There is nothing like The Great Outdoors. Whether you are an experienced camper or just an average Joe looking to reconnect with nature, a camping trip will make a unique experience each and every time. The rough terrain of the wilderness will push you to your limits, and the fresh air of the night beneath a starry sky will give you a profound understanding of how fragile and tiny we are. Regardless of whether you are going camping with your friends in a park nearby, or going on a hiking expedition to a remote location, preparation is the key to a safe and successful trip.

Basic Items

It needs to fit in your backpack! Military style backpacks are ideal for hiking and camping trips - they are spacious, waterproof, and the design of the straps makes it easier to carry more load more efficiently. Regardless of whether you are going camping for one day or for an extended period of time, there are some essentials one should definitely pack in his or her campers backpack.

• A portable tent – When you are out in the wild, you don’t want to spend your nights out in the cold, and an imperative is to set up your camp before dark, and in order to do that, you will need a tent that is lightweight, compact, so that it doesn’t take a lot of space, and easy to assemble. You wouldn’t want to set up a camp during the night since that can get quite unpleasant.
  
• A Sleeping bag – The tent will provide you with a shelter, but it’s the sleeping bag that will provide you with isolation and warmth.
  
• Water – Water is essential, that is a wide known fact. Going on a long hike will take a toll on you. Even if you are in a great condition, as you exert yourself, you will sweat, and because of that, hydration is essential to camping, and it can often mean the difference between a successful trip and a failed one, and even between life and death sometimes.
  
• High calorie food – Unless you are driving to your camping site, long hikes uphill on a rough terrain consume a lot of energy. It’s necessary to have snacks along the way to replenish that energy. High calorie protein bars would be the best choice. They don’t take a lot of space and will provide you with enough fuel to help you reach your destination. Also, remember to pack some food to cook when you reach your destination and set up a camp.
  
• Fire – Your priority once you set up camp. It will provide you with warmth and a place to cook food. It takes time to gather up firewood, and it’s a priority to get it going as soon as possible. Even if you carry a lighter, make sure you also carry a Fire Strike (Flint and Steel) with you. Fire will also keep potential predators away from your camp.
  
• A Knife – General tool for survival, comes in handy when you need to split wood.
  
• A multi-tool – A swiss army knife is always a good choice. Provides a variety of tools.
  
• Flashlight – You may come in a situation where you will need a strong source of light. Prepare a good flashlight, and make sure you pack some spare batteries.
  
• First-aid kit – Better safe than sorry, after all, you are going to be far away from home, and the nearest hospital can be miles away, and if things go south, you need to have some means for treating the wounds. ​
  

​

Physical Condition

Hiking to extreme and nearly inaccessible locations requires a lot of preparation, both mental and physical strength. Start jogging moderate distances until you get a feel for your own tempo and breathing rhythm. Slowly increase the distance and the speed at which you run. Doing this will help build up your physical condition and confidence, but it will also help you learn how to manage your oxygen input, something that is necessary when hiking at higher altitudes where the air is thin and oxygen scarce.