Prepping for a trip to the great outdoors? You may be asking yourself, what on earth should I pack? Luckily here’s our essential camping checklist.
This may sound like an opening for a camping for dummies checklist, but picking the correct tent is crucial. But you already knew that.
Consider whether you need a large 8-man tent, or a small 2-man tent. It's better to go slightly bigger. Give yourself room to enjoy your personal space.
A good sleeping bag is a camoing must-have. Choose one with the right season rating for UK weather—whether you're bracing for a chilly spring night or a warm summer evening.
Mummy-shaped sleeping bags offer great insulation, while rectangular bags give you more room to move. Look for lightweight, compressible options to save space in your backpack.
Don’t underestimate the power of a camping pillow.
While you might think a rolled-up hoodie will do, a proper pillow will support your neck and help you wake up feeling fresh.
Inflatable camping pillows are ideal for camping as they pack down small, while foam options provide extra comfort.
A comfy airbed can transform your sleeping experience while camping in the outdoors.
Choose a lightweight, inflatable mattress that fits your tent space and consider a built-in pump for easy setup. Not only do airbeds offer comfort, but they also help keep you off the cold, uneven ground.
Ensure you have the correct clothing to keep you warm in the evening. You may consider bringing:
• Moisture-wicking underwear
• Moisture-wicking T-shirts
• Quick-drying trousers
• Lightweight fleece or jacket
• Waterproof boots
• Socks (synthetic or wool)
• Sleepwear
• Waterproof jacket
• Warm insulated jacket
• Gloves or mittens
• Warm winter hat
• Sun hat
• Head torch
• Multi-tool
• Bin bags
• Duct tape
• Cordage
• Tent-pole repair sleeve
• Pad/mattress repair kit
• Toilet paper
• Hand sanitiser
• Toothbrush and toothpaste
• Towel
• Menstrual products
• Prescription medication
• Sunscreen
• Sunglasses
• Sun hat
• Insect repellent
• Lip balm
Your first aid kit should include as much as the following as possible:
• Irrigating syringe
• Medical gloves
• Tweezers
• Antibiotic ointment
• Hydrogel pads
• Bandages and gauze
• Athletic tape
• Medication (depending on who you are going with)
Part of the joy of camping is being away from everything. This usually includes supermarkets, restaurants and also places reachable for delivery.
That means that whilst living amongst nature, any warm meals will have to be cooked, and all camping cooking equipment will need to be on your camping packing list. It may well be worth checking ahead about whether the area you are intending to camp has a fire pit.
• Camping stove
• Matches/lighter/firestarter
• Firewood or coals
• Cook pots and pans
• Camping cutlery
• Plates and bowls
• Tupperware
• Camping mugs
• Cooling box
• Ice
• Water bottles
• Pot scrubber
• Trash bags
It’s best to avoid any fancy foods when making your camping checklist.
Over complicating the cooking can mean carrying more equipment than necessary. Make sure certain food is pre-made and packed in Tupperware boxes, as they will keep for longer.
As long as you are bringing along a cooler box, ideal foods for camping include eggs, cheese, beef, chicken, milk, bread, butter, noodles and carrots.
Of course when thinking about how to pack for family camping, all the above applies. However, this may well be the first time your little ones have ever been camping, so they may need more home comforts than usual.
While you’ll be planning on having them connect with nature during the day, there will be time in the evenings where keeping them entertained may involve a little bit more than just naming trees and staring into the stars.
• Bubbles
• Glow sticks
• Favourite games, colouring books & crayons
• Deck of cards
• Books for bedtime
• Camera
• Binoculars
• Kids fishing rod
Setting up a tent, unfurling your sleeping bag and creating your own mini campsite is usually the easy part.
But then when you want to make a quick getaway at the end of the trip and still be respectful to the ‘leave no trace’ camping ethic, choosing items that are easy to pack away is a very smart move.
Depending on the size of your travelling party, you want to choose tents and sleeping gear that is as easy to set up as it is to take down. That may mean opting for a pop up tent if there's just one or two of you, or opting for an inflatable tent if there are five of you.
The type of experience you want from a tent can play a massive part when deciding what to bring camping. It’s widely believed that 60cm is the minimum size of tent you need per person.
However, while some people only see their tent as a sleeping pod, others see it as their home, a place where they can spend a large part of their trip, especially those who are taking their family camping.
So, whether it’s a tent that is a dome or a tunnel, has its own separate bedrooms, living room space or even just the number of doors, making these decisions early to get this right will save time, effort and maybe even money when going camping.
Along with the size of your tent, if you are bringing your children camping, you’ll need to decide whether they will be in the same tent as you or their own private lodgings. This could depend on their age and how keen they are on learning about building and living in their tent.
There is always the possibility that borrowed tents and camping essentials might be worn out or even damaged.
It’s smart to double-check everything before you leave, whether that be inspecting any tent damage in the garden or making sure any first aid items aren’t out of date.
If any of your gear is already damaged, try to fix it before you leave, and if it is still causing you problems, look to replace it with gear that won’t fall apart when you’re out in the wild. However, most camping equipment has a good shelf life and may need some maintenance or repair.
Similarly to many types of travelling, you want to keep your products small, essential and preferably recyclable. Remember that use of tap or water sources will be irregular or minimal, so choose items that don’t need a ton of water.
If you aren’t a hundred per cent sure how to use any of the items below or are certain that no one in your camping party has first aid training, it is worth finding a training course local to you. The skills you learn there could end up being very helpful and also serve you well in other non-camping situations.
