My Camping Gear List for Camping, General Exploring and Survival

I would actually recommend carrying 2 torches with you if you are out and about, and preferably also a change of batteries for one of them!

This is obviously one of the key items on anyone's camping gear list, as it's not the sort of thing you want to be caught without particularly if there's somewhere cool and dark you want to explore... or just when it starts to get late!

I would recommend having one standard torch, such as a Mini-Maglite, and maybe one kintetically-powered torch of some kind, such as one you shake or wind-up, as a backup.

Also, I would say don't try to save any money here, as you will come to swear by a really dependable torch!

For a tent these days, again it's worth putting in a little extra to get a nice one, but to be fair they have come down so much in price, these days you can get a very good tent cheaply.

My tent is a 3-man Dart tent from Millets, and it's done great so far, and was only about £40 (sorry, I'm talking in English money lol). If you are going for anything too intense, there are more robust and well-designed tent out there, and also make sure you go for one with a good hydrostatic head, 1,500 or more is recommended, and 2,000 is ample.

All in all, just make sure it's a good make, with ample room (esp. if you have lots of gear) and also keep an eye on the weight and size of the packed tent bag - you don't want to be lugging 8kg of tent with you wherever you go!

Finally, I recommend going for a double skin tent to avoid condensation on the inside, and also I reckon it's important to make sure your tent, if made from synthetic materials as most modern tents are, has a POLYETHYLENE groundsheet, not polyester like most flysheets are made of, as otherwise I'd imagine it will wear through quite quickly, and offer less of a surface over the soil and stones and things that will be under your tent!

Again, there is a lot in this one, and I wanted to include a bit of extra information to cover this in my camping gear list.

I would say get one made of good materials, that is durable, water-proof and most importantly, one able to hold lots of heat and keep you comfortable down to very low temperatures. Mine is again a Millets one (Millets is a UK company, but check out my website for a range of great US and UK companies) and it's supposed to keep you comfortable down to -7 degrees.

Trust me, you don't want to be out in the cold with a cheaper "sleep-over" sleeping bag... you WILL freeze!

Well, there's no point in having an extensive camping gear list if you have nowhere to keep all the stuff! I actually have a good backpack but one that isn't perfect, it's not too waterproof (obviously a plus), and it's perhaps not large enough to hold lots of stuff. Having said that, it's really robust and strong, and clings well to my back making it easy to carry even with a lot of weight in it.

Ideally, look for a tough and large backpack, with lots of room in the main compartment, strong zips, and a few extra pockets for your other smaller equipment, like compass, maps, stuff like that.

Ok, had to include this one in the list as it's one of those things you won't need for ages and ages, but then suddenly a situation will come along where it's absolutely essential.

I guess a blade is more important the more unpredictable your situations will be, and the more probable it is that you will have to do a bit of "surviving".

So, go for a dependable, preferably fully-featured penknife, which folds up small and has no chance of coming open in your bag... or pocket! Fairly lightweight is good, but you need a bit of weight for a good penknife.

The way I see this is, if I ever ended up deep in the middle of woods, with no real idea which direction I should head, a compass would be simply indispensible. Of course it's even better to plan more of your exploring and travels with it beforehand, but if you need some help to get out of a uncertain situation, it's priceless.

Basically, as long as it's dependable and readable, you're probably fine! You can get a great range though, with some designed to plan routes on maps and all sorts - have a look around!

Ok, so this is one that varies a lot in size and complexity depending on the nature of your travels, the nature of your backpack, and the nature of your appetite.

Ok, so I would say at the very least of course you need cutlery and a couple of lightweight plastic bowls or plates to eat from, but if you are going to be out for a longer time, or it will be cold, or you simply like cooked food, the little burners you can get from most camping stores (including the ones listed on my website) are FANTASTIC.

Basically, you can get them fairly cheap, and bring a good pan or two and you can make some really nice food. I have made pasta and soup, and stew and things are also easy. Of course, you can cook over a fire too, so it's really down to what you feel happiest with, and what is most practical and appropriate.

Obviously, that brings us to another point - make sure you have another food and fluids for your journeys!

Basically, you never know when you'll want to jot something down, I would say this is a great thing to throw in your bag for occasional use!

A really good map is obviously essential for the camping gear list of any long distance travellers and backpackers, you don't want to be left in the middle of nowhere! I would also say if you are bringing a map, you will also need to bring a compass, as of course the two work incredibly well together!

Now, I'll admit I was originally in the camp (hehe) that secretly thought groundmats were unnecessary as a sleeping bag provides a bit of cushioning when you're sleeping, but believe me, they do make a big difference.

Sleeping bags aren't really designed to be very cushioning, as they are supposed to roll up very small when you pack them up, so a groundmat makes every night that bit more comfortable!

This was actually a late addition to the list, I thought of it when I was writing the poll.

I think it is SO easy to overlook the importance of having a good lighter, and the more I think about it the more essential it seems. Always have one, and preferably with a can of spare fuel too. Thing is, you don't want to be stuck in the woods, with a bunch of twigs, or a burner, or something, and no way of making a flame! Also, it's a great backup in case your torch(es) fail for whatever reason!

This was my absolutely last final thought, and is definitely useful in the right circumstances, or if you just like logging your journeys.

I personally tend to go for the cheaper digital cameras, that have no optical zoom and take AA batteries. Sounds weird? Thing is, optical zooms I have discovered break quite easily, and also fancy batteries require a computer to charge really, and obviously a laptop is not something that will always be at hand.

Plus, a cheap camera is less of a problem if it breaks!

Check out the computers and technology section of my site for cool ranges of cameras and other useful things!

This is a recent obsession of mine - patching up my clothing and things and trying to see just how long I can keep my combats and stuff wearable for! But I'd imagine it also applies to tents and sleeping bags.

I reckon that a couple of needles and some strong thread may really come in useful if you find you come unstuck when some important camping gear or clothing gets ripped, and you still have days of exploring you want to do! As an extra thing, I would recommend having this on your camping gear list!

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