We had a rare but not unheard-of March blizzard last weekend. My husband used the time to prepare our camping gear for the coming season. Here’s a collection of stuff we actually use when we head out west.
Eating & Drinking
- At the campsite, we use an old-school Coleman stove for making dinner.
- In the backcountry and for morning coffee, we use my husband’s Jetboil. I know of people who have good things to say about this less-spendy version.
- Speaking of coffee: My husband is a bit of a coffee snob, but he isn’t willing to go through a complicated coffee prep routine when we camp. He’s perfected instant using this Starbucks blend. He makes French Vanilla General Foods International Coffee for me—using warm milk. (I know. I’m basically a child when it comes to coffee.)
Sleeping
- It gets cold in the mountains at night. A light hat for sleeping helps retain a little heat.
- Pillows take up a lot of space. Whether at a campsite or in the backcountry, these Inflatable memory foam pillows get the job done.
Miscellaneous
Camping cramps the cleanliness style. When I said as much to the gal washing her face with ice-cold water at our favorite Yellowstone campground, she said, “Yes, but we do our best.” Yes. We do.
- For the face: I’m still searching for a good solution for removing SPF and makeup with cold water and without dragging along everything but the bathroom sink is tough. This year,I plan to try these Olay melts.
- For all the stuff: When I started camping, I quickly learned that a hanging toiletry kit was close to a necessity. I’ve been using something similar to this one, but am scaling back to something more like this. Camping cramps the showering style. As a woman that I met at the sink in a cement bathroom said as I was lamenting the futility of washing my face with ice-cold water, “We do our best.”
happy camping and happy trails!
Natalie
Disclosure: I may receive a small commission from items purchased through these links.