Four Oft-Forgotten But Essential Items You Need for Your Camping Trip

Four Oft-Forgotten But Essential Items You Need for Your Camping Trip

You have been rushing around for days to ensure everything is ready for that weekend camping trip. You’ve booked a campsite, prepared a tent and some sleeping bags, and even packed a cooler with cans of your favorite brand of beer. However, nagging doubts remain; have you forgotten something important? This checklist of four essential but oft-forgotten items can help you ensure that you have not missed anything critical before you start your journey.

1. Small Camping Multi-tool
Size, in this case at least, is not everything; you can use these credit-card-size tools, which are sometimes known as survival gear multi-tools or survival multi-tool cards, to perform a stunning array of functions. These include prying, sawing, screwing, measuring, cutting and even navigating. It is one of the most valuable tools you can bring along with you, but its diminutiveness also makes it easy to leave behind by accident. Make sure that it is in your bag before you leave.

2. Hydrating Insect Repellent
The mosquitoes, ticks and other insects you are likely to encounter during your camping trip are not just irritating bloodsuckers but also potential vectors of dangerous diseases such as malaria and Lyme disease. For that reason, an insect repellent is a must have. However, not all repellents are made equal; if you want to fend off bugs and protect your skin from the desiccating effects of the elements, look for a hydrating repellent – and ensure that it is in your backpack before you set out.

3. Cookware Container
You are more likely to forget your pots and pans at home if they are scattered in different bags. A specialized container can help prevent this eventuality and keep your cookware organized. For added versatility, buy a container that you can also use for cooking.

4. A Clothesline and Clothes Pins
A clothesline you can tie between trees – along with a few clothing pins – reduces the hassle of drying wet clothes and towels while also making it harder for most crawling insects to reach them. Clotheslines are also versatile – you can use them to secure or lash together some of your things, for example – light, and take up very little space. Unfortunately, their banality makes them easy to forget, so check to make sure you have a few in your bag before you hit the road.

Final Thoughts
Camping has many benefits – communing with nature will do wonders for your mood, for example, and the extra exertion can help you shed a few pounds – but you can ruin a potentially memorable experience by forgetting to bring along some essential items. Avoid this problem by consulting this and other lists as you prepare, and before you set off. All the best as you plan your trip!