Camping Packing List.
Everything you need in the outdoors — from shelter and sleeping to cooking and navigation. Works for car camping, campsite trips, and wild camping.
The difference between a great camping trip and a miserable one often comes down to three things: sleep quality, food, and weather readiness. This checklist is built around those priorities. It covers the gear you genuinely need, what you can improvise without, and the small things that most people forget until they're standing in a field at midnight.
Before you pack
Four tips that make the difference.
Test your tent before you leave home
There is no worse feeling than arriving at a campsite at 7pm and discovering a missing pole or a broken zip. Set your tent up in the garden before the trip. Every single time.
The weight-to-use ratio test
Before packing anything heavy, ask: will I use this more than once a day? If not, leave it. A folding camp chair that gets used 8 hours a day is worth its weight. A heavy cast iron pan is not.
Layer for evenings — they're always colder than you expect
Temperatures drop significantly after sunset, even in summer. Pack at least one more warm layer than you think you'll need. Merino wool is ideal — it insulates even when damp.
Waterproof everything that can't get wet
Dry bags are cheap and save trips. Sleeping bag, spare clothes, phone, and any food you don't want animals in should all be in waterproof bags or containers.
The essentials
What goes in the bag.
Tick items off as you pack. For a full list tailored to your trip length, climate and travel style, use the checklist tool.
Shelter & sleeping
Cooking & food
Water & hygiene
Light & navigation
First aid & health
Tools & extras
Want the complete list, with your own items, saved on your device and exportable to PDF or Notion?
Open the checklist tool →Coming soon to Etsy: a print-ready A4 PDF of this list, in English and German.
FAQ
Questions people ask.
What sleeping bag do I need for summer camping?
For summer camping in Europe, a 3-season sleeping bag rated to around 0°C is versatile enough for most conditions. A bag rated to +5°C or +10°C is fine for warm summer nights but will leave you cold if the temperature drops. Check the 'comfort rating' not just the 'limit rating' — they're different.
Can I camp with just a carry-on bag?
Ultralight camping is possible with a carry-on — a small tent, ultralight sleeping bag, and compact stove can fit in a 40L pack. But you'll pay a significant premium for ultralight gear, and you'll sacrifice comfort. Car camping is far more forgiving on gear size and weight.
Do I need a camping stove or can I use a campfire?
A small camp stove is worth bringing even if you plan to use campfires. Open fires are banned or restricted on many campsites and in dry weather conditions. A lightweight gas stove is affordable and a gas canister lasts several days of cooking.
Keep planning
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