Camping Trip

Who this is for

13 tasks for a car-camping trip — site booking, gear, food, and the checks that stop a weekend being ruined by one forgotten item. For backpacking, where weight changes every decision, use the Multi-Day Hiking Expedition instead.

Test the gear at home first

Pitch the tent in the garden. Light the stove. Check the sleeping bag's temperature rating against the forecast. Gear that's been in a loft since last summer has a way of being missing a pole, out of gas, or holding a slow puncture, and all of those are trivial at home and miserable at dusk in a field.

Sleep is the whole trip

The difference between a good camping trip and a bad one is almost always whether people slept. That's decided by insulation from the ground more than by the sleeping bag — a decent mat matters more than most campers expect, because the ground draws heat away all night regardless of how warm the bag is rated.

Bring more warmth than the forecast suggests. Clear nights get colder than the daytime temperature implies.

Plan food that survives no refrigeration

Meals that don't need a cold chain, in the order you'll eat them, with the first night's dinner packed last so it's on top. Arriving in the dark and cooking something complicated is optimistic; make the first night the easy meal.

Check the site's actual rules

Fires, arrival times, water, whether there's power. These vary enormously and are decided before you arrive, not after.

Timing

One to two weeks. Plain checklist is usually right.