Spring has sprung! I look outside and see all the trees along the creek starting to bloom. I remember that wonderful smell. This has been one long winter cooped up indoors. One thing I know for most people, is when the weather starts to warm up - it’s time to take our lives back outside. Back to nature. And what better way to do that than to pack up the car and head up to the mountains? Or lakes or wherever your favorite spot is in the great outdoors and camp out? Camping is certainly the best way to spend a good amount of quality time with Mother Nature. But I know from experience that deciding what to pack can be a nightmare.

I used to go camping as a kid with my family and I remember barely having any room to sit in the truck. My Mom would bring everything but the kitchen sink. I absolutely loved it when we camped, but we definitely had more than we needed. Not to mention the extra time spent loading and unloading everything. So with all this in mind, it’s good that we came up with the idea of how to pack for camping outdoors, perfectly, with only the essentials. There’s been a lot of camping talk around Copper River Bag Co lately. We’ve been launching a new line of camping gear that will add a little style (and of course, functionality) to keeping all your camping equipment organized.

Honestly, I had to do a little research on this because I haven’t been camping since I was kid, about 25 years ago. I live in the mountains now so everyday is like camping to me. Ok, I actually spent A LOT of time researching this. I don't think it's fair to use my Mom’s old method of “if there’s room in the truck, shove it in there, in case we need it for this or that.” I'm sure there was a method to her madness, as they say.

Let’s get to it shall we?

WHAT YOU'LL NEED:

Tent: these come in a huge variety of shapes, sizes and prices. If you want to travel light and don’t want to deal with taking up and tearing down a tent, you can alwyas use a sleeping bag instead. But who wants to sleep on the ground? Some of you devoted campers do, I know. Depending upon where you’re going, a waterproof hammock is a great way to stay off the ground yet still get the effects of sleeping under the stars. Plus, those hammocks with mosquito nets are a godsend.

Sleeping bag: pack the right one to suit your climate. In general, the more you pay, the more compact the sleeping bag gets. However, don’t forget to take along a sleeping mat or air mattress. Air mattresses are compact and can be carried along with you - just for a little extra comfort.

Clothing:First, to keep your clothes dry, take a comfortable backpack or waterproof duffel that can also be converted into a day bag for hiking. Since we’re on the note of hiking and backpacks, with the clothing you bring, get the best you can afford as far as light-weight, quick dry pants or shorts made with breathable fabric. A wind/rain jacket or even a poncho is handy for handling inclement weather. Take along a microfiber towel because it’s lightweight, compact, can absorb a lot of moisture and dries quickly.

Coffee: oh yes, I did. Why forego your caffeine fix when you’re out in the wild? Take along an insulated travel mug or thermos as most backpacks have a mesh netting pocket on both sides so you can carry your water bottle on one side and your coffee thermos on the other.

Food: there are camp stoves lightweight and compact, but there’s also the good ol’ fire. A great way to pack your food is to keep all your essentials like cooking utensils and the food you bring in one handy tote bag inside a plastic bin with a lid. It will deter bears and keep everything in one place. You just pop out the tote and everything is right there for you.

Water: if you don’t plan on lugging gallon size bottles of water around and have access to a stream or water source, pack some purifying tablets. I had no idea these even existed. They zap bacteria with UV and have filters to clean your water.

Solar charger: don’t miss another email or Facebook post and keep your technology powered up with the help of a portable solar charger. However, for a change, why not consider leaving the grid altogether? This way you get the full experience.

Duffel Bags: Duffel bags make carrying all the essentials a breeze. You should choose something lightweight and probably want to get more than one, in different colors. This way, you can organize your cooking supplies and food, clothing, and other essentials in color coded bags. It really makes packing and unpacking so much easier! For all your toiletry essentials (yes, you’re going to need to bring some of these, even those who “rough it” like to have a clean mouth, use something like a Dopp Kit to keep everything in one place.

First Aid and Sprays: I cannot stress this one enough! Take along insect repellent and sunscreen. Ending a trip itching because of sunburned, mosquito-bitten skin is not a pleasant way to end that perfect camping trip. Also put together a basic first-aid kit. Dopp kits are handy for this as well.Put together a kit that includes a cold compress pack, bandages, sterile wipes, dressing, adhesive tape, antiseptic cream/wash, and painkillers.

Camping Chairs: To take it all in after that long day hike, it’s nice to have a few chairs to sit on and relax and take it all in. 

Of course, you’re able to tailor this list to fit your needs for you and/or your family and friends. Each person is different with different needs. We just wanted to make sure you have all the essentials for your most awesome camping trip.

Come to think of it, I think I might want to give this camping thing another shot. I wouldn’t have to go very far to get that perfect experience, and with all this talk around the Copper River Bag Co workshop, it’s giving me the motivation to get out there and spend more than just a 5 mile run in nature. And hey, if you ever have any questions or need help with all things camping, just let us know and we’ll be happy to help you out. We here at CRB can proudly consider ourselves experts in the camping realm now – even me. Each one of us has done our fair share of learning all about what camping is and everyone here loves it. Next time, perhaps I’ll write a blog on glamping. Now we’re talking more my syle.