What you need to go camping for the first time this summer

Car Camping

From car camping to backpacking, camping been an activity I enjoy all times of the year. Getting outdoors not only grounds you, but it also gives you the opportunity to see things most people only see on the Discovery Channel. 

There is a lot of gear marketed to summer camping. However, you really don’t need much to have a good time. In this post I will cover the gear needed to survive one night in the outdoors car camping. 

Essentials:

  • Tent
  • Sleeping Bag
  • Pillow
  • Camp Chair
  • Headlamp
  • Cooler
  • Firewood + Newspaper + Lighter
  • Food & Drink

Tent

Tents are sized in terms of number of persons sleeping in the tent. A safe rule of thumb is to multiply the total number of people sleeping in your tent by 1.5 in order to get the size needed. For example: If you plan on fitting 2 people in the tent, buy a 3 person tent. This will allow you to bring your clothes bags inside the tent with you. 

If your idea of camping is to sleep under the stars, still buy a tent, but don’t put on the rain fly when you set it up. 

Tip: Find the flattest section of ground to pitch your tent on. Sleep with your head uphill if necessary.  

Great first tent: Coleman Dome Tent

Sleeping Bag

Sleeping bags are rated by temperature and typically allow for a comfort level 5-10 degrees higher than the lowest temperate they are rated for. Since you will be going in summer, know the lowest estimated temperature in the area you are going to be and then subtract 5 or 10 degrees from that. That figure should be the the lowest rating for the sleeping bag you buy. 

You may have heard of down vs synthetic and a bunch of other rating. Don’t worry about any of that until you decide to get into backpacking or camping in fall or winter. 

Perfect starter bag: Coleman 40-60 Degree Sleeping Bag

You don’t need a mummy bag in the summer!

Pillow

Grab one off your bed.

Camp Chair

Some people consider this a luxury camping item, I think it’s a necessity. Camp sites typically have picnic tables but those don’t offer back support. A camp chair allows you to relax while enjoying your time at the camp site. 

Camp & beach chair: Ozark Trail Basic

Headlamp vs Lantern

I recommend buying a headlamp before a lantern. Lanterns are nice in that they light up the whole area around them, but they are bulky and often expensive. A headlamp is multi-purpose. It allows you to see what’s around you in the dark, and also makes going to the bathroom in the middle of the night a lot easier when nature calls. They are also nice to keep in your car in case of emergency. 

Starter headlamp: Petzl Tikkina Headlamp

Cooler

Having food and beverages greatly enhances your experience when outdoors. Bring a cooler that fits 12 cans per ever 2 people in your group. I recommend designating half of the space for drinks and the other half for food. If you plan on drinking a lot of beverages you’ll obviously need a much larger cooler. 

Medium size cooler: Ozark Trail 24-Cans

Firewood

Buy this at your campsite if you plan on getting to your site before 5pm. If you plan to arrive later it’s safer to pick up a box of wood at your local grocery store in case your camp store is closed. 

Tip: Pick up some news papers to help you light your fire. 

Lighter

You’ll need something to light your fire. 

Food

Make it easy on yourself. For lunch and dinner bring sandwiches and sushi from your local grocery store. Or, substitute for a bucket of KFC or pizza. For breakfast the next morning bring bear claws or Clif Bars. Don’t forget your favorite snacks!

Drink

Bring at least a gallon of water per person and your favorite beverage of choice: whiskey, beer, wine, La Croix, etc.

What else to pack

At the very least pack:

  • Sweatpants and sweatshirt 
  • Sandals
  • Hat
  • Sunscreen
  • Lip balm