Camping and Road Trip Checklists
These are some helpful ideas to assist in trip planning. As are all things it is a work in progress.
Camping Checklist
Shelter and Bedding
Tent or Camper Shell
Tarp for tent.
Sleeping bag or down quilt
Sleeping pad
Pillow
I sleep in the camper shell 90% of the time. I have a "carpet kit" installed which makes it much homier. I have an inflatable sleeping pad and put my bedding on that. I sleep quite well most of the time.
Cooking and Dining
Water (I carry a 7.5 gallon carrier and I'm always glad I have it)
Food
Stove (I use the Coleman with one burner and a grill for camping and the Whisperlite for backpacking or motorcycle camping)
Pot holders
Paper towels
Plastic trash bags
Tongs and spatula
Aluminum foil
Measuring cups
Coffee Pot
Silverware
Plates/bowls
Cups and mugs (Sierra Cups are still cool).
Zip lock bags
Knives
Cutting Board
Frying Pan (Cast iron is the best for car camping)
Scrub sponge
Dutch Oven
Water Bottles
Platypus
CampSuds or Dr. Bronner's
Miscellaneous Items
Camp Chair
Portable table
Binoculars
Nature guides (Flora, fauna, geology, etc).
Bug Repellant (try to use non-DEET if possible)
Rope
Rok Straps (these are a great addition and critical on motorcycle trips)
Camera (I use my iPhone often)
Extra Batteries
Cards, games
Cell phone
Clothes pins
Compass
Duct tape (amazing how often you use this)
Fishing gear
Flashlight (I have several)
Headlamp (awesome help)
Lantern (the new small electric & solar ones are great)
Frisbee
Maps
GPS
Multi-tool or Swiss Army Knife
Matches and lighter
Pen and notebook (I use a tape recorder also)
Reading material (I have run out of books which is a bummer - 4 or 5 is good).
Shower bag (I hardly ever use this)
Sunscreen
Bandanas
Towels
Wash cloth
Tweezers
Purifying water filter
Emergency Space Blanket
Shovel (if 4 wheeling a must)
Spade (a must for backpacking)
Fire Starter
Daypack
Sunglasses
Hand Sanitizer
Wet-wipes
Weather Radio
iPod w/Earbuds
See through large plastic storage containers (I love these- I can see my stuff and they're water/snow proof)
Stealthcam (This a new acquisition that helps me catch my campsite visitors at night)
Machete (My brother in law Ron got me to use one- it's handy for kindling, etc.)
Comments
I started to mark some of these items as required or mandatory but I'm sure you can figure that out. I can tell you that I have a variety of ways to organize this crap. I have a lot of stuff sacks and the plastic containers are the best.
I use the wetwipes and hand sanitizer all the time. If I can't hit a motel for a week or so to shower I will sponge bathe and the wipes and sanitizer are a good interim measure. Camping can be a wonderfully dirty endeavor.
It's amazing how many rustic and beautiful campgrounds don't have water which is why I think the water carrier is a necessity. Mine is a bit heavy but you could bring a couple of smaller containers. The 7.5 gallon container will typically last me 5-6 days.
Fire starters are great. I use the package ones because the fluid can spill and then you have a mess and a flammable mess at that.
Food
Food is a personal deal. I like easy to make and easy to clean up. My friend Pat is an outdoor gourmet and my kids are vegetarians. I am neither. So as they say....different strokes...
I listed the spices and oil as I seem to forget them. My typical menus look something like this:
Breakfast: Instant oatmeal, granola bars, bananas, and coffee.
Lunch: I bring tortillas instead of bread which always get smashed. I can fill them with cheese or even peanut butter, honey or whatever. Salami and cheese is the classic (sans tortilla of course). Beef jerky and cans of tuna.
Dinner: First night I'll bring some frozen meat. Then after that it's real simple- grilled veggies, soups, burritos, spaghetti, bratwurst, instant rice, frito pie. If I'm lucky I'll eat fresh trout.
I'm not big on sweets but if you're hiking a lot they are invaluable for a quick energy boost. An easy GORP is just nuts, seeds, and M&Ms and raisins if you're into that. I always bring almonds, cashews, pumpkin seeds and sunflower seeds.
