How to Get Into Camping Part 1: Considerations, Gear, and More

Successful camping is a series of small victories. For example, have you ever cooked a breakfast at home that rivaled even the best late-night diner food? Now try the same over a bundle of damp twigs. Yet, despite the challenges of getting the fire started in the predawn darkness as you fumble with waterproof matches, the end result somehow tastes… better. Breakfast was a triumph, one of many in the last twelve hours. From packing your gear to setting up your tent and managing your water supply, you’ve surmounted these tasks like a mountain man.

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A very plush and pastel camping set-up unfolds atop this 1959 Ford Country Squire. This photo captures the pushbutton “Station Wagon Living” concept that never made it to market. Image via Shorpy.com

This isn’t a piece about van camping. There won’t be another mention of “glamping” beyond this sentence. Real camping is more of a partnership with nature where you cultivate self-sufficiency and utility. I won’t lie to you, there are challenges like the one described above. Let’s delve into understanding the most basic aspects.

Why Camp?

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Actor Don Cheadle (right) spends some quality time with survivalist and former SAS operator Bear Grylls. Over the years, Bear’s spartan outdoor prowess has inspired the movement of “tramping.” Image via Running Wild with Bear Grylls/NBC.

The skills that we hone by camping not only make us more “practical,” but they also make us more confident as human beings. A successful person is the sum of small victories, like the examples listed in the first paragraph above. Not to mention, you learn to be flexible and adaptable.

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Panning for gold is harder than it looks. This instructional sketch was made by the author while camping at a mining claim. Image via Z. P. Liollio/Facebook

As a kid, my outlook on camping wasn’t so philosophical. My parents needed me to do something besides watch TV all Summer, and organized camps — sponsored by any number of organizations — were the solution. While I learned the basics, I just wasn’t that into it. It was like school but with sunscreen and mosquitoes.

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A boys’ summer camp somewhere near Washington D.C., circa 1914. Image via Shorpy.com

As I got older, and I was able to go out and explore the world on my own, the novelty of camping grew in my imagination. It started with a high school weekend in the North Carolina mountains (with a trunk full of beer). In college, we spent a week at Joshua Tree National Park when California legalized weed and the campsites were jampacked with stargazers. A few days in the Nevada desert were also a blast—if a little surreal. It was easy to see why they trained astronauts for the moon missions there in that alien landscape.

Burning Man is an annual music festival in Nevada’s Black Rock Desert that draws massive crowds. Unfortunately, festival-goers have been known to leave a tidal wave of litter in their wake. Environmental stewardship is the cornerstone of camping. Image via The Guardian.

This is all to say, the key to camping is wanting to connect with a place. Whether it’s in your own backyard or across the globe, some profound things can be experienced in the outdoors.

I spent a weekend one Fall camping on a friend’s farm in rural Missouri, and I enjoyed that more than any park campsite that I’ve been to. We helped with some maintenance work but it seemed like a vacation. Having never set foot on that land before or since, I can recall every rock and every strand of barbed wire fencing and how differently the rain smelled than back home. When you “rough it” outside, the places that you lay your head leave a lasting impression on you.

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Members of the 1872 Hayden Expedition at their camp. These men surveyed what is today Yellowstone National Park. Image via Old Yellowstone/Twitter.

Now on to the tricky part; convincing your friends and family to spend a weekend in the woods! These bullet points will provide the basis as to “why?”

  • Experience nature’s splendor – bring a camera or a sketchbook as the old-timers did.
  • Learn new skills or teach the ones that you already know/ learn yourself.
  • Get fancy with the food – camp cuisine doesn’t have to be boring! For some people, this is the sole reason that they camp in the first place.
  • Seek out social and volunteer opportunities. From helping friends with farm projects to cleaning up litter along a public trail, opportunities abound.
  • Make a sport of it. Camping fits with fishing, hiking, hunting, mountain climbing, flying, boating, and many other activities.

Is Camping for You?

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The author, far right, trying to stay dry in the North Carolina mountains. Image via Z. P. Liollio.

