Camping Gear Tips and Techniques - The Ultimate Guide 

Picture of me here in the outback with my canoe or on an island etc.

Hi, I’m Tristan.

I’ve loved the beauty of the wilderness since..

Printable checklists are your guarantee that you haven’t forgotten anything. Well, almost a guarantee. It seems every time I'm out on a camping trip, there's something else that I'd like to tweak.

Here are some extensive camping checklists which are available free in both Pdf and Excel, for every outdoor adventure you can think of. You can view them in a table right on each page too.

Check out this easy to follow page that walks you through your first time camping in the outdoors. You’re going to love it! There are just so many beautiful camping sites to set up a tent and kick back…

Can you hear the night sounds and crackling coals underneath the stars? You will soon I hope.

I'll give you some pointers on getting some cheaper gear too. No need to break the bank to have an awesome time.

There are so many fond memories to be made when you take your kids camping.

• the nights around the fire
• chasing frogs and tadpoles
• camping games

This is where mom and dad could use a helping hand to make sure that the adventure goes smoothly, but also get some time to themselves too. A checklist of items is key, especially with kids. 

Here’s a collection of basic all-round gear for camping both in your car, and tenting outside of the car.

It’s fun to camp either way, but some of the gear you’ll need is different for a variety of reasons. Although basic, I’ll give you plenty of options so that you can customize your camping trip.

Your vehicle itself can be comforting at times when you're out there alone too. 

It’s all about the weight when you’re carrying camping supplies on your back. Here you want to be minimal, but still have what you need to fully enjoy your experience.

I could give you an “average” so-called comfortable weight that you could carry. But everyone has their own strength and endurance level, and let’s face it, the terrain and weather you’ll be backpacking in will hugely influence your trip.

I’ve nit-picked and pared down backpacking gear for specific builds, women, and even beginners. Here’s what to bring on your backpacking trip to make it the best ever.

During winter, we expect freezing temperatures and prepare for that (see below). But during spring and fall (the shoulder seasons), especially warm ones, it’s pretty easy to under-pack our gear.

I’ll keep this brief…

Over-pack your supplies with extra warm and waterproof gear. And please visit my page on cold weather packing to get up to speed.

Yes, it’s more weight to drag around. But ooohh the sights, sounds and smells of spring and fall are just ridiculous, and... you don't compromise on safety.

Preparation is key here. Old man winter will send you packing (to go home) pretty darn quick if you don’t do your homework.

It all starts with the tent and stove.

There will be zero enjoyment if you don’t get this right.

After that, it’s all about your sleeping arrangements. Have a peek at my suggestions here for tips on getting the perfect setup both inside and outside your tent.

It’s warm. Sometimes wet. And always fun! If you plan for the wet, then your trip will be awesome.

But if not, at least you’ll likely be able to dry things out in-between rains.

Here is a collection of camping supplies that is a great go-to for summer campers. Because it’s warm out, you can focus in on the more enjoyable things to fuss about.

Like, meals, new camping gadgets, cool camping gear, camping supplies that make it more like home etc.

It’s just lovely how these narrow boats glide over the top surface of the water. You can really zip along with the double-bladed paddle, even in opposing light current.

The one drawback of the kayak is its lack of space for gear. Of course, some models have more space than others. And it’s not undoable to camp and trip with it, just a little more problematic.

Follow along here as I lay out an easy to follow guide for camping with a kayak. Included on that page is how to portage a kayak properly, with options.

Canoes have a ton of room in them for storing your gear. But if you’re heading into the backcountry using portages, then all of that gear will have to be carried over.

Sometimes if I’m only going in a lake or two and the portages are short, I’ll bring extra gear with me. Like a camp chair. That doesn’t work so well for doing longer loops though. Then again, it's a give and take.

Really, it’s all about planning out your trip first, and it pays to use a good checklist. From there you can decide how “rough” you’d like to camp. If you get the “core” right, your trip is on the right track.

Take a look at how to prepare for a canoe trip here, so you have the absolute best time.

• Thru-hiking
• section-hiking
• day hiking
• or even hiking and camping on your favorite trail,

all require planning.

I’ve built a hiking-camping guide on each of the above scenarios to help you zero in on your needs better.

When things go bad, they go bad quickly. That’s one reason people get into survival training.

Others just love the challenge of survival camping. There’s something very base about it. Just knowing that you - “could if you had to”.

Surviving in the wild requires an extreme set of skills and preparedness is the key.

I’ll take you through some scenarios, and go through all of the camping gear you’re going to need. There’s some deep-seated knowledge here that has been passed down from generations before us.

Well, you’re not going to drag a full-size Coleman stove across 28 portages. Or climb a mountain with it.

So I break up each camping style separately, and show you the exact cookware you need for your trip.

Naturally, this is going to depend on your meal planning. So I’ve made sure to give you options in each category where they make sense.

Check out the best gear for cooking while camping, and enjoy those mouth-watering meals!

You can have a blast by taking only the minimal supplies on a camping trip. For some, it’s the challenge and bragging rights that go with it. Especially if you opt-in for the 12-pound rule. But other people go minimal because of cost.

It’s not only cheaper to get you into the outdoors, but you’ll find that it’s all you really need. Keeping it simple can get beginners in without overwhelming them, so it’s really inclusive.

I’ve compiled a minimalist camping list of supplies here. All of the items I recommend are at an economy level as far as pricing goes. But they are still high enough on the quality scale to last a decent amount of time.

This got more complicated the further in I got. Again, it comes down to what style of camping you’ll be doing. Breaking this up is just the best way to focus in on the specific gear you need.

Not all retailers carry products across every style of camping, thus the difficulty. And some just rock within their niche. Others could use better customer service, or shipping times.

Here’s a great list and breakdown of all the retailers and their websites that sell camping supplies that I fully trust. What makes them special and a tic or two above the rest, is their consistency over time.

There are plenty of 12v products that you can use, even while camping in the backcountry. For instance, battery packs and solar chargers are awesome to keep your cellphone charged right up!

I use offline maps for navigation on my phone when tripping in the backcountry, which is why I mentioned that. Having it charged is vital. But always have a backup just in case.

Check out the newest 12volt camping gear here. These accessories are well-thought out, and well...

just so cool!