Camping is life! It’s a great part of it at least. But before you head off towards your next adventure, check out this article to double check that you didn’t forget anything important. There are probably other things to bring too apart from the 6 listed items below, but these are the ones which I find most essential when camping for a week or more in the Scandinavian forest.
I try to be as self-sufficient as possible whenever I go out on a camping trip, that’s how I try to educate the people around me too. I generally dislike when people around me are depending on me simply because I want them to be able to live like they want to, with or without me around them.
It’s wise to bring a good friend on a camping trip, the company is important as you will affect each other more than you think. Most of the below-mentioned items can be bought at online camping hear stores, like Decathlon.
Shelter/Bedding
Are you planning to bring a tent or are you going to create your own camping site with tarp and rope? A tent might weigh too much if you’re planning on going far so it’s actually a smart move to use tarp if the weather conditions seem to allow it. It’s important to bring an axe or heavy knife so that you can use branches and wood to create your shelter.
Having a fire nearby allows you to stay warm while keeping animals away from your temporary home. You should have a good idea about how you can build a camp before you start. Paint a picture in your head before you set up the camp and only start once you know how you’re going to set it up.
A sleeping bag is essential to bring on a camping trip while a pillow is a luxury. You can bring it, but there are will always be other more vital items to bring instead.
Cooking Tools
You probably plan to catch something to eat in the wild or maybe you brought all of your food with you? Well, either way – you need to cook it. The water that you find in the Scandinavian streams are clean in general, but one can never know for sure so you should definitely boil all water that you collect before drinking it. In order to boil/cook anything, you need a pot with a handle or create some sort of handle yourself in nature. At least one spoon will be necessary for eating your meals in the wild.
You definitely need a knife, especially if you didn’t bring an axe. The knife allows you to quickly gut fish or adjust a camping site made of rope and tarp.
Clothes
If you go camping, always bring a minimum 2 pairs of everything. Why? The weather might get you wet, falling into a stream or by accident – your tent might get a scratch and start to leak water.
You need to be prepared.
Duct tape can repair most broken things, which can save you lots of energy if it enables you to stay healthy. Try to prepare a drying device so that you can dry any clothes if they happen to get wet, proactivity is very valuable in the unforgiving nature.
Your socks should ideally be made out of wool as cotton entraps moisture which oppose to warm feet. Try to use a thin layer of socks and one thick layer outside at the same time, the friction make your feet warmer while 2 pair of socks allow the friction to be present without giving you blisters.
Miscellaneous Equipment
There is a ton of equipment to use if you go out camping in the nature. It all depends on where you’re going and what you plan to do there. Binoculars are neat to have if you plan to go camping along a mountain while it might seem worthless from the middle of a valley.
A camera will allow you to save every moment while it usually allow you to zoom too, so binoculars might not be needed if you have a good camera. If you plan to go to a big wildlife area, it’s very wise to bring a map and a compass in case you get lost.
A compass and a map can quickly help you to navigate through snowfall, rain and heavy wind. A flashlight is a luxury, therefore not essential. Bring a couple of lighters and preferably some tinder bundle too for extreme situations.
Fun Stuff
It’s important to remember that you’re going camping to have fun. You aren’t going for the solitude exclusively.
Don’t forget the essential items, but also try to bring something to erase boredom with. Cards, board games, and a healthy imagination can allow you and your friends to kill time when the rain is falling down on your tent for days.
The fun stuff doesn’t have to be brought to the wild, the fun is already there and you can create your own happiness tools if you are handy enough.
Camping Bag & Adventure Bag
It’s important to pack all items in a big camping bag which is taken to the camping spot that you plan to use. However, you probably want to leave the camp every now and then for smaller trips outside your camp so it’s wise to have a smaller bag too.
The smaller bag is perfect to grab if you want to go fishing in a river, climbing a mountain or picking berries in the forest. It allows you to bring a day kit on your adventure, so you don’t end up in a sticky situation without essential survival items.