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Best camping tips for beginners: Things to take camping
ByEstherLast Updated on
Planning to go on a camping trip? Here are the practical camping tips for beginners plus all the camping essentials you’ll need to have a fun experience.
Growing up, I never camped a lot; whom am I kidding, I never camped at all.
For many reasons that I won’t go into details now, the idea of camping was always pushed under the rag before it was even explained.
Before I went on my first camping trip, I always thought camping was just about pitching the tent to the ground and done!
But alas, there is more to camping that I have learned for the few times I’ve camped, from preparation, the actual tent pitching, what to do while camping to things to take camping.
And as for camping beginners, I am here to show you all the camping tips for beginners to make your camping adventure not just a success but also fun.
All can seem like endless hustles but if a frugal camper like me could do it for weeks, you too can.
You just need to want to experience the camping life and willingness to stay away from the developed world for a little while.
How to prepare yourself for a camping trip as a beginner!
1. Choose a location to camp
Most campers opt for remote areas and national parks. I mean other than having fun, the other reason for camping would be to disconnect from the hustles of life to connect with your friends and nature.
So the very first step to camping is to choose your ideal location.
Some of the factors to consider when choosing a camping site are the facilities.
Does the campsite have proper toilets, showers, and electricity? How far away is it from the nearest town?
This all goes back to you as an individual and how you would want your ideal campsite to be like.
Pro tip* If you choose a remote area or in the wild, chances are high that you’ll not have phone service or even internet.
So before you go away, make sure you’ve handled any urgent issues that might need your attention.
As a first time camper, I’d also advise choosing a location that is not so far away from your home not in the most remote area you could find
There are different types of camping you can choose from.
Either hiring a roof tented car, RV camping, and tent pitching which is the most common.
As a camping beginner, choose the type of camping that you’ll be most comfortable with and one that suits your budget.
3. Practice how to pitch a tent
Before you go camping, learn how to pitch a tent to ensure that you know how to handle everything before you head out into the wild.
If you opt for a roof tented car, the company you hire it from should teach you how to operate it, from erecting the tent to using all the facilities that come with it.
If sleeping bags are not your thing, you can opt for a camping blanket or even take both in places with extreme coldness.
Sleeping Pad or Air mattress.
A sleeping mat should also be included on your camping packing list.
Trust me sleeping on bare cold ground is not fun at all.
So invest in a sleeping pad or even an Air mattress. I hate sleeping without a pillow and I don’t want to punish my neck just because of camping, so I also carry a camping pillow.
You can either choose to go with it or buy it at the campsite if you’re sure you can get it from there.
Firestarters.
What is camping without making a fire! To me, camping means a day or two of spending some time at a campfire just to get some warmth or catch up with people you might be camping with.
But for most camping beginners, starting a fire is not a piece of cake, so grab these fire starters to avoid spending the entire night just trying to start a fire.
First Aid Kit
A lot can happen in the wild including emergencies which makes a first Aid kit one of the essential things to bring camping.
Your medical kit should include things like painkillers, bandages, and many others.
It’s important to keep the camping grounds as clean as you found them. So take a trash bag to keep all your trash.
Pro-tip*. Do not leave your trash bag outside when you go to sleep. I learned this the hard way when I had to pick up all the trash in the morning because an animal had littered it everywhere.
Baby wipes– These will be very useful especially if the campsite doesn’t have showers.
Insect repellant– This is a must-have for any outdoor camping adventure.
Power Bank– Running out of battery should be expected somehow, so a power bank will come in handy.
Duck Tape– Essential to have in case you need to fix something quickly.
Toiletries– As a camper, you’ll need to pack toiletries like toothpaste, toilet paper, soap, and others. You can pack your own or buy a complete toiletries bag.
Camping Hammock– I mean who doesn’t want to chill in a hammock after a long day of hiking.
Before you go camping, it’s important that you plan for your meals day by day.
The worst would be running out of food and water when the campsite you’re at is so far away from a grocery store.
What I normally do is to count the number of meals (from breakfast, lunch to dinner) that I will have while camping and buy food accordingly.
Make sure you buy food for at least 2 extra meals just in case. It’s always better to have more than enough than not enough. The same applies to water and snacks.
7. Test out all your camping equipment before you go
After knowing and buying all the camping essentials you’ll need, it’s very important to taste out your gear.
It would be very disappointing to reach your camping grounds and realize that you don’t know how to operate some of the things you carried.
So as a rule of thumb, make sure you try out everything. This can be to learn how to use them before you go or to test if they actually work well.
More camping tips for beginners.
Since I am also a frugal camper, there are some items that I had not packed during my camping trip because I hadn’t thought about them but I saw them with other campers and realized how useful they can be while camping.
So I am adding them here so that you include them on your camping checklist.
Foldable clothes drying rack or a Hanging line
I’m sure this is one of the camping items that most campers overlook.
Let’s agree, if you don’t create a camping checklist, it’s so easy to overlook the drying rack or a hanging line.
I didn’t even know that a camping carpet is one of the essential camping equipment until I reached the campsite.
The campsite was covered with sand- not your typical grass campsite.
When I saw other campers set up their camping carpet, that’s when I became a little bit jealous and started regretting not taking one.
The camping carpet is ideal to keep away dirt from the tent if the camping grounds are not covered with grass. Don’t know where to buy it from, buy it here on Amazon.
Hang a plastic bag onto the pins at the entrance of the tent. This way you can put your shoes in it as you enter the tent and you won’t have to step down barefooted when coming out as well.
After reading this beginner’s guide to camping, I am now sure that you’re ready to take on your camping adventure and that you know all the things to do while camping.
Camping doesn’t have to be scary if you follow these camping tips. You’ll be in for a fun camping trip of a lifetime.
But as I said earlier, all camping sites are different, do your research before you go so that you know exactly what you need for camping.
Are there any first time camping tips and tricks that I’ve left behind but were helpful to you? Leave them in the comment section and I’ll surely add them.
* The adventurous feet is a proud member of the Amazon Associate. This means that if you purchase anything through this website, I might get a small commission without any additional cost to you*
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4 Comments
We are pretty much first-time campers car camping and I’m trying to make a list of what to bring but I’m a little overwhelmed but thanks to this post, I kinda know some of my next steps.
I love your beginner’s guide especially “Plan Your Meals Before You Go”. My sister and I will camp this coming weekend. I’ll make sure to follow it, we will camp at different campsites in rizal. Thank you!
We are pretty much first-time campers car camping and I’m trying to make a list of what to bring but I’m a little overwhelmed but thanks to this post, I kinda know some of my next steps.
I am so glad my post was helpful and I hope everything goes well on your first camping trip.
great! very much appreciated for sharing this.
I love your beginner’s guide especially “Plan Your Meals Before You Go”. My sister and I will camp this coming weekend. I’ll make sure to follow it, we will camp at different campsites in rizal. Thank you!