Must-Haves For Your Summer Camping Trip

Interest in camping is at an all time high. According to The Dyrt's 2023 Camping Report, there are over 80 million campers in the United States, 15.5 million of which were first time campers in the last two years. With this interest comes demands for equipment, and there are some basic must-haves that everyone needs for their summer camping trip.

Defining a "must-have" is critical. In a world becoming increasingly reliant on creature comforts, camping offers a way to harken back to times of simplicity. So, camping must-haves are not things like hair dryers, makeup, bluetooth speakers, or televisions. Camping must-haves are about what can keep you sheltered, warm, clean, and, above all, safe.

While it is nice to have some fun entertainment items, they are not nearly as important as other things like first aid, food, sleeping bags, and tents. As such, we've created this list of what we believe to be the 13 most important camping must-haves that everyone needs to bring on their summer camping trip.

There can be little doubt that shelter is the most important camping must-have. Shelters can be as archaic as tree branches and moss, or as complex and ornate as a glamping cabin. However, despite the immense popularity of RV and trailer camping, there is nothing better suited for the job of keeping you sheltered outdoors than a good tent.

Regardless of size, a tent does the job of keeping you protected from the elements outside. Stay dry in the rain. Escape the beating sun. Keep warm on a chilly day. A tent can do all of these things, plus keep your gear stored and safe. They also provide excellent privacy, allowing you to have your own home away from home wherever you might want to pitch it. 

The majority of tents today are manufactured from polyester, nylon, and other kinds of PVC fabrics. Old-fashioned canvas tents are still available, but they tend to be more expensive and more time consuming to construct. A two-person, polyester tent is an affordable, durable, water resistant shelter that you absolutely must have if you want to go camping.

Aside from a tent, a sleeping bag is essential for staying warm and comfortable, even on summer nights. Depending on where you are going camping, temperatures at night could very easily reach near-freezing temperatures. As you sleep, your body heat drops, which is why we usually require blankets over us when snoozing. This is no different in the outdoors, except that, when outside, we are far more exposed to the elements.

Sleeping in a tent can get quite cold, which is why sleeping bags are so important. Not only do they keep your body insulated and comfortable, they offer comfort and protection from other things such as insects, wind, and excess moisture. 

Now, sleeping in the summer is different than sleeping in the winter, and the sleeping bag should reflect that. Rectangular sleeping bags, while still warm, tend not to retain heat as well as other, tighter forming sleeping bags. As such, they are perfect for camping in warmer weather, as they are generally rated to keep you warm down into the 40s.

There is a decent amount of debate surrounding what tools best light a campground. While kerosene lamps are a great solution for anyone looking to go totally off-grid, they aren't the most well suited light source for the modern campground. This is why battery-powered camping lights are a must-have for summer camping.

Even though night doesn't properly begin until well after 9 p.m. in the summer, once things get dark, they get dark quickly. And seeing as not all campsites are going to have lights along their trail, you're going to need another way to find your bearings in the dark. That's where portable camping lanterns and headlamps really come in handy.

Not only are they excellent for lighting your campsite, allowing you to see what you're doing, they are also excellent for when you inevitably need to take a trip to the bathroom. Bring an assortment of gear along, like flashlights, table lanterns, and headlamps. And please bring spare batteries, making sure the ones that are chargeable are full before you head out on your trip. If you're not prepared for them to die while you're camping, they won't be of much use.

Yes, you may actually need a permit or license just to go camping. Now, obviously if you've got land, or have permission to be on someone else's land, or are traveling in known wilderness where no one has staked a claim, then you should be fine. However, there are certain circumstances in which you need to have a license or permit to go camping. It all depends on where you are.

More often than not, if you are planning on camping in the federal backcountry, tribal and public lands, or a state or national park, you will need to purchase a permit in order to be allowed in. The prices for these permits go towards maintaining the land, and also provide the rangers and potential rescue teams with your identity in case something should go wrong while you're out in the wilderness.

Now, if you're camping at a campground, permits are not necessary. You've already paid for your site and the campground has all of their own permits and paperwork in order. However, if you are planning on going hunting or fishing while you're camping, you should have a license for that respective state.

Always make sure that you have a good amount of food with you. Grilling or cooking at camp is not nearly as stressful as some make it out to be. Sure, you could survive off of hot dogs for a week, but after a while those are going to get a little boring. Make sure that you bring plenty of food to feed yourself, and there are ways you can go about this that create for a much less stress-inducing time.

Make as many meals ahead of time as you possibly can. The campground is not your kitchen. You can't just pull something out of the cabinet. You need to be prepared. So, the more meals, like breakfast burritos, chili, sheet pancakes, or cheeseburger sliders you can make at home, the better it will be for you.

Obviously, you can't prepare everything at home, but you can do a fair amount. Another great thing to do for anyone who likes to cook at camp is to make sure that you chop, pack, and organize your ingredients before you head to camp. That way, all you have to do is assemble them when you get there.

With cooking at camp comes the ability to actually make the stuff. Now, most established campgrounds will come with some kind of charcoal-powered grill at the site. Usually standing and made of steel, these grills are great for cooking up burgers and dogs. However, for anyone hoping to make more than that, utilizing the campfire and some cast iron pans is going to allow you much greater flexibility. Dutch ovens and stainless steel pots are also excellent tools.

You'll want to take stock of your kitchen essentials before you leave to go camping. Bring things that you use on a daily basis, like your favorite spices and tools. Spatulas, knives, silverware, tongs, cutting boards, and other kitchen essentials should all make their way to the campsite.

However, if there is one kitchen tool that you should always bring with you, it's aluminum foil. There is nothing more versatile. You can use it to cook food, clean your grill, and store your meals for later in the week. Always bring it with you, even if you think you're not going to need it.

