What to Bring My First Time Camping

I love camping and you should too!! But, don't let him pick everything. I have one rule that I will NOT budge from. There must be a toilet. It can be an outhouse, I would prefer a flusher with running water, but there must be a toilet. If its your first time and he wants you to go again, then make sure this happens. There also needs to be water somewhere, I like the faucet kind close to the campsite. If you give in and decide that you don't need a potty, then make your own with a 5 gallon with a garbage bag and toilet paper. (make him change it.) This also works great for night time in the tent when you have to go and the bathroom is far away.

I hate sleeping bags, so I always bring lots of big blankets to sleep with. I bring king size and put at least 2 or 3 comforters underneath me because the ground gets really cold, and then I have flannel sheets, and then a down comforter and a quilt on top. I recommend an airbed if you can talk him into and can afford it. (don't let him talk you into a full, its not big enough, and if he says he'll sleep on the ground so that you can have the whole thing, he LIES!! He may even mean it when he says it, but it won't happen believe me.) The raised ones are nice because then you don't have to get up off the ground, but the ones on the ground aren't bad. I acutally end up sleeping in my normal pjs because the blankets are so warm. But, you need warm clothes for night time because when the sun goes down it is cold even in front of hte fire and the bugs will eat you.

You need: A lantern with a rope to hang it from a tree to light up more area 2 is better
a flashlight for each person wind up ones are good unless you have the really strong battery kind but they almost always inevitably die
dishsoap
pot scrubber
wash clothes (dishes and face)
shampoo and conditoner ( you never know what you could get into and need to wash out.)
dish tub (dollar store is good place to get one)
pots and pan to cook on..not the good ones from the kitchen they will never look the same on the outside again (a big kettle is a must for cool things you find, esp if you have kids)
layers for clothes cause the daytime gets hot
bug spray and/or off bug coils (I really like these I use 2 or 3 around the campsite)
benadryl cream
sanitizer
Cooler/water jug for washing/drinking
extra pot to keep water warm/coffee pot will work
food that is easy to cook, try to stay away from raw meat...precook at home for sanitary reasons
eggs in styrofoam or plastic cardboard will melt in the melted ice water
(I love to use dry ice so that everything doesn't get soggy)
case of bottle water
a good knife or two
cutting board
can opener (We always seem to forget one of these and it sucks!)
big serving spoons
disposable silverware and plates (doing dishes is hard and unnecessary)
garbage bags
a broom to sweep out the tent when you leave so that you dont' have to do it when you get home
extra rope to make a clothes line and to tie up a tarp if its rainy or windy
a tarp or two
do not put up your tent in the rain and dark if you can help it. If it gets wet on one side of the rainfly do NOT turn it over the right way it will rain in your tent all night, just let it be the wrong way. (I found this out last year the hard way)
bandaids
vinegar and baking soda (use this as a paste if you get stung by a bee or stinging nettles, but the soda on and then pour the vinegar on and it will pull out the poison) this works better than pharmacy meds
sunblock/aloe vera for burns
I am sure there will be more stuff, but that is what I am thinking of at the moment. Pb and J are a good back up for when you're hungry and so is cereal and milk. Remember you are going to be hot and cold and dirty and messy and its hard to stay sanitary, but you can do it. I like either tennis shoes or hiking boots to hike, but if they aren't broken in, then don't do it here without a back up because you will get blisters and it will hurt. I hope you have fun. I really like camping, but you have to have a good attitude and fight for what you want and need. Oh, I always bring a big extra sheet to put on the table as a table cloth. Animals will get in your food if you don't lock it up, racoons are really bad, so I put the food in a big tote. Good luck!! I am sure others will have lots of good advice too.

