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The Complete Camping Guide for Beginners

So you have taken an interest in camping, but you don’t know what to do, don’t worry about it we are here to help you. First of all, good for you for taking an interest in camping. This is one of the best ways to explore nature and to take your mind of the monotone’s everyday life. This might seem hard to you in the beginning, but in the end, you will feel like you are a true professional at this. One good thing you can do is go camping with someone with more experience then you, and if that’s not possible, don’t worry, you will get through it with our help.

Before we get on with the appropriate gear that you will need, you should first pick a place where you want to go camping. You might want to consider going to a campsite that is located near your home. Other important things to figure out is to check the quality of these campsites and if they have facilities like bathrooms, showers, etc. It would also be better if you could find one with a town nearby, so you don’t have to worry about eating or cooking, and getting more supplies if you forgot some of them.

group of people near bonfire near trees during nighttime

Image by Tegan Mierle on Unsplash.

After you have chosen the right place for your trip, you are going to need a tent. When shopping for one, you might get confused because of the large variety that they have. A simple rule for picking a tent is that you should always choose one that is at least one size bigger than you. Meaning if you are camping by yourself, get a tent for two people. That’s because you can never go wrong with having more space in your tent.

Camp Gear for Beginners List

1.The Coleman Sundome Tent

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The Coleman Sundome Tent

One great option is The Coleman Sundome tent which is an excellent choice for any beginner. It comes in different sizes starting from a two-person tent and up to a six-person one. It’s wind and rain resistant, so you don’t have to worry about those things. Another advantage of this tent for beginners is that it has an easy setup, which comes around ten minutes in total to finishing it. One thing you should do before going out in the wild is to try and set up the tent in your house first so that you know how it works and you don’t waste precious time.

Price: 59.99$

 

2. Sleeping Bags

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Single Sleeping Bag

Now that you have a tent, you will need a good sleeping bag, you can always pick one that is for the season that you’re in, but you can’t go wrong with one that is for all seasons. The Naturehike Mummy Sleeping Bag it’s one of the best you can find out there. This model has a very spacious shape that allows you to sleep in whatever position you desire and feel comfortable with it.

Price: 119.20$

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Couple Sleeping Mat

However, for couples is recommended, they take the Big Agnes Dream Island. This one is quite similar to the sheets you have at home, and all of that is because of the new cotton blend that is using.

Price: 261.50$

 

3. Sea to Summit Comfort Plus Mat

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Sleeping Mat

Now that you have that as well, you will need a right sleeping pad, you can make your sleeping pad with blankets, but we wouldn’t recommend that since sometimes it’s not very comfortable, and you need a good sleep, especially when camping. A great choice is Sea to Summit Comfort Plus Mat. With its high-quality nylon stuff sack, it’s just incredible. You will be comfortable, and your back will be supported.

Price: 89.99$

 

4.The Klymit Drift Pillow

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Klymit Pillow

What’s left for you to have a comfortable and enjoyable sleep is a good pillow, you can always bring the ones from your home, but why do that when you could have one especially for camping. The Klymit Drift Camp Pillow is the one pillow you need in the wild. It’s simple to clean, has a water-resistant shell, and it’s incredibly comfortable, which is a huge plus when camping.

This is almost everything of it you will need to spend a night camping, as far as the sleeping part goes. Some other things to make things better for you would be to bring some blankets from your home because you never know how cold the night will get.

Price: 30$

5.BioLite PowerLight

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Power Light

Another essential tool that you will need to have is a simple flashlight or headlamp, it would be the perfect thing to light your evening. For example, the BioLite PowerLight and SighLight Bundle is a great start. The 200-lumen is more than enough for your light needs. It is rechargeable, and you can also use it as a battery to power up to four 150-lumen SiteLights and your phone or other accessories.

Price: 79.99$

6.Gas One GS-3000 

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Camping Gas Stove

Cooking is essential, we talked a bit about going near a camp that has towns near so it’s easier for you to find food there. But that won’t work every time since you might want to explore and camp in a place that doesn’t offer these options. It would be best if you thought about cooking your food, and the best way to do that is with your cooking set. You can get something small like the Gas One GS-3000, which is relatively decent and gets the job done.

Price: 29.99$

 

7.The Coleman Cooler 

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Cooler

A cooler is handy so that you can store your food in it, so it doesn’t get ruined. The Coleman Cooler is a great choice, and it’s big enough so you can take all the food you are going to need, including liquids as well.

Price: 53.09$

8.The GSI Outdoors, Bugaboo Backpacker, Nesting Cook Set

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You will also need pots, plates, forks, knives, and spoons. Granted, you can get plastic ones, but they are not environmentally friendly, so it’s not a good pick for camping. You can get these items from your home, or you can buy a set made for this. The options are going to vary on how many people are going to be camping with you. The GSI Outdoors, Bugaboo Backpacker, Nesting Cook Set is a great small set that has everything you need. 

Price: 79.95$

9.Trademark Innovations Portable Folding Picnic Table

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Picnic Table

Furniture is also good to have, for example, a camping table would be perfect if the site you are going to doesn’t have one. That’s why we recommend for beginners like yourself to go into campsites that include a lot of features you don’t have to worry at first about these things. You can check out the Trademark Innovations Portable Folding Picnic Table with four seats.

Price: 55.99$

10.The Adventure Medical Sportsman Series Medical Kit

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A first aid kit is essential for beginners, you never know when you might need to use that since it’s wild nature and anything can happen. Hopefully, you never use it, but we would want you to be prepared for everything. The Adventure Medical Sportsman Series Medical Kit is one of the best. 

Price 39.95$

Closing thoughts.

With those items that we have shown in the list above, I’m pretty sure that most beginners would be ready to face nature. As for what to wear, you should get some warm clothes, wear some comfortable and durable shoes as well. And don’t forget to bring a few extra clothes since you never know what may happen and you might need to use them.

Campsite
Image by Hichem Meghachou on Unsplash.

It would help if you also did some research about the area you are going, learn a bit about wildlife and what animals you may encounter. One of the most important things that we firmly tell everyone that goes camping is to enjoy yourself and the precious time there. Don’t worry about anything that you might be doing wrong since you are going to learn, no one is born with knowledge about everything. We all make mistakes from time to time, but the important thing is to learn each time.

Written by Jakob Coleman

Camping, hiking are my passions in life! Growing up in Buffalo, WY I've been lucky enough to live at the doorstep of the Bighorn Mountains where I spend most of my free time backpacking, exploring, and testing new camping gear!

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