Don't Go Camping Without Your Best Friends!

Some of us love camping. Some of us...not so much. And I would love to tell those folks that if you prepare properly, you won't ever have to. But I'd be lying. There may indeed come a time when you find yourself having to survive in the great outdoors. So make sure you take along the following items. I consider them to be essential. My best friends on a camping trip.


Let's be real. If you are going to be camping you want practical equipment that's easy to take with you. Stuff that doesn't require electricity. So here's my list of the camper's best friends.


1. A tarp - Yes, this is pretty basic. But I promise you, all serious campers have one. Mine is pretty tattered but it's still functional. What makes them so wonderful? They can be used for just about anything! They can be used to block moisture from the bottom or rain from the top of your tent or shelter. They can help wind or sun. They can cover firewood or equipment...or you. They can be used to transport things. And even though they are so versatile, they are relatively inexpensive.


If you don't have a tarp, I highly suggest you get one.  Here's one of my favorites.


2. A Dutch Oven - Because you can cook just about anything in a Dutch Oven. It's like the tarp of cooking equipment. Breakfast, lunch, or dinner. Soup, stews, cakes, muffins, eggs, you name it. Granted it's not the most portable piece of gear. But if you aren't actually hiking to safety, the Dutch Oven is a godsend.


A good Dutch Oven can be a little pricey, but it's well worth the investment. Here's the one I have.


3. Foil - Yes, good old aluminum foil. You can use it to cook. Fresh fish in foil packets over an open fire...YUMMY! You can wad it up and use it to scrub some of your camping equipment. You can use it to wrap up small pieces of equipment for storage or transport. Once again, there are multiple uses for this camping essential. Just make sure you use good quality heavy-duty foil. Not the bargain brand.


4. A Survival Knife - Every prepper has a survival knife in his camping kit. And if they don't they should. Like everything else on this list, it has a multitude of uses. Open cans. Blaze a trail. Cut wood. You can even hunt or if necessary, defend yourself.


I could do an entire post on how to choose the right knife. And I might at some point. But for now, I will simply tell you which one I recommend - The Fallkniven A1. This is a heavy-duty, all-purpose survival knife and should last you a lifetime. It is extremely sturdy and corrosion resistant and can be used even in the harshest of weather conditions.


5. An Axe  - If you have ever had to collect wood for a fire, you know how important a good axe is. And my favorite is the Schrade SCAXE2. A good axe can be expensive. This one will do the job for a lot less cash.


Of course, there is an entire list of other items you should have in your camping kit. Lanterns and flashlights. A first aid kit. A compass. A whistle. Insect repellant. Sunscreen. Just to name a few. But most of those are pretty common sense. My five best friends are probably the ones you might not have thought to invite along before. Until now.