People of many backgrounds and descriptions enjoy camping, but it might be beneficial to do some introspection first. Here are some questions that you might ask yourself:

  • Are you disciplined enough? “Packing in, and packing out” and “leave no trace” both describe bringing everything into the campsite and leaving with it too, especially food waste and other types of trash. Any time we venture into the wild, we become its curator.
  • Do you thrive when faced with a challenge? You can camp comfortably even with the most primitive methods but be prepared for occasional cold and dampness.
  • Can you be disconnected from society for a given period? This doesn’t just mean work and social media—service is spotty in most wilderness areas and help can be hard to reach. This is related to the theme of self-sufficiency.

What You’ll Need (The Basics)

Norman Clyde is a legendary outdoorsman. One contemporary dubbed him,

Norman Clyde was a legendary outdoorsman. One contemporary dubbed him, “The pack who walks like a man.” Image and information via Tales Along El Camino Sierra/Facebook

You’ve taken the time to define your purpose for camping while understanding the risks and responsibilities. Mentally, you should be prepared — and pretty excited!

Now it comes down to the fun part; gear and identifying the essentials (food options and cooking utensils will be covered in the next installment). While there are different schools of thought on what to bring, here are my suggestions:

Canteen/Water Bottle

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It’s no coincidence that this is listed first. Human beings can’t survive protracted periods without water, especially when doing physical activities like pitching a tent. You may have to bring additional bottles or jugs if your campsite is far away from a verified-potable water source. With physical exertion, estimate at least one gallon (about four liters) of water per day, per person.

While military surplus canteens are a durable and inexpensive option, sometimes it’s nice to see what you’re drinking (especially if it’s from a local well or spring). Tervis is the gold standard when it comes to insulated drinkware. Their Clear and Colorful Water Bottle pictured above is available at Tervis for $19.99.

First Aid Kit

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Check out the complete line of first aid kits available from Amp-3 on amp-3.net. The individual first aid kit (iFak) is an excellent accessory for any knapsack, car, or bike. Image via Amp-3/Squarespace

Scrapes and cuts do happen though they’re typically superficial. For wounds worse than that, a first aid kit is the first line of defense until you can get to civilization. The best camping trips don’t require the use of one but be sure that your first aid kit is (re)stocked before setting out. I encourage anyone even remotely interested in the outdoors to get first aid certified. You never know what can happen out there.

Knife

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The yellow synthetic handle is a modern mainstay of Case which has been producing cutlery since 1889. The blade itself was sharp right out of the store and is as tough as they come. Visit Case Knives to see their offerings of camping-ready blades.

Growing up in the American South, folding knives and pocket knives are a rite of adult passage. I’ve used the various knives in my collection for cutting twine, opening packages, whittling, and just about everything in between. Pocket knives can also include multi-tools like the legendary Swiss Army Knife. Always remember that a sharp knife is a safe knife! Dull blades have a tendency to slip wildly when too much pressure is applied.

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WESN Bornas, available for $185 from WESN.

Cordage

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Image via R & W Rope.

This is a general word for rope, twine, paracord, and other types of braided or woven cord. A sharp knife can cut it to length for whatever purpose you need — from lashing logs together to make a raft to hanging a clothesline. Knowledge of basic knots can even save your life.

I’m old school for liking tarred hemp marline, the smell of which evokes the image of a clipper ship riding on a roiling sea. It’s a natural fiber with natural waterproofing. When it wears out, you can just burn it. I don’t recommend trying that with synthetic rope. Pounds of Tarred Marline is avaialble on R & W Rope‘s website from $40.

Bushcraft Tools

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Camp saws bring a level of cutting precision to backcountry engineering. The Freescape saw, made by Gerber, can be found on Huckberry for $65.

As the name implies, these hand tools are handy when carving out a living in the bush. Knives can be considered part of this kit, but certainly small axes, saws, and perhaps a folding shovel. Camping may require you to develop some bushcraft skills such as building a small windbreak for your fire pit. There are hundreds of videos on youtube that can teach you those skills, just don’t go too crazy when you start hacking — take only what you need and allow nature to regrow.

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Helko Werk, which does business overseas as Helko North America, has made axes in Germany since 1844. Tools of this caliber are for serious enthusiasts and will last a lifetime. The Rheinland Pack Axe, pictured above, is available at Helko North America for $150.

Axes are a hotly debated topic. Quality axes can have spectacular artistry but don’t be tempted by hulking pieces of wedge-shaped steel. Bigger is not better for camping; an axe or hatchet with a head weighing less than two pounds, or roughly a kilo, works perfectly for cutting kindling and clearing light brush. As with knives, keep your axes sharp. You may consider carrying a small file or whetstone for that purpose.

