Personally I love going camping, in fact at the time of me writing this article I’m going camping this very weekend. There’re so many things that go into the making of a good camping trip. I’d have to say number one is the company, if you’re with good people no matter what happens you’ll have an enjoyable time. The second most important thing would be planning, to both make the most from your trip and ensure nothing goes wrong. Preplanning will be one of your best friends and once done right you’ll be eternally grateful you took the effort to do it. Now number three is somewhat tied into number two but the last essential part of a good camping trip is having the right camping gear. The right camping gear can truly make or break a camping trip, having the right gear will ensure your prepared for anything that might arise or simply prepared to have a nice relaxing time. Both in my opinion are equally as important, so to assure you enjoy yourself at camp I’m writing this article. This article will contain some of my top pieces of camping gear, for all different reasons. Some of this gear will be chosen due to its comfort level however others may be selected due to the fact their an essential part of the camping experience. So, to learn more about what gear you should bring to camp read along and enjoy.    

Number one for me is a dam fine camp chair, now I’m not a laze around person. In fact, I’m often getting yelled at by my mates for having way too much energy. So, whilst at camp I love jam packing every single day with as much adventure and activities as possible. However, in saying that there aren’t many things I love more than sitting around a camp fire with my mates having a few beers and a thousand laughs. So, a quality and comfy camp chair is something I hold in high regard. Now I’m not just saying that as a simple phrase, each camp chair is certainly not the same. After a long day of Adventures there’s nothing better than sitting in a supportive padded camp chair around the fire.

Next up is the Self Inflating Mattress, another essential need after a long day of adventures at camp is a quality night sleep. The best way to get a great night sleep is with a comfy camp mattress. However bringing a thick mattress to camp is quite cumbersome, and takes up much needed space for other essential gear in your vehicle. That’s why an inflatable mattress is the way to go, they inflate to the size of a thick comfy mattress whilst in use but then for easy transport simply deflate them, roll them up and away you go.  The worst thing about an inflatable mattress is having to wait around for a pump to inflate or even worse pumping it by hand with a manual pump. That’s why a Self Inflating Mattress will be your best friend at camp. All you need to do is undo the valve and leave it for a while and by the time you’ve setup camp you’ll have a fully inflated air mattress ready for a good night’s sleep.

On a personal level I sleep really cold, now some people don’t mind bringing their doonas to camp but I reckon if you’re in a sleeping bag then you’re not camping. Plus as you’re not insulated by the thick walls and a roof your normal house hold sleeping gear simply wont cut it. That’s why a thick sleeping bag is the way to go at camp. Due to the fact a sleeping bag fully encloses you like a cocoon it stops the cold air from entering unlike a traditional doona that allows air to enter underneath. For truly multipurpose sleeping some sleeping bag models are in fact adjustable sleeping bags. This means you can be warm in the winter and cool in the summer. How an adaptable sleeping bags works is by featuring a removable thick inner layer. So, winter mode will be nice and thick and summer mode can be a simple thin layer just to take the cool edge off at night.

Speaking of summer my helpful tip to beat the sweltering heat at camp is a 2 In 1 Fan. Honestly you can’t beat a good quality tent fan, even on its lowest setting just having that gentle breeze circulating your roof top tent or swag is enough to send you comfortably off to sleep. A two in one fan is all that and more, these fan feature a super handy light as well as a fan. So, using the handy hooks they come with install your camping light fan from the ceiling of your swag or rooftop tent. That way you’ll get some beautiful are flow on those breezeless nights plus a handy light for getting changed. That’s why a camping fan light is one of my favourite accessories.

Now I know I said I love adventures at camp but in the afternoons before sitting around the camp fire I also love kicking back enjoying the sunset in a Hammock.  Having an afternoon nap swinging in a hammock as the sun goes down, is a perfect way to recharge after a long day. But better yet I prefer double hammocks that way myself and my partner can enjoy the sunset together. But for some extra wiggle room I still love a dual Hammock when I’m on my own too.

So there you have it, these are just my very top five favourite pieces of camping gear. These certainly aren’t the most essential pieces of camping gear but for various reason these are the top five pieces of camp gear that bring me the most joy and comfort at camp.