Camping is a fun activity that anyone can enjoy, regardless of age, sex, and religion. Although heading to the beach or some exotic location is a great way to unwind, there’s nothing quite like spending time outdoors and close to Mother Nature. Of course, camping is only as fun as your experience, and poor planning can ruin an entire trip.
When it comes to packing for your camping adventure, there are some essential principles you should stick with, so you don’t overpack or, heaven forbid, under-pack.
You can either camp the traditional way, go the minimalist way, or even consider glamping – the glamorous way to do things. But whichever you choose, there are items that you can’t do without, and this includes the clothes you’ll be wearing.
It’s often hard to choose just what has to go and what should stay, so if you’re having trouble, check out this quick how-to guide, and you’ll be just fine.
Packing Clothes for Camping
Be Smart
You should really consider packing all your stuff in one bag, making use of packing organizers to keep everything neat and tidy. This way, you can pack your clothes, toiletries, and essential gear all into one bag; you should be able to carry your bag effortlessly, so pack light.
With that said, here’s a list of all the most essential clothing items you need to have in your bag. Of course, this will have some variants depending on when and where you’ll be camping, but in general, these items would be in any camping bag.
Something to Keep in Mind
It should be noted that a waterproof jacket should most definitely be on your list, even if you’re not heading out in, or expecting, rainy weather. Mother nature has a way of doing the unexpected, and it’s better to be prepared than risk getting sick because you got wet.
For men, the TACVASEN Fleece Tactical Waterproof Softshell Jacket is one of the greatest options on the market, and for ladies, the ADISPUTENT 2019 Women Waterproof Transition Jacket is an affordable but effective and fashionable choice.
These jackets will be great for keeping you warm and dry as well as offer protection against the wind – three of the things most important for a fun camping experience. It doesn’t matter where you’ll be camping, you’re sure to have cooler nights than days, and that is when jackets like these will be most welcome, even when you’re getting cozy at an open (but safe!) fire under the stars.
Clothing Items You Should Not Forget to Pack
- T-shirts
- Shorts
- Jeans/Pants
- Long-sleeved shirt
- Socks
- Underwear
- Bathing Suit
- Jacket or sweater (in addition to the waterproof jacket)
- Pajamas
- Hat
- Bandana
- Closed-toed shoes (sneakers or boots)
- Sandals or flip-flops
How to Pack Your Clothes
Now that you know what you have to pack, clothing-wise, let’s get into just how you’ll be packing your clothes. These may sound complicated and difficult when you read it out, but once you actually start following the steps, you’ll see that it’s pretty logical and straightforward and not at all as difficult as you may have thought it would be.
Fold and Roll
By folding and rolling the clothes you’re taking along with you, you will be able to save up on space big time.
Shirts
Lay the shirt on a table and turn the bottom about 15cm inside out, keeping it flat and straight. From there, take the left side and fold it towards the center of the shirt. Then fold the sleeve back into the folded area. Now, do the same with the other side and make sure it’s not wider than 15cm.
Then you can take the collar and start rolling the shirt as tightly as you can until completely rolled. You can use the inverted part of the bottom to secure the roll. Keep in mind that this method can cause a lot of wrinkles.
Socks
Put your pair of socks (stacked) on a flat surface and fold the top end of the sock on itself for about 5cm. Then roll up from the toes until you’ve got a tight bundle and use the top part of the bottom sock and wrap it around the rolled socks.
Underwear
Place your underwear on a flat surface and invert the waistband about 7-8cm. Fold both of the edges toward the middle, keeping them parallel. Then, roll the bottom part up to the top and use the inverted part to wrap it up neatly and compactly.
3-in-1
You can also save space if you wrap up a shirt, socks, and underwear together.
Place the shirt somewhere flat, lay the underwear down on the chest area, and stack two socks on top of the underwear.
Fold the bottom of your shirt by about 10cm and then fold the sides of the shirt toward the center and over the socks and underwear. Now roll the shirt from its collar down tightly and use the inside-out part to wrap it up.
Wrinkle-Free Shorts and Pants
Shorts and pants are way more difficult to roll than shirts. Try this instead: Hold the pants (or shorts) by the waistband and fold in on itself, keeping the back pockets against each other. Then lay the clothing down somewhere flat and bring the crotch toward the center and fold from the ankle in halves. You can also fold in thirds if you want to.
Clothing Folder
You would do well to use a clothing folder to store your clothes in a very flat way. This is a mesh folder that you open and store clothes in, and it’s better if you want your clothes to remain wrinkle-free.
To use a clothing folder, lay down, for example, a shirt on a flat area and put the folding board on the shirt, so it covers the collar. Then fold the sides and sleeves over the board. You should then fold the bottom of your shirt back over the board and pack away your shirt inside your clothing folder.
Tips on Packing Strategically
Make sure you have everything you want to pack and sort it all by weight. Lay them all into your bag on a flat surface and lay them, from left to right, from lightest to heaviest.
You can pack your rolled-up socks and underwear inside your shoes. Consider also packing your sleeping bags, accessories, spare shoes, and anything you won’t use as often at the bottom of your bag. If you’ve got all your light stuff at the bottom, they can be compressed to make better use of the space you’ve got.
If you’re not getting the hang of folding your clothes in these ways, try and try again. You’ll figure it out eventually and be better off for it. You can find videos on YouTube to help you if you do better with visual demonstrations.
Conclusion
Packing your clothes for camping really shouldn’t be as big a deal as it often turns out to be. If you pack wrong, you will end up using more space than you really should, and you could end up with a bulky bag – very uncomfortable to carry around. However, if you do it right, you’ll feel like a genius for having your stuff all sorted without using excess space.
By following the tips and advice you’ve been given here, you can get the packing over and done with and focus on how much fun you’ll be having on your camping trip.