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An interpretation of an 18th-century “belt axe” forged by the author from wrought iron and steel. These axes were used to field dress wild game. Image via Z. P. Liollio/Facebook

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Snow & Nealley Outdoorsman Belt Axe with Sheath, available at Bradley Mountain for $105.

Matches (and Fire-Starter)

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These matches will light pretty much anywhere except the bottom of the ocean. From the people who brought you the legendary “windproof” lighter comes the Typhoon Match Kit. Browse Zippo.com for a white-hot line of products. Image via Zippo.

An entire volume could be written about ways to start a fire; from chocolate bars and soft drink cans to water bottles. Making sparks with flint-and-steel is a useful skill to learn but nothing beats the convenience of matches. The waterproof variety is best for camping.

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Convenient, compact, and works wet or dry. Black Beard has built a robust brand around something fundamental to humanity; harnessing fire. Visit their store at blackbeardfire.com. Image via Black Beard Fire Starters.

While friction matches are a more recent invention, humans have been making fire-starters for centuries. Resinous pine pitch mixed with dry plant fibers is one example that your can make at home. For an absolutely all-condition, fail-proof product, I recommend Black Beard Fire Starter.

Flashlight

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When I worked nights on road construction projects, this is the light that I carried. Monster Flashlight (MF) Tactical makes several grades of lights and the Professional series is a good balance of power and price. Charging the batteries can be inconvenient, but at least they aren’t going straight to the recycling plant. See MonsterFlashlight.com for more. Image via MF Tactical.

My least favorite part of this hobby is wandering aimlessly around after dark without a light source. While a raging fire can provide a lot of peripheral visibility, it’s hard to focus the light on a specific task. LED flashlights are a blessing for the eyes and can be used to send distress signals in an emergency.

Knapsack

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Rooted Ocean makes their equipment from the floor-up in the U.K. (Cornwall to be exact). Streamlined but effective, their Cleave pack represents everything that a knapsack should be. See their collection on rootedocean.com. Image via Rooted Ocean.

Everyday items like snacks, toiletries, sketchbooks, and trash bags can fit in here along with some of the equipment above. Concepts of what constitutes a proper “knapsack” range widely from hobo rolls to military-grade expeditionary packs. I tend to favor something simple, lightweight, and waterproof of my own (crude) design but there are a slew of commercial options.

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F/CE Knapsack (Ripstop), available for $157.80 from Hatchet Supply.

Tentage

“Shelter” is high on the list of basic human needs, but it doesn’t mean that you have to blow a ton of money on a palatial tent. They are great for groups, but sometimes they just get in the way on a beautiful night when you can just as well sleep under a ceiling of stars. Conversely, nature is full of unpredictability. Having a small waterproof shelter can make the outdoors feel like your living room during a rainstorm.

Tent Materials and Waterproofing

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Image via Yama Mountain Gear.

Historically, tents were made from heavyweight and tightly woven canvases and linens. Some old waterproofing recipes used sugar of lead and alum powder to saturate the fabric with a solution so that the“Rain will hang to it in globules, but won’t go through the cloth.” That’s some poisonous stuff. Modern tents are typically made of synthetic materials that are markedly lighter and very water-repellant. That said, the first tent that I ever owned was a homemade canvas one. My friends found a sprayable water-repellant at a local marine supply store and it worked reasonably well.

The Yama brand is the brainchild of Japanese-American entrepreneur and outdoorsman Gen Shimizu. They take environmental consciousness seriously with their ultralight approach to equipment. For a beginner, the 1 person tent pictured above is highly portable and simple to set up. You can find one and two-person Cirriform Tarp tents on their website at yamamountaingear.com.

Shelter Half

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A new-in-box U.S. Army surplus shelter half. Each one comes with telescoping tent poles and blaze orange stakes. armynavysales.com carries this one along with some other options and accessories. Image via Army Navy Sales

As the name implies, these are essentially half of a two-person “tent” and work as an alternative to a regular commercial tent. Shelter halves can also be lashed together into an infinite combination of layouts or double as rain ponchos, tent flys, or as extra ground sheets. They are typically military surplus items.