Unless you're someone who has mastered the art of sitting on the bare earth comfortably, you'll want to bring some kind of portable furniture to keep your joints (and your backside) happy. Thankfully, there are plenty of options for you to choose from. There are very few things better than sitting next to the fire in a comfortable folding chair with a nice beverage tucked snugly in one of the cup holders.

Available practically everywhere any kind of outdoor equipment is sold, you have plenty to choose from in terms of variety. You could spring for a set of standard folding chairs, which are perfectly comfortable and portable. However, there are fancier and more adaptable chairs that have plenty of add-ons.

Though they tend to be on the more expensive side, you could get folding chairs that come equipped with foot rests and foldable sunshields. You could also spring for a camp rocking chair if you really want to take your seated comfort to the next level.

Look, no matter which way you slice it, whether you're out in the backwoods or at a campsite, you're going to have to relieve yourself. When that time occurs, and there are no toilets for you to use, you're going to wish you had toiletries. Honestly, you should always have toiletries on you, even if you're going camping somewhere that has toilets and showers.

Hygiene is important even when you're out in the woods. Being able to brush your teeth, clean your nether regions, and dry yourself off after a shower. So, you should always pack the essentials like toothpaste, soap, shampoo, towels, bug spray, and toilet paper.

Thankfully, any large box store is going to carry these in portable travel sizes that could very easily fit into a hiking backpack, suitcase, or duffle. There are also companies that sell pre-packaged toiletry bags and refillable shampoo and soap bottles. These are better for the more sustainably-minded.

There is never an instance where you should leave your home without having some emergency essentials with you. Keep one in your car at all times, and definitely bring one camping. There is always a chance that something could go disastrously wrong while you're out camping. You could fall on a hike and break a limb. You could get trapped in the snow. You could get stung by a bee and be without an EpiPen. You could find yourself in need of shelter. All of these things could happen while you're out camping, which is why you need to be prepared for the worst.

As such, you should always pack some life-saving emergency supplies for when you go camping. These include things like rudimentary first aid kits, bandages, emergency blankets, disinfectant spray, and several other items. You should also bring with you some life-saving tools, such as a multi-tool or swiss army knife, small hatchet, and rope.

Walkie talkies are also excellent to have in case you are in need of medical assistance. Good ones come equipped with strobe lights and SOS modes for flagging down help. Plus, it's good to have a pair to keep with whoever you're camping with in case someone gets lost. The point is, the more you are prepared for an emergency, the less likely it is that one will occur.

While you might think that all you need for summer camping is a pair of shorts, sandals, and your favorite t-shirt, the fact of the matter is that, even on the warmest days of the year, the weather can change for the cooler in an instant. So, whether you're camping for a few nights or several weeks, it is extremely important that you remember to pack the right kind of clothes and footwear for the occasion.

You need variety when it comes to bringing the right clothes and shoes. Layering is important here, even in the heat. Having at least two or three short and long sleeve shirts, two pairs of shorts or longer pants, and some warming outdoor layers are going to give you a great amount to choose from. The great thing about layering is that you can always take clothes off and on as needed.

As for shoes, you should bring two kinds: one closed toe and one open toe. Flip flops and sandals should be for going down to the swimming hole or to the showers. Otherwise, heavier duty closed toe shoes like hiking shoes, boots, or sturdy sneakers, are going to get the job done. The campsite is not for high heels and oxfords.

You could consider adding a map to your emergency preparedness list, but we feel it deserves a place on the general must-haves list. Though we live in a world filled with GPS systems and smart phones, nothing beats a good map in terms of reliability and resourcefulness. A map will never lose battery power, or take forever to load because it is not able to get a signal. If you're planning on doing any kind of camping whatsoever, you need to bring a map with you and be able to read it.

While there are several different types of maps that you can learn to read, making sure you have one of the areas in which you're camping is going to be a good idea. Road maps are great for figuring out how to get to the campground, while topographical maps are better for anyone looking to engage in a backcountry adventure.

You should also consider bringing a compass along with you to go along with your map. They are essential for getting your bearings and helping you find directions for when you are lost. Overall, they are two extremely important tools no camper should be without.

Whether you need to cook your meal or stay warm on a cool night, the perfect fire is one of the biggest must-haves of all when camping. Yet, how can you get fire if you don't have the proper tools by which to create it? Sure, there is a certain level of bushcraft that trains people to make fire with items from the woods, but for the everyday camper, there are tools that you can bring along that will be guaranteed to help make a fire.

Matches are an obvious one, but don't be too married to them as your only tool. They are fantastic, certainly, but they are not going to get you very far if they get wet or conditions are overly windy. Therefore, you'll want other materials like fire starters and lighters. It's also important not to overlook other tools like hatchets for collecting purposes, flints and strikes for sparks, and dry tinder to get things going.

Being able to stay warm, especially in foul weather, is a must while camping. While sleeping bags and tents can get the job done, having a fire is going to give you a lot more warmth, and do a lot more in terms of aiding in your overall survival.

While we did say that camping is not the time and place to bring a television, you should still bring some kind of entertainment with you. Camping is about leisure and relaxation to a certain extent, and that can easily be demonstrated with your choice of entertainment. We wholeheartedly recommend things like board games, cards, books, and notebooks to keep yourself entertained. Taking a break from screens is another important aspect of camping.

For other, more outdoorsy entertainment, there could hardly be anything better than fishing. Bring some fishing rods, spin or fly, and take to the waters of the campsite pond or water feature. It's endless hours of fun — and you could potentially bring back dinner.

Getting caught without any of these items while camping is going to be a mistake. While neglecting some is a bigger deal than others, you should still look to bring all of them, as they are all considered must-haves for a successful time out in the woods. Happy camping, folks!