The Ultimate Camping Checklist

Posted by Nick Niesen on October 27th, 2010

Copyright 2006 Karin Manning

How much effort you put into adequately planning your camping trip will determine how successful (and enjoyable) your trip will be. Though some of these tasks may seem tedious and tiresome, the more often you put these tasks into practice the more fun you will have doing them.

Here are just a few suggestions for you to try:

1. Gather all your camping equipment, etc, in a corner of a room and keep adding to it as you think of it. Start weeks in advance if you?re new to camping.

2. For easy storage in your vehicle, use basket shelves.

3. Use sports bags for clothes instead of cumbersome suitcases.

4. Place items at easy reach that you will have to use first when you arrive at your camping ground.

5. Place heavier items in the bottom of your car boot and lighter items on the top.

6. Make sure all heavy items are secure to avoid any nasty incidents when traveling.

7. It is far more important to have equipment that is durable and reliable than the flashiest and shiniest new-fangled way out gear.

8. Pack binoculars.

9. After every dinner under the stars discuss what the next day?s menu will be.

10. Always take a good first aid book with you.

11. Carry a comprehensive first aid kit for trips to uninhabited areas.

12. Always carry a first aid kit whether you are going on a day trip or an extended journey.

13. Consider carrying anti-biotics in case anyone in your group is prone to infections eg. Ear, nose and throat, etc.

14. Consult your doctor for medications for vomiting and diarrhoea, etc.

15. Consider doing a first aid course if no-one else in your group is qualified.

16. Be well-versed in what to do in the event of spider or snake bite.

17. Fit your vehicle with a CB or UHF radio.

18. Keep bug repellants away from all plastics. They actually will dissolve plastic glasses, Swiss army knife handles, etc.

19. Lightly soak a cotton bandana in insect repellant and tie it around your neck to keep bugs clear of your neck.

20. Lessen the pain of mosquito bites with household ammonia and water. Apply a wet salt pack to hornet, wasp and bee stings and allow it to dry.

Years ago, camping food was seen as boring, simple, and anything but fun and attractive to look at. However, those times are long gone. It?s possible for you to enjoy the same quality of meals you now enjoy in your home kitchen in your campfire kitchen with little fuss.

Remember that the number one priority of every single person on a camping trip is to have fun. Cooks should not have to worry whether they will end up slaving in front of a dutch oven for hours on end only to create an inedible glob of something that?s supposed to be edible ? that no-one will eat, and will leave your friends and families all growling like bears with sore paws for the remainder of the trip.