Spending a relaxing weekend immersed in nature and all its beauty can is a truly wonderful experience. It creates an organic space for relaxation and bonding with family, friends or a significant other. However, packing for the trip shouldn’t be taken lightly. In fact, being prepared for any situation is the most important aspect of the event.
Top 5 Gear Pieces
Let’s face it, everyone knows that a reliable tent and a well-insulated sleeping bag are a must for any outdoors experience. But what should be packed alongside them so that the maximum level of efficiency is attained? Here are the five best pieces of equipment that you simply must have with you on your next camping trip.
Waterproof Boots
Staying warm and dry regardless of the weather outside is an essential aspect of a successful camping trip. And by far the most important part of your body that you need to safeguard are your feet. While your clothes can be easily waterproofed by throwing a raincoat on top, when it comes to shoes, matters are a bit different.
Thus, having waterproof footwear is essential to your health and safety. You can find a pair at various price points, but the rule with boots usually goes the higher end, the better. Thus, brands such as Timberland, Dr. Martens or Carhartt are all viable choices. Nevertheless, if you don’t have the budget for them, you can also try an at-home fix.
According to a guide published by WorkBootCritic, you can also perform a DIY waterproofing process on your regular boots. The market is ripe with specialized creams, waxes, and sprays to serve this purpose. And if you’re looking for an on the go solution, nail enamel or Vaseline can also perform the job, but only temporarily.
Resilient Cool Box
Regardless of whether you plan to cook on your trip or not, it’s important to have a resilient cool box on hand. In this way, you will ensure that the foods you bring along stay fresh for as long as possible. What is more, the right one can eliminate the need for preparing food on your trip altogether because it preserves what you bring.
Higher quality cool boxes can hold their own for a couple of days in a row. The Independent recommends the Coleman Cool Box 28QT Xtreme Cooler due to its capacity to offer as many as three whole days of refrigeration without having to change its ice packs. When choosing such an item, durability should thus be your focus.
Swiss Army Knife
Regardless of whether you are going to the site by car, bike or foot, traveling light is a prerequisite of any nature outing. And when you’re planning to spend one or more nights, being prepared is vital. Nevertheless, packing a tool for any possible situation that might occur is detrimental because it limits your capacities.
Thus, it’s better to have one sturdy multipurpose item than a myriad of utensils that will take up space that could be otherwise used more efficiently. A Swiss army knife is a perfect choice for this. Any avid camper knows that having one on hand can get you out of plenty of sticky situations, so it’s about time you invested in it yourself.
Camping Pillow
As previously mentioned, your choice of sleeping bag is vital. However, without the right head and neck support, you won’t be able to sleep comfortably, which will lower your quality of life on the trip and lead to fatigue. Having a firm, yet cozy pillow on hand thus changes the tone of the entire experience.
The best pillows for camping are those that are either compressible or inflatable or a hybrid of the two because this means that they won’t take up too much space in your backpack. You will also want to purchase something that is light, durable and easy to clean so that you get the most bang for your buck.
LED Flashlight
When you’re out in the boonies, nightfall may seem to come earlier than in the city. This is because there aren’t any street lights or cars to brighten up the darkness. Thus, having a piece of equipment to do that for you is essential. And while many campers opt for heftier, lantern-type devices, nothing beats the traditional LED flashlight.
Your best bet is thus something that is bright and easy to charge yet has good battery life, so you don’t have to worry about being left in the dark at any critical moment. The LC130 LED flashlight by Anker or the P7.2 LED flashlight by Ledlenser are two equally viable choices that any camping enthusiast will appreciate.
Final Thoughts
Being prepared is essential on any camping trip, regardless of whether you go deep into the forest or mountains or choose to stay close to town. Safety should always come first, followed closely by personal comfort. Therefore, your gear arsenal should reflect this. Fortunately, by acquiring the five items on this list, you will be all set.
