On the road, any extra small thing can become an unpleasant burden. Therefore, the planning of a camping trip must be treated with great attention. Especially when it comes to packing the essentials for a trip. Let's start with a backpack – the main attribute of a trip.

1. Backpack

A backpack for a camping trip should be moderately roomy so that everything you need fits and there is no temptation to take a bunch of unnecessary things with you. The optimal volume of a tourist backpack for men ranges from 80 to 90 liters, for women – in the range of 50-60 liters. However, these figures are average values. In fact, it all depends on many factors:

  • trip duration;
  • the complexity of the chosen route;
  • the number of people taking part in the trip.

Smaller backpacks (35-40 liters) will fit for a two-three-day trip, since you will have to take less things with you for a short trip. The best backpacks are described in the article “TOP-5 tourist backpacks”.

Useful tips for packing your backpack. In the "basement" of the backpack, put what you will not need during the day. Then comes the turn of the heaviest things, which is desirable to put closer to the back at the middle level of the backpack. Finally, place frequently used things at the top, and put any small things that should always be at hand in the top valve and pockets.

2. Tent

When choosing a tent, it is worth considering the number of people who will be spending the night in it, the season and, of course, the weather conditions. The main criteria for a temporary "house" for spending the night and relaxing are waterproofness, good ventilation and light weight. Trekking tents are best suited for this role , which can be easily placed in the aforementioned backpack. In order to lighten the load, give preference to models with aluminium poles.

A trekking tent is a practical and comfortable temporary home for tourists.

For trips to the mountains and long and demi-season trips, it is better to look at expedition tents, which focus on increased water resistance, wind protection and protection from changing weather conditions. However, keep in mind that the payoff for such qualities will be the increased weight and volume.

Useful life hack. Parts of the tent can be distributed among the participants of the trip. Thus, you will significantly facilitate the luggage and save space in the backpack.

An additional advantage of the camping tent will be the presence of a vestibule in front of the entrance to the "bedroom". You can place shoes in it and, in case of bad weather, cook food on a camping stove. Useful tips for choosing a tent are given in the article of the same name.

3. Sleeping bag

The choice of a sleeping place must be approached with special care, because healthy sleep serves as a charge of vivacity and energy for the whole day. The key parameter for choosing a sleeping bag is the seasonality of use. So, summer models are designed for night sleep during a warm season, while winter models are intended exclusively for “cold” overnight stays. Most of the sleeping bags have spring/autumn seasonality – they are able to withstand fairly low, but still positive temperatures.

In the warm season, it is preferable to take compactly foldable blanket bags with you, five of which are described in the article "Comfortable sleep in nature: TOP 5 blanket sleeping bags". And the best options for hiking in the off-season are mummy bags. The best of these are described in the article "Warm overnight in the off-season: TOP 5 best mummy sleeping bags".

The Most Popular Sleeping Bags.

4. Canopy

When planning a trip on hot summer days, it will be useful to get a canopy. Stretching it between the trees, you can hide from the scorching sun, drizzling rain or protect yourself from the wind. The optimal dimensions of the canopy depends on the number of people participating in the trip. The most popular tents are 3x4 m and 4x5 m.

5. Raincoat

Rain is not a hindrance for an experienced traveler. However, stomping along a route soaked to the skin is not a pleasure. Raincoats are ready to protect the participants of the campaign. The simplest of them are polyethylene raincoats, which are sold literally on every corner. Their "survivability" is not high– if a sharp branch is encountered on the way, such a coat will inevitably tear. A high-quality alternative to polyethylene raincoats will be poncho capes made of durable waterproof fabric, covering a person and a backpack.

6. Trekking poles

With devices in the style of ski poles, only of adjustable length, it is much more convenient to overcome routes in mountainous terrain. Trekking poles facilitate descents, ascents and long walks, being indispensable aids in maintaining balance on rocks and steep trails.

Overcoming obstacles along the route is much more convenient if you have additional points of support such as trekking poles.

The use of trekking poles is, frankly, not for everyone. In addition, they “eat up” a piece of space among camping equipment. However, if you are not sure that you will be able to cope with long walks, they are the best helper in unloading your legs.

7. Swiss army knife or multitool

You can’t do without a knife in any outing into nature, whether it’s a barbecue with friends or a multi-day hiking tour over rough terrain. Experienced tourists will like multifunctional Swiss army knives or even more advanced multitools with a solid set of unfolded tools – from an opener for a can of stew to mini-nippers that will come in handy when setting up or dismantling a tent.

The complete set of a knife should be selected based on your own needs. And if you are not very familiar with the “topic”, take a look at the ready-made selections of models in the articles “A knife for all occasions: TOP 5 Swiss army knives” and “The best helper in the wild: TOP 5 knives for hunting and camping”.

The Most Popular Multitools on the Market

8. Cooking pot

According to the standards, there should be two pots: bigger one for cooking main courses and smaller one for tea. Some of the models of cooking pots are equipped with a lid that plays the role of a mini-frying pan. The dimensions and volume of the cooking pot are selected depending on the number of participants in the trip. For example, for a trip of 3-4 people it will be quite enough of a 3-liter pot for food and a 2-liter for drinks.

