I find there’s no better way to unwind after a hard week at work then a weekend away, although not just any weekend away but a quality camping trip. I think there’s just something about being out in nature away from the noise of the city that really helps ease the mind. Whether it’s the fresh air, lack of phone service, the beauty of a camp fire or maybe a combo of all three I never feel more refreshed coming back to work Monday then after a nice camping weekend.
To truly make the most of my camping trips I always ensure I’ve got the right gear. As the right camping gear can truly make or break your camping experience. I find even the little things that are easily considered irrelevant can have a massive effect on the enjoyment of your trip. So it never hurts to do the research or talk to the experts at your local camping store. To help save you some trouble in the research department, in this article I’ll walk you through some of my personal favorite pieces of camping gear.   

Now this is possibly the most unessential item you can get but trust me once you bring one to camp it will forever be a staple every time you pack, I’m in fact talking about a good old hammock. The Suttle swaying in the breeze in conjunction with the zero gravity feeling is the best way to have an afternoon nap. Don’t get me wrong I love packing my camping trips full of various adventures, but I also love staying up late under the stars telling stories around the camp fire. So, to get the best of both worlds you can’t beat a sneaky afternoon nap. One of my favorite parts is that some models are in fact double hammocks so myself and my partner can cozy up and nap together.

Now something that actually is an essential piece of camp gear, is a place to sleep. Over my years of camping, I’ve tried so many various options from traditional tents, pop up tents, roof top tents and even a pop up caravan. What I eventually decided on was a swag. The portability has got to be the number one reason that I chose to stick with a swag. Many people including my earlier self, look at a rolled up swag and think that thing is huge. However its easy to forget that a swag is not only your tent but contains all your bedding as well, I even roll my pillow and doona up inside. So once you compare that to the various separate bags you have to bring for a tent it suddenly starts to look a lot smaller.  Which brings me to my next point, simplicity, swags are a super easy no stress way to camp. With your entire bedding needs, rolled up as one item, it’s easy to pack and hard to forget. Not only that but swags are incredibly easy to setup. In my opinion swags feature the ease of use of a pop up tent whilst simultaneously featuring the rigidity of a traditional tent.  

As a handy bonus tip, I love to beef up the comfort of my swag with a Self-Inflating Mattress. Although Self-Inflating Mattresses are not swag specific, I love the luxury it brings to my swag. The best part is due to the fact its inflatable, once it’s deflated it easily rollups inside the swag. So, I’m gaining the benefits of a luxurious thick mattress whilst also reeking the rewards of a compact thin mattress. I’d be lying if I didn’t mention how much my lazy behind loves the fact it inflates itself. Rather than waiting around for it to inflate, I can get busy setting up the rest of my campsite or better yet cooking dinner. Plus, due to the fact a pump isn’t needed that’s just one less thing you have to bring to camp and in my books that’s certainly a plus.

Another cheeky creature comfort I like to bring to camp is a Gas Shower Hot Water System. I say rather than dyeing to get home for that nice hot shower, why not stay longer and have it at camp. I love the shower for the summer too, if I’ve been out Four Wheel Driving all day fair chance, I found a mud hole to get myself bogged in. So, I’m going to come back to camp covered in mud, which is all well in good until you go to climb into your swag and you’re not camping near a water way. So my Gas Shower Hot Water System gets me squeaky clean ready for bed.

Another thing I love is bringing my four-legged mate to camp. Going on adventures with my dog Rusko is a frequent activity for me. At night he sleeps inside at the bottom of the swag with me and my partner. After multiple trial and errors of different dog beds for the day time I ended up with a handy Pet stretcher Bed. The issues I had with other dog beds, were when the weather was less than ideal due to the fact its on the ground the bed would simply get soaked. However, with a Pet stretcher Bed he sits high and dry about a foot off the ground. This is also extremely beneficial for the summer, as it allows air to flow underneath the bed itself. Plus, it also raises Rusko off the hot ground.

As you can see there’s such a huge variety of Camp Gear out there that serves such an array of purposes. This article was just a small selection of my top favourite pieces of camping gear. So I hope my tips and tricks were helpful but have a look for yourself and grab yourself some quality camping gear to best enjoy your next adventure.