What are some camping necessities that need to be taken when going on a camping trip?
Posted: July 31st, 2010 | Author: Mitch | Filed under: Camping Gear | Tags: bugs, Camping Gear, camping trailer, first aid kit, helpful hint, helpful hints, lol, necessities, sleep, true thanks | 9 Comments »I haven’t been camping since I was ten years old. I would love to plan a camping trip with my family here in AZ. I know some necessities to take along, but I do not know where to start in planning this trip.
There will be no hiking involved. I have a four year old son, and really all I want to do is go camping in the woodsy areas, go exploring with my son, and stay overnight. I know we will have to rent a camping trailer to sleep in since we don’t have that.
But, what other camping gear will I need besides "OFF" for bugs, and a First Aid Kit?
What are good inexpensive cooking items I can take along?
And, have you ever been camping in AZ? Where did you go?
Any helpful hints would be fabulous! Thanks so much!
Ms.Crazy Luvs You: That was hillarious and SO TRUE! Thanks for that very helpful hint! I forgot all about that one! LOL
Wow, some of those lists are very long !!!!!! You said you were only going to go for an overnight, that’s just one night. You don’t need much for one night. If you burden yourself with do much junk you kinda ruin your camp out. For one night all you need is a tent$40, a full size air bed $25 , Some blankets from the house,big ice chest , A small grill w/ a bag of Charcoal, a few gallons of water to wash yourselves with, A bundle of fire wood from the store( in AZ you cant always find wood) for a campfire,binoculars for looking at flora and fauna and the moon.A good steak,( easy to grill) , some can beans(you set the can in the coals opened) ,corn in the husk( all you have to do is put it on the grill). If its just one night pick a place that is close and wont take forever to get to.
Toliet paper
Camping in Arizona is going to start getting pretty warm, so I would go as soon as possible. Saguaro Lake is a pretty popular place if you don’t want to go far from the valley. I personally would go up north since the weather isn’t as warm. If you are looking for a campground, I would go for a KOA campground; we have always had good experiences with them (usually in RVs). There are twelve KOAs in Arizona and you can see them all here: http://www.koa.com/where/az/index.htm . If you want to "rough it", stay in a national park, such as Joshua Tree National Park (I wouldn’t suggest this one, it isn’t very pretty), Saguaro National Park (Tucson, AZ – hot!), Tonto National Forest, Walnut Canyon, or Grand Canyon National Park (they also have cabins you can rent). I think most of them offer camping – often not for camping trailers, though, so you might want to call ahead to make sure. There are more that I didn’t mention that you can find here: http://www.nps.gov/state/AZ/ .
As far as what to take, take lights (headlights, flashlights, lanterns – one personal light for each person and one campsite light – with extra batteries for extended stays, or crank flashlights are good, too), emergency blankets and ponchos are compact, yet good items to have on hand just in case. You can buy cheap cookware at Wal-mart if you are planning on throwing it away, or you could buy a camping set at a sporting goods store. Take appropriate fishing and hunting gear if you will be participating in those. Take matches, lighter, or flint. A pocket knife is a good idea, too. A pocket saw is a good idea if you think you’ll need it for any reason. The last thing I suggest in an emergency whistle. They are usually yellow or orange and they include a whistle for signaling or scaring away animals, a mirror for emergency signaling, a compass, and a waterproof compartment for a medium-sized pocketknife and small-sized flink or about 20 matches. This is a good tool for everyone, especially since you have a losable child (remember to teach him how to use it. A leash is good if you are going to the Grand Canyon or a mountain lion heavy area. The bug spray and first aid kit that you mentioned are good ideas. If you are going out in the day, sunscreen is a must. (There are buspray/sunscreens you might want to consider and Off! sells bug-repellant wipes and bracelets that work pretty well.) If you think the emergency precuations I mentioned are overkill, you can skip a few but, of course, its always better to be prepared. Take food (of course) that you can cook in the trailer or over a fire, if that is what you want to do. My last bit of advice is to rent from Cruise America. We have had good experiences with them 3/4 times (make sure your rental is CLEAN). You can rent an RV for a reasonable price (the price is best if pickup and return state is the same) or a trailer (it is a pretty big trailer, though, so I hope you have a decent-sized truck. You can view the vehicles they offer here: http://www.cruiseamerica.com/rent/our_vehicles/ .
Good luck and have fun!!
