Don't Leave Home Without It? Stuff you can't easily leave behind that most others do when camping.

[crgildart]

Several years ago we crossed the bridge and made the transition from Cub Scout Car Camping to Boy Scout Hike To Camping. Having to carry everything and no car storage or gear drops leaves some serious decisions to be made. For the most part I've been able to lighten the load down to what the more hard core scouts and adult leaders do with the exception of a few things..

Air mattress.. My back can't handle a thin foam mat and I'm not ready to invest in a $300 self inflating sleep pad. Also, I can't sleep on my back well so the hammock won't work for me. So, it's an old school air mattress and collapsible foot pump. Yes, it takes time to inflate/deflate and pack. Pull the plug first thing in the morning and roll it up after breakfast..

Caffeine that isn't coffee. Never been much of a coffee drinker so I will bring tea bags or other flavored caffeinated drink mix or a couple frozen cans of Mountain Dew in a small insulated pack.

What's your guilty pleasure for the trail that either weighs you down or slows you down a little more but you can't live without?

 

[scott43]

A square of 50...

 

[crgildart]

A square of 50...

I guess you can cool with that too. We carry water and bring bleach and filter kits as well to purify river/lake water along the way.

 

[at_nyc]

Vegetables and fruits!

(and other "watery" food such as fresh eggs, tomato etc.)

Basically, I'm carrying a lot of water on my back.

But these days, I don't carry camping stuff on my back much any more. I carry them inside my kayak, or on my bike. (obviously, I can't climb mountains in my kayak, and some paths don't allow bike. So I limit to day trip or staying in huts if available in those areas)

 

[scott43]

Vegetables and fruits!

(and other "watery" food such as fresh eggs, tomato etc.)

Basically, I'm carrying a lot of water on my back.

But these days, I don't carry camping stuff on my back much any more. I carry them inside my kayak, or on my bike. (obviously, I can't climb mountains in my kayak, and some paths don't allow bike. So I limit to day trip or staying in huts if available in those areas)

Yeah, in all seriousness, some peeps were asking me about backcountry camping and what to do..basically pack only some emerg water..you can't carry all that weight. Fortunately, most of the camping up here is, or can be, based out of a canoe with some limited portage time. So you can afford to pack a bit more weight than you normally would if you're just hiking in. You can make much better distance and time in the canoe and get the he77 away from humanity..

 

[bbinder]

Reservations at a hotel

 

[surfsnowgirl]

When glamping with our friends there's lots of high end things we can't live without. Our friends are Jimmy Buffet people and professional tailgaters and you wouldn't believe our camping set up. We eat better than any fine dining restaurant out there and have a full bar set up for whatever we want to drink. When it's just Michael and I it's really just the double high air mattress, external chargers for the electronic devices, floaties for the lake and the blue tooth speaker we can't live without. My guy and I are much lower maintenance and eat nitrate free hot dogs, beans and B & M bread in a can and beer, never forget the beer. I have just as much fun eating salmon benedict and drinking a bloody with tons of toppings for breakfast as I do eating scrambled eggs and toast and drinking a mimosa.

 

[UGASkiDawg]

I don't camp anywhere that isn't next to my vehicle. If I can't bring a full bar, full cooler I'm not going.

 

[crgildart]

When glamping with our friends there's lots of high end things we can't live without. Our friends are Jimmy Buffet people and professional tailgaters and you wouldn't believe our camping set up. We eat better than any fine dining restaurant out there and have a full bar set up for whatever we want to drink. When it's just Michael and I it's really just the double high air mattress, external chargers for the electronic devices, floaties for the lake and the blue tooth speaker we can't live without. My guy and I are much lower maintenance and eat nitrate free hot dogs, beans and B & M bread in a can and beer, never forget the beer. I have just as much fun eating salmon benedict and drinking a bloody with tons of toppings for breakfast as I do eating scrambled eggs and toast and drinking a mimosa.

McMansion Tent or RV??

 

[crgildart]

I don't camp anywhere that isn't next to my vehicle. If I can't bring a full bar, full cooler I'm not going.

What could possibly go wrong with that??

 

[surfsnowgirl]

McMansion Tent or RV??

