My Camping List: Wild camping and campsite stays

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Are you planning a camping trip, but you don´t know what to pack?

Below is a list of camping gear that I have been taking with me over the last year.

This list applies to the Costa Blanca, and it therefore relevant to the seasonal weather in southern Spain.

It is mainly focused on lightweight wild camping. However, in summer, I sometimes stay at an official campsite (due to the heat making hiking difficult, and the risk of forest fires), so it includes additional items that I take there too.

The gear taken on these wild camping trips is for single-night camps, with a return to the car in between. Although I have included some extra items that I would take on longer trips.

When I pack my camping gear, I mentally divide the camping list up, as if it were my parts of my house, or aspects related to it – because this is how I live!

Then I pack things accordingly.

This camping list is divided into:

House (your shelter)
Bedroom (what you will sleep on/in)
Wardrobe (different types of clothes)
Bedtime items (what you use for your daily routine)
Kitchen (cooking equipment)
Toilet
Electricity (charging)
Lighting
Emergencies (repair and first aid)

I usually have the above items ready in my backpack at all times. However, I may need to clean/recharge/restock items between camps.

Food and drinks – I pack these items last

My "House"

This camping list is the same for wild camping and campsite stays.

Tent
- All year: Dark green 1-person 4-season tent, poles, and pegs
- Summer: Mesh tent inner, poles, and pegs.

Bivvy bag
- Summer – Sometimes I use a bivvy bag with mesh cover, without the tent.

My "Bedroom"

Camping list for wild camping & campsite stays:

Mattress
- Summer: Ultralight inflatable mattress
- Winter: Ultralight 4-season inflatable camping mattress
Pillow – I use a lightweight compact inflatable pillow
Sleeping bag
- Summer: Summer sleeping bag – although I rarely use it!
- Winter: Lightweight 3-4 season ultra warm sleeping bag
Mat – I place an insulated mat under my camping mattress, use for extra insulation (in winter), and for protection from rough terrain.

Bed sheet
- Summer: Microfibre towel to place on my inflatable mattress – to soak up the sweat!
Blanket
- Summer: Silk scarf – to use as a very lightweight blanket, or to protect my skin from mosquito bites while sitting outdoors.

Campsite extras camping list:

Lounger mattress – for extra luxury, and less work
Bodyboard – to sit on when relaxing in the campsite, because it´s really comfortable!
Parasol – for some shade or privacy when sleeping without a tent.

My "Wardrobe"

This camping list is the same for wild camping and campsite stays:

My Summer wardrobe

My “Summer wardrobe” consists of cooler, more comfortable clothes to wear while relaxing and for sleeping.

I store these items in a dedicated small mesh bag.

Shorts and a comfortable sports bra/yoga top
Comfortable bikini.

My Winter wardrobe

My “Winter wardrobe” consists of warmer clothes and/or pyjamas to wear at night.

I keep all of these items together in a dedicated dry bag, which I can pack down to be as small as possible.

Spring/Autumn: Lightweight hat and/or merino buff scarf
Winter: Warm woolly hat, warm buff, and warm touchscreen gloves.

Pyjamas – I wear a Merino thermal set (for women and men). If it´s really cold, or if I want to feel cosy, I might wear extra pyjamas on top!

Socks – I wear Merino socks
Down socks/booties – I have down booties (like padded socks), so that I can wear them comfortably in my sleeping bag and tent. However, it is possible to. You can also get down booties (which also have soft soles).

Jacket
- Autumn/Spring – I wear a small down jacket at night. This is stored in its own dry bag, so that it is easily accessible and I can put it on to keep warm when I stop walking
Winter – I have a big down jacket for winter, and a smaller one for spring/autumn (no jacket necessary in summer).

“Bedtime” items

This camping list is for wild camping and campsite stays.

These are items that I would usually use in the bathroom and bedroom.

I keep these items in a dedicated toiletry bag.

Eye mask and earplugs for sleeping
Personal hygiene items: Toothbrush and toothpaste, deodorant, small lightweight towel, and soap for washing my face/body. If you get biodegradable soap, you can also use it for washing up)
Pills in a funky pill box
Clean underwear and socks for the trip
Hair elastic.

