Knowing where to start is the first step toward becoming a camper or an RVer. Of course, the very first choice is whether you want to try camping in some form at all. Then you'll need to decide whether to begin tent camping or look for an RV right away. No one can tell you which way to go. That decision depends on your personal preferences and your current circumstances. Budget is often a significant factor for newcomers. With that in mind, tent camping is usually the least expensive way to start. And much of the equipment you acquire for tent camping can be used later on if/when you graduate to some kind of RV. However, any physical or medical constraints might limit your tent camping options. Some ailments do not respond well to setting up tents and sleeping on the ground. With careful shopping for a used RV can get you a real bargain. Truck campers, camping trailers, and tent trailers can often be obtained for a few hundred dollars to get you started. RVs of all kinds are available as rentals so you should be able to easily find one to try out for a weekend or two before spending money on your own unit. Car camping is a good way to get started. If you have a pickup or SUV you can probably get a tent that fits your vehicle -- or just sleep in the back of your truck or SUV. If you think you might like RVing, consider renting or borrowing an RV of the type you are interesting in and trying it out before you dump a pile of money into an RV of your own. You can rent just about any type of RV, from tent trailers to luxury motorhomes. Try out a few options to help you decide which is right for you. Observe other campers each time you go out and see what they're using and what works for them. If you find yourself envying what someone else is using, rent a similar rig for your next outing and see if its as much fun as it seems to be. Sometimes you'll discover hidden support or maintenance tasks that out weigh the apparent benefits of expensive equipment. Setting up and taking down that really roomy tent someone is using may be more trouble than its worth.
Camping basics. Keep in mind pioneers, mountain men, and cowboys got by with far less than we often consider the bare minimum for today's camping adventures. A cowboy carried everything he needed in his bedroll and saddlebags. You might consider that as a starting point, but for convenience and for health and food safety, there are some other things you might put on your initial equipment list. Here is what I would suggest as fundamental equipment for today's campers:
Tent or other shelter (RV?)
Sleeping bags, bedroll,or RV bedding
Ice chest or RV refrigerator
Camp stove or portable BBQ
Lantern/flashlight
First aid kit
Knife
Axe or hatchet
Matches/lighter
To this you will probably want to add some cleaning supplies for washing you and your dishes and some toilet paper. Paper towels are another fundamental asset. Later on you may want to add camp chairs and other conveniences, like an umbrella or dining fly for shade. Much of what you will find desirable will become obvious as you get some outings under your belt -- and see what makes things nicer for other campers.
The size and style of tent will depend on how many people you need to shelter and what kind of activities you will be engaged in. A one-man backpacking tent is good for hiking and backpacking but you'll need a much larger family tent if there will be more than just one of you. Truck and SUV tents that attach to your vehicle are often very stable and very convenient for family outings.
Sleeping bags or bedrolls are essential items for tent camping. Proper linens and bedding or sleeping bags are needed for your RV beds. After all, we spend at least 1/3 of our lives sleeping and a comfortable bed is essential to getting adequate rest to sustain us in our daytime activities. Sleeping bags are more convenient and usually warmer than carrying a bunch of blankets, but a cowboy style bedroll will do the job. You'll need a tarp at least 3' longer than you are tall and about 9' wide. Lay out your blankets so they cover the middle 1/3 of the tarp. Fold each side over to provide a waterproof top 2 layers thick. A little of the extra length should be tucked under the foot of the bedroll. The rest can be set up as a little canopy over your head. With a cowboy bedroll, you don't need a tent for sleeping, but it is nice to have one for dressing and other activities. If you have an adequate tent, just wrapping yourself up in quilts and blankets may be sufficient but eventually you'll want to get sleeping bags for added comfort and convenience.
Ice chests are needed if you carry any perishable foods. The refrigerator in an RV is even better. If you're backpacking and relying on dehydrated foods, you can skip the ice chest. But for car camping, a good ice chest is needed for things like eggs, milk, meat, cheese, etc. They can also be used to keep drinks cold to enhance their appeal on hot summer days. An ice chest or refrigerator may be crucial if anyone in your group takes medication that has to be refrigerated. You might need an ice chest even if you have an RV with a refrigerator. It is a good place to store cold drinks and avoid having to open the refrigerator too often. 12-volt powered coolers give tent campers even more options.
Camp stove or portable BBQ gives you more convenience in cooking your meals but unless you run into fire restrictions you can get by cooking on a campfire. Of course, if you have an RV, it will probably have a propane range, but you may still want a camp stove and/or BBQ for cooking outside. Cooking directly on your campfire is always an option, but you have more control over temperatures and cooking time with a stove. Camp stoves basically come in two forms: gasoline and propane. The gasoline models usually use white gas or Coleman camping fuel. Using ordinary gas in a regular camp stove will destroy the generator that vaporizes the fuel. There are dual-fuel models that will run on ordinary gasoline. They are usually more expensive than the white gas models but the convenience and lower cost of using ordinary gasoline may make them worth the extra bucks. Gasoline powered stoves have to be pumped up to create pressure to deliver the fuel to the burners. Propane models are functionally the same but use bottled propane instead of gasoline so there isn't the spill hazard you have with liquid fuel. Because the propane cylinders are already pressurized, propane models don't have to be pumped. There are also some small camp stoves powered by butane cylinders.
