Camping Equipment

What kind of camping equipment do you need, and where do you find the best prices? This can be a bit overwhelming to the beginning camper, because there is simply so much equipment needed. Here is a comprehensive guide to everything you will need, and where you can find the best prices:

1. Food

Purchasing your own food is a lot less expensive than going to a restaurant. If you want to save money when camping, always bring your own.

2. Tent

This is the most important part of any camping trip, besides food and water.

Not all tents are created equal. If you don’t get a good one, you might wake up at two o'clock in the morning with water dripping from the ceiling. Or you might be freezing the whole night. The best tents have a full rain fly, tub floor, and high quality ventilation systems.

You want to locate a tent that can handle a minimum of one more person than you anticipate needing it.

3. Bedding

Sleeping bags are the most popular method of bedding. However, you might want to consider air mattresses if you have back trouble.

What’s the best sleeping bag? It depends on the temperature. The colder it is, the thicker the bag needs to be. They are rated according to their temperature. For instance, some are built for 30 degrees, some for -10, and so on.

Just get the right one based on the weather conditions of the location you are going to. The heavier duty the bag, the more expensive it will be. There is no reason for getting a super thick one if you don’t need it.

4. Miscellaneous equipment

Here is a list of the rest of the essentials to bring besides the three listed above:

* First aid kit
* Headlamps
* Compass
* GPS
* Knifes
* Hiking boots
* A water purifier (Many water bottles today come with a purifier, and they are ideal for hiking.

A portable stove is optional. Many would rather using the campfire, so it all depends on personal preference.

So how do you save money?

Just look online. Internet stores do not have the upkeep expenses that Eastern Mountain Sports and other offline stores do. Therefore, you can save money. There is simply so much competition online that the prices are usually at least a little less than offline. And don’t be afraid to buy used.

Finally, don’t forget to take stock of what you already have. You might already have some equipment you could use for camping. Make sure to evaluate what you currently have before rushing out to buy anything else.