I.Hate. Camping. Seriously.

I dream of owning a camper so I can sleep in a climate controlled room with a mattress and a toilet. But until that day comes, I suffer through one night of camping in order to make priceless memories with my kids. They adore camping, they really do!

To make camping less awful, don’t go without these essential items. All of them are seriously amazing – the solar charger is my favorite!

And please let me know if there are things not on this list that you think belong. Cause I need more ideas if I am going to not hate camping.

A silhouette of a woman and man in the outdoors roasting marshmallows over a fire.

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Camping Essentials to Have a Great Trip

Summer is quickly approaching and that means everyone is going to be heading out to their favorite camping spots to spend the weekend or longer in nature. Camping is a great getaway from daily life and a great time to relax with the family or friends. To ensure the best experience, I’ve put together a list of camping essentials to have a great trip. Check them out and hop in the comments to talk about your favorites!

Marshmallow and Hot Dog Roasting Sticks

Telescoping roasting sticks keep you far enough from the heat so your hands don’t roast. These babies let you roast not one, but TWO marshmallows or hotdogs per stick. They’re made of stainless steel so they are fairly weather proof. A nice feature of the roasting stick is that the end screws off for easy washing; either by hand or in the dishwasher.

Solar Camping Shower

I don’t know about you, but the idea of bathing in leech infested lakes doesn’t sound like a great time. Grab yourself a solar camping shower from Coleman. Simply hang it from a tree or a suspended string and allow the sun to heat up the water. You’re camping, it doesn’t mean you have to leave your hygiene at home!

LED Outdoor Lantern

These lanterns are seriously bright. With LED technology they last much longer on the power supplied. Up to 12 hours of regular continuous use. The lantern emits light in 360 degrees ensuring your whole area is illuminated!

10 in 1 Camping Tool

Meet the Swiss Army Knife’s bigger, badder brother. The camping tool includes multiple saws, a hatchet, a hammer, a knife and more. Be prepared for any situation whenever you pack it with your camping gear.

Compact 10 Piece Cook Set

It may not look like much, but they say the best things come in the smallest packages. This guy is packing a 10 piece cook set. You could almost cook a four course meal while camping. Is there much more to ask for?

Solar Charger

If you’re someone who cannot go a full weekend without some sort of electronic device (no judgement here!), the solar charger is for you. Use it to charge your phone, tablet, GPS, whatever your electronic needs are. It also has an LED light for emergency purposes.

First Aid Kit

This is a serious first aid kit. Packing 85 whole pieces of first aid goodness you’re prepared for any any scrapes, bumps, or bruises you may encounter. It is protected by a hard shell and can clip onto your belt or backpack.

Dinnerware Set

To go along with the cook set above – I give you the dinnerware set. Four plates, bowls, mugs and twelve utensils.

Air Bed with Pillows

Just because you’re camping that does not mean you have to sleep on the rocky ground under the floor of your tent. Be comfortable with a quality air mattress that comes with pillows!

Life Straw

This one is a little more serious, as it could potentially save your life. If you end up stranded somewhere without access to clean water the life straw will be your saving grace. It’s made to drink water from any source; it filters 99.9% of bacteria and parasites.

Camping is serious business. What you pack directly affects the quality of your outing. These are the camping essentials to have a great trip. Not only are they all efficient and useful but some of them can even be lifesaving in emergencies. What is a must have item that you take every time you head out on a camping trip? Let’s talk about it in the comments!