1 mom found this helpful

I too believe that my best idea of camping is a room with a king sized bed and a jacuzzi. My husband just doesn't agree. At any rate, I will address the best shoes first.Wear very strong, thick hikers, or whatever you are able to walk on for hours. That will provide support for your back and body. And when you are sleeping, I am assuming sleeping bags, bring a pillow if you use one, the ground can be mighty hard. We used to put cushiony things under us. AND A BIG BIT OF ADVICE; do not leave any food in your tent or open we had (and not to scare you-but warn you) we had a SKUNK in our tent once. If that happens to anyone out there (it won't I am sure these things only happen to me), we left an open can of food in the tent and it apparently looked yummy. Well the best way to get rid of a skunk is to very gently talk to it like a cat or a dog and coax them out. It really worked.
So other than my advice, a story and my thoughts, HAVE FUN!! AND tell us all about it.

1 mom found this helpful

Wear thick socks in your shoes if you can. I had blisters the first time I went hiking, and I wore good shoes that were broken in. The sweat just did me in. I take things to do, it is one of the most boring activities one can do as far as I am concerned.

I do enjoy cooking over a fire so I always plan on at least one dish of hash browns with onions scrambled with eggs. I also want to learn how to do cast iron/dutch oven cooking, where you have the coals and put the pots in the ground and cover them.

Some of my most fun times has been when we cooked a lot of stuff and just took cooked food with us, the first night we had spaghetti. I just heated it up in a skillet over the fire.

If you are camping with kids you are going to want to have plenty of safety stuff. I had a special lock for the zipper. My girl was a wanderer and I wanted to make sure we weren't fishing her body out of the lake the next morning. The first night I slept across the doorway. Bug spray of some sort. Cooking items that will suit your lifestyle. I had special hand held containers for cooking hot dogs, several at the same time. It looked like a square mesh container that had a top and a bottom. The hot dogs laid single file across the container and were held over the fire.

My main thought is that if you are really concerned that he make some day trips with you before you go whole hog and go for the weekend. Try going someplace with civilization and see how you do with the hiking and cooking before the making camp and sleeping in a tent.

1 mom found this helpful

Peeing in the woods isn't bad. I'd rather pee behind a bush than in a public restroom, personally.

You might pick up a headlamp from an outdoor store. Don't go with a cheapie version from Walmart--they won't last. Petzl makes some good headlamps that aren't too expensive. You don't have to buy the fanciest model. Headlamps just keep your hands free--it's hard to hold a flashlight and get anything done at the same time.

If you're using an air mattress and you expect it to get cold at night, remember to put some blankets on top of the air mattress and then lay on top of those. The air inside the mattress will get cold and you'll wake up freezing if you don't.

I agree with the baby wipes idea, or you might try stridex pads, too.

Hiking boots/shoes are best for hiking but if you don't have a pair, wear some sort of high top tennis shoe to give your ankles some added support. Bring a day pack on your hike, to carry water, food, bug spray, sunscreen, cell phone, camera, etc. but nothing too big because you'll get tired of carrying it, even on your back. Dress in layers, esp if you're hiking at varying elevations (like in hilly country or something), because the climate can change easily and you don't want to get too hot or too cold.

Lastly, a couple of pointers:

store your shoes either inside your tent or under the edge of the tent, to keep them out of the dew. Check your shoes before you put them on in the morning, to be sure no critter overnighted there.

Keep some water in your tent. For some reason I seem to get dry mouth more when sleeping outdoors.

DON'T take ANY food in to your tent, unless you're trying to get close to the wildlife. It's not just bears that will come after food in a tent. Raccoons can be vicious!

Keep your tent zipped up (at least the mesh screen) at all times so bugs can't get in.

And most important, don't forget to bring your sense of humor!

1 mom found this helpful

Hotel Reservations!! :)

Camping to me is a hotel without room service. I have done my time on house boats and camped but I prefer not peeing in the woods.

Have fun!

1 mom found this helpful

Broken in tennis shoes will be fine for hiking. Don't go out and buy a new pair b/c they won't be broken in and they will hurt!

One thing, I bring baby wipes! You wake up covered in dew and sweat. Baby wipes help you feel a little less gross.

Adding to the list below b/c it's very thorough! Bring a bandanna to wear your hair back or to wipe your face when hiking. And ponytail holder or keep your hair back. Bring bug repellent, first aid kit, pocket knife, canteen, towel, flashlight, lighter... more advice here:
http://www.gooutdoors.co.uk/expert-advice/the-beginners-g...

