If you are planning to go on a camping trip you will certainly need to plan in advance and bring with you some essential must-have camping accessories to enjoy the outdoors and have a relaxing time. Perhaps you feel a bit overwhelmed by all the things that you may need to bring with you on your trip. For this reason, this article aims to help you to get to the grips on how to get ready for a camping trip and choose the most important camping gear.
As far as camping gear goes, you won’t be needing too much to exist outdoors. However, it’s also nice to have a comfortable, convenient, and homey campsite where you can truly enjoy and relax whether on your own or with family or friends. If you can’t find the proper camping gear you need in your local stores, there are many camping e-stores where you can conveniently shop the needed camping equipment online and even buy some items for a much cheaper price.
We’ve made a selection of the camping essentials that every serious outdoors person may consider for his or her next camping adventure. Let’s check out each one of them separately and emphasize some of their most prominent features you should be on the lookout for.
Backpacks

Backpacking truly heals, recovers, clears, and strengthens our minds in many ways. However, choosing the right backpack for your camping adventure is very important.
Since backpacks tend to store most of your stuff, choosing a good one should be one of the first decisions you need to make. The perfect backpack should have enough storage to hold all your hiking essentials, bring the weight down and make your experience much enjoyable. You will no longer need to carry a heavy double-decker backpack with you as many brands have evolved in producing specialized outdoor equipment that keeps your spine straight and won’t hurt your back.
Backpacks come in three main categories:
• Day packs;
• Overnight bags;
• Long haul packs.
Day packs are usually lightweight and smaller and are ideal for carrying some essentials, such as a bottle of water, a first aid kit, and a map. In comparison to them, overnight packs are much larger in size and they can hold the most needed equipment such as clothes and food while the long haul packs are specially made so you can carry with you almost the entire camping equipment you will need on your trip. Most backpacks feature body-hugging straps, hip belt pockets, durable zippers, and waterproof construction.
Shoes

If you haven’t seen the movie “Wild” with the main protagonist Chery Strayed performed by the Academy Award Winner Reese Weeterspon, I strongly recommend you give it a chance. This movie is inspired by real situations and powerfully captures the terrors and pleasure of a woman who goes backpacking by herself carrying an enormous backpack on her shoulders.
One of the most painful scenes to watch that impacted me the most was where she lost one of her hiking boots due to an accidental gesture that sends one of her shoes to the bottom of a cliff on the Pacific Crest Trail. She was experiencing unseen terror and pain with her feet being badly swollen, blistered, and covered in blood. We hope campers take not only inspiration but also learns from her story.
Respecting your feet and finding the proper footwear is one of the most important aspects when going outdoors. As feet become very sweaty and wet while backpacking, the proper camping shoes should offer enough ventilation and feature important defense mechanisms against issues you may encounter on the road such as blisters, fungus, or rashes. When shopping for a good quality pair of hiking boots or shoes you should always look for ones that provide enough support, padding, and stability for your ankles while walking over rough terrains.
Gazebo

A pop-up gazebo is a perfect accessory you should consider taking with you on your camping adventure. Most gazebos feature a tough yet durable design that has an open roof arch and offset frame for excellent coverage. They are portable, quick to assemble making them a favorite shelter for you and your companions to stay cool, comfortable, and safe from sunburn and dehydration.
There are so many versatile options of gazebos suitable for different kinds of activities such as camping, wedding, picnics, BBQs, and other commercial uses. You can either buy a gazebo in your favourite outdoor camping store or decide to order it from the many camping equipment online stores.
Tent

A good camping trip can never go without choosing a good camping shelter. Therefore tents are the number one gear essential for every serious outdoor lover. You can find tents in many various designs and shapes that offer varying degrees of weather protection and insulation.
Some are designed for solo travellers while others are spacious enough and offer multiple rooms for more people. Most of them feature very compact designs and ultra-lightweight insect shelter dome that pops up as soon as you take them out of your bag. They are simple to use and you can rest assured that a good tent will keep you warm, comfortable, and safe during various weather conditions and climates.
Maps

There is a very good chance that when out into the wild you can find yourself in areas without cell phone service. Therefore considering bringing with you a good old-fashioned map is a must-have when it comes to camping gear.
Make sure you learn how to properly learn to read the map to spatially orient yourself and navigate your way in the surrounding environment. The most commonly used maps are topographic maps which offer detailed information about a region’s geographical features. You can still use your GPS, however, you should not only rely on it when it comes to finding your way to safety.