Wild camping is an excellent way to relax and reconnect with nature. Knowing what to bring with you on your first wild camping trip is critical. When you go on your first solo wild camping trip, your top priority is your safety. You must ensure that you have everything you need to stay warm and safe throughout the night. I created this blog, “Wild Camp Kit List – Things You Must Have!” to serve as a guide, this is a list of the wild camping gear I had to purchase before I went on my first solo wild camping. So, if you have these items in your backpack, you’re good to go!

Tent

The shelter is the most important component of camping. The size of the tent is a matter of personal preference. If you’re going wild camping on your own, 1-2 person tents are an option. I use a 2-3 person tent because I like having a lot of space. I like being able to move around and sit upright, so I’m currently using the Naturehike Cloud Peak 4 Season Backpacking Tent. It’s also a free-standing tent, so I can move it around and position it exactly where I want it before securing it.

Tent Pegs & Guy Ropes

When you buy your first tent it usually would come with a set of pegs. However, having extra pegs is essential in case you needed to further secure your tent, especially on windy days. You do not need to buy an expensive one just the basic pegs will do. Here are some examples from Amazon.

Sleeping Bag

Depending on your requirements, there are numerous types of sleeping bags available. A good sleeping bag is necessary for a restful night’s sleep while camping. There are two kinds of sleeping bags that I use. One for the summer and my OEX Leviathan 900 for the winter. I used OEX sleeping bags at a temperature of -5 degrees Celsius and was warm and comfortable. Choosing your sleeping bags depends on the weather condition that you will be using them.

Sleeping Mats or Air Bed

A sleeping mat is just as important as a sleeping bag because it is what keeps you warm from the cold ground. It will provide warmth and protection from the cold. Even in the summer, the ground gets cold at night, and a sleeping mat will keep you warm. These are the sleeping mats that I use for my camping trips. In a super cold weather conditions, I would use them together with my OEX Leviathan sleeping bag.

Pillows

It’s easy to overlook these details, but they make a big difference in getting a good night’s sleep and adding comfort to your camping sleeping arrangements. Inflatable pillows are an excellent choice for camping because they are lightweight and take up little storage space. I use Trekology Inflatable Pillow it’s very comfortable and easy to use. It comes with its bag and it does not use up space. There are many choices on Amazon.

Cooking Stove, Pans & Cutlery

It’s incredible to be able to cook a nice meal after a long hike. Cooking food is my favourite part of camping. Nothing beats a hot cup of coffee in the morning. A portable stove is extremely useful because it allows you to cook whenever you want. Soup, pasta, and even steak are all options. Aside from the camping stove, you’ll need fire starters and fuel. Here is my full cooking set up.

Allow me to provide you with additional information about my cooking set. The Odoland Camping Cookware Kit is a complete cooking set that includes a stove, gas canister stand, pots and utensils and even drinking glass, everything you need to cook and eat while camping. I use the Coleman Gas Cartridge as fuel and the Gas Stove Windshield when it’s windy. To keep the fire from spreading and me from starting a forest fire. They look a bit much but trust me they don’t weigh that much especially when they are all packed in your backpack.

Water Carrier

Water is an essential component of any outdoor activity, as I mentioned in my 10 Hiking Essentials for Beginners blog. You must bring enough water to last you the entire night. If you plan on staying more than one night, make sure you have access to water. For longer camping trips, knowing how to purify water is essential. Another option is to use a LifeStraw, which allows you to drink directly from a river or lake. I always bring my Water Bladder, which holds 2 litres of water. I also keep an empty bottle with me to fill with water from a water source, spring or river; I simply boil it and use it for coffee or noodles.

Lighting

There are two kinds of lighting to think about. One of them is a head torch. It is more convenient to have free hands while walking around in the dark in the forest. Another source of light is a lantern. For a lantern I highly recommend Goal Zero Lighthouse Micro Flash Lamp, pocket size, it can also be used as a hand torch. It is USB chargeable and one full charge will last you up to 170 hours depending on the brightness level. For the head torch, I use LE Head Torch Rechargeable. Here is another lantern that I carry with me on my camping trip. It is FLEXTAILGEAR, this is an air pump, but what is so cool about it is that it is also a lantern.

Bin Bags

One of the rules of wild camping is to leave no trace. It is useful to keep bin bags nearby so that you can easily dispose of your trash. When camping, the Leave No Trace principle encourages you to have as little impact on the environment as possible. The principle is made up of seven major components.

• Plan ahead and prepare
• Travel and camp on durable surfaces
• Dispose of waste properly
• Leave what you find
• Minimise campfire impacts
• Respect wildlife
• Be considerate of other visitors

That concludes the essential Wild Camping Kit List – Things You Must Have! There are other optional items you can bring with you, such as changing clothes and tools. Check out my 10 Hiking Essentials for Beginners for important items to include for your next wild camping trip.

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