Beginner gear

[Smeagns1100]

As a beginner what gear do u guys bring out on trips. Not planning on going balls to the wall just trying to find some nice fishing holes.

 

[loper]

Kind of depends on how long you want to stay out. In my old Ramcharger I took out the back seat, so I could sleep back there. Foam pad and a sleeping bag and I was set.
For a weekend, I just took a cooler for drinks and food. Ice would last a couple days.
Bought an "action packer" plastic box to keep the Coleman stove, a couple gas bottles, couple pans, and cooking odds and ends in.
Usually took a five gallon water can.
Axe and shovel for fire stuff.

That should get you by for a long weekend. Stay out longer and ice can be a concern, you need more water, you start wanting more clothes and clean up stuff, or maybe there is something I'm not thinking of that really matters to you.

You might want to add a first aid bag, fire extinguisher, recovery gear, spares and tools, commo, navigation, it depends on what you need (or want).

Now days I've made things a little more complicated, but it doesn't have to be. It does need to be fun and safe.

 

[Coreymol]

Depends
Food Shelter and a way to stay warm and dry (ish) other than that something to relax with. fishing or reading
good shoes.

 

[Ubiety]

Below is a brain dump from a private message between a new OB member, who is new to camping, and myself.

- Chairs. I like the FrontRunner and side table chairs. They are more comfortable than the type in the picture that I will attach and the side table provides a lot of utility. You have a Gladiator so you can splurge on size a bit. We also have a couple ultra compact chairs.
- Camping. The Gazelle tents are awesome, used to be affordable (cheap) not sure if that is the case any longer. I can set our T4 up in under a minute and tear down is just about as quick. When camping ease matters. How tall are you? That makes a difference looking at tents.
- Bed. Do you like a hard or plush/soft bed? On the thin/harder side ThermaRest. Air mattress on the softer side. I used to use a cot with ~3 inches of foam and a sleeping bag and sleep outside. Now that I camp with my family/wife we usually use a tent and a big fat air mattress.
- Sleeping bag. I don't care for mummy style bags as they are somewhat constricting. I like a big rectangle bag.
- Lights. A couple good rechargeable LED flashlights (I have two of these charged and in the truck at all times, they are great), an LED lantern and string lights are what we use.
- First aid, we carry a couple lightweight kits for small injuries and a trauma kit for larger injuries. We have been very lucky and not had to use them.
- Stove. We use a dual fuel (propane or butane) single burner stove. Pretty small and effective. A wind shield is a great addition.
- Coffee/tea. You will want a set of pots/pans for cooking and boiling water, we use a french press for coffee and Hydroflask cups to keep things warm/cold. We also use Hydroflask plates.
- Bathroom. Where are you going to poop? In a hole or something more civilized? I like having a nice toilet and we use this setup. This is a great option too.
- Shovel for campfire management, digging bathroom hole, etc. Required in some of the wilder places
- Saw and/or axe. For cutting firewood or fallen trees out of the track.
- Water jugs. Good idea to carry water for drinking, washing up, etc.
- Cooler/fridge. A cooler is a simpler and less expensive way to start. Keep your food cold and unspoiled.
- Rug. A piece of rug is great to lay out by the cot or in front of the tent door. Gives you a nice clean spot to change shoes, etc.
- SatCom device. To contact other when out of cell phone range / emergencies. I have a homebrew setup but I am a geek. Recommend something like the Garmin InReach.

All of these are opinions and there are tradeoffs for anything. Unless you have money to burn I feel that it is best to start on the cheaper side and iterate until you find something that you like. The more comfortable something is the larger it will be packed in the truck (typically). The best way to know what to get is to camp with others and see what they have and like and then get your own copy if you agree. Also, where will you keep all of your gear when not using it? Do you have a storage space?

Check out the Overland Bound store, camp proven stuff.
Gazelle T3 and T4 tents. I am 6 foot 2 and can stand upright in our T4. If you are shorter the T3 is a great choice. We sleep 3 very comfortably in the T4. Very well made; high quality.
These string lights are rechargeable, last a long time and cast a nice light over a wide area. We have two sets of these and love them.

I do not care for folding chairs like this, not as comfortable. But I am opinionated ;)

I like this style of sleeping bag. Flannel is warm and cozy.

Ok, that is probably enough for now. Feel free to ask questions. You don't need all of this stuff to start with, food for thought. As I said I like to go for longer journeys to wilder places so I tend to carry a lot of stuff to be prepared.

