Your first camping trip doesn’t require all that gear. Here’s what you actually need

Packing for your first camping trip can get overwhelming fast.

There’s the tent. Something to sleep on. Something to sleep in. Food, cooking supplies, lights, layers and a seemingly endless amount of gear you may — or may not — actually need.

“You’re basically packing up your entire house and taking it outside,” said Stacey Jensen, an interpretive ranger at Sesquicentennial State Park in South Carolina, who teaches a Camping 101 course for beginners. “You have to pack a room to sleep in … and it feels like you have to pack your entire kitchen if you’re planning on cooking.”

But first-time campers don’t need to pack for every possibility. Much of the specialized equipment can wait.

“You really just need to focus on the basics,” she said.

Start with the essentials

There isn’t one universal packing list that works for every camping trip. What you need depends on where you’re going, the weather, how long you’re staying and what the campground provides.

The National Park Service recommends preparing for several basic needs when camping, including:

• Water and enough food for your trip
• Food storage
• Shelter and bedding
• Cooking and cleaning supplies
• Personal hygiene items
• A flashlight or headlamp
• First-aid supplies
• Sun and insect protection

You don’t have to spend a lot on gear to be properly equipped. For a tent, Jensen suggests avoiding the absolute cheapest option because of the possibility of setup problems, or something tearing or breaking. That doesn’t mean you need the luxury model, though.

For some basics, what you already have may be all you need.

“You don’t have to have an expensive, fancy brand cooler,” Jensen said. “A cooler’s a cooler. It’s fine.”

Don’t skimp on sleep

Of everything you pack, Jensen said there’s one thing worth getting right: your bedding.

“If you don’t sleep at all, you’re not going to be super happy camping,” she said. “It could ruin the trip.”

Sleeping bags are designed for different temperatures, so what you need depends on where and when you’re camping. Jensen said campers heading into colder climates should pay closer attention to temperature ratings and quality. In warmer weather, a simpler setup may be enough.

What’s underneath you matters, too. An air mattress alone may not provide enough insulation.

“You always want to have layers between you and the ground, because the ground is what’s going to make you cold,” Jensen said.

Bring more blankets than you think you’ll need, and pack clothes you can layer if temperatures drop overnight. In particularly cold weather, Jensen said she has even slept in socks, mittens and a stocking hat to stay warm.

Keep your first camping meals simple

Camp cooking can be as elaborate as you want it to be. But for a first trip, Jensen said there’s nothing wrong with skipping it altogether.

You can bring sandwiches, trail mix or other food that doesn’t need to be cooked. If you do want hot meals, plan ahead and make sure you have everything you’ll need to prepare them. That includes the easy-to-forget stuff: a can opener, for example, is one of the small items Jensen said campers often leave behind.

When it comes to outfitting your camp kitchen, though, beginners can keep things basic.

“Fancy cooking gear is probably the biggest thing you don’t need,” Jensen said.

Whatever is on the menu, think about how your food is stored when you’re not eating it. NPS recommends keeping food in sealed bags, containers or coolers and checking your campground’s specific food-storage rules, particularly in bear country.

Don’t forget the little things

A few small items can make a big difference once you start setting up camp. Jensen recommends bringing a mallet for driving tent stakes into the ground, for example, rather than assuming you’ll be able to push them in by hand.

“Nine times out of 10, the ground is going to be hard, and you’ve got nothing to hit your tent stakes in with,” she said.

Trash bags are also useful. And don’t forget the everyday necessities that may not seem to be camping gear at all, including any required medications.

It’s also worth having a few basic tools for when something doesn’t go according to plan. NPS includes duct tape, a knife or a multitool among its suggested repair supplies.

If you bought or borrowed equipment you’ve never used before, don’t wait until you reach the campground to figure out how it works. NPS also advises testing equipment ahead of time and making sure you have all the necessary parts, such as the correct fuel for a camp stove.

Check your campground before you pack

What you need to bring depends on what will be available when you arrive.

Before your trip, check what your campground and individual campsite provide. Knowing what amenities are on site and what restrictions are in effect can shape everything from how much water you bring to how you plan to cook.

For a first trip, Jensen suggests keeping things relatively simple. Staying close to home or within proximity of stores gives you some room for error if something important gets left behind. At Sesquicentennial State Park, for example, campers are only about three miles from a Walmart.

If you live close enough, it can help to tour the campground ahead of time. Seeing the sites in person can give you a better idea of what to expect.

In that circumstance, there’s also no need to buy gear designed for a more demanding trip. If you’re camping next to your vehicle, there’s little reason to pay extra for lightweight equipment designed for backpackers who have to carry everything for miles.

Don’t automatically assume camping has to mean heading deep into the wilderness, either. At a developed campground, you’ll likely be surrounded by other people doing the same thing.

“It’s kind of like your own little community when you’re camping,” Jensen said. “You have your neighbors, just like you do at home.”