If you’re a beginner camper in search of a simplified camping essentials checklist, look no further. We’ve got you, friend!
Camping is something so simple, but it can feel so difficult to get started with it, because the gear side of things can get overwhelming.
Making sure you have everything you need, the right versions of those things, and all the extras you might want can get confusing.
But don’t worry- we’re going to clear things up for you and make it as simple as possible.
Plus, you can grab a free printable version of this camping essentials checklist below!
So, let’s get started planning your camping packing list!
This post may contain affiliate links, which means I’ll receive a commission if you purchase through my links, at no extra cost to you. I only recommend products that I personally would use or do currently use. Please read full disclosure for more information.
Real quick- if you decide to buy ANYTHING that we’ve linked below from REI, sign up for their co-op membership first. (trust us)
How it works: Sign up and pay the one-time $30 fee. Then you get 10% back on every purchase you make (paid out every spring for previous year), plus the membership perks like:
- extended return period (1 year)
- member-only discounts/coupons (we get really good coupons a few times/year)
- access to trade in used gear
- discounts on gear rentals
This is not sponsored in any way, we just love REI and think so many people overlook the co-op membership even though it’s so worth it.
Should Have:
- Tent
Our big tent pick: Coleman Skydome
Small/backpacking tent pick: Mountain Hardware Mineral King 2 - Footprint
A footprint is basically a waterproof sheet that you lay down underneath your tent to protect the tent from damage, collecting moisture, or getting too dirty.
Some people simply use tarps for this- and that’s fine. However, it’s best to have a footprint that’s the correct size for your tent, which is why they make specific footprints for different tents. Dedicated footprints are also often less bulky than tarps, which saves space for you! You can check out footprints here. - Stakes
Tents usually come with stakes, but they aren’t always the strongest ones. Having a few extra high-quality stakes is a good idea! Here’s our pick for super durable stakes that don’t cost a fortune. - Something to sleep on (sleeping pad or cot)
We’ve used both sleeping pads and a cots, and we think both are good options, depending on how you like to sleep. Some people even use both.
Our sleeping pad pick: Therm-a-Rest Trail Pro MAX
Our cot pick: The REI Campwell Folding Cot - Something to keep your warm (blankets, sleeping bag)
What you use for this is up to you. A sleeping bag, a camping blanket, your comforter from home, whatever you want!
Our sleeping bag pick: Marmot NanoWave 45 (Men’s) - Pillow
You’ll definitely need a pillow, and what route you go here depends on your sleeping preferences. Both of us have different preferences. Will prefers to save space and use an inflatable pillow, and Kailey prefers something more like an actual bed pillow. - Lantern
We recommend having a couple of lanterns you can use for lighting up your tent, walking to the restroom, etc.
Our budget pick: Eveready LED Lantern
High-end pick: Coast EAL50R Rechargeable Lantern - Tent broom
This is a super small purchase that can help keep your tent clean!
Optional:
- Sleeping Bag Liner: This can serve multiple purposes, from keeping your sleeping bag clean to providing extra warmth.
- Tent Rug: This helps keep your tent cleaner, and also provides extra warmth, as well as protects your tent a little.
- Camp Blanket: Having an extra blanket on-hand is always a good idea for tent camping. Here is one we love!
- Fan: We personally cannot sleep without a fan, so having one for camping was a must for us. Here’s a great option for in the tent. We also love this one for in & out of the tent.
- Small Table: We’ve found that having a small table (even something as simple as this) to set things like the fan or our phones on is super helpful!
- Repair Kit: If you want repair kits for your tent or a mattress, don’t forget these!
Things to Know:
Your tent setup can be as minimal or as luxury as you want it to be. Make things comfortable for you! If you want to bring all your bedding from home and make your setup as plush as possible, do it!
Should Have:
- Camp chairs
You’ll probably be spending a lot of your time sitting around the campsite, so make sure you have camp chairs you like!
Our pack-small pick: REI Flexlite Camp Dreamer Chair
Our comfort pick: GuideGear Oversized Camping Chair - Matches or Firestarter
- Dry bags, stuff sacks, or plastic bins
Having some sort of storage and protection for your items is a must.
Our dry bag pick: Sea to Summit 3 Pack
Our stuff sack pick: REI Ditty Sacks- 3 Pack - Powerbank(s)
For keeping your phone & gear charged! Here’s what we use and love.
Optional:
- Hammock: We always take our hammocks with us for cozy campsite lounging! We love our ENO hammocks. And don’t forget the straps or stand!
