Among of the most adventurous and memorable ways to spend an evening, tent camping offers an inexpensive opportunity to experience the great outdoors. While staying overnight in a tent can be a fun and engaging experience, insufficient planning and supplies can quickly spoil the occasion, and could even lead to dangerous situations. In order to maximize your enjoyment and comfort, plan ahead when packing and preparing for your trip and create a checklist of the essentials before you go.
Tent
Though it might seem obvious, it is important to make sure that your tent is in good condition before embarking on your trip. Often times tents can contain moisture from previous trips and excursions, causing them to mold and become potentially hazardous for sleeping. Set up your tent outdoors on a sunny day prior to your trip and make sure it is clean and aired out, as well as clear of any tears, holes or other damages. Double-check that you have all the poles, flaps and stakes that come along with your tent, and bring extra stakes.
Sleeping Bag and Pad
Two essential items for resting comfortably: a sleeping bag and pad make sure that you are both warm and padded during your camping trip. The most important thing when checking your sleeping bag is to make sure that it is of a sufficient temperature degree for the climate you will be camping in: most sleeping bags come in warmth degrees such as 40 degrees, 20 degrees and so on, which should be visible on the outside of the bag. Make sure the "style" of your sleeping pad matches that of your sleeping bag: for instance, if your sleeping pad is built to accommodate a mummy-shape sleeping bag and yours is a rectangular shape, you may find the clashing designs incongruous and uncomfortable.
Water Containers and Filter
It is wise to bring at least two large (32-oz.) plastic water bottles per person for daily hydration. Fill the bottles with filtered water before leaving and bring a water filter for sanitizing fresh water that you find along your tent camping trip. If possible, pick a campsite near a water source (such as a stream or eddy) and fill up your bottles with fresh filtered water whenever they run low or empty.
Trail Food
Few things will spoil a camping trip quicker than hunger. Plan ahead to bring plenty of trail food so that you have sufficient food for at least three meals a day. Bring along snacks as well--such as trail mix and GORP (grains, oats, raisins and peanuts) that are both lightweight and convenient. If traveling far to your campsite, limit wasteful or fragile items such as loaves of bread, eggs or canned food.
First Aid Kit
A high-priority item for tent camping, first aid kits are worth their weight in gold in the event of a sprain, sting, injury or medical emergency. While you'll want to pack light, make sure you bring an ample supply of band-aids, bandage wrap, hydrogen peroxide, medical gauze, insect ointment, eye pads and pain killers.
Flashlight
Tremendously useful for finding things in your tent after dark and locating small items around your campsite, a flashlight is also an essential during emergency situations. While full-size Maglite flashlights are useful for their strength and high-wattage light, wind-up flashlights and LED headlamps are among the most dependable light sources due to the longevity of their batteries. If you are only able to secure a traditional flashlight, make sure to change and test the batteries before leaving to ensure that you won't run out of light when you need it most.
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