How do I pack for camping?

A camping kit list organised by function, with the things people most often forget and the ones that matter most.

Difficulty: beginner
Time: 1 hr 30 min
Read: 2 min
Safety: caution

Short answer

Pack by function — shelter, sleep, cook, wear, wash, light — rather than as one long list. The two things that most affect whether a trip is enjoyable are the sleeping mat and having genuinely dry spare clothes. Both are more important than the tent.

Camping discomfort is nearly always cold from below or wet clothes, and both are cheap to prevent. Organising the kit list by function rather than as a single list makes it far harder to leave out a whole category, which is how the important omissions happen.

Safety

Never use a stove, barbecue or fuel-burning heater inside a tent — carbon monoxide is odourless and has killed campers doing exactly this. Tell someone where you are going and when you expect to return. Check the weather forecast before setting off and be prepared to change plans.

What you'll need

Tent, pegs and groundsheet
Sleeping bag and insulated sleeping mat
Stove, fuel, lighter and pans
Head torch and spare batteries
Dry bags or bin liners
First aid kit

Step by step

Pack by function: shelter, sleep, cook, wear, wash, light, first aid.Checking off categories makes it much harder to forget a whole area, which is how the significant omissions happen.
Prioritise the sleeping mat over the sleeping bag.Most cold at night comes from the ground, not the air. An insulated mat matters more than a warmer bag.
Pack a full set of spare clothes in a waterproof bag.Dry clothes to change into is the difference between an uncomfortable night and a miserable one. Bin liners work if you have no dry bags.
Take a head torch rather than a hand torch, plus spare batteries.It leaves both hands free, which matters constantly when camping.
Pitch the tent at home once before going.Especially a new one. Discovering a missing pole in a field at dusk is avoidable.
Plan meals that need one pan and minimal preparation.Camp cooking is slower and more awkward than kitchen cooking. Simple is not a compromise, it is the right choice.
Take more water than you think, or confirm a supply on site.Water is heavy and easy to underestimate. Confirm rather than assume.
Pack a small repair kit and a first aid kit.Tape, cord, a spare peg, plasters, painkillers and any personal medication.

Tips

Layers work better than one thick garment, because you can adjust as you warm up and cool down.
A hot water bottle in the sleeping bag transforms a cold night and weighs almost nothing.
Leave the pitch as you found it, take all litter home, and follow the local rules on fires — many places prohibit them entirely.

Common mistakes

Using a stove inside a tent — Carbon monoxide is odourless and has killed campers. Cook outside or in a well-ventilated porch, never in a sealed space.
Skimping on the sleeping mat — Most night-time cold comes through the ground. A thin mat undermines even a good sleeping bag.
Not packing dry spare clothes properly — Wet clothes with nothing to change into is what turns a wet trip into a miserable one.

Questions people ask

What is the most important piece of camping kit?

An insulated sleeping mat. Most cold at night comes from the ground rather than the air, so mat insulation matters more than sleeping bag rating for comfort.

Can I cook inside the tent porch?

Only with genuine ventilation, and it still carries risk. Carbon monoxide from stoves has killed campers. Cooking fully outside is the safe option.