Ground Cloth

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This is one of the more handsome grounds cloths on the market today. Half waterproof waxed cotton, and half buffalo check wool flannel, this is an all-weather piece of gear. I appreciate the vibrant red wool too — resistant to fading and can be spotted from a long way off. The maker, Colorado Bushcraft, has taken something simple and made it a work of wilderness art. Image via Colorado Bushcraft

Now that you have something over your head, let’s roll out something to keep you dry from underneath. For their versatility, ground cloths are a camper’s best friend. On nights without a tent, I have thrown all my stuff to one side of the cloth and rolled up like a burrito when a surprise rain shower appeared. In the morning, I was still dry save for the humidity.

Sleeping Bag

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Canadians know cold weather gear. Alberta-based Custom Woolen Mills Ltd. produces a classic sleeping bag that is as luxurious as it is warm. As an added bonus, you can zip two standard-sized bags together to form one large, woolen expanse (I dub it the “Canadian King” as opposed to a California King). The Cold Country Sleeping Bag can be found on Custom Woolen Mills

As ZZ Top instructed back in the ’80s, “Zip it all around while it’s on the ground. Spread it out and lay it on down.” That’s all there is to it. From Artic survival to warmer weather, there is a wide range of options here if the hard ground doesn’t suit you. I typically take a sleeping bag when it gets cold outside.

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The North Face Blue Kazoo Sleeping Bag, $350 from Hatchet Supply.

Make a Checklist

Do you have everything packed? Even if the expedition is just to the far reaches of your backyard, having the right equipment in the right quantity can make your first campsite an oasis. Check out the next installment for setting up camp, cooking some unforgettable food, and looking good while doing it.

Planning Your Trip

Knowledge means survival. While learning about nature is one of the many benefits of camping, it shouldn’t be “on-the-job” training entirely. Educate yourself about site-specific hazards and weather patterns beforehand. For example, many areas have fire seasons where the use of any open flame is prohibited. Likewise, wildfires move fast and camping in vulnerable terrain —with a high fire dange — is risky. Leave it to the professionals, please.

Land navigation and climate savviness are related because the terrain has a big impact on weather considerations. Weather at higher altitudes can be volatile and unexpected — like snow in Hawaii. All that precipitation then runs downhill starting with dry creekbeds and arroyos, as they’re called in the American Southwest. Streams and rivers begin to swell making otherwise easy crossings unpassable. A mere six inches or fifteen centimeters of flowing water can sweep a person off their feet! Topographical maps (or “topos”) are invaluable tools for understanding elevation changes, natural water channels, and finding landmarks.

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A typical fire danger sign. Image via USDA/US Forest Service.

Wildlife gets an unfair reputation for danger. I’ve seen dehydration, heat exhaustion, and falls harm more people than bears ever will, but inadvertently tangling with a bear can have nasty results. Most parks will have advisories and bulletins about what wildlife is in season and what to look for. Europe is relatively safe as far as dangerous fauna go; the United Kingdom has just one specie of venomous snake and several dangerous spiders. My home state of South Carolina, by comparison, has six species of venomous snakes, plus alligators, bears, wild hogs, coyotes, bobcats, armadillos (which can carry leprosy), and some gnarly insects that make seasonal appearances. European settlers arriving here–and in Australia–must’ve thought that they opened a portal into a demon world. If you get bit, document the encounter as much as possible and calmly make your way to the nearest medical facility. Panic can sometimes exacerbate the effects. To this end, first-aid certification is highly encouraged.

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I’ve had a copy of this book for over ten years. It’s a great resource! Image via Mast General Store.

Speaking of early European settlement, the indigenous peoples awed the newcomers with their mastery of nature. They knew where to drink and what plants to pluck for a quick snack. This level of survivalist skills takes years to safely practice and even seasoned outdoorsmen can still make fatal errors. For inexperienced campers, it’s best to stick to bottled tap water and trail mix. Pets are especially susceptible to eating harmful plants because, while they are animals, they’ve been raised in comfortable captivity. My French Bulldog is closer in evolution to a large hamster than her wolf cousins. If she ingests something unfamiliar that smells interesting, it could end badly. Thus, it’s in everyone’s interest to leave wild plants be–for safety and to preserve the pristine environment.

Part 2 Coming Soon

Look out for the next installment of this guide for setting up camp, cooking some unforgettable food, and looking good while doing it.