A cooler of Beer.
A Fishing Pole.
And a bucket of worms. lol
Anything else you can have flown in the way BO does.
Check out the following sites to give you ideas
http://camping.about.com/od/campingforbeginners/Advice_for_Beginners.htm
http://www.lovetheoutdoors.com/camping/Checklists.htm
Camping Checklist (compliments of camping.about.com)
Shelter and Bedding (essentials)
__ tent
__ tarp
__ sleeping bag
__ sleeping pad
__ headrest
Cooking and Dining (essentials)
__ water
__ food
__ cooler
__ camp stove
__ mess kit
__ can opener
__ charcoal
Clothes
__ t-shirts
__ shorts
__ jeans/pants
__ socks
__ shoes/boots
__ camp shoes
__ hat/cap
__ sweater
__ rain poncho
__ underwear
__ swim suit
__ laundry bag
__ _____________
__ _____________
__ _____________
__ _____________
Personal Hygiene
__ tooth brush
__ tooth paste
__ wash rag(s)
__ towel(s)
__ soap
__ comb/brush
__ nail clippers
__ razor
__ toilet paper
__ _____________
__ _____________ Shelter and Bedding (optionals)
__ book
__ cot
__ comforter
__ throw rug
__ pillow
Cooking and Dining (optionals)
__ charcoal chimney
__ smoker
__ Dutch oven
__ hot dog sticks
__ pie irons
__ chairs
__ folding table
__ table cloth
__ butane lighter
__ screen room
Cleaning Items
__ broom
__ dust pan
__ whisk broom
__ lawn rake
__ dish pan
__ detergent
__ dish rags
__ ppt scrubber
First Aid Kit
__ personal medication
__ bandages
__ aspirin, Tylenol
__ medical tape
__ sterile gauze
__ elastic wrap
__ antiseptic wipes
__ antibiotic cream
__ burn ointment
__ sunburn lotion
__ hydrogen peroxide
__ scissors
__ tweezers
__ eye wash
__ sanitary napkins
__ snake bite kit Chuck Box
__ salt and pepper
__ herbs and spices
__ cooking oil
__ pot holders
__ paper towels
__ napkins
__ plastic trash bags
__ tongs and spatula
__ aluminum foil
__ measuring cups
__ plastic silverware
__ paper plates/bowls
__ plastic cups
__ zip lock bags
__ knives
__ cutting board
__ cork screw
Miscellaneous Items
__ binoculars
__ bird guide
__ bug spray
__ bungi cords
__ camera
__ candles
__ cards, games
__ cell phone
__ clothes pins
__ compass
__ duct tape
__ fishing gear
__ flashlight
__ frisbee
__ GPS
__ kites
__ knife
__ lantern
__ matches
__ pen and paper
__ rope
__ shower bag
__ sun block
__ tools
__ water filters
__ whistle
I would bring my telescope and accessories which includes green laser, and red led flashlight. The other usual stuff that every camper brings… bug spray, excreta paper.
Lots of toilet paper! each roll in it’s own plastic bag! Wool : cap, mittens, sweater, shirt, vest, sox, blanket, other cold weather gear as well, wool has the property that even wet it will keep in more body heat than will wet synthetics. Good folding knife. 5X magnifying glass. Loud Whistle. compass. 5 cans of "bear spray". Good Hard Walking Stick. 1 can of Pink Spray Paint! ( good for robbers eyes; heheh!)
buy a tent, cheaper then renting a trailer and you can use it again if your son likes it.
sleeping bags and some form of padding like egg carton foam for better comfort.
buy some cast iron cook wear or get some cheaper cook sets like the coleman economy cook set or something similar.
always take a knife with you, preferably a folding knife if camping near settled areas, look up your local laws or ask a police officer for maximum length for personal carry knives.
bring quick cook foods, since cooking on a fire can be more tedious then on a stove or even on a BBQ.
bring cards and read up on bushcraft and other outdoors skills, very useful and fun to practice, good for spending time instead of being bored.
I never go anywhere without an ax, a good knife, 100 ft of rope, and toilet paper. You need water, food. A scout style mess kit provides a frying pan, water pot, plate, and utensils. The pan doubles as the second plate. The boy will need light, so a good lantern with LED lights is great for all night.
I agree about buying a tent- less than $50 will get you a huge (for two) pop-up from WalMart. Good for backyard camping later, too!