Lantern, Wood, Ice, Water and All the Other Essential Items for a Successful Camping Trip
I love camping, but somehow, in my excitement to get the car packed up and get into the woods; I always manage to forget some essential camping item. Nothing sucks more than getting to your destination, setting up the tent, and then realizing you have no way to start a fire. So, for those of you who tend to be a bit forgetful like me, here's my personal list of essential camping items I always seem to forget.
Camping item 1: Wood. It's difficult to have a campfire without wood and camping without a fire is just un-American. I have become very skilled at scavenging wood from abandoned campsites and finding fallen limbs and dead trees to burn, but nothing beats knowing you'll have enough fuel for at least a small fire during your trip. It's usually best to bring some from home (or acquire some from a friend with a woodstove if you don't have one), but you can usually buy wood (at an inflated price) from a grocery store or at your campground if you're staying in one.
Camping item 2: Hatchet/Saw. You remembered the wood? Awesome! Did you bring kindling? You didn't? Exactly how are you planning to start your fire? A hatchet is essential for making your big pieces of wood into smaller pieces of kindling. Also, if you've forgotten to bring wood and want to chop up some bigger pieces you have scavenged, you're going to need a hatchet or a saw. You can usually buy kindling at the same places you can pick up wood, but it's a lot cheaper just to chop up a few pieces of wood yourself.
Camping item 3: Newspaper. Wood and kindling are awesome, but it's hard to start a fire without newspaper. Former boy scouts can probably use moss or bark or something, but for the less-skilled among us, paper is a necessity. Bring a lot.
Camping item 4: Lighter/matches. I don't know about you, but I have no idea how to start a fire by rubbing two sticks together. You're going to need some way of generating flame. It's always a good idea to bring a few lighters or books of matches, just in case one gets wet or stops working. Those long barbeque lighters are excellent for lighting campfires. They're also great for lighting the next oft-forgotten item.
Camping item 1: Wood. It's difficult to have a campfire without wood and camping without a fire is just un-American. I have become very skilled at scavenging wood from abandoned campsites and finding fallen limbs and dead trees to burn, but nothing beats knowing you'll have enough fuel for at least a small fire during your trip. It's usually best to bring some from home (or acquire some from a friend with a woodstove if you don't have one), but you can usually buy wood (at an inflated price) from a grocery store or at your campground if you're staying in one.
Camping item 2: Hatchet/Saw. You remembered the wood? Awesome! Did you bring kindling? You didn't? Exactly how are you planning to start your fire? A hatchet is essential for making your big pieces of wood into smaller pieces of kindling. Also, if you've forgotten to bring wood and want to chop up some bigger pieces you have scavenged, you're going to need a hatchet or a saw. You can usually buy kindling at the same places you can pick up wood, but it's a lot cheaper just to chop up a few pieces of wood yourself.
Camping item 3: Newspaper. Wood and kindling are awesome, but it's hard to start a fire without newspaper. Former boy scouts can probably use moss or bark or something, but for the less-skilled among us, paper is a necessity. Bring a lot.
Camping item 4: Lighter/matches. I don't know about you, but I have no idea how to start a fire by rubbing two sticks together. You're going to need some way of generating flame. It's always a good idea to bring a few lighters or books of matches, just in case one gets wet or stops working. Those long barbeque lighters are excellent for lighting campfires. They're also great for lighting the next oft-forgotten item.
- A fire is essential, don't forget the kindling, newspaper, and lighter/matches.
- Light is also nice when camping, make sure your lantern is fueled up and in good condition.
- Toilet paper, bring it. You'll thank me.
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