Weekend camping packing list
Two nights is short enough to pack light and long enough to regret forgetting the stove. Pack the gear first, then clothes, then everything else.
This list assumes car camping at a campsite. If you're hiking in, cut weight wherever you can and check the NPS Ten Essentials below.
Shelter and sleep
- Tent, with poles, stakes and a rainfly. Set it up at home once if it's new or hasn't been out in a while.
- Groundsheet or footprint to protect the tent floor.
- Sleeping bag for each person, rated for the coldest night in the forecast.
- Sleeping pad for each person. It keeps you off the cold ground as well as making the ground softer.
- Pillow, or a stuff sack filled with clothes.
- Camp chairs.
Kitchen
- Stove and fuel. Check that the fuel fits your stove, and bring a lighter or matches.
- Cookset and utensils: pot, pan, spatula, knife, plates, mugs and cutlery.
- Water: a bottle for each person, plus a water filter or treatment if you'll use lake or stream water.
- Cooler for perishables.
- Food planned by meal, plus extra snacks.
- Dish soap, a sponge and a trash bag. Pack out what you pack in.
- Food storage. Check whether the campground requires bear-resistant containers or lockers.
Clothing layers
Weather outdoors can change fast. Pack layers you can add or take off.
- Base layer: tops and bottoms you can move in.
- Warm layer: a fleece or light jacket.
- Warm coat for the evenings.
- Rain jacket.
- Sun hat and warm hat.
- Extra socks. Wet socks make for a long night.
- Hiking shoes plus camp shoes or sandals.
- Sleepwear that's warm and dry.
Safety and lighting
- A headlamp for each person, plus extra batteries. The NPS recommends headlamps because they're hands-free.
- First-aid kit, with your regular medications.
- Sunscreen, sunglasses and insect repellent.
- Map of the area, even if you have a phone, and an extra battery for your phone.
- Knife or multi-tool, plus duct tape for repairs.
- Fire-starting kit. Check fire rules and any fire bans before you go.
- Tell someone your plans. The NPS says to tell someone where you're going and when to expect you back.
The NPS Ten Essentials
If you plan to hike from camp, the US National Park Service suggests ten categories of gear: navigation, sun protection, extra clothing, illumination, first-aid supplies, fire, a repair kit and tools, extra food, water and water treatment, and emergency shelter.
Build your list
The camping preset is set for two adults, two nights and a mixed climate, with the tent, sleeping bags, pads, headlamps, stove, cookset, water filter and camp chairs already on the list. Passports, visas, boarding passes and a luggage lock stay off the list unless you tick "Flying or crossing a border".
Sources
- National Park Service, "The Ten Essentials": https://www.nps.gov/articles/10essentials.htm