Camping is such a popular family activity that it is easy to get carried away with purchasing camping equipment. Based on the reaction that it receives from consumers, manufacturers are continually developing new “must have” equipment for the camping experience. Deciding exactly which items your family will need takes some careful consideration.
Camping is meant to be simple enjoyment; an opportunity for families to spend quality time together away from the day to day stressors that face us most of the year. Naturally, families want to be comfortable no matter where they are, and to have at least the basic necessities. There are many choices to make when walking into a store that focuses on the outdoor experience and it may not be easy to decide which items will be needed. An important thing to remember is that you will need to pack whatever you buy.
Camping Equipment
Though individual needs will vary from family to family, some camping equipment is basic. The following list outlines the most important items that are absolutely necessary for camping comfort:
- Tent
- Sleeping bags, air mattresses, air beds or folding cots
- Battery powered lanterns
- Cooking appliances; grills or camp stoves, coffee pot, pans and dishes
- Cooler for food
- Furniture, such as folding chairs or collapsible picnic tables
- First aid kit
These basic pieces are enough to get a family started on the outdoor experience. Once the family has gone camping once or twice, they will be better equipped to decide which additional items they want to enhance their adventures.
Camping has become quite a sophisticated activity for those who wish to expand on their experience. Instead of small metal coffee percolators that bubble and steam merrily on a grate over a campfire, there are now home quality coffee makers designed for camping for the serious drinker. Hot water systems can provide heated water almost instantly using a rechargeable 6 volt battery. Outdoor fireplaces can help to keep campfires safer and more contained while still providing the campfire experience.
Certain camping equipment items are basic and qualify as must have items, while others are merely for indulgence and convenience. Starting out with the basic pieces for the first camping trip or two and then adding those other items that truly fit with your camping lifestyle will provide your family with the best equipment that is suited for your individual needs.
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Guidelines for Buying Camping Gear
One of the best things about camping is that fact that it costs so little; camping gear only needs to be purchased once but can then be enjoyed over and over again. Especially a requirement for families, camping is a reasonable investment in cost yet an invaluable investment in family memories.
There are many degrees of camping. For some, tent camping is the only true type of camping. Others like the roominess and greater comfort of a recreational vehicle, or RV; sometimes referred to simply as a camper. To yet others, the term “camping” might bring images of a log cabin next to tree rimmed lake or a gurgling stream. Regardless of the type of accommodations chosen for the camping experience, there are a few specific items that are needed for a successful camping trip. Campers and cabins generally come equipped with some of the necessities of comfort living, but even these homes away from home will often need some type of camping gear.
Going camping is a means of escaping from the hustle and bustle of the everyday world, but certain amenities are required no matter where you go. Families who camp in tents will need to make an initial investment in some necessary gear to be comfortable. Sleeping bags or inflatable air mattresses, along with blankets and pillows are part of the packing process. Often no electricity is available to tent camping sites; a good battery powered lantern for lighting the dark evening hours is a great piece of gear. Cooking utensils must be brought along, unless the plan is to eat only hotdogs roasted over an open fire by attaching them to a stick and holding them in the fire. Since food is a must for life in general, a large cooler that can hold all of the food and drinks needed by the family will be a necessary piece of camping gear.
There are many items that, while not required for camping, can make the camping experience easier and more enjoyable. A portable shower can make camping feel like home when out in the wilderness. Folding chairs and collapsible picnic tables can offer comfort while sitting around the crackling campfire, holding metal marshmallow sticks featuring double tongs for the hungry camper.
Types of camping gear that one family deems necessary may seem frivolous to another. One of the wonderful things about camping is that it doesn’t have to be costly to be enjoyable.