The Minimalist Camper’s Essential Gear List
Camping is a popular outdoor activity with an estimated 300 million people around the world participating in it right now. That number is expected to surge even higher in the years to come. Some people like to have all the conveniences and amenities of home at their fingertips when they’re camping. That definitely makes for a comfortable getaway, but it’s not necessarily the best approach.
Getting More Out of Less
A growing number of campers are trending in the opposite direction. Instead of packing as many items as possible, they’re eliminating the excess and focusing on the essentials. Minimalist camping can make for simpler, more relaxing outings and allow you to truly get in touch with nature. With the right gear, you won’t really have to sacrifice anything. It’s all about keeping versatility and multifunctionality in mind.
A Stainless Steel Cup
One of the most important, and most versatile, pieces of equipment for an outdoor adventure is a high-quality camping cup. Stainless steel is the perfect material for camping dishes because it’s strong, unbreakable, and it won’t corrode or deteriorate over time. It’s also non-porous, so it won’t stain or harbor germs.
A stainless steel cup can easily withstand heat, so you’ll be able to use it for your morning coffee. It’ll be equally effective at keeping drinks cold. With a set of nesting cups, you’ll be able to share drinks with your camping partners around a campfire or while you’re taking a break during hiking expeditions. When you’re not using them, you can stack them together to save space.
On top of all that, sturdy stainless steel camping cups are long lasting and reusable. They’re wonderful alternatives to single-use plastics and styrofoam. They’ll help reduce your footprint and preserve your favorite camping spots for future generations.
A Multi-Tool
Another must-have piece of camping gear is a multi-tool. They’re designed with versatility in mind. They give you several useful gadgets, including knives, pliers, screwdrivers, can openers, and tweezers, in a portable package. Several models are available, each with its own range of helpful tools.
A multi-tool will come in handy in numerous situations from setting up your campsite and preparing meals to making repairs on other essential equipment. It may prove useful when handling minor medical emergencies too. Best of all, it keeps all those tools together in a single place. You’ll never have to worry about keeping them organized or losing them the way you would with separate tools.
A First-Aid Kit
No one should ever go on a camping trip without a first-aid kit. After all, you never know what might happen. Injuries and emergencies can arise even if you’re camping close to home or in a designated campground. From bug bites, allergic reactions, and minor scrapes to serious lacerations, broken bones, and snake bites, it’s important to be prepared for the unexpected.
Some people insist that the more supplies a first-aid kit contains, the better equipped you’ll be to handle a broader range of problems. That’s true to an extent, but realistically, even the most elaborate kit won’t cover every eventuality. With that being the case, a small, basic kit will certainly suffice. Keep in mind that your multi-tool and other versatile items you have on hand can help fill the gaps.
Your first-aid kit should at least contain adhesive bandages, gauze, medical tape, antiseptics, antibiotic ointment, and disposable gloves. Adding burn cream and a snake bite kit to the mix would be a good idea. If anyone in your party suffers from serious medical conditions or is prone to anaphylactic reactions to certain allergens, be sure to include their essential medications as well.
Shelter
Obviously, you’ll need shelter. Unless you have a camper, you’ll need something lightweight and portable to keep you warm and out of the weather. For a truly minimalistic approach, a tarp can serve as a windbreak and a rain deflector. It’ll also provide shade from the sun. If necessary, you can use it as a barrier between you and the ground. In a pinch, you can even use a tarp to drag an injured person to safety.
Be sure to keep plenty of paracord on hand too. You’ll need it to tie up your tarp between trees, but that’s only one potential use. It’s another highly versatile tool that can be used to tie items to a backpack, replace broken shoestrings, and keep your tarp rolled up when you’re on the move. It’s a life-saver in emergencies as well. You can use it to make a tourniquet or secure a splint.
Instead of, or in addition to, a tarp, you can use a bivy sack for shelter. It’ll slip over your sleeping bag to provide a safeguard against the elements. Alternatively, there’s an extensive selection of lightweight, compact, user-friendly tents on the market.
No matter which option you choose, you’ll need to pair it with a good sleeping bag, which can also have numerous uses with a little creativity. For particularly hot nights, you can use it as extra padding instead of cover. Roll it up and use it as a pillow or to keep an injured limb elevated along with many other possibilities.
Bandanas
At first glance, bandanas may not seem like crucial minimalist camping gear. They’re actually extremely multifunctional, though. Plenty can be said for tying them around your head to keep sweat out of your eyes. You can also use them as coffee filters or strain water through them to remove dirt and debris before disinfecting it.
As is the case with paracord, you may be able to use bandanas for tourniquets or tying splints. They can be used to clean wounds too. Soaking them in water and using them to cool off can prevent hyperthermia. They make nice reusable food bags as well. Furthermore, you can use them as potholders for your camping cups when you’re cooking, making coffee, or disinfecting water in them.
A Portable Solar Power Bank and Phone Charger
Adding a portable solar power bank and phone charger to your supply list is also recommended. You may want to use your camping trip as an opportunity for a digital detox, but it’s still important to have a working phone close at hand. You never know when you might need to call for help in an emergency or use GPS to find your way. If you get lost or need help, rescuers may be able to use your phone to find you as well.
As such, you’ll need to keep your phone charged. A portable solar power bank will let you do that. Some models aren’t much bigger than a smartphone, and they generate plenty of power to charge a phone, tablet, or handheld GPS device.
Dehydrated Foods
Finally, dehydrated foods are fantastic for camping. They’re nutritious, and they provide the calories you need to get through the day. They’re compact and lightweight, so they don’t take up much space, and you can easily carry them when you’re on the go. They also have a long shelf-life, and they don’t need to be kept cold.
Dehydrated meals are fast and simple to prepare. All you have to do is add boiling water to them, and you can rehydrate them in your camping cups. They’re also available in a wide variety at this point from individual components like meats, fruits, and vegetables to complete meals and desserts. Granola bars and trail mix make nice snacks when you’re camping, but it’s always a good idea to supplement them with more well-rounded meals.
Making the Most of Minimalist Camping
Camping is a wonderful way to escape the chaos and stress of everyday life and enjoy the beauty of nature. Taking too many comforts and amenities along for the trip can actually detract from the experience, though. It may add to your stress rather than alleviating it. With a few multi-functional essentials, you’ll be able to shed unnecessary excess without sacrificing true necessities.
