Stef's Camp Gear Guide

I have heard many people ask and say, "What should I put together for gear, what should I take?  What does everyone else take camping with them?  I don't know what to have on hand."  So, here is my list of our gear, what we have on hand, at all times, ready to go camping.  It technically can also double as partial 72 hour gear as I restock everything every time we get back from camping so it's sitting there waiting for the next campout.  I didn't after the last campout of the season last year, so I took the opportunity to get everything out, take stock, and take pictures since we are finally going camping this weekend (our first for the year).  Anyway, here is our gear list in no particular order:

 Tent, tarp, tent stakes, hammer/mallet, bedding

Camp chairs

Jackets and head beanies (incredibly aids in keeping you warm before bed and during sleep (they stay on your head) and has become a must have for us.

Charcoal, firewood

 Games (board games, cards, horseshoes, etc), books

and of course, food stuffs, coolers and ice, drinks, snacks, cameras, and binoculars

Duffel bags, clothes, and personal items

Portable grill, lantern and extra mantles, portable stove and propane and butane for both (although we don't always take the stove)

 A set of knives, bbq utensils, grill brush, tongs, ladle, whisk, wooden spoon, spatula, basting brush, cutting board, can opener, and a canvas bag to put all the loose items in (pictured elsewhere)

 A flat griddle, cast iron pans, cast iron dutch (we only have one, but I want one more slightly bigger), a lid lifter, and a charcoal chimney (if you don't have one, get one, they are awesome)

Excuse the slight mess in the background LOL

 The canvas bag I mentioned earlier, is in the upper left corner.  We also have: Dish rags and wash cloths, paper towels, and tinfoil.

 Baggies of different sizes (taken out of the boxes and put in a big baggy to save space), duct tape, ziplock containers, napkins, a mixing bowl, scrubbies and sponges, a table cloth and table cloth clips, a butane stick lighter, tooth picks, plastic wear, various spices, syrup, and a plastic egg carrier (usually kept in the cooler).  Not pictured, we usually keep a small thing of cooking oil and cooking spray in here as well. You could also add various, not too perishable, things such as flour and sugar, etc.

 Dish soap, bug spray, hand sanitizer, liquid hand soap, sunscreen, a mirror, portable tooth brushes (ours have a chamber in them for toothpaste), matches, pens/markers (you'd be surprised how often those come in handy), and hand warmers. (we try to by green, environmentally friendly items)

(Not pictured are paper plates and bowls), plastic cups, a hand saw (get a better one, this one is dumb), a car adapter power supply (we usually take a power cord as well for our air mattress), and trash bags.

 Flash lights, tent lights, extra batteries, and a small first aid kit.

 We also have a five gallon jug for water and then we put all the basics in two plastic totes and this is what our gear looks like ready to go.

We add a couple of rolls of toilet paper (just in case), a thing of Wet Ones, a small portable broom and dustpan to clean out the tent when packing up, and rope.  We need to add a fold up shovel.  We also take fishing gear on occasion.

And of course, if we take the dogs we add bowls, food, leashes, kennels, poop bags, and tie outs.

Other things you could add are, depending on where you want to camp and what your specific needs/wants are, marshmellow sticks (we usually cut our own), a canopy, a fold-up table, portable kitchen, a portable shower, and hiking gear.

On a side note, a great first meal while you're setting up camp is tinfoil dinners prepared before hand at home.  You can build a fire first and throw them on (remember to turn them a time or two) and they cook while you set up.  I cube steak, potatoes and carrots, dice onions and peppers, add a pat or two of butter and seasonings.  Wrap it up in a double layer of tinfoil making it a packet.  Throw it in a baggy and then the cooler when you head out and there you go.

Every year we buy a few more things to add that we may have missed or found we wanted.  If anyone else has anything else to add/suggest, or notices something I forgot, please feel free to comment and let me know.  I hope this is helpful and informative to those that need it, and maybe to those that thought they didn't :)