Everyone who likes the outdoors, have had visions of going camping into the wild. The thrill of the feral and the ever elusive idea of going back to the ‘stone age’ is something that eludes everyone, at least the ones that are adventurous at heart. But hold the thought right there. Camping is not something you want to get into without adequate planning and some basic preparation. Going camping without the right camping gear is beyond the scope of your worst nightmare. Unless you are convinced about the idea of ‘living in the stone ages’, it is advisable to take certain simple articles of comfort and safety, which we the primates of the micro chip era, cannot live with out.

Food

Stone Age or Ice age, we need food. What you can afford to cook depends a lot on the kind of camping, and the gears you are equipped with. All of us want to start a fire, in the middle of the camp, and cook lentils and cereals in an earthen pot. It all sounds exciting, but be rest assured that you will be exhaling soot for sometime to come, and the outcome of cooking on fire is much different from that of cooking on propane. So be travel savvy and avail of grills, stoves, and Dutch ovens. However exciting the idea of ‘starting a fire’ might seem, it is always advisable to have a grill or a burner handy, just in case it is too windy, cold or damp to start the fire.

Sleeping bag and tent gear

These two are indispensable camping gear. First ascertain the terrain and the weather of your travel destination and then invest in a good and durable sleeping bag. With modern technology, sleeping bags are now available in all shapes, size and thickness. For leisure travels, an all weather sleeping bag with good water resistance is highly advisable. Also invest liberally on a tent, because even if a tent costs you a bomb to begin with, it is something which is going to decide your life expectancy on a camping trip.

Water

A natural source of water is much preferred as this means that you don’t have to carry the water on your back at all times. Forget the myth of spring water being ‘pure’. There are enough bacteria in it to run you down. So another smart camping gear is definitely a water sanitizer, which can save you a lot of trouble.

Lanterns and flash Lights

Darkness has a whole new meaning to it, when you are out there in the wilderness. Even in a ‘pitch dark room’ you have not experienced the kind of darkness that settles in after sunset, when you are out there in the wild. So a well powered, and strong flashlight, and preferably also a lantern, is very important, when you are planning your camping gear.

First Aid kit

There is no way on earth that you can be prepared for all the eventualities you may face, out there in the wild, but there is no harm in taking the basic precautions. Apart from your own medication, also include some first aid drugs and spend some time reading up basic safety measures manuals. There are also specialized first aid courses which you can enroll for, before a trip. The best thing to do is to take the advice of your physician, rather than picking up a typecast first aid box from the nearest drug store.