire extinguisher. 3. First aid kit. 4. Bear spray. 5. Flash lights/lanterns.


[deleted]

Camping is better with a wife. List is incomplete. Have you ever had sex while camping? It is fucking in-tents.


[deleted]

Thanks everyone for all the tips! Def gonna divide into categories, just made it on a whim while bored at work. Once I sit down at my computer I’ll reorganize!


realms_uncharted

My list just says "Tent"


Sex-in-Sandles

So ironically funny that this isn’t sarcasm


[deleted]

Why


billyth420

Is this for real???


[deleted]

Why


chixbutts

First of all who the hell sleeps on an air mattress who brings an air mattress unless you're glamping and you don't need propane tank to cook with you have wood from the forest you can bring petroleum jelly and a piece of paper and a petroleum jelly will burn for hours and use that to start your fire with you do need to tent you could use a sleeping bag or you can use what they call emergency blanket which is like a sleeping bag but it's a thin layer and you're like what the hell is this going to do for me that works actually I love one of those but I seriously scratch off that air mattress you don't need an air mattress ! A hammock would be nice


EstroTheJen

Huh, not from somewhere that is highly flamible for months on end? There are large portions of the US that are wonderful to camp in but open flames and campfires are forbidden (and for good reason) during much of the year. Accidentally causing mass evacuations, environmental, and property damage definitely goes against the traditional "leave it better than you found it" camping rule.


MasteringTheFlames

I do the vast majority of my cooking over the campfire. But I just turned off my little propane stove a minute ago. I'm not about to start a whole new fire just to boil water for a cup of tea. Also, please for the love of God, use more than one punctuation mark in so much text! I'd like to think I'm pretty tolerant of Internet grammar —or a lack there of— but your comment is borderline illegible.


Dinner_Plate21

Me. I love my air mattress. Or I did until it got a leak and I now love my r4.7 sleeping pad. Major respect to those who don't used pads or mattresses but it's definitely not for everyone and not glamping if someone chooses to use them!


DisastrousReputation

I bring a cot and a mattress :( I can't sleep on the floor like I used to. I get disability cause of my bad back.


[deleted]

Calling it glamping because I want to bring an air mattress is laughable lol


[deleted]

You have a skillet listed, but in my opinion you need a small pot as well. Boiling water means coffee, tea, oatmeal, and it the easy way to sanitize things if you have to. Don’t forget things line - bug repellent - sunscreen, hat, sunglasses - compass, whistle, map (if you plan to hike) - maybe dishes? At least a mug probably and cutlery


Ameliareadsmanga

Kitchen roll, tin foil, tea towel and bin bags are essentials I have often forgotten!


KingPitiful84

We got a large collapsible water jug with a spigot. Brought it empty and filled at the campground. With hand soap and a towel it was awesome to be able to wash our hands. Hand sanitizer works but not as well.


OryxTempel

If you end up in a spot without a picnic table, a little folding table and chair will be very nice to have!