- Sunshade: If you’ll be lacking shade at your campsite, it can be helpful to bring some sort of sunshade with you.
- Binoculars: If you think you’ll need them, they’re good to have!
- Insect Repellent Candle: If you want something to set up in the campsite to repel bugs, this is a great option.
- Clothesline & clips: So you don’t have to hang your wet clothes & towels form a tree!
- Saw or Axe: In case you need to cut firewood
- Maps: If you think you’ll need any maps of the area or won’t have service. Most of the time you can find campsite maps online to print off.
- Portable camp shower
There are a lot of options here that allow you to easily shower at your campsite. - Camp Toilet
If there won’t be restrooms near your campsite, having a camp toilet is a good idea. - Table
If you want more table space. - Extra Lighting
Things to Know:
Look into the firewood situation for the campsite you’re going to. Many campsites require you to buy firewood from them, or to buy it nearby to avoid bringing in invasive insects & diseases.
Should Have:
- Table
Whether it’s to eat on or to put your cooking equipment on, a table will come in handy. There are a lot of different options when it comes to this. - Camp stove
While this could technically be optional, it’s one of those things that’s going to make your camping experience so much better! There are a lot of camping stove options for different budgets. - Fuel for camp stove
Depending on what type of stove you get, you’ll need the fuel to fit it. - Pots & pans
You’ll need something to cook in, and you can get specific pots & pans for camping that store as small as possible. The set we have is no longer available, but here’s a similar option. - Utensil set
Having a set of utensils to eat with is crucial. We have a set similar to this, which gives us everything we need in one pack. - Plates/bowls
You can often find these in pot & pan sets like the one linked above, or you can find packs of them on their own! - Cooking utensils
If you don’t get a utensil set that includes these, make sure to get a few extra cooking utensils to use on your trip. You can find expensive versions out there, but honestly something like this works fine. Basics like a spatula, big spoon, some knives, and a pair of tongs will get you pretty far. - Cooler
Having a cooler for drinks and food storage will give you so many more options for meals & snacks. Here’s the one that’s on our wish list! - Cups/drinkware
You’ll probably want a few different cup options. We recommend some insulated water bottles, an insulated coffee mug, and a couple extra cups for misc. drinks. We also like this set! - Cutting board
Most camp cook sets come with a cutting board, but if not, grab a cheap one to have on your camping trip! - Sink
You’ll want to have something for washing dishes, and a collapsible sink like this one is perfect. - Biodegradable soap & a cleaning rag
You can use this soap for washing dishes, your hands, clothing, clothing, even your hair. - Water storage
Some campsites have water you can use, but it’s still a good idea to have your own water storage. We prefer the ones with spigots, like this one. - Dish Towel
Don’t forget these! We just grabbed a couple from Target to keep in our camping tote! - Matches or a lighter
For cooking, starting a fire, etc. - Other Kitchen Supplies
Don’t forget to pack other kitchen supplies you might need. Go through your kitchen at home and take note of anything you think you’ll need while camping. Things like a bottle opener, can opener, corkscrew, aluminum foil, resealable bags, chip clips, etc. - Any food you want to make
Write out any meals you want to make ahead of time and make sure you have all the ingredients you need. Don’t forget about staples like seasonings and cooking oil! - Ice
- Paper Towels
You will probably need paper towels at one point or another, so make sure you have a roll or two with you! - Trash & Recycling Bags
Please, be a responsible camper and do not leave anything behind! Taken plenty of trash bags and throw away any trash you have.
Optional:
- Roasting sticks. If you want to roast hot dogs or make s’mores, don’t forget these!
- Table cloth. We keep a reusable table cloth in our camping tote just in case we want to use it for picnic tables!
- Coffee Percolator. If you want to make coffee at your campsite, you’ll need one of these!
Should Have:
- First Aid Kit
Do not skip the first aid kit! Here’s a good one for camping trips, or you can make your own! - Headlamp
Here’s what we use: Black Diamond Headlamp - Flashlight
Here’s what we have: Coast G22R Recharageable Flashlight - Multi-tool
Here’s what we have: Leatherman Signal Topo Multi-Tool
If you want to bring all of these tools separately, that’s totally fine. But something like this saves a lot of space! - Duct Tape
Just in case! - Paracord
Paracord can be used for so much, from keeping your gear secure to making clotheslines, and even for first aid. - Insect Repellent
Obviously a big camping essential.