I forgot an important thing for going out with others. A radio so that you can communicate. Most folks in this area use GMRS radios. We can chat about this later.

 

[Coreymol]

Below is a brain dump from a private message between a new OB member, who is new to camping, and myself.

- Chairs. I like the FrontRunner and side table chairs. They are more comfortable than the type in the picture that I will attach and the side table provides a lot of utility. You have a Gladiator so you can splurge on size a bit. We also have a couple ultra compact chairs.
- Camping. The Gazelle tents are awesome, used to be affordable (cheap) not sure if that is the case any longer. I can set our T4 up in under a minute and tear down is just about as quick. When camping ease matters. How tall are you? That makes a difference looking at tents.
- Bed. Do you like a hard or plush/soft bed? On the thin/harder side ThermaRest. Air mattress on the softer side. I used to use a cot with ~3 inches of foam and a sleeping bag and sleep outside. Now that I camp with my family/wife we usually use a tent and a big fat air mattress.
- Sleeping bag. I don't care for mummy style bags as they are somewhat constricting. I like a big rectangle bag.
- Lights. A couple good rechargeable LED flashlights (I have two of these charged and in the truck at all times, they are great), an LED lantern and string lights are what we use.
- First aid, we carry a couple lightweight kits for small injuries and a trauma kit for larger injuries. We have been very lucky and not had to use them.
- Stove. We use a dual fuel (propane or butane) single burner stove. Pretty small and effective. A wind shield is a great addition.
- Coffee/tea. You will want a set of pots/pans for cooking and boiling water, we use a french press for coffee and Hydroflask cups to keep things warm/cold. We also use Hydroflask plates.
- Bathroom. Where are you going to poop? In a hole or something more civilized? I like having a nice toilet and we use this setup. This is a great option too.
- Shovel for campfire management, digging bathroom hole, etc. Required in some of the wilder places
- Saw and/or axe. For cutting firewood or fallen trees out of the track.
- Water jugs. Good idea to carry water for drinking, washing up, etc.
- Cooler/fridge. A cooler is a simpler and less expensive way to start. Keep your food cold and unspoiled.
- Rug. A piece of rug is great to lay out by the cot or in front of the tent door. Gives you a nice clean spot to change shoes, etc.
- SatCom device. To contact other when out of cell phone range / emergencies. I have a homebrew setup but I am a geek. Recommend something like the Garmin InReach.

All of these are opinions and there are tradeoffs for anything. Unless you have money to burn I feel that it is best to start on the cheaper side and iterate until you find something that you like. The more comfortable something is the larger it will be packed in the truck (typically). The best way to know what to get is to camp with others and see what they have and like and then get your own copy if you agree. Also, where will you keep all of your gear when not using it? Do you have a storage space?

Check out the Overland Bound store, camp proven stuff.
Gazelle T3 and T4 tents. I am 6 foot 2 and can stand upright in our T4. If you are shorter the T3 is a great choice. We sleep 3 very comfortably in the T4. Very well made; high quality.
These string lights are rechargeable, last a long time and cast a nice light over a wide area. We have two sets of these and love them.

I do not care for folding chairs like this, not as comfortable. But I am opinionated ;)

I like this style of sleeping bag. Flannel is warm and cozy.

Ok, that is probably enough for now. Feel free to ask questions. You don't need all of this stuff to start with, food for thought. As I said I like to go for longer journeys to wilder places so I tend to carry a lot of stuff to be prepared.

I forgot an important thing for going out with others. A radio so that you can communicate. Most folks in this area use GMRS radios. We can chat about this later.

Wow! This is a great list. Wish I wasn’t half asleep when I posted mine. Haha. Another option one may consider is a backpacking quilt. We’ve been using the, for a few years now and I love mine. So much I’d use it at home. The wife says no to that though. Hahaha. But they are wam. And comfy. Plus easy to move around and even use while sitting on a chair drinking that coffee or star gazing.

Before I got married I was a super minimalist camper a small fold up chair from REI a cooler of food. A hammock or my RTT depending on where and when I was camping stuff to cook with. Water. Fire wood. And a book. Out the door any time in about 5 minutes. Maybe 10.
The wife is new to this life so we are learning things. Our first trip she took everything. Second trip we paired down some. And so on. We are getting it down Im going from a Tacoma to a 4Runner so my goal is everything in two bins MAX plus a cooler for food. We will get there. Hahaha.