1 mom found this helpful

The only thing I'll add to Momma L's and Marla's advice is a list of the items you take, for the major things you want to make sure you bring home. My sister went camping a few weeks ago and left her favorite camping chair, she said a list would have given her something to use as a checklist when packing up.

You already got great advice below, but I will say bring baby wipes without a doubt. You will be able to wipe off dirt, sweat, etc. and feel much better about being in the great outdoors.

Try not to leave any bags with food out in the open. We woke up several times during the night and saw raccoons dragging bags away. Our food was all in the tent, so all they would have gotten were batteries. LOL!

Oh, I hope you enjoy it. I just love camping - in fact we just got back from a 2 night camping trip. It was in a designated campground and there were lots of other families there. Our kids had so much fun playing with the other kids. We fished (did not catch anything) and hiked and had a nice time. I think you already got great advice for what to bring. Don't forget toilet paper (I put it in a big ziplock to keep it dry). Don't forget matches or a lighter. Don't forget a couple flashlights. Don't forget hot cocoa packets and don't forget your coffee if you drink coffee! We bring a cooler for all our foods that need to be kept cool. For me, to be comfortable sleeping in a tent, I need a really thick camping pad. I got mine at REI and it's the thickest one they have. It's very comfy. I put a sheet in my sleeping bag bc it makes me feel more comfortable. And I gave up years ago on using those tiny camping pillows. Now I go all out and bring a regular bed pillow and I sleep great. Bring warm clothes for at night and in the morning bc it really cools down at night (or it does where I live). We were wearing shorts and tshirts during the day. But at night we wanted pants, a long sleeved shirt, and a fleece. I brought my regular pajamas pants and tshirt to sleep in. I hike in lightweight hikers or my sporty running shoes. Both are equally comfortable. I love it. You get some quality family time. You focus on each other. Kids just love it. We bring a game like Uno or Yahtzee. We will bring fishing gear if we are near a stream or lake or pond. It's fun to bring a ball to throw or a frisbee. I hope you enjoy yourself!

Make sure to bring baby wipes so that you can clean up. I highly recommend an air mattress. No matter how warm it is the ground gets cold and damp, which causes my body to ache the next day. Getting a decent night's sleep makes for a more enjoyable experience. Camping is really not too bad

1. Ok first get some camping gear at Walmart or REI.
2. Walmart- get airbeds ad pumps
3. flashlights
4.metal sticks for hotdos/ marshmallows
5. Keen sandals for myself. Simple water sandals for my kids
6. ziplock baggies in different sizes
7. one big plastic box for washing dishes or feet(feet before you go in tent)
8. extra firewood
9. innertubes if there is eateer close by. ( also bring life preserves)
10.hiking stick
I love camping so do our kids. My h usband enjoys it but not as much as me. I love being outdoors. We have camped 1-3 every summer for the past 7 yrs.

If you don't want to pee while squatting, I bought 2 things on Amazon. One is called pStyle and is a kind of funnel that allows us girls to pee standing up, you don't pull your pants all the way down, just open the fly (or pull down stretch ones) then move underwear aside and use this pStyle.For in the car for long rides I bought something called TravelJohn, which are bags with an oval opening and the inside of the bag is diaper type material that turns into gel when wet. Those you will have to pack back out. The pStyle is great, I just flick it dry and keep it in a ziplock with a bandana around it, then clean it with some water from my water bottle.
PS: sneakers are NOT good for long hikes because after a few hours you will feel every stick and rock through the soles. For short walks in the woods they may be OK. They also sell light weight hikers that are like high top sneakers with heavy duty soles. I think I saw some in LLBean. If you do not already own good boots, breaking in a new pair of real leather hiking boots on the trail is not a good idea. I wear them around the house and yard for a few hours a day for at least a week. There is also a leather creme you can put on the leather to soften it to your shape faster.