For spraying on clothing and gear, we use this.
For spraying our bodies, a picaridin lotion like this or a natural repellent like this works great. - Mallet or hammer
For hammering tent stakes
Optional:
- Insect Net
If you have a bug spray that works really well, you may not need this. But a bug net is a cheap purchase that can come in really handy. Here’s what we would recommend. - Life Jacket
- Water Treatment Device
If you’ren ot bringing your own water, this might be good to have.
Things to Know:
It’s better to be a little overprepared. Hopefully most of the things on this list won’t need to be used, but trust us, you’d rather have them if an issue comes up.
Should Have:
- Sunscreen
- Glasses/contacts & contact solution/case
- Medicines (prescription, allergy, pain reliever, etc.)
We store a variety of medicines in this container with these labels - Hairbrush
- Hair Ties
- Deoderant
- Toothbrush/toothpaste
- Floss
- Tweezers (can also come in handy if you get a splinter!)
- Mirror
Optional:
- Toilet Paper
If you’re camping at a site with a restroom, you can probably skip this one. But it’s good to have on-hand just in case! There are plenty of specific camping toilet paper options out there, but we honeslty prefer to just bring a couple of rolls from home. - Anti-chafe stick (Body Glide is our favorite and we always have it with us)
- Shower supplies (if you’ll be showering while you’re there)
Shampoo & conditioner, body wash, wash cloth & towel, razor & shaving cream - Eye drops
- Cotton swabs
- Makeup
- Skincare products
- Chapstick
- Hairstyling products/tools
- Sanitary Wipes
- Period products
- Beard grooming products
- Nail clippers
- Hand Sanitizer
- Tissues
- Lotion
Things to Know:
We have found the easiest thing to do here is create a permanent toiletries kit that you can either keep in your camping kit or easily throw in there. This has kept us from forgetting things as we’re packing, and saves us so much time. We store ours in something similar to this!
All of these are optional:
- Deck of cards
- Board games or other games
- Notepook & pen
- Books or Kindle
- Outdoor games
- Sports gear
Some campgrounds have tennis courts, basketball courts, etc. - Field Guides
One of our favorite things to do anytime we’re outside is learn about the environment more! Wheter it’s the geology of the area, or the insects, trees, flowers, or birds we might see, we love to be able to identifying it all! Check out a ton of field guides here. - Fishing gear
- Hiking gear
- Art Supplies
- Camera Gear
Things to Know:
There are so many ‘entertainment’ type things you can do while camping. But we encourage you to enjoy nature! That’s what camping is all about. The best camping trips are usually the ones where you get to disconnect!
What you wear camping is up to you, but here are a few basics to remember:
- Pants
- Shirts (depending on the weather, a mix of tees and long sleeve is good)
- Socks
- Shoes that are right for the terrain. We usually pack some ‘activity’ shoes like sneakers or Chacos, then shoes for around the campground, like these.
- Lightweight jacket
- Heavier jacket if the weather will warrant it
- Sleepwear
- Undergarments (moisture wicking is great for these!)
- Sunhat
Might need (depending on the weather and/or activities)
- Rainwear
- Thermals or insulated clothes
- Coat
- Gloves
- Winter hat
- Swimsuit
- Hiking boots
- Water shoes
- Shower shoes
- Bandanas/neck gaiters
Things to Know:
Don’t feel like you absolutely need dedicated ‘camping/outdoor’ clothes for your camping trips. What you have at home will probably work just fine! If you do have the money to spend on new clothes, we recommend looking for items that are both comfortable and moisture wicking, and can be layered as the temperature changes throughout the day.
What we always keep with us:
- Wet Wipes
for sticky situations. We try to use more eco-friendly ones like these. - Towels
You will definitely need a towel at some point in your camping trip, so it’s good to have a few available. They make towels like these that fold up small and dry quickly.
Another great option that’s slightly bigger: Nomadix Ultralight Towel - Extra Carabiner
These can come in handy for a long of things, so we always have at least a couple extras in varying sizes in our camping tote. - Extra batteries
Check what types of batteries your devices use (fans, lanterns, etc.) and make sure you have extra on-hand! - Tarp
This can come in handy for extra protection from rain, or a variety of other uses.