Solid advice. Thanks for sharing

 

[Ubiety]

@Coreymol - taking the family along changes EVERYTHING! Hahahaha. I cannot claim to have ever been a minimalist, more of a Boy Scout (be prepared). I slept outside on a cot for many years but now it’s a tent with an REI air mattress that has sheets and a quilt. Kind of nice crawling into a more conventional bed at night next to my sweety. Got a big batwing awning this winter and look forward to cotting it again under the awning on solo trips.

 

[Coreymol]

@Coreymol - taking the family along changes EVERYTHING! Hahahaha. I cannot claim to have ever been a minimalist, more of a Boy Scout (be prepared). I slept outside on a cot for many years but now it’s a tent with an REI air mattress that has sheets and a quilt. Kind of nice crawling into a more conventional bed at night next to my sweety. Got a big batwing awning this winter and look forward to cotting it again under the awning on solo trips.

Yes it certainly does change everything hahaha. Nice set up for sure. The quilts and a mattress definitely make it more home like

 

[MMc]

This list is what I use for most of my trips. I can use this list for weeks with tons of comfort. This is MY LIST your will be different. I don't think you'll need surfboards or wetsuits. This list has bee used for years, It's been used in little truck and full-sized, 2 and 4 wheel drive. As my trucks got bigger so did the size of my stuff. Years ago I had a 24x24" table that bolted to a milk create, we lived in low beach chairs, now I'll take a cooking table, a eating table and maybe a extra camp table depending on who goes, full height chairs.
I don't get all the specialized overlanding stuff, My family has been car camping and back backing for 3 generations and I would rather spend my money on trip over some stuff strapped to my rig. You do you. Get out and discover. Everything is a trade off, If I use a tent it's a low tent 4 man back backing tent. Goes up and down in 15 mins packs in a 7X24 bag weighs 9 lbs. Gazelle are the tent de jour, just not for me. Shop Craigs List, Facebook and equipment discounters for gear.

 

[Ubiety]

This list is what I use for most of my trips. I can use this list for weeks with tons of comfort. This is MY LIST your will be different. I don't think you'll need surfboards or wetsuits. This list has bee used for years, It's been used in little truck and full-sized, 2 and 4 wheel drive. As my trucks got bigger so did the size of my stuff. Years ago I had a 24x24" table that bolted to a milk create, we lived in low beach chairs, now I'll take a cooking table, a eating table and maybe a extra camp table depending on who goes, full height chairs.
I don't get all the specialized overlanding stuff, My family has been car camping and back backing for 3 generations and I would rather spend my money on trip over some stuff strapped to my rig. You do you. Get out and discover. Everything is a trade off, If I use a tent it's a low tent 4 man back backing tent. Goes up and down in 15 mins packs in a 7X24 bag weighs 9 lbs. Gazelle are the tent de jour, just not for me. Shop Craigs List, Facebook and equipment discounters for gear.

List for the win! Have one that I have recycled for years.

 

[Polaris Overland]

Before getting hung up on what gear should you have consider what do you need. As kids we camped throughout Scotland with a sheet as a tent, a blanket instead of a sleeping back and a satchel to carry it in.
We all move on from those uncomfortable days but the bottom line is use what you already have and slowly improve on that. Learn what performs, what needs replacing and what works for you but most importantly don't get hung up on kit or equipment.
Too often we hear of people who cant go out because the don't have 4x4, or they don't have a roof tent.

Start with the basics:
Shelter - get a tent that fits your needs and requirements
Food - a basic gas stove and ready made meal will do.
Warmth - Sleeping bag and warm clothes if needed.

Then throw it all in the back of whatever vehicle you have and head out.
You will soon learn what your own personal needs and requirements are and you can start customizing your gear.

 

[FrankenWagon]

Plenty of great lists already.

Here's mine,

Tent
Coffee
Water/ water filter
Cooler w/ ice and food
Coffee
Camp or back packing stove
Head lamp/ flash lights
Sleeping bag or bedroom
Navigation (GPS AND map& compass)
Handheld HAMM radio (gets NOAA weather stations and fm)
Chairs
And coffee

 

[Ubiety]

Plenty of great lists already.

Here's mine,

Tent
Coffee
Water/ water filter
Cooler w/ ice and food
Coffee
Camp or back packing stove
Head lamp/ flash lights
Sleeping bag or bedroom
Navigation (GPS AND map& compass)
Handheld HAMM radio (gets NOAA weather stations and fm)
Chairs
And coffee

I think you missed coffee, it’s a great way to start your day ;)

 

[MidOH]

Ohio weather is hardcore. Plan for getting wet and windy. How much of that can you handle? Tent's and RTT's are great for ''camping'' when the months you're camping are selected for good weather.