Check out this checklist!
http://www.listbean.com/lists/details/1

you got a lot of good info here... i will add.... a small ax and small shovel (they make little ones for camping, absolutely need it for a trench if it rains, hubby probably has one if he camps), lots of waterproof band aids (nexcare are great) along with general first aid kit and extra benadryl and benadryl cream, shower shoes/flip flops, extra sunglasses, also, its really nice to have a tarp to put down as a footprint for your camp site, at the very least a mat outside the door of the tent for shoes, keeps the inside of the tent much cleaner. no shoes in the tent! another tarp to put up for rain/shade if you need it. rope, good pocket knives. a few clothes pins are nice to have. bring comfy beach chairs. dont wear brand new hiking shoes. lots of bug spray/sunscreen. hats. my friend uses one of those hand held bug zappers that looks like a tennis racquet, she said she gets them for about $5 from ace hardware, i never used it but she gave me one of hers for our upcoming camping trip and im excited to use it, haha! comfy lightweight clothes that you can layer, nothing you love. we camped for years with blankets and sleeping bags, then we finally sprung for the air mattress, we were kicking ourselves for not doing it sooner, a world of difference... i dont know if you are bringing kids? we are, for the first time, and im bringing those glow in the dark bracelet/necklace things for them, maybe im being silly, we'll see.... i use tons of paper towels. ziplock bags of all sizes. big binder clips and carbiner (sp?) clips are great to have too. have fun!!! oh, and on a personal note - it wouldnt be camping without smores, beer, and corned beef hash cooked on the fire with eggs and bacon :)

We car camp (no big hike to the site or anything) since we have a little guy. Here is my checklist I use. I would recommend a sheet and one light blanket in this weather instead of sleeping bags. We also just bought folding camp cots at REI this year instead of sleeping on a blowup mattress, and I am looking forward to trying them out.
Have fun!

Cooking Gear
 Stove
 Propane tank
 Skillet
 Griddle
 Coffee Maker
 BBQ Grill top / Grill Brush
 Plates / Cups / Silverware /Bowls/Cozies
 Knives/ Spatula/ Tongs/ Wooden Spoon
 Foil/plastic bags
 Charcoal & Lighter
 Trash Bags
 Tablecloth
 Paper Towels
 Dish Pan / Dish Soap
 Dish Towels / Potholders / Dishcloths
 Sippy Cups
 Pitchers
 Windex

Food
 Burgers / Steaks
 Hamburger buns
 Deli Ham
 Fruit (Apples, Grapes, Blueberries)
 Potatoes
 Wine
 Lemonade Mix and Sugar
 Bread
 Peanut Butter / Honey
 BBQ Sauce
 Olive Oil
 Butter
 Coffee / Cream / Sugar
 Seasoning Salt / Salt / Pepper
 Ketchup / Mustard / Mayo
 American Cheese
 Potato Chips
 Corn on the Cob
 Cookies
 Cereal
 Milk
 Eggs
 Pancake Mix
 Syrup
 Bacon
 Pop / Beer
 Smores: crackers/chocolate/marshmallows

Camping Gear
 Tent
 Hammer
 Tarp
 Lantern
 Flashlights / Batteries
 Blowup Mattress
 Sleeping Bag
 Pillows / Sheets / Blankets
 Pack-n-Play with Sheets
 Fans
 Extension Cord
 Towels
 Water Container
 Coolers
 Folding Chairs
 Rug/Hand Broom
 Duct tape
 Rope / Clothes pins

Clothes
 Toiletries
 Shower Bags and Flipflops
 Shirts / Shorts
 Sweatshirts / Jackets / Ponchos
 Socks / Underwear / Undershirts
 Swimming Suits
 Sandals
 Tennis shoes
 PJs (both light and heavy)
 Diapers/Wipes
 Hats / Sunglasses
 Blankie / Pacifiers / Night Night Books

Misc
 First Aid Kit
 Bug Repellant
 Sun Screen
 Hand Sanitizer
 Camera
 Life Jackets
 Fishing Gear
 Radio