I will be honest with you. My first camping trip was a bit of a disaster. I forgot a pillow, the tent took 45 minutes to set up in the dark, and I was convinced something was walking around outside at 2 am. It was a kangaroo rummaging through our camp.
But here is the thing. I was back out there the following weekend.
There is something about being outside, away from everything, that gets under your skin fast. And looking back, all the stuff that went wrong on that first trip is exactly what I would tell a friend about over a beer. So if you are about to head out for the first time, here is everything I wish someone had told me.
Before You Go
Do your homework on the campsite before you book. I did not, and I showed up expecting a toilet block and got a hole in the ground. Know what you are walking into.
Check your gear the night before, not the morning of. I found out my sleeping mat had a slow leak about ten minutes after arriving. It was the first day I propped up my swag, and I didn't know I had to soak-test it before using it. So that was a rough lesson to learn, as it rained during my first camping experience.
Tell someone where you are going and when you will be back. I know it feels unnecessary, but just do it. It takes thirty seconds, and it matters.
Pack for colder than the forecast says. On my first night, I was absolutely freezing by midnight because I trusted the weather app a little too much. Nights outside are a different beast. There's no heat source aside from your campfire and your outfit. Also, remember to pack hand and body warmers if you're camping in winter. That helps a lot.
What to Actually Bring
I spent way too much on a tent and not enough on a sleeping bag. Do not make that mistake. The sleeping bag is what stands between you and a terrible night's sleep. A terrible night's sleep will have you packing up by morning. Also, get inflatable bedding if you can. Trust me, you'll need it.
Layers. More than you think. I brought one jumper and wore it inside my sleeping bag like a sad burrito. A packable down jacket is the single best thing I have added to my kit since that first trip.
Get a headlamp, not a torch. You need your hands free more than you realize when you are fumbling around in the dark trying to find the coffee.
Throw a basic first aid kit in the bag. You probably will not need it. But the one time you do, you will be very glad it is there.
When You Get There
Arrive while it is still light. I cannot stress this enough. Setting up a tent for the first time in the dark, slightly stressed, with someone shining a phone torch in your face, is its own special kind of chaos.
Find flat ground for your tent and check it properly. I woke up on my first night, slowly sliding toward the wall of my tent like a slow-motion avalanche. It is not comfortable.
Store your food properly and away from where you sleep. I left a bag of chips on the picnic table. Something got into it overnight, and I never found out what. Keep things sealed and packed away.
Know how to build a fire before you arrive. I sat in front of a pile of sticks for twenty minutes, looking like I had never seen wood before. Watch a five minute video at home, it makes a difference.
The Stuff Nobody Tells You
Something will go wrong. On every trip, not just the first one. The tent peg that snaps, the rain that comes from nowhere, the guy in the next site who decides midnight is a great time to play guitar. It is all part of it.
Put your phone away for real. Not face down on the table, actually away. The first hour feels a bit uncomfortable. After that, it feels like the best decision you made all week.
Do not try to fill every hour with an activity. Some of the best moments I have had camping were just sitting with a coffee, watching the light change. You do not need a plan for every minute.
Give it two nights if you can. The first night I was tired, a bit anxious, and convinced I hated it. The second morning, I woke up before my alarm, made a fire, and sat in total silence for an hour. That was the moment I understood what all the fuss was about.
If you are waiting until you have all the right gear, the perfect weather, or enough experience, you will be waiting a long time. Just go. Pack the basics, pick a campsite, and figure the rest out when you get there. You will come home a different person, even if it is just for a weekend.
