camping MUST HAVES?

Question

Me and my bf are going camping for the first time together.

I haven't gone camping in years, so i don't have anything I need for it, and neither does he.

So we need to go out and buy brand new stuff.

Where we're camping, there are not toilets/showers/campers/cabins/etc. The only thing they have is a small crick, and a water pump that has cold water. It's about a 19 hour drive from civilization, so we can't go back for anything.

I need help creating a checklist of must haves! Don't worry about the price, we want quality items that will last for years to come.

What could really help is if you find a site with the item itself (ex: if you went camping, and really liked an item, then find it and post a link/pic of it)

Thank you very much!

Answer 1

The best advice I can give for people starting out camping is to borrow or rent a tent, make due with what you already have at home (sleeping bags and blankets instead of mummy bags, camp fire grill instead of camp stove, etc), and only buy the absolute essentials. After that first trip you'll discover whether you even like camping, what gear worked or didn't and have a better idea of the level of comfort you want in the outdoors. For some people this will mean next time staying in a hotel or going in a recreational vehicle, while other people might want to take up backpacking, which requires a somewhat different set of equipment.

My top 10 list of basics for first time car camping:
1. Rain gear: PVC or coated nylon poncho
2. Tent, plastic ground sheet, stakes, mallet
3. Sleeping bags & blankets
4. Foam sleeping pad(s) but not air mattresses
5. Camp stove or small BBQ (or wood as required), lighter, utensils, knife, cups, plates, can opener, paper towels, etc.
6. Cooler, full of ice and perishable food, drinks
7. Bug spray, with DEET
http://www.rei.com/product/730353
8. Sunscreen, hat
9. First Aid Kit
10. Flashlight, spare batteries

Answer 2

Whenever I'm heading out on a long / remot trip, I make a check list of all the things I need, and break it down into the same categories of needs that you have at home:
Bedroom, Living Room, Kitchen, Bathroom.

If you're out of your home, you need to fill up all the rooms in your remote "house." If you'll be car camping, you can use a lot of things from your home on the trip, so you probably won't have to buy as much as you think.

Bedroom -
You already have a pillow, extra blanket, flashlight.
Buy a sleeping pad & sleeping bag - these should be your biggest investment. Make sure you get a good quality bag with the right temperature rating for the trips you'll be taking.

Living Room -
You may or may not have a folding / lawn chair.
Buy a fuel powered lantern (battery powered lanterns burn out quickly and are not as bright).

Kitchen:
You can bring cooking utensils (spatula, tongs, etc.) from home, along with silverware, dish soap, washcloth, napkins, paper towels that you already have. You can also grab a frying pan and sauce pan from home, as long as you don't use them over an open fire. A small plastic tub / rubbermaid container can be used to wash dishes in.
Buy - a camp stove and plenty of fuel. Hopefully the stove and lantern that you buy use the same fuel type, so that you don't have to worry about two different kinds. You'll need a good cooler for food, and camp dishes - you can go with durable enameled metal, or newer orikaso folding plates, bowls and cups. You'll also need a container to haul water in. Pack some in, and get a filter if the creek you're near is free of chemicals and farm run off and you can drink it.

Answer 3

Someone mentioned Campmor. They are good. L.L. Bean and Cabella's are two other good mail order suppliers. Bean's has the best guarantee anywhere. How to cook your meals and where you sleep are the two most important things. Anything else is added luxury. I would go to a campground for a weekend before setting out for the wilderness. Better to find out what's missing when stores are close by.

Answer 4

don,t know a site but buy a case or 3 of meals ready to eat, at any sports out let,
all you have to do is heat them up, or can be eaten cold,
toilet paper, a sleeping bag rated for -30 deg, , a dome tent,
just type in camping supplies , you will get tons of them,

Answer 5

tent pillow something to sleep on or in food flash lighting fixtures furnishings cleansing soap deodorant greater outfits some sturdy shoes or boots to stroll in a small gas grill some style of paper products and your very own rubbish baggage, to freshen up your very own messes a advantageous place so which you would be able to camp out at.

Answer 6

Heres the site I use...

www.camping.about.com/cs/advicetips
/a/checklist08.htm

Answer 7

check http://www.campmor.com for discounted items, it's a good site.

items i suggest are make sure you have a good first aid kit, battery charger like this
http://www.steves-digicams.com/icp_solar.html
or you can use your car i guess.

water filtration equipment, at least iodine to sterilize stuff.