Should Have:
- Dog Food & Treats
We use the Wilderdog pet food bag for storing it, or this one for when we’ll need a lot of food. - Dog bowls
Collapsible dog bowls work great for this. - Water
Make sure to bring plenty of water along for them! - Leashes
You might want different leashes for different uses. We use the Wilderdog leash for regular use, and the Ruffwear hip leash for hiking or when we need to be able to use our hands. - A tether of some sort
You’ll want your dog to be able to hang out without having to be on a leash held by you. We use the Ruffwear Dog-Hitching System for this. - Foot Protection
Giving your dog some sort of foot protection can save a lot of headache for you and them. We haven’t found any shoes yet that we love, so we won’t be linking any. However, for a few dollars you can get some vet tape and custom fit it to their feet. - Dog-specific First Aid Kit
If you’re taking your dogs camping, hiking, or traveling in any way, please get a dog first aid kit! It could truly save their life. Here’s what we have. - A good harness
Having a secure harness that your dog won’t slip out of is very important. For our 170-lb escape artist, we have found the Ruffwear Webmaster harness to be the best one for this. - GPS Tracker
There is probably nothing worse than losing your dog, so having a GPS tracker on them is super important. We use the Tractive GPS, which just clips onto a collar or harness and lets us know where they are at all times. - An ID tag
Make sure your dog has an updated ID tag, just in case! - Dog Bed
If they’ll use it, get an outdoor dog bed for them to stay comfy in the tent. This is a good foldable option, or if you want something that packs up smaller, try this one. - Poop Bags Please clean up after your pet! We love the bags & holder from Wild One!
- Brush You’ll probably need this for brushing dirt & leaves out of their hair.
Optional:
- Life jacket If you think your dog will have any time in the water, this is an important safety must-have.
- Lint Roller (for you)
Things to Know:
If you want a full guide to what we pack when traveling with dogs, you can check that out here.
How to save money on camping gear
Buying camping essentials can be expensive, but it doesn’t have to be.
If you want to go camping but are on a tight budget, here are a few ways to save money:
Borrow gear from a friend or family member
Ask around to see who has camping essentials you can borrow until you can afford to buy your own! When we first started camping, this is how we did it- borrowing tents from family members and using what we could find within our circle.
Shop secondhand for camping essentials
There are a surprising amount of places where you can find gear in decent condition at a good price. Some great options are:
- REI’s Resupply program. This is now only in stores, but it’s how we scored a $400 tent for $100, because someone had returned it without using it because they decided it was ‘too big’. If you have an REI near you, check out their gently used/returned gear section to score major deals.
- Geartrade.com offers secondhand outdoor gear with pretty good deals. We haven’t personally used them, but I’ve heard others say they’re a reliable site.
- Facebook Marketplace. This wouldn’t be our top pick, but you can sometimes find a gem in there still.
- Local outdoor goods stores. Looking up local shops is always a good idea and a great way to find some good quality gear for great prices! Even though we live in a super small town in the Midwest, we have quite a few used outdoor gear shops near us, so definitely do a Google search for your area!
- Articles in Common. This is a smaller online shop that sells used outdoor gear with the mission of reducing waste and environmental impact.
- Out & Back. This online shop has a super solid collection of outdoor gear at really good prices.
- Individual Brands’ Websites. Many outdoor brands value using gear as long as possible, so they have their own gently-used options. For example, Patagonia has ‘Worn Wear‘, The North Face has ‘Renewed‘, and more.
Use what you already have
Just because there’s dedicated camping gear out there doesn’t mean you have to have those specific things to go camping. There are of course camping essentials you’ll need that you probably don’t have just lying around the house, like a tent.
But there’s also a lot we can do with what we already have. Instead of buying a sleeping bag, grab some blankets from home. If you don’t have a dedicated utensil set for camping, just wrap up some of your at-home cutlery in a towel and take it with you.
Starting where you are is a perfectly acceptable method of camping.
Afterall, camping isn’t about the things- it’s about disconnecting from life and reconnecting with nature and yourself.
Don’t overlook bulk & discount stores
Most people don’t think of bulk stores when they think of outdoor gear, but they should! We have scored so many amazing deals on super good outdoor gear from Costco. We’ve gotten cots, camping cutlery sets, a cooler, camping blankets, a propane camp stove, and so much more all from Costco.
Another place to check out is discount stores like Sierra Trading Post, which usually offer overstock of outdoor supplies at a discount. This is another place we get really good deals. We actually just scored a pair of Merrell hiking shoes for about 70% off the sticker price, and that’s just our most recent purchase!
Don’t forget to grab the printable version of this checklist for free!
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