Tents all the way. Although our tent pales in comparison to our friends. We have a tent that says it fits 6 people but it just fits the 2 of us and our air mattress with a little room on the side. Our friends have these giant a$$ LL Bean tents with a foyer. We possibly have a little bit of tent envy but our tent is fine.

Tent city. Ours is the cute little one 2nd from the left. Here's what it looks like when we camp with our friends.

When it's just Michael and I

 

[Core2]

Surprising what you can live without when you have to haul it on your back up a mountain. I usually like to take some whiskey or some weed or both to have around the campfire.

 

[crgildart]

Tents all the way. Although our tent pales in comparison to our friends. We have a tent that says it fits 6 people but it just fits the 2 of us and our air mattress with a little room on the side. Our friends have these giant a$$ LL Bean tents with a foyer. We possibly have a little bit of tent envy but our tent is fine.

Ya, thread drift from "hike to" is fine. We rented this 23 footer for a week from SLC to Yellowstone to Jackson to Bear Lake then back to SLC to fly home mid June. It was COLD at night. Been in a tent a couple times in low 30s huddled in heavy bags under thick wool blanket. This was much nicer hahahaha..

 

[François Pugh]

Things I bring canoeing that I don't really need.
Filter pump - I could do with chlorine pills, or trust to luck, but I like the taste of fresh filtered water better and I'm not that lucky.
Tent - My last trip to Quetico proves I don't really need it; I forgot my tent and just used a tarp shelter.
Self-inflating sleeping pad - the 60 Canadian dollars kind - I've slept on the ground a few times, but the pad's worth the extra weight (insulation and comfort).
Scotch - yes it's not required, only desired.
Too much food - I've seen Survivor Man, and being hungry in the bush does not look like much fun. I would rather carry a few extra days worth in case the trip gets delayed on route.
Life Jackets/PFDs, boat safety kit - Required by law, but mostly useless in my case. The brightly coloured PFDs make it easier to find the body, but who's gonna come looking for me? It's a wash; the insurance will barely pay for the funeral. Yeah I could blow the whistle if I get in trouble - 30 miles away from the next nearest person, who's gonna hear it?
An extra paddle - I could always carve one if I had too.
Stove - another luxury I can now afford (I used to just use the fire).
Bear Spray - I usually forget it, but I would be sure to bring some if I were in grizzly country; the bears here (northern Ontario) mostly run away (not always).
Paper map, compass, GPS - Yes all three, although if I weren't so lazy I could just memorize the route ahead of time and navigate by sun and stars. I'm far too lazy to take that trouble. Besides these don't weigh much. At least I could leave the GPS at home without incurring any risk, but it's reassuring to know with certainty exactly where you are.
A hunting knife - I could cut rope and other things with a smaller knife, but I like my Buck 119.
Some sort of camera (actual camera or phone camera) - it's nice to share memories.
Swim mask and snorkel - I enjoy skin diving - if the water isn't too cold.
Towel - seldom bring one, but occasionally do.
Extra means of starting fires - I am a pyrophiliac.
A compact folding buck saw and an axe- not really needed but nice to have, especially if you like fire.
That's about it.

 

[Brian Finch]

It's all about the tent!

 

[Pat AKA mustski]

The Motor Home and ALL that that implies!

 

[SBrown]

I don't camp anywhere that isn't next to my vehicle. If I can't bring a full bar, full cooler I'm not going.

“There were two people involved,” [San Juan County Sheriff Bruce] Conrad told The Durango Herald on Thursday. “And they were just drunk as hell ... “If you’re too drunk to be camping, you’re too drunk.”

https://durangoherald.com/articles/182530

 

[luliski]

bleach

Bleach? Why not just a filter pump?

 

[luliski]

“There were two people involved,” [San Juan County Sheriff Bruce] Conrad told The Durango Herald on Thursday. “And they were just drunk as hell ... “If you’re too drunk to be camping, you’re too drunk.”

https://durangoherald.com/articles/182530

Years ago, I went backpacking with my boyfriend and a friend of his. His friend took a "mind-altering" substance and then went off exploring the granite and drainage systems (he was fascinated with those) after we set up camp. I didn't appreciate that much. We were pretty much above tree-level, lots of smooth granite faces to fall off. Luckily he survived.

 

[surfsnowgirl]

We have a rule when camping

"shelter before cocktails"