I didn’t always enjoy camping but people change over time and this activity is now one of those things I look forward to each summer. In the past, I’ve always been camping with my friends who are “professionals” at it and I would usually end up borrowing most of the equipment from them since they always had extra supplies. But now I’m starting my own family and I thought it was about time I start collecting my own camping gear and using that.
It wasn’t until I read this camping for beginner’s guide that I realized I needed so much stuff. And with my wife, having zero experience with camping, we decided to go online and start ordering things which we thought would be useful for her first camping trip as well as future camping adventures.
Proper Size Tent – Coleman 4-Person Instant Cabin
Most people I know usually end up going to provincial camp sites operated by the government and not actually into the wild. If you go to these camp sites, you’ll notice that some people actually don’t bother with tents and go all out by bringing trailer RV’s. If I’m going to bring an RV, I’d rather just stay at home.
When it comes to tents, you need to make sure you have the right size tent. You can read about our terrible tent experience from one of our previous camping trips. When the packaging for a tent says it’s for four people, you should automatically cut that number in half if you want to sleep in somewhat of a comfortable environment. I have a very awesome 8-Person Coleman Instant Tent but that’s a bit of an overkill for just two people. So my wife and I went purchased the Coleman 4-Person Instant Cabin.
We decided to go with Coleman’s instant tents because of how easy it is to set it up. Setting it up wasn’t instant but it certainly took no longer than one minute to properly have the tent erected. The tent featured inner storage pockets to where we put small items such as keys, cell phones, wallets, and anything else you don’t want in your pockets. We were also able to fit a queen airbed and our camping gear inside the tent with ease. The exclusive WeatherTec™ came in very handy as the weather was unpredictable during this trip. As you can see in the picture above, the tarp underneath has mud from the rain. Apparently we made a rookie mistake and the tarp underneath the tent should only be the size of the tent. The tent measures at 8×7 ft and the center height is 4ft. 10-inches. Cost of this tent is $169.99.
Stay Warm – Full Zip 400 from Woolpower AB
The people of Sweden know a thing or two about the cold weather and that’s why we decided to go with Woolpower Full Zip 400 as a mid layer to keep us warm on the cold Canadian nights while we were out camping. I’ve been camping every summer for the last four or five years and I have to admit that the July long weekend of 2014 was probably the coldest I have ever experienced.
It may be called a jacket but it’s more like a full-zip sweater featuring a high, reinforced collar. One of my favorite features on the Full Zip 400 is the cuffs with thumb holes. This provides additional warmth for your hands while still allowing you to do the tasks you need to do without the jacket getting in the way. When the body gets cold, blood flow to the hands and feet is decreased first in order to prioritize heat to the heart, brain, and other vital organs. And this is why the cuffs with thumb holes is such a fantastic feature.
The back of the sweater is longer to avoid gaps and helps in keeping you nice and warm. The jacket is available in Black, Grey, and Green. It’s Unisex and my wife and I took turns wearing it. The Full Zip 400 (400 g/m²) is ideal for Spring and cool Summer nights but there is also the Full Zip 600 (600 g/m²) which is the heavier version and ideal for Autumn and Winter. The Full Zip 400 from Woolpower is available for $198.75 CAD and can be purchased from Canadian Outdoor Equipment.
Lighting – Coleman CPX6 Lantern
When nature calls in the middle of the night, it’s almost impossible to hold anything back until morning because of how cold it gets overnight. This Coleman lantern was very useful around the camp site in the evening, getting in and out of the tent at night, and going to the bathroom. The 1000 Lumen Lantern features patented Intematix technology which produces a warm and even light that can be compared to fueled lanterns.
This device can be super bright when needed. The lantern features low, medium, high, and strobe settings. What I liked about the this lantern was how much light it produced and making evening walks around the campground super easy. The lantern features five Luxeon Rebel ES LED bulbs and IPX4 water-resistant construction.
Lumens: 1000 on high, 330 on medium and 60 on low.
Runtime: up to 5 hours on high, 24 hours on medium or 100 hours on low.
Range: 20m on high, 10m on medium and 5m on low.
What I didn’t like was that it runs off of four D batteries. There is a CPX™ 6 rechargeable cartridge available at an extra cost. The 1000 Lumen Lantern will set you back $74.99.
Cookware – Pinnacle Camper by GSI Outdoors
Rather than bringing a million pots and pans, the Pinnacle Camper from GSI Outdoors is the perfect cookware set to have when going on a camping trip. I didn’t realize we’d use this as much as we did. The first thing I really like about the Pinnacle Camper is how compact it is and that it’s fully equipped for all of your cooking needs.
The set comes with a three-liter pot, a two-liter pot, two strainer lids, a nine-inch Frypan, four 14-oz insulated mugs, four 14-oz bowls, four 7.5-inch plates, four sip-it tops, welded sink, and a folding pot gripper. We ended up using the set at least four times per day and the mugs are handy, especially with its Sip-It tops.
The Pinnacle Camper is priced at $129.99 and can be purchased at GSI Outdoors.
Keep Insects at Bay – Insect Shield Blanket
When you go camping in the summer time, it’s a given that you WILL get mosquito bites. Besides the mosquitoes, all types of bugs will be hanging out at your campsite as they drool over the food you eat. Some people go with bug sprays while others go with repellent coils that you burn. We decided to go a different route this time by purchasing the Insect Shield Blanket for $29.95 from Insect Shield.
The Insect Shield Blanket is made from 100% polyester, is lightweight at 18-ounces, and keeps you warm while keeping a variety of bugs away. The insect repellent in the blanket will keep away bugs such as mosquitoes, flies, ticks, and fleas. The blanket can be washed multiple times but make sure you DO NOT take it in for dry cleaning. It’s the perfect blanket to be wrapped up in when sitting around the camp fire but make sure you don’t sit too close as we managed to burn a hole from a flying ember. Oops!!
Life’ a Beach – Verty Beach Towel
Now here’s a product that my wife picked up. Yes, a designer beach towel. The Vertty beach towel comes in the nicest packaging I’ve ever seen for a towel. Perhaps this isn’t a “must have” but it’s definitely something that is comfortable, unique looking, built with quality in mind, and features a very useful waterproof pocket. The unique shape actually allows for more movement when laying on the towel.
For such a large towel, it’s fairly light weighing in at only 680 grams. The towel is available in a number of very colorful options. The Vertty beach towel is hand-made in Portugal and can be purchased for $89.90 at Vertty. This is a perfect towel for a beach, a picnic, or even for a picnic at the park!
That does it for this round of Camping Items that are a must have. The Unfinished Man team will be going on another camping trip at the end of August and we will certainly be adding more items to the list. Even this list is incomplete but I just wanted to draw some attention to the main items we picked up. For you newbies, make sure you pick up an inflatable air mattress because those thing foam mattresses will do nothing for you in terms of cushion underneath your sleeping bag (another one for the list).
