Camping used to be an activity that requires a lot of outdoor skills like pitching a tent, making fire, finding food and cooking and that is probably why that camping has only started to become increasingly popular since the last two decades.
The reason for this is that camping has become easier with better camping equipment. Camping is also a cheap vacationing option, a main contributing factor.
Camping equipment is also popular among gadget enthusiasts because it is associated with ruggedness and usefulness especially outdoors.
Now with better camping equipment people spend less time or even eliminate some of the necessary things they need to do while camping like figuring out how to pitch a tent which usually takes quite a big chunk of daylight, hunting for food and starting a fire for cooking.
The right camping equipment allows you to do more of the things that make camping even more enjoyable or to make full use of the available daylight or even do stuff when daylight is over. It can also make your camping trip safer.
Here are some of Camping Equipment for your safer trip
Tent
One particular camping equipment that has seen major improvements is the camping tent. Instead of taking hours to pitch a tent including figuring out how to so it now only takes a few minutes. Also refered to as hiking tents, they are now better equipped to handle what nature throws at it. The end result of pitching a camping tent usually turns out good. It’s not necessarily the case before.
Backpack
The backpack is another camping equipment that has seen significant improvement in technology. Backpacks are now lighter and can handle bigger and heavier loads, more resilient, more efficient when it comes to load distribution and often protect your belongings better.
Sleeping Bags
Other essential camping equipment like the sleeping bags is also lighter. The lightness of these sleeping bags don’t sacrifice its’ effectiveness and most of the time are better at keeping you warm and dry than it used to. Sleeping mats and other accessories help you to sleep even better.
Camping Stoves
Camping stoves helps make cooking a breeze. Cooking time can be significantly decreased with a few other additional camping equipment like a heat reflector and a heat exchanger. Using a camping stove is far quicker than building a fire.
Water filters combine with water purifiers
If you’re hiking in the wilderness you should have a water filter as part of your camping equipment if you want to be safe from drinking water that may contain parasites and micro-organisms. Some water filters combine with water purifiers that contain iodine elements that kill viruses and well as filter parasites and micro-organisms.
Even with water filters, you should also have some water bottles or a hydration system that you can carry on your back. The drinking tube on hydration systems allow you to drink water effortlessly while on the move.
First aid kit
An essential part of your camping equipment should include a first aid kit. The first aid kit should contain scissors, micropore or zinc oxide tape, bandages, antiseptic cleaning swabs, disposable syringe, sterile wound dressings, adhesive strips, gauze bandages, pain killers and Hypodermic needles.Make sure you know how to use them and you carry enough for the whole camping trip. Bring along the instruction manual just in case.
Flashlights and/or headlamps should definitely be a part of your camping equipment. Headlamps keep your hands free and so are useful especially when you have to hike at night.
Cameras and camcorders
Camping is an activity that creates lifelong memories so capturing these moments gives you the ability to share it with others who might be interested in camping. Cameras and camcorders have become smaller and lighter so carrying them as part of your camping equipment won’t pose many problems with space and weight of your backpack. A flip video camera is the one camping equipment I wouldn’t leave behind for a camping trip.
Mobile Phone
Other tools and gadget that may not be necessary but can be a great addition to your camping equipment are an altimeter which is useful in navigating in mountainous terrain, a pedometer which records how far you have walked, a mobile phone which can be useful in case of emergencies (though some areas may not pick up any signal), binoculars to spot landmarks or wildlife and a GPS to find your way around. A watch which have an alarm, compass, barometer and altimeter can reduce the number of camping equipment.
Ziplock bags
Ziplock bags are very useful in keeping your camping equipment dry. A waterproof map case allows you to navigate even in bad weather.
Trekking poles help you a lot in hiking as they increase your walking efficiency and take pressure off your knees especially when you use two of them. Definitely add these to your camping equipment. If you are unwilling to spend on trekking poles then get a walking stick that you can get for free from nature.
The hiking and camping equipment mentioned so far are by no means a complete camping list but merely an introduction to some of the important equipment. Refer to camping checklist for completion and make up your own list as you gain more experience.