Outdoor Camping Gear

Outdoor camping gear can be divided into nine categories: shelter, cooking, sleeping, lighting, tools, furniture, survival, bags, and personal items. Each category holds items that are essential for camping. However those items are arranged along a spectrum that goes from the basics to the luxurious.

Outdoor camping equipment has come a long way over the years and because of that, most campers seem to believe that their camping essentials list is longer. It’s not. You can still survive on the basics but you can take pleasure in the extras.

Best Places to Shop

For outdoor camping equipment, I wouldn’t say that there is any special store you have to go to in order to purchase your gear but I will say that there are some online stores with incredible and quality reviews. Sites such as:

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These are just a few to get you started. I can’t tell you how important it is to read review of the products before you buy. In some cases it would be easier to go to an outdoor gear specialty store but you have to remember that those people are there to push sales. They are almost always going to push you toward the high-end equipment. Do your homework, and study the reviews that are written by real people who have really used the products you want to buy and have no incentive to steer you in the wrong direction.

How to Select Your Camping Gear

Before you can properly select most gear, you need to answer a few questions:

How many people are attending?
This will influence your cooking, sleeping, furniture, survival, bags, personal, and tent gear. Not only do you need to know the number of people going, but you should have a chart with you that has an approximate height and weight of each individual.
What type of camping will you be doing?
If it will include hiking or backpacking then it is best to go as light as possible and shop at sites like: backpackinglight.com. There are different repair kits for RV Camping and Van Camping. The list of items to bring for kayak camping are entirely different from those that would be on a beach camping list. You get the point; type does matter.
Location of Campsite?
If you will be camping in cold temperatures, you will need extra clothing and gear. If you will be camping in the mountains, you will be required to take extra survival gear.
Who will be attending?
Old people or kids need special attention and may need special storage for medications or activities to keep them entertained. They also may need more personal items like diapers, wipes, or child carriers.
How long is your camping trip?
This will influence the amount of extras that you will pack. Will you need extra batteries, personal items, or survival gear?
How frequently do you camp?
If you are a camping enthusiast, you should consider the durability and long term usage of the equipment you are considering purchasing. On the other hand, if you will simply only camp a few times in your life, then you would be better off buying inexpensive gear.

The torch, or flashlight, is a camping necessity. Always have one.

The Essentials

The essentials for all camping can be found and downloaded from our camping checklist essentials page.

Baby Camping Gear

Make sure you get what you need before you head out.

Here are a couple of good ideas for picking out a hiking pack. This bag has practical use for both conventional travel (airports, etc.), and hiking.
Oh, yeah. I'm a big fan of Howcast. Check out this video - not big on the eBay option, but a follow-up on this vid, might be worth it.

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