What to pack for a successful wild camping or backpacking trip? The chances are that you have already found out that people get very passionate about their camping gear. The materials, weight, size, brands – everything goes. There are people out there that have made camping into an art form! If you are not quite at that point yet – and just want to build a good basic gear list for wild camping – this post is for you! I will go through my wild camping gear list and the items I would not camp without. My kit is by no means the lightest or the most technical – but neither is it too expensive or too hard to find. This is gear that I have found reliable and that has worked for me for years camping and hiking all over the UK and abroad! Essential Gear List for Wild Camping: Backpack, usually Osprey Ariel 55 AG Tent, MSR Elixir 2 Sleeping bag, Mountain Equipment Helium 800 Sleeping mat, Vango Stove (Jetboil), gas & lighter/matches (usually both in a waterproof bag) Spoon, bowl & mug (+ a little sponge for dishes) Penknife Small first-aid kit Headtorch (Alpkit Viper) & spare batteries OS map for the area & map case Compass (Silva Expedition 4) & whistle Nalgene 1l water bottle (if the forecast is warm also a 2l hydration bladder) Water purification tablets (or a water filter) Clothes (more about these below) Food Toiletries (like sun cream) & any medications you need Toothbrush & paste Trowel & toilet paper Ziplock bag(s) for rubbish/used toilet paper Phone, money/card Here it is – my complete list of wild camping gear! Looks pretty simple, right? For a longer or a shorter trip, the only thing I adjust is the amount of clothes and food. And maybe add a power bank or similar to charge my phone on longer trips. Here is a more in-depth look at the different aspects of the gear list, which you should have when heading wild camping: It All Starts With a Backpack Having a rucksack that fits both you and your gear is essential once you start to go out regularly. But if you are just trying things out, don’t worry about it too much. As long as you can carry your kit to your camping spot, you’ll be fine. There is sometimes an odd sense of competition in wild camping circles for who has the lightest backpack. I find this irrelevant. Especially on longer trips, your comfort is more crucial. But, of course, finding the right balance of weight vs. comfort is the key! The backpack should fit well regarding the back length but the shape of the shoulder and waist straps is also important. The size of the pack comes largely down to your gear. It is nice to have a bag that is big enough to comfortably fit everything. And still, have a bit of extra space for spare layers and extra snacks. And if you end up packing in the rain one morning – the last thing you want to do is take ages trying to fit everything into the backpack. For me the 55l Osprey Ariel AG is ideal. Osprey has put a lot of effort into designing female-specific rucksacks, their bags are durable and the Anti-Gravity weight carrying system is great especially for longer hiking trips. Personally, I also love the fact that this bag comes with a lot of pockets for organising your things and many of these you can access while walking. How to Choose the Right Sleeping System? A camping sleeping system includes your tent, sleeping bag, and sleeping mat. (Or a hammock or bivvy system, if you that way inclined.) How to choose the ideal tent for wild camping? The tent you need for wild camping is a little different from the ones you would take to a festival or a campsite. There are two main reasons for this. Firstly, you need to be able to carry your tent for long distances. It needs to pack small enough to not take too much space in your rucksack and it can’t be too heavy. (You can expect an average 2-man tent to have a packaged weight of 2-3kg). Secondly, the tent needs to be able to withstand quickly changing mountain weather. This means it has to be very waterproof and not collapse when the wind picks up. Furthermore, the tent should be inconspicuous – choose a tent that is a muted colour like green or grey. Brightly coloured tents can be seen for miles on a hillside and make it very hard for you to camp with stealth. My tent of choice is from MSR The tent my partner and I use is a few years old MSR Elixir 2. We love this tent and it brings us so much joy every time we take it out! We have lived in it for weeks at a time in the Scottish Highlands and in the Alps. And it has taken everything the weather has thrown at it. At 2.7kg packaged weight it is not the lightest, but it feels robust and it is extremely livable. My partner is tall and fits nicely, whereas I am quite a bit shorter, so often have my rucksack at my feet. And still, have enough space to stretch out! The tent has two porches which give it a lot of extra space. (And make it easy to pop out for a pee in the middle of the night – no need to climb over your partner to get out!) Choose the right sleeping bag for yourself The next item we are going to have a look at is your sleeping bag. This is where things get a bit more personal. Are you a cold sleeper or do you tend to overheat easily? Do you sleep on your side or on your back (or on your stomach like me)? How tall are you, and do you have wide shoulders/hips? Getting a sleeping bag that suits you is a bit like buying clothes – it needs to fit your body. Did you know that in many shops you can in fact try sleeping bags before buying? Sleeping bags usually have either synthetic or down insulation. The main benefit of synthetic insulation is that it can get damp and still keep you warm. It can also be a more ethical choice. Down, on the other hand, is warmer. But wet down = useless down. And therefore a down sleeping bag should always be carried in a separate dry bag to avoid disasters! You can also get compression bags that are very handy and can make your bag pack down significantly smaller. If you are tight on space, compression bags can also be used for your tent (minus the poles). How to read sleeping bag temperature ratings? Choosing a sleeping bag with the right temperature rating can be a confusing experience. It is important to remember the ranges are only guidelines designed for an average person. This might not be you! Note also that sleeping bag ratings assume the sleeper has a sleeping mat and is wearing thermals. Here are the normal limits you can find on a sleeping bag label: Comfort Limit: the temperature at which an average woman should be able to sleep comfortably. Lower Limit: the temperature at which an average man can still sleep through the night (curled up) without shivering (this does not necessarily equal comfort) Extreme Limit: the temperature at which an average woman can sleep in the bag (for 6 hours) without getting serious hypothermia. Don’t look at this rating when buying a sleeping bag – it is for emergencies only and has nothing to do with comfort. For most of us, a 3-season sleeping bag is enough If you are choosing a sleeping bag that you can use in the UK from Spring through to Autumn – you want a 3 season bag. The temperature rating depends on how warm sleeper you are, whether you mind carrying a heavier bag (more warmth usually equals more weight) and what your budget is. The other equipment you have also has an effect. I am a cold sleeper and would not want a bag with a comfort limit above 0 degrees Celsius. In fact, I think mine currently has a comfort limit of -11C. It is also important to have a bag that allows you to move in it. And one that isn’t so tight that the down doesn’t have space to loft (which makes you cold). Equally the bag shouldn’t have lots of empty space in it – especially at the feet – as you will struggle to warm this up. To increase your comfort, always make sure you have a dry set of thermals and a pair of clean socks to sleep in, on colder days also add a dry hat. It is important that your clothes are loose-fitting and don’t constrict your blood flow. But don’t be afraid to add more layers if necessary! Sleeping Mat Plays an Important Role Having a good sleeping mat is equally important! The most basic option is to carry a foam mat – similar to those used for a yoga class. However, this will not be as comfortable or warm as an inflatable mat which creates some space between you and the ground. Most heat, when camping, is lost through the ground, and it is therefore very important to get a good sleeping mat. It does not need to be huge, or a huge investment, in fact, non-branded inflatable mats can be bought online for very little money. These can work just as well as big brands and expensive options. And if not, they can be improved easily by adding an extra layer of insulation, such as an emergency foil blanket or an insulated picnic blanket, to the system. Cooking Equipment & Food Choose a stove you can operate in any conditions Cooking in the outdoors is a great experience and food is always more delicious when eaten outside! However, for wild camping, you need to find a balance of weight and taste. The most essential bit of kit for cooking outside is a good gas stove. My cooking system revolves around my trusty old Jetboil – which has come with me on many adventures. I enjoy using a Jetboil because it is fast and easy to light even in difficult weather. It is also safe and steady enough that I can use it in a tent porch (whilst ensuring the necessary air circulation of course). With some planning, a small gas canister lasts me a long time, which means I don’t need to carry much fuel with me for most trips. And it has always been very easy to buy fitting gas canisters in both the UK and the Alps. In saying that, my partner also has an MSR multi-fuel expedition stove which we take with us when we want to cook bigger meals. In the end, it is a question of preference. Other cooking equipment and tips! In addition to a stove, I usually pack a camping bowl, mug, and spoon. There is also usually a penknife included in my gear, which I can use to do any chopping or for opening tins. On top of these, I usually bring a small piece of a kitchen sponge to do the dishes with. Although this is not essential and your hands will do the job. I usually pack a lighter (and sometimes a spare) for lighting my stove, as it is easier in windy conditions than lighting a match. But some liquid fuel stoves require matches to light them, so it’s worth knowing your stove. There are also different types of survival fire starters if you want something different. Or if you are worried about your things getting wet, as they are a relatively reliable method even when damp. It is also important to...

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