Even if you’re the most urban of creatures, the urge to get out of the city—to camp out, in fact—can seize your imagination at any time. If you find yourself contemplating car camping for the first time, but also find the gear and the prep to be a little daunting, don’t despair. We’re here to help.
The ultimate essential for beginner campers is, of course, an experienced outdoorsy person to help you. You can find those folks teaching classes at REI. And if you’re lucky enough to have a friend with a campground reservation and a garage full of gear to share, then simply jump ahead to our handy, printable checklist of camping essentials we’ve provided at the tail end of story.
But you can also do this camping thing completely on your own. You just need a few basic pieces of gear and then decide where you’re going. When going car camping for the first time, start with an overnight campout and keep it simple:
Camping is like staying in a primitive cabin, minus the cabin itself. So, in addition to your tent, pack as though you’re going to stay someplace where there’s little or no furniture, no electricity, no stove or refrigerator, and the cupboards are bare. In a developed campground you will have running water and a community bathroom a few hundred yards away. A typical campsite has a table (if not, you’ll want to bring one), a place to park a car and a place to pitch a tent. Continue reading from REI
