The Complete Camping Checklist: Essentials for Your Packing List

For many of us, much of 2020 has been spent indoors. As we’ve shifted to working from home, it feels like we never leave work! We’ve done our best to make the most of the home lockdown situation but at some point, we need a change of scenery. What better place to find that than with a tranquil campsite nestled in the beauty of nature?

Skip the crowded hotel elevators and cramped beaches. Camping is the safer way to get a long-overdue break while maintaining a commitment to social distancing. 

Imagine the perfect little spot with plenty of room to stretch out and unplug. For the next few days, your living room and kitchen is wall-less with the world’s best view. Take in the fresh air as you reconnect with nature and your loved ones.

What’s your camping style? Some stay as close to home as possible by camping in the backyard, while others will drive to the nearest national park. 

If you’re commuting to the camping destination, you don’t want to leave any camping necessities behind (especially when the campsite is remote). Planning with a complete checklist prevents this oversight from happening.

So put in that vacation request because your opportunity to get out of the house is finally here! Let’s get started on planning your escape to the great outdoors by building a camping packing list.

Main Essentials Camping Packing List

While it’s forgivable to forget the bag of marshmallows or that extra blanket, there are some bare necessities you wouldn’t want to go without. Double-check for these camping essentials before you drive off.

1. Camping Tents

Gimme shelter! Your tent should be comfy, sturdy, and dry. A tent designed to withstand wind and keep out the rain makes for happy campers.

Sufficient space is the first consideration. How many people are in your party? Would a few camping tents accommodate everyone’s need for space? Tent specs will usually say how many it sleeps, but this usually means how many average-sized bodies would cover the tent floor’s square footage. Putting the max amount of people to a tent makes it Tetris tight. The body heat from this may be warming for the cold months, but miserable in the hot months. 

Will everyone be comfortable? Is social distancing needed for your group? Is there enough room to bring things into the tent if it rains?

Coverage design ranges from mostly sheer to completely opaque. Some may prefer to be able to see out of the tent rather than complete privacy or vice versa.

Other features are important such as easy setup and takedown, loops to hang things, interior pockets to keep things off the ground, zip-close windows, or screened porches.

Camping enthusiasts are glad to share their opinions on which tents do the best job. Check out the GearJunkie guide for their 10 picks for camping tents with a price range to fit any budget. Many tents are more expensive than a hotel room but keep in mind that you get to own and reuse these as sleeping quarters.

2. Organic Soothing Wet Wipes

Some campsites include a place to shower, but for those who are really roughing it Doctor Butler’s Soothing Wipes is the hygiene solution. People love taking these super-convenient wipes along on trips because of how clean and refreshed they feel when using them.

Use them to clean up after a hike, or for keeping your hands and face sanitized. These wipes work great when nature calls – use them for wiping up after relieving yourself and cleaning your hands. What’s more, they are biodegradable!

3. Skin Protection

Bug bites and sunburns spoil the fun, so get ahead of it with sufficient skin protection. Of course, there are many bug sprays to choose from but you’ll find other products that set up a barrier between insects and you . 

As for sunburns, bring along a sunblock with UVA and UVB protection of at least 30 SPF. For the fair-skinned, a sunburn will sneak up on you quickly so apply it generously and regularly during the day.

4. Hydration

Exposure from the sun and heat as well as physical exertion takes a lot out of you. It’s important to stay hydrated and replenish lost fluids. Pack plenty of bottled water or bring along portable filtration devices if you’ll be near a water source.

Full Camping Checklist

A complete camping packing list includes everything… plus the camp kitchen sink! Section by section, we’ll share the items to have on hand for all of your away-from-home needs .

For some, packing light is preferred so feel free to pare down the lists to suit your situation. Camping is all about relaxation, so don’t stress about the planning phase.

Campsite

Once you’ve picked the perfect place to camp, you’ll set everything down and start organizing your spot. We begin by setting up the sleeping arrangements. Below are the basics for setting up a comfy place to doze off underneath the stars or take midday naps.

Camp Kitchen

By the end of a long road trip to the campgrounds and all the work it takes to set it all up, you may have worked up an appetite. Here’s everything you need to set up your food preparation station.

Clothing

Having weather appropriate, comfy clothes makes a camping trip all the more enjoyable. We recommend you pack these items for added ease.

In preparation for cold and rainy weather, you should definitely pack these items:

Hygiene and Health

Time spent relaxing in nature is certainly beneficial for your health. Below are the other things you and your companions need to be healthy.

Baby on board? Bring along a few packs of Doctor Butler’s Organic All-Natural Soothing Baby Wipes!

First Aid Kit

• Personal medications
• Roll bandages
• Adhesive tape
• Antiseptic wipes
• Sterile gauze pads
• Cotton swabs
• Tweezers
• Safety pins
• Scissors
• Bee sting kit
• Sinus medications
• Bug repellant
• Sunscreen
• Notepad/pen
• Sterile compresses
• Splinting materials
• Personal information/contact person
• Feminine products
• Ipecac
• Razor blades
• Plastic bags
• Blanket
• Other personal needs
• Small mirror
• Triangular bandages
• Bandages
• Antacids
• Antibiotic cream
• Aspirin/Ibuprofen/Tylenol/Naproxen
• Hydrogen Peroxide
• Ace bandages
• Sunburn lotion
• Burn ointment
• Snakebite kit
• Eye drops
• Poison ivy cream/cleansers
• Head/cold packs
• Latex gloves
• Antibacterial soap
• Antibiotic soap
• Butterfly bandages
• First aid manual
• Nail clippe

Looking for a multi-purpose ointment for your first aid kit? Inside one tube of Doctor Butler’s Hemorrhoid Cream is a salve that people have successfully used “off label” for burns, rashes, and bug bites.  We’ve even heard of people using it to help reduce the appearance of dark under-eye circles!

Doctor Butler’s unique blend of ingredients promotes faster healing for hemorrhoids, so our ointment’s healing properties makes it ideal for first aid use.

Tools

Tools are less obvious packing things to bring camping. Some assembly is required to set up camp and take it down. It’s also a good idea to have supplies on hand for repairs. This list gives you an idea of what to have on hand for those tasks. 

• Multi-tool
• Duct tape
• Extra cord
• Tent-pole repair sleeve
• Pad/mattress repair kit
• Mallet or hammer (for hammering tent stakes)
• Saw or ax (for cutting firewood)
• First aid manual
• Small broom and dustpan

Now You’re Ready to Pack!

We hope this comprehensive camping packing list makes camping preparation easier so you can instead spend that time picking out the perfect place to visit. It’s been a tough year, so we hope you enjoy every second of your nature retreat.