Looking to go on a multi-day hiking trip? Or just want to go camping? This article aims to guide you in your search for quality camping equipment.

The Backpack

Whether you are going out fully equipped for a multi-day hike or just need to carry some water and snacks, you will need a backpack to carry stuff. Our suggestion when buying a backpack, especially when buying a large pack over 40L is to go to a store to try it out. Everyone is built different, so finding the right fit for you is unfortunately difficult to do online. Any decent outdoor store will allow you to try these on and even put some weight in it.

Keeping this in mind, our recommendations for brands that will last you a long time are Osprey, Deuter, or Jansport if you are looking for a smaller, casual backpack. However, this does not mean that all other brands are bad. If the backpack does not fit you well, it doesn't matter how long it lasts.

Life Savers

From cutting your food to removing a splinter from your finger, you sometimes need a tool to save your day. For these types of tasks, a Victorinox Swiss Pocket Knife or a Leatherman multi-tool (or both) will come in very handy. Both are extremely versatile and will go a long way resolving challenges when camping.

If you want to cook food for yourself and no facilities are available, you might need a portable gas burner. Our brand of choice for this is Primus. There are two main reasons for this. First, the gas burners are high quality and last a long time (otherwise we would not endorse them). Second, while other quality gas burners exist we still prefer Primus for the simple reason that their gas canisters are widely available. This is especially important when travelling somewhere by plane where you cannot carry your gas on you.

While some gas burners come with a built-in igniter, you might need to bring a lighter with you. If this is the case, consider avoiding disposable lighters and going for a refillable Zippo which will last you forever. Finally, when cooking food you will also need a field cooking set. You don't need any specific brands, but look out for a set made out of titanium.

Some more things to consider bringing along are a Nitecore flashlight, a good rope and some duct tape. And finally, the most literal life saver is a first aid kit. Carrying some bandages, disinfectant, and an aspirin is a must.

Keep Your Feet Happy

If you're planning to walk a lot, don't forget to take care of your feet. Quality footwear can help you avoid a lot of problems. However, I personally have hiked multiple long days on relatively cheap shoes (under $100) before without issues, because the shoes were a good fit. Therefore, my advice is to go to a store and try different shoes. If you want high quality shoes, Danner, Salomon, Meindl, and Lowa all make good shoes for different use cases.

Together with shoes, the importance of good socks is not to be underestimated. If you simply want the longest lasting socks, Darn Tough socks and their lifetime warranty have you covered. If you have sensitive feet however and Darn Tough does not work for you, you might want to look a bit further for hiking socks. Good socks can help reduce friction of your shoes against your feet causing blisters. This is a bit more personal and might require you to test different brands before you find the one that works for you.

A final recommendation to keep your feet happy is to bring some comfortable footwear to enjoy your evenings. There is no better feeling than giving your feet some air after hiking all day. Any pair of slippers will do, but if you want to go BIFL and stylish we recommend a pair of Birkenstock's.

Sleep Tight

Don't expect a five star sleeping experience when camping, but the right gear can definitely make your night more comfortable. It all starts with the right tent. A first piece of advice when buying a tent is to remember that you should be mindful that a 2-person tent fits two people, but without gear. Therefore, we advise to always choose a tent that has room for an extra person if you need to store gear.

Multiple brands offer quality tents, but the top BIFL tent choice has to be Hilleberg. With your tent, you will also need a sleeping bag and a sleeping pad. A good starting point for these is Therm-a-Rest, but if you want to go down the rabbit hole, the blogging website Algonquin & Beyond has great in-depth reviews and comparisons.

Enjoy your trip and please take your trash with you!

And lastly, when you hear that scary noise from your tent, remember that bears usually avoid confrontation ;)

You might also like

How To Buy a BIFL Kitchen Knife?

Buying a kitchen knife is a personal matter. No knife will fit anyone. This article aims to provide some guidance and starting points when looking for a knife.

Written by dazf3865
July 24, 2024