The camping gear checklist: how to build one you’ll actually use

Everyone has a story about what got left at home. The tent poles. The lighter. The kids' rain jackets. A good checklist fixes that, but only if it’s one you trust and keep up to date.

This guide covers what belongs on a camping checklist, how to change it for each trip, and how to keep it from going stale.

Start with the basics

Most camping checklists boil down to the same groups. Start here and add what your trips need.

Shelter and sleep

• Tent, poles, stakes and a mallet
• Ground cloth or footprint
• Sleeping bags rated for the low temperature
• Sleeping pads or cots
• Pillows

Kitchen

• Stove and fuel
• Lighter or matches, plus a backup
• Pots, pan, utensils, plates and cups
• Cooler and ice
• Dish soap, sponge and a wash bin
• Trash bags

Water

• Enough water for drinking and cooking, or a filter if there’s a reliable source
• Water bottles for everyone

Clothing

• Layers: a base layer, something warm, and a rain shell
• Warm hat and gloves, even in summer at elevation
• Extra socks
• Camp shoes

Light, tools and safety

• Headlamps and spare batteries
• Lantern
• Knife or multi-tool
• First aid kit
• Map of the area, since phone service often drops
• Sun protection and bug spray

The Ten Essentials

Hiking and backcountry groups have long used a list called the Ten Essentials. It’s a good check even for car camping: navigation, a headlamp, sun protection, first aid, a knife, fire starting, an emergency shelter, extra food, extra water and extra clothes. If you’re heading away from the truck, those come with you.

Adjust for the trip

The basic list is the floor. Every trip adds to it.

• Length. A one-night trip needs less food and fuel than a week. Count meals, not days.
• Weather. Rain means a tarp and dry bags. Cold means heavier bags and more layers. Heat means shade and more water.
• Who’s coming. Kids need their own layers, snacks and something to do. Dogs need food, a bowl and a leash.
• What you’re doing. Fishing, hunting, boating and riding each bring their own gear.

Pack by bag, not by list

A list tells you what to bring. It helps even more if it tells you where things go.

• Group items by the bag or bin they ride in. Kitchen bin, sleep bag, clothes duffel.
• Pack the same way every time. You’ll know where the lighter is in the dark.
• Check off as it goes in the truck, not as you think about it.

Keep the list alive

A checklist is only useful if it’s current.

1. Add what you missed. Forgot something? Put it on the list as soon as you notice.
2. Remove what you never use. If it came home untouched three trips in a row, consider leaving it.
3. Flag gear that needs care. A torn tent fly, an empty fuel can, a headlamp that needs a charge. Fix it before the next trip, not at the trailhead.
4. Reset when you get home. Uncheck the list and restock what ran out.

Plan meals with the gear

Food and gear go together. A camp menu tells you which pots, how much fuel, and how big a cooler you need. Plan meals for the whole crew, then turn the menu into a shopping list along with any gear you need to buy.

How Kitted helps

Kitted is our free gear checklist app, built so packing for the weekend isn’t the stressful part.

• Real lists from day one. It starts you with checklists for the truck, the side-by-side, hunting, camp, home and the gun safe.
• Packed by the bag. Items sit in the bag they ride in, with a packed count and a progress ring for the whole list.
• Quick filters. Show what’s left to pack, what’s packed, what’s going this trip, and what has a price or notes.
• Gear that needs care. Flag items that need maintenance, a charge or a wash, and see them all in one tap.
• A trip calculator. Trip length, nights and kids, the weather and the activities set what goes on this trip, from a day hunt to a long haul, plus rain, snow, bugs, fishing or blaze orange.
• A camp menu. Meals and servings worked out for the crew, then sent to the shopping list. Pick the meals, pack the clothes, and shop from one list built from both.
• Gas and history. A gas calculator for the drive, and a history of past trips to start the next one from.
• Works with no signal. The app opens offline, and changes made at camp sync when you’re back in range.

Tap an item to check it off before a trip, and uncheck the list when you’re home. Kitted has a free Windows desktop app and a web app; on an iPhone, open the web app in Safari, then Share, Add to Home Screen.