Family camping, packing it right

Previously I wrote about some lessons learned and fun things to do while camping with the family (here). This time we are going to go over some tips on what to pack and how to pack. Sometimes how and what you pack or don't pack can make a great trip a less enjoyable one.

Personally, I have driven and camped with everything from a small '96 Mitsubishi Galant to a large '92 Dodge Caravan to my current '09 Subaru Forester. All of these vehicles allow for various amounts of stuff which heavily dictates where I am able to go. Most families I know generally have a mini-van or a SUV/crossover and this is where I will be making certain assumptions on what and how to pack.

What to bring (the essentials):

1. Food. Food is absolutely important. And making sure you have a cooler that is sufficient in keeping everything cold or frozen is essential. My family uses a Coleman cooler that is rated for 5 days. Take the rating with a grain of salt. But regardless, have a good cooler that fits your need.


2. Clothes. Dress for the weather. Summer tends to be pretty warm or down right hot in the day but come nightfall it can cool down pretty quickly, especially if you are in mountain country.


3. Sleeping bag and mattress. For mattress, we prefer air, they get the job done. It's relatively comfortable, compact to pack and provides sufficient insulation from the chill coming off the ground. As for sleeping bag, theWife and I prefer down. They pack small and provide lots of warmth. However, for the kids, we prefer to give them synthetics. That way, they are quick to dry in case there is an accident at night and also easily washable when we get home.


4. Tent. A shelter over your head is one of the most important things when camping. And having it appropriately weather-proof for your climate is an absolute. If you are in a dry and hot place, make sure it has sufficient air flow and circulation. If you are in a damp and humid place, make sure it has sufficient mesh for the moisture to exit and not create condensation within. And if you live in a wet and rainy climate like I do, get one that is going to keep you dry. Most of the time, you get what you pay for. And last thing, make sure it's big enough for your family to move and navigate and be comfortable in. Meaning, for my family of four, we have a six person tent.


5. Cooking things. This would include utensils to eat with, your plates and such. Bring what you need. Just make sure it isn't too easy to break. I generally prefer plastic or metal but that is a matter of preference. As for what to cook with, I highly recommend the Coleman combo unit. It has a BBQ to grill and also a stove to cook and boil your food. This saves you from needing to bring both a BBQ unit and a stove unit. Saving on space is always good. For fuel, I have done both the one-pound propane unit and also the regular 20lb propane tank. My preference is the 20lb. It's refillable, cheaper and you don't have to worry about running out.


6. Light. Gotta have light. For the kids, I give them the IKEA hand-crank unit, they are LED and sufficiently bright and battery-free. As for myself, I like to bring both a headlamp for the times you need hands-free lighting, a lamp to hang inside the tent and also a hand unit with a 100+ lumen rating to see with. I can't stress how important having a light is, especially if the kids need to make a trip for nature's call at night.


7. Power source. This is probably the most controversial one. I'm not saying power source in the sense to power your portable video gaming devices and media devices. I'm talking about a source of power to keep your cellphone running. Cellphone, especially smartphones, have come to replace our line of contact in case of emergency, it generally has a flashlight, and it's also a source of knowing where you are, AKA the GPS. I would say keeping that phone of yours powered is essential nowadays, not so you can play games or watch videos or listen to music but rather as a way to contact the world and get yourself out of a pickle when you are lost or in an emergency.

What to bring (the fun stuff):

1. Food! You can never have enough snacks and s'mores. Always bring more than you think you need. But try to keep it healthy too. Don't want the kids to start getting a bad habit with junk food.


2. Games. Board games and card games are a staple for camping. Bring what your family will like. Although, I would caution against anything with small pieces. Those buggers are hard to find when it gets dark.


3. Bikes. There is nothing like cruising through the woods and mountain on a bike. Or at least I can think of very little. The kids love it and they can spend all day on it.


4. Bring a soccer ball or football. Play a friendly match with your camping neighbors or just as a family. Nothing like sport and competition to bring the family together and to make some new friends.

Now comes the question of how do I get all my crap into the car. It is a common question many of us have. But I would say the answer is dependent on your car and what you are bringing aside from the essentials. It's very personal topic but I will try my best to give some pointers and tips on how I have done it. As a note, I am used to packing light due to my old backcountry backpacking days and from packing to hunt, which would be light, functional and minimalistic. Anyhow on to the tips and pointers.

How to pack it all:

1. The Primary: start with the big and heavy. The big and heavy forms the foundation of my packing. It stays on the bottom and near the back. I try to keep the weight as low to the bottom of the car as possible. In this case, for me, it would be the cooler with the bulk of the food, the tent and propane tank (if I opt for the large 20lb tank) and also anything that comes in a box.


2. The Secondary: These are things that are semi-stuffable and stuff that fit well around and between stuff. This would be the rest of my food and my duffle bag/packs for clothes along with the sleeping bag. The food will generally have their own small bags (I prefer the fabric type). However, a freebie tip here is that if you want snacks for the ride, stick them in the front with you, the kids will love you.


3. The Auxiliary: These are all the fun stuff or the non-essentials for camp. Place these wherever you have room in the car and trunk.

Tips on organization:

1. Place everything in bags or boxes. The last thing you want is to have things littered everywhere and you having no idea where it is. Also boxes and bags are easy to get in and out.


2. Be consistent. What I mean by this is to pack the same way you do all the time. Create a system for what you are doing and how you are doing it. A systems helps. It allows for you to focus on the trip and also on what you may be missing.

I hope this covers most of the fundamentals of camping and packing it right for the family. In essence, go have fun and spend some time together as a family outside. The take-away is to make a system that works for you with the things that you need to make it all fun.

What tips and systems do you and your family have? Would love to hear from you.