If you are going camping, here are some things you will need and some tips to follow.

First, make sure you have the following:

• Tent, with ground tarp Sleeping bag Ground mat Flashlight, preferably a head lamp to keep your hands free to do other things.
• Knife – You can use either a fixed blade, pocket knife, or multi tool.
• 100 feet of light rope or cord Mess kit with utensils First aid kit Waterproof matches Some sort of fire starter such as fire paste, starter sticks, dryer lint, etc.
• Back Pack Single burner camp stove Canteen, Nalgeen water bottle, or hydration pack Water purifying tablets or filter.
• Small hatchet or folding saw for cutting firewood Sunscreen Bug repellent (if necessary)

Second, you will need to dress appropriately for the expected weather conditions of the region. Here are some items that can be used on any trip:

Short sleeve cotton t-shirts – at least 3 At least one long sleeve cotton shirt A long sleeve button down shirt Pant, the best are the ones with the zip off legs to convert into shorts if needed Padded hiking socks, SmartWool is the best, but any good hiking sock will do. Hiking shoes or boots, if you are going to be in an area where you are in and out of water a lot, a good water shoe will be good to have as well. A change of underwear and socks for each day you will be camping.

You can pack your these in 5 gallon ziploc bags. This will keep them dry and give you something to put your dirty clothes in so they don’t stink up the rest of your stuff. Since you can’t predict what the weather will be, make sure you take a rain coat or poncho to keep you dry. You will also want to take a light hooded sweatshirt for when it cools down in the evening. The best thing to do is to dress in layers that you can peel off when it gets warmer and add on when the weather cools down. Make sure you have a good broad brimmed hat. This will help keep the sun or the rain off you.