Car Camping Gear

This post will focus primarily on car camping gear. Whenever we go camping with a family that’s never been camping, the number one question is often, “What do I need to bring?”

Over the years, I’ve been making notes of things I take, things I wish I had, and things I’ve forgotten. I suggest you do the same when you start your adventures. I will categorize and itemize all the necessary and nice-to-have gear to optimize your next adventure!

Safety

1. Portable first aid kit
2. First aid kit that lives in your car
3. Emergency blankets (space blankets)
4. Snake bite kit (especially in California)
5. Medications that you take regularly
   • Emergency medication such as IBPRUFIN
6. Knives (multi-tools) and pocket knives
7. Headlamps and handheld flashlights
8. Pepper spray for unwanted visitors
9. Sunscreen
10. Vitamins

Clothing

1. Hiking pants (I typically wear hiking pants the entire camping trip)
2. PJs for kids and adults
3. Moisture wicking shirts
4. Wool shirts (Mid Layer)
5. Base Layer
6. Jacket (waterproof if possible)
7. Wool beanie
8. Hat and Bandana
9. Gators
10. Gloves
11. Hand/feet warmers
12. Hiking socks (wool is optimal)
13. Hiking boots 
14. Back up shoes
15. Summer items:
    • Swimming clothes
    • Water shoes
    • Towels

Roam and Board

1. Rake (to remove rocks under the tent)
2. Tent and footprint
3. Sleeping pad (per individual)
4. Sleeping bag (per individual)
5. Pillows (per individual)
6. Extra blankets for cold weather
7. Camp Chairs (per individual)
8. Canopy for those hot summer days
9. Extra trash bag for dirty clothes
10. Extra clothes in case of a wet accident

Comfort and Cooking

1. Foldable tables (for food prep)
2. Cook wear (Pots, Pans, Etc..)
   • This heavily depends on the type of food you will be prepping at camp
3. Tongs
4. Stove and Gas
5. Grill (for cooking meets on top of an open fire)
6. Utensils (Knives, Forks, and Spoons)
7. Foil and zip lock bags for storage
8. Paper towels
9. Trash bags
10. Fridge to store food (cooler or plug in)

Food

1. Coffee!!!
2. Breakfast (eggs, bacon, etc…)
3. Lunch (tuna or cold meats)
4. Dinner
5. Utenciles / bowls / cups / etc..
6. Water (bring more than you think you need)
   • I have calculated 1.5 gallons for a family of four
   • Used for cooking, coffee, tea, lite cleaning
7. Juices and Gatorade
8. Oils and seasoning
9. Snacks (Chips, Chocolate, Etc..)
10. Adult beverage
11. Paper towels (possibly the most underrated camp item)

Electronics

1. Camera equipment
   • Gopro / DSLR / Drones
   • Extra batteries
2. Bluetooth speakers
3. Headphones for downtime listening
   • Make sure to download podcasts/books before your trip
4. Laptop / iPad / Tablets for entertainment
5. Extra batteries for emergency
6. Ham Radio for emergency comms
7. GPS Phone if you have one (Garmin)
8. Solar-powered battery packs
9. Power banks for recharging mobile devices
10. Self-starting power banks

Toys and fun items

1. Books
2. Bikes
3. RC car
4. Board games (Chess)
5. Soccer ball / Football
6. Other toys such as axe throwing etc.
7. Projector for movies

Car emergency recovery

1. Gloves
2. Air pump
3. Tire repair kit
4. Shackles and car tow ropes
5. Multi-tool knife
6. Tracktion boards
7. Wrench kit
8. Extra fuses
9. Spare fuel
10. Cash

Leave your thoughts and comments below and any additional items that should be critical to this list.