9. Utensils

An important part of camping life is kitchen utensils. Of course, it’s not worth dragging a tableware service in a backpack, but for a mug, bowl and spoon, you will have to allocate a piece of free space. Utensils can be either metal or plastic. Try not to take disposable kits on a trip.

10. Flashlight

As practice shows, falling out of the route schedule happens with high regularity. Often, many groups have to equip lodging for the night already at dusk or after dark. You can illuminate the path or the perimeter of the camp with the flashlight – another mandatory attribute of hiking and camping.

Headlamps allow you to see in the dark, leaving your hands free.

In the category of camping flashlights, headlamps have the main role. Their practical advantage over their counterparts is the ability to free user`s hands so that they can collect firewood for a fire, take branches away from the path, or grab onto a ledge on a steep slope.

11. Mats

High-quality bedding provides soft and comfortable resting conditions, helps to warm up on cold nights and protects from excessive moisture. So-called tourist "foams" – inexpensive and lightweight mats made of porous polyurethane foam are very popular. Preference should be given to two-layer models, which are considered more reliable and last longer in comparison with single-layer peers. “How to choose a tourist mat?” – the article of the same name tells in detail.

Popular Mats

12. Gas burner

Going on a camping trip in the rainy season, you need to somehow resolve issues with lighting a fire for cooking. An alternative to a "live" flame can be gas burners designed for cooking and heating food in the trip conditions. It takes much less time, effort and nerves to cook lunch or dinner on them.

A mini-kitchen in field conditions is built around a gas burner.

A separate type of burners are heaters, they create and maintain a comfortable temperature regime in the interior of the tent for the off-season or during the cold season. Along with the burner, do not forget to grab a gas cylinder for refueling.

13. Hatchet

Instead of a gas burner, which takes up a lot of precious space in the “insides” of a tourist backpack, you can take a hatchet. It will come in handy if you have to chop wood for a fire or need to hammer pegs for a tent.

Helpful advice. The role of a camping hatchet is suitable for compact and lightweight models that do not burden the “carrier” with large dimensions and excess weight.

14. Power bank

Since hiking routes often pass far from civilization, one of the “musthave” things for each of the participants of the expedition is a power bank to satisfy the energy “hunger” of mobile gadgets. An external battery is able to support the life of a smartphone for several days, allowing you to always stay in touch with the outside world (if there is a mobile network coverage area along the route). You can also charge batteries in the camera, smart watch and other devices.

Charging gadgets on the go is the prerogative of external batteries.

The key parameter when choosing an external battery is the capacity, which directly affects the dimensions of the device, its weight, cost and, most importantly, the number of charge cycles for gadgets. Models for 10,000 mAh are rightfully considered the "golden mean" in the class power banks . Five of them are described in the article "Always charged: modern portable batteries with a capacity of 10000 mAh".

Popular Power Banks

15. Walkie-talkie

A joint trip by a large group is inevitably accompanied by the fact that some participants run far ahead, while others remain behind. During the day, the picture can change – because of accumulated fatigue and other distractions (for example, beautiful views). It is best to keep in touch with walkie-talkies, coordinating the actions.

In this case, we are talking about portable walkie-talkies. It is desirable that they have at least basic water protection, and the case is made in a shock-resistant design. However, the walkie-talkie is a very useful tool, but by no means mandatory.

16. First aid kit

No list of must-have things for a trip is complete without a personal medical package. Of course, it can not do without a bactericidal patch, tourniquet, bandage, peroxide, antiseptic, activated charcoal, something for the stomach and anti-cold drugs. Also, the completeness of the first aid kit depends on individual diseases and reactions of the body. For example, with a known allergy to pollen or bee stings, do not forget to supplement the list of medicines with an antihistamine.

17. Compass

It would seem that in the era of modern technology, the compass has long and hopelessly lost its former relevance. But no! You should not rely entirely on electronic assistants for a long trip due to their depending on power sources (even despite the aforementioned Power bank).

A compass on a trip is just as useful a thing as ever.

A lifesaver in conquering the goals of the expedition is the good old compass, which will orient you to the cardinal points and tell you the right way to further advance along the route.

18. Sunscreen

Taking into account the fact that during the day all participants of the trip are in the open air, you run the risk of getting seriously burned under the scorching sun. Sunscreen provides protection from UV rays. Products of this type differ in the sun protection factor. For camping creams with a protection factor of SPF 30 and above can be recomended.

Helpful advice. For protection in the base camp from "blood-sucking" insects, stock up on mosquito spray, at least one bottle per group.

19. Toilet paper

It is customary to use toilet paper on a trip both for its intended purpose, and as napkins or dishwashing tool. A roll or two of toilet paper will not “bite off” a lot of space in equipment, but it will bring disproportionately many benefits to its dimensions and weight.

20. Hygiene products

Spartan conditions on a trip are by no means a reason to refuse to maintain hygiene. However, burdening the backpack with a whole arsenal of body care products is also not worth it. On the trip you will need:

However, some positions from this list can be safely neglected. This is your choice.

And most importantly, do not forget to take a good mood with you. Have a nice trip!