Shelter and Bedding
Tent or Camper Shell
Tarp for tent.
Sleeping bag or down quilt
Sleeping pad
Pillow
I sleep in the camper shell 90% of the time. I have a "carpet kit" installed which makes it much homier. I have an inflatable sleeping pad and put my bedding on that. I sleep quite well most of the time.
Cooking and Dining
Water (I carry a 7.5 gallon carrier and I'm always glad I have it)
Food
- salt and pepper
- herbs and spices
- cooking oil
Stove (I use the Coleman with one burner and a grill for camping and the Whisperlite for backpacking or motorcycle camping)
Pot holders
Paper towels
Plastic trash bags
Tongs and spatula
Aluminum foil
Measuring cups
Coffee Pot
Silverware
Plates/bowls
Cups and mugs (Sierra Cups are still cool).
Zip lock bags
Knives
Cutting Board
Frying Pan (Cast iron is the best for car camping)
Scrub sponge
Dutch Oven
Water Bottles
Platypus
CampSuds or Dr. Bronner's
Miscellaneous Items
Camp Chair
Portable table
Binoculars
Nature guides (Flora, fauna, geology, etc).
Bug Repellant (try to use non-DEET if possible)
Rope
Rok Straps (these are a great addition and critical on motorcycle trips)
Camera (I use my iPhone often)
Extra Batteries
Cards, games
Cell phone
Clothes pins
Compass
Duct tape (amazing how often you use this)
Fishing gear
Flashlight (I have several)
Headlamp (awesome help)
Lantern (the new small electric & solar ones are great)
Frisbee
Maps
GPS
Multi-tool or Swiss Army Knife
Matches and lighter
Pen and notebook (I use a tape recorder also)
Reading material (I have run out of books which is a bummer - 4 or 5 is good).
Shower bag (I hardly ever use this)
Sunscreen
Bandanas
Towels
Wash cloth
Tweezers
Purifying water filter
Emergency Space Blanket
Shovel (if 4 wheeling a must)
Spade (a must for backpacking)
Fire Starter
Daypack
Sunglasses
Hand Sanitizer
Wet-wipes
Weather Radio
iPod w/Earbuds
See through large plastic storage containers (I love these- I can see my stuff and they're water/snow proof)
Stealthcam (This a new acquisition that helps me catch my campsite visitors at night)
Machete (My brother in law Ron got me to use one- it's handy for kindling, etc.)
Comments
I started to mark some of these items as required or mandatory but I'm sure you can figure that out. I can tell you that I have a variety of ways to organize this crap. I have a lot of stuff sacks and the plastic containers are the best.
I use the wetwipes and hand sanitizer all the time. If I can't hit a motel for a week or so to shower I will sponge bathe and the wipes and sanitizer are a good interim measure. Camping can be a wonderfully dirty endeavor.
It's amazing how many rustic and beautiful campgrounds don't have water which is why I think the water carrier is a necessity. Mine is a bit heavy but you could bring a couple of smaller containers. The 7.5 gallon container will typically last me 5-6 days.
Fire starters are great. I use the package ones because the fluid can spill and then you have a mess and a flammable mess at that.
Food
Food is a personal deal. I like easy to make and easy to clean up. My friend Pat is an outdoor gourmet and my kids are vegetarians. I am neither. So as they say....different strokes...
I listed the spices and oil as I seem to forget them. My typical menus look something like this:
Breakfast: Instant oatmeal, granola bars, bananas, and coffee.
Lunch: I bring tortillas instead of bread which always get smashed. I can fill them with cheese or even peanut butter, honey or whatever. Salami and cheese is the classic (sans tortilla of course). Beef jerky and cans of tuna.
Dinner: First night I'll bring some frozen meat. Then after that it's real simple- grilled veggies, soups, burritos, spaghetti, bratwurst, instant rice, frito pie. If I'm lucky I'll eat fresh trout.
I'm not big on sweets but if you're hiking a lot they are invaluable for a quick energy boost. An easy GORP is just nuts, seeds, and M&Ms and raisins if you're into that. I always bring almonds, cashews, pumpkin seeds and sunflower seeds.