Our team at East Coast Sports has extensive experience in camping, and we want to help you have the best camping experience. In our experience, many people who are new to camping are understandably concerned about what gear to pack, but fortunately, our team is here to help you prepare for your trek so you can head out with confidence.
In this article, we’ll provide a checklist of the essential camping gear that you need—while you can always add extras, you shouldn’t leave home without any of the items on this list.
- Shelter. The first type of camping gear you need is supplies to make a shelter. At minimum, you will need a tent, a groundcloth to go under it, and a tarp to keep off the rain, as well as a hammer or axe to pound the tent stakes into the ground (if using an axe, pound with the handle or the flat of the blade). You will also need a sleeping bag and pillow, and an air mattress if you choose.
- Food and Cooking. Obviously, you will need to pack enough food and water for your trip, and for that, you will need a cooler. You will also need a way to prepare your food and the tools to do so. Which cooking tools you need to bring depends a lot on the complexity of your meals and your level of comfort in cooking over a camp fire—if you stick to simple fare like hot dogs or baked potatoes, you may only need aluminum foil or a camp grill, but if you want to make something that requires more prep, you will need the pots, bowls, camp stove, etc., to follow the recipe.
- Other. Other essential camping gear includes things like camp chairs, lanterns and flashlights, and a compass or GPS. You will also need toiletries, as well as sunscreen and insect repellant.