Lanterns or flashlights are necessary to see what you're doing after dark. The long-time camping standard is the Coleman gas lantern. Like camp stoves, they come in both gasoline and propane versions with the same advantages and disadvantages as their matching stove counterparts. There are also many battery powered lanterns to choose from. For longest bulb and battery life, choose one with LED bulbs. Ordinary incandescent bulbs use a lot of battery power and burn hot. You can probably get by with an ordinary flashlight but lanterns are more convenient for wide-area illumination for games, after dark maintenance tasks, and preparing, serving, and eating meals. Flashlights can be purchased cheaply. Ordinary incandescent flashlights can be found at "dollar" stores. They aren't very heavy duty but I like to have several on hand for convenience and to lend to the grandkids or other folks who might not give proper respect and care to my good Maglites. My teenage son once "borrowed" a brand new Maglite to explore some caves and it came back looking like it had been in a rock tumbler for about an hour. Sure is cheaper to replace dollar store flashlights than $30 aircraft aluminum models.
First aid kits are fundamental for most camping trips. By its very nature, camping puts you in unfamiliar circumstances where you or your companions may be injured. Tailor your first aid kit to the type of activities you will be involved in. Always carry basic items like Bandaids and antiseptics. I also recommend stocking common OTC pain relievers and other medications that will aid your comfort away from home such as antacids, and anti-diahreal medications. Also make sure your first aid training is up to date. The most complete first aid kit will be of little value if you don't know what to do with it. After bite remedies will greatly reduce the discomfort of insect bites and reduce the chance of infection. The main ingredient in these is ammonia. Ordinary household ammonia can be applied to insect bites to stop the sting and itch. You can pick up pocket sized first aid kits for a dollar or two. A good family-sized kit will probably run you about $25 or so. I often stock up on pocket sized kits when I find them at my local dollars store. Then I have them for the kids and grandkids or for guests to put in their fanny packs or pockets at each outing -- and to replace the ones that get used up or inevitably and inexplicably disappear. Often is is cheaper to replace a pocket fist aid kit than it is to restock it after its been used.
You can get started camping using things you already have or can acquire cheaply. If you don't have a tent, pick up a cheap tarp and some rope or heavy twine and create your own minimal shelter. Some warm blankets, a few kitchen items, and a flashlight will be enough for a trial run to see if you like camping at all. You can observe fellow campers to help you decide what other items you might like to have to enhance or make your experience more comfortable and convenient. Y ou might try things our in your own backyard before adventuring into the wild.
Our first "RV" was an old Chevy Suburban. It had no commercial conversion. This was way before Suburbans were even classified as SUVs. Mine was maintenance truck for a local school district in its first life. When I bought it, it was completely empty in the back -- all it had was the front seat. A little creative sewing and some simple curtain rods provided curtains for the all-around windows, giving some privacy and temperature control. Bed was just a couple of air mattresses and sleeping bags. The galley was a Coleman gasoline stove and a plastic dish pan and a 3-gallon water jug. Food was stored in plastic ice chest. It certainly wasn't fancy, but it beat the heck out of having to wrestle setting up a tent after dark or in the wind! And it didn't leak when it rained or flap in the wind. Today's vans offer an even greater potential for home-made campers. Even without a raised roof you can at least stand up enough to get dressed inside. A van or an SUV makes a good vehicle for "car camping" -- tent camping out of your car. Vans and SUVs have enough room to transport large tents and other camping equipment to ensure a comfortable outing. They also provide a safe place to store your food and equipment and a haven from severe weather. A pickup truck with just a shell on it works well too. For a while I had one with a "carpet kit" for my pickup shell that included a wall-to-wall 4" foam pad that made it a very comfortable place to sleep. When folded up it made a sofa all the way across the bed against the cab. And the fiberglass shell and waterproof seals between it and the truck ensured a weather safe environment inside.
You don't have to spend a lot of money to start camping. Even if you decide you want some kind of RV, careful shopping can find some real bargains. I bought an 11 1/2' self contained camper for $100! It was 40 some years old but in good condition and everything worked. Sometimes you can even find units offered for free. They'll probably need more than a little TLC, but a little work might turn a freebie into a real find. Older tent trailers and small camping trailers can also be found for a few hundred bucks or so if you shop around. Don't settle for some smelly, rotted out piece of junk with non-working or missing appliances. There are enough choices out there for you to land a clean, ready-to-go unit, especially in today's economy when people are getting rid of their "toys". Of course, if you have the skills, patience, resources, and desire you may be able to snag a really good deal on a damaged or abused unit. Just be sure you are aware of all the damage and are comfortable with what it will take (time, resources, skills, and/or money) to make the necessary repairs. Cosmetic damage may be ugly, but as long as it doesn't affect safety or structural integrity, you can live with it for a while. Major structural damage could be time consuming and expensive to repair, so make sure you know what you're getting in to. Really bad odors in an RV usually indicate poor maintenance, bad plumbing, and possibly dry rot from water damage. Besides that, they're not pleasant to be in. I stay away from bad smelling units. Another sign of water damage is discolored or soft spots in the floor, walls, or ceiling. The walls of tent trailers can be expensive to replace if they are badly damaged or worn out. If you have upholstery or sewing skills you might be able to purchase replacement material and rebuild them yourself, but it is usually not a feasible task for most of us. Sewing the canvas usually requires a heavier duty sewing machine than most people have. You may be able to buy ready made replacement canvas for some tent trailers so that might be something to look into if you find one you like that needs canvas. Installation of pre-sewn replacement fabric should be within the capabilities of the average do-it-yourselfer.
If you aren't sure you want to be a camper, try renting or borrowing equipment so you can check it out and get an experienced friend or neighbor to guide you on your maiden voyage. No sense investing a bunch of money in things you won't use. Most of us have family members, friends, or neighbors who are campers. You may be able to tag along with them on a weekend or two, or at least get some good tips in addition to borrowing some equipment to get you started.
One last important suggestion: find someone with experience in the type of camping you want to do to show you the ropes and help you out until you get comfortable with doing it on your own. Not only will you learn a lot of significant lessons, it will be fun!
Go for it!
Information on recreational vehicles (RVs) and Off Highway Vehicles (OHVs), Camping, Sailing, and Survival
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