Camping packing list

For a campsite you drive to, where weight doesn't matter much and the car takes everything. It covers the tent and the kitchen, and the things you only notice at nine at night when they aren't there.

Pitch it at home first

Put the tent up in the garden or a park before the trip. You'll find out if a pole is missing or the pegs are the wrong sort for hard ground, and the first pitch at the campsite will go much faster.

Bring more pegs than the tent needs, and a mallet. Campsite ground is often harder than you'd expect.

Warm at night

Nights under canvas are colder than you think, even after a hot day. The sleeping mat matters as much as the bag, because the ground takes your warmth. A thermal top and a warm hat make a big difference for very little room.

What's on the list

Three nights at a campsite, mild weather, cooking

Papers and money

Photo ID: Hostels, huts and campsites sometimes ask for it.
Two bank cards, kept apart: If one is lost or blocked you still have the other.
Some cash: Not everywhere takes cards, and a card can be blocked just when you need it.
Emergency contacts on paper: If your phone dies, you'll still have the numbers.
Driving licence

Bags

Small day bag: For days out from where you're staying.

Clothes

Underwear × 4
Socks × 4
T-shirts or tops × 4
Trousers
Shorts
Thermal top and leggings: To sleep in, and under your clothes when it's cold. They weigh little and add a lot of warmth.
Fleece or warm jumper
Insulated jacket, down or synthetic: Evenings get cold fast once the sun goes, even after a hot day.
Waterproof jacket: Bring it whatever the forecast says. It's your windproof too.
Sun hat
Warm hat
Sunglasses

Footwear

Comfortable shoes for walking: You'll walk more than you think. Wear them in before you go.
Sandals or flip-flops: For showers, and to give your feet a break in the evening.

Sleeping

Sleeping bag: Look at its comfort rating, not the extreme one, and match it to the coldest night you expect.
Sleeping mat: The ground takes your warmth. A good mat matters as much as the bag.
Inflatable pillow: Or a stuff sack filled with clothes.
Earplugs: For thin walls and other people's snoring.

Camp

Tent, poles and pegs: Pitch it once at home to check nothing's missing.
A few spare pegs: They get bent and lost.
Tent repair kit: A pole splint and repair tape. Most tents come with one.
Mallet
Camping chairs
Lantern

Food, water and cooking

Folding water carrier: Fill it at the last tap so you can cook and wash at camp.
Snacks: Something you'll still want to eat when you're tired.
Stove and fuel: Take enough fuel, and check the canisters sold where you're going fit your stove.
Lighter and matches: Two ways to light the stove, in different bags.
Pans, plates, cups and cutlery
Small knife
Cool box
Washing-up kit: A sponge, a small bottle of washing-up liquid and a tea towel.
Rubbish bags: Take everything away with you.
Folding shopping bag

Washing and toiletries

Toothbrush and toothpaste
Toiletries
Sun cream: When you're out all day you can burn even when it doesn't feel hot.
Quick-dry towel
Hand gel
Glasses or contact lenses, and spares: If you wear them. A spare pair saves a trip.
Period products: If you need them. They can be hard to find in remote places.

First aid and medicine

First aid kit: Plasters, a bandage, tape, painkillers and antiseptic wipes cover most things.
Your medicines, plus a few days spare: Keep them where you can reach them, not at the bottom of a bag.
Insect repellent
Tick remover: Ticks live in long grass and woods. Check yourself each evening.

Phone and electronics

Phone and charging cable
Power bank: Maps and photos drain a phone fast.
Head torch: Hands free in the tent, and for finding things after dark.

Finding the way and safety

Offline maps on your phone: Download them before you go, while you have wifi.

Bits and pieces

A few zip bags: For wet things, receipts, and a phone in the rain.
Some tape wrapped round a pole or bottle: Fixes blisters, tears and broken buckles.
Book or e-reader

Questions people ask

What do I need for a first camping trip?

A tent you've pitched once, a sleeping bag rated for the coldest night, a sleeping mat, a head torch, a stove with fuel and a lighter, a pan, plates and cutlery, water carrier, a cool box, warm clothes for the evening and a waterproof.

What do people forget when camping?

A mallet, spare pegs, the lighter, a tin opener or knife, rubbish bags and a torch for each person. The list has them.

How do I stay warm in a tent?

A good mat underneath, a bag rated below the night's temperature, a thermal layer and a hat to sleep in, and something warm to eat or drink before bed.

What about camping with a dog?

Tick A dog under Anything else. The list adds food, bowls, a lead, poo bags, a bed and a towel for muddy paws.

Can I camp with this list if I'm walking in?

If you carry everything, pick Multi-day trek and A tent instead. The list swaps the car camping kit for lighter things that fit in a rucksack.

Will my list still be here next time?

Yes. It's kept in this browser, and with your Pebbls account if you sign in. Untick everything before the next trip and use it again.

Lists for other trips

The other tools

Gear list: Weigh your kit and your pack
GPX tools: Open, fix, join and convert route files
3D film of a route: Turn a GPX into a flyby film with your photos
All tools

We make Pebbls, an app that keeps a map and diary of a trip as it happens. You don't need it to use any of this.