I want a hard side camper with AC to sleep in, in the Midwest and NE. If my goal is overlanding and travel.

 

[MOAK]

Yikes, times they have a changed. I started out with, 66 VW, army surplus sleeping bag, one of those old perforated foam sleeping pads, a Coleman stove, couple jugs of water, a grocery bag of dry food and a small Coleman ice chest, one of those green steel ones with the hasp lock. a really good pair of hiking boots. ( think redwing) . One or two changes of clothing, last but not least, a pair of coveralls. In adverse weather the passenger seat would fold almost flat, otherwise I slept outside under the stars. That’s all you really need. Over the course of my 68 years on this planet, I’ve accumulated a fair share of things that I want.

 

[grubworm]

good shoes.

yep!
long story short...wife and i did a trip to north georgia and had our camp trailer and all our fancy gear and everything. did a long hike in a pair of boots i wore around the house, but never hiked in. got a few miles into the hike and had a blister so big i had to remove the boot and limp along the trail back to the truck. it was our anniversary, so i sucked it up, but it was funny how i've spent tens of thousands of dollars on camp gear and a relatively cheap item like footwear made such a huge impact on the trip.

go cheap on beer and presents for the in-laws...NOT your footwear

 

[MOAK]

Ohio weather hard core? Well ya, compared to Southern California. You musta said that tongue in cheek eh?

 

[Coreymol]

good shoes.

yep!
long story short...wife and i did a trip to north georgia and had our camp trailer and all our fancy gear and everything. did a long hike in a pair of boots i wore around the house, but never hiked in. got a few miles into the hike and had a blister so big i had to remove the boot and limp along the trail back to the truck. it was our anniversary, so i sucked it up, but it was funny how i've spent tens of thousands of dollars on camp gear and a relatively cheap item like footwear made such a huge impact on the trip.

go cheap on beer and presents for the in-laws...NOT your footwear

Hahaha. Yep. Feet are under rated and often times over looked.
I learned that in the army long ago and those boots were pretty horrible compared to what we can buy and wear as civilians. So. I definitely splurge on my hiking and even casual wear shoes. My feet still bear scars from long marches with 100lbs on my back

 

[MidOH]

Ohio weather hard core? Well ya, compared to Southern California. You musta said that tongue in cheek eh?

Not at all. I've chased hurricanes (easy breezy) in Florida, and watched tornados (more fun) in Kansas. Ohio has the nastiest thunderstorms I've ever camped in.

When I was a kid, I got to climb trees at the camp ground to steal LP tanks from totaled campers, that were up in those trees. Technically, this might have been PA. Right on the border.

Michigan, Ohio, all the way to New Hampshire is wet, moldy, cold, rainy weather, at any moment. Tent camping in such, might get old after a while. I can rough it out no problem. You can forget about my girlfriend though. She'll be asking for a hotel after just one stormy day.

 

[MOAK]

Not at all. I've chased hurricanes (easy breezy) in Florida, and watched tornados (more fun) in Kansas. Ohio has the nastiest thunderstorms I've ever camped in.

When I was a kid, I got to climb trees at the camp ground to steal LP tanks from totaled campers, that were up in those trees. Technically, this might have been PA. Right on the border.

Michigan, Ohio, all the way to New Hampshire is wet, moldy, cold, rainy weather, at any moment. Tent camping in such, might get old after a while. I can rough it out no problem. You can forget about my girlfriend though. She'll be asking for a hotel after just one stormy day.

Ok then, I was raised in the snowbelt of Northeast Ohio, and ya, winters cold be cold long & harsh if and when the lake would freeze over. Usually though pretty mild winters and a couple of weeks of too hot weather in the summer. I can’t speak for the Hilliard area, although tornadoes were more prevalent out in central western Ohio. Having lived out west, and now Pa, and having traveled up to Halifax year round my perspective of Harsh has been modified. Peace out !

 

[Smeagns1100]

Thank you all for the amazing list and inputs. Sadly my wife shot down my lonesome fishing trips and we are headed out as a family…. (My 2 kids 8 , and 2, herself, and me) so the family changes everything Input is much appreciated. Thanks again guys and keep on rocking and rolling.