If you have never gone camping before, it is a good idea to become acquainted with the various types of camping gear. This gear, which includes furniture, tents, safety equipment, lighting tools and sleeping items, are meant to keep most of the discomforts and dangers of nature at bay. This is true whether one is backpacking, canoeing, tenting, or simply parking the RV in a well-populated spot.

Unless you plan on roughing it and sleeping in the open air, the first essential items of any camping gear checklist are shelter and bedding. Fresh water should be carried in large coolers for drinking and cooking, especially if the camping spot is in a remote location. Cooking equipment can include a small camp stove, enough fuel to fire it up for the duration of the trip, lightweight eating utensils, a can opener (if canned food has been packed), and a packet of garbage bags to store all discarded waste.

Personal safety and hygiene is always difficult to maintain when one is in the wilds. One should pack a first aid kit--complete with personal medication--and take along items like sunburn lotion and a snakebite kit. When it comes to personal cleaning supplies, bring only the basics (toothbrush, toothpaste, washcloth, towel, toilet paper and biodegradable soap) and avoid cosmetics and hair sprays that may attract bugs rather than deter them.

Camping Gear for the Younger Generation

Children can be given their own set of camping gear, in sizes that are easy to carry and comfortable to fit in. One can find camping chairs, sleeping bags, tents, and backpacks in smaller sizes and child-friendly colors. These items are perfect when school camping trips, overnight trips, and family outings take place.