Seasonal items

Winter: Handwarmers – to put on my chest (to heat the core, heating the whole body)

Summer: Water spray and hand fan (summer only) – I use these two items to cool myself down. This is just one of the 15 ways to stay cool during your summer adventures.

I also use the water to spray on any mosquitoes that enter my tent and harass me at night!

My "Kitchen"

Camping list for wild camping & campsite:

Cookware set

I have a set of cooking/eating equipment, stored in a dedicated bag. Mine includes:

- Tall pan – for cooking food – with a reversible neoprene thermal pan cover that I made myself
- Small pan – for heating water.

If you love a pot of tea, you can get a cookware set with a kettle!

- Lightweight stove and a lighter to ignite it.

You can get a basic cooking set with pans and stove together

- Camping gas cannister
- Gas canister stand. You can get this included in a 1-person cooking set with cutlery and cup
- Windshield – I have one that clips onto the gas canister, but you can also get a stand-alone windshield
- Camping mug with lid
- Small protective tablecloth – so that I don´t spill anything on my clothes or sleeping bag!

To stop the metal parts clanging around in my bag as I hike, I use elastic cord to hold the pan/mug handles in place, and I wrap the mug inside of the tablecloth.

Cutlery pouch: My cutlery pouch includes:
- Fork, knife, and spoon. You can get a basic cutlery kit with a bottle opener
- Steak/pizza knife – to cut cheese, fruit, vegetables, bread, etc
- Teaspoon – for my morning coffee
- Long titanium spoon / spork – suitable for eating straight out of my deep pan
- Lightweight chopsticks – I only really use the chopsticks because I´m obsessed with spicy noodles!

Plate:
- Sometimes I take a small plastic plate if I have taken food that requires it
- Check out this 1-person basic cutlery set with plate and cup, or for two people, you can get a cooking set with plates, cutlery and cups.
Washing up kit
- I take a small container with a 1/3 sponge inside, as well as biodegradable soap for washing up
- You could also use washing-up liquid from your house in small refillable bottles.

Campsite extras camping list:

Small washing up bowl (also useful for chilling drinks in ice!)
Binbags
Clothes pegs – in case I need to dry some clothes
Small frying pan
Small chopping board
Plastic plate.

My "Toilet"

I keep these items together in a plastic bag.

Toilet roll/tissues – enough for the trip (not a whole roll!)
Alcohol/sanitising hand gel
Small plastic bags – for poop, food waste, etc
Small metal foldable shovel in its own case.

Electricity

This camping list is the same for wild camping and campsite stays.

My portable charger and charging cable are stored in a dedicated dry bag:

Portable chargers: I have two different-capacity portable chargers, so I will pack whatever is most suitable for that particular trip. ANKER portable chargers are my personal favourite, as they are reliable and good quality.
Charging cable: I use an LED charging cable that lights up when wild camping, because it is a handy night light (which I can cover up if I want darkness when I go to sleep).

Solar charger: If I am on a long trip, I will take my solar charger too, with cable, and clips to attach it to my backpack while I hike, or to a tent or tree while camping.

Lighting

Camping list for ild camping and campsite stays:

General lighting

Rechargeable headtorch and charging cable
Fairy lights and mini pegs to put them up in my tent
On longer trips, I will carry extra AA batteries for my fairy lights.

Campsite extras – camping list:

I might take extra fairy lights – to decorate the shared camping area when relaxing together at night.

For reading

Book – usually a thriller!
A red headtorch for reading at night.

Curious about the latest trends in camping and hiking gear?

Take a look here.

Emergency bag

This is a mixture of a repair kit and a first aid kit.

This camping list is more important for wild camping, especially in remote areas.

However, I take them for campsite stays too.

Extras

Extra charging cable and lighter – because these items are essential but break easily!
Extra teaspoon – because I am good at forgetting to pack it!
Extra tissue – because you never want to be without!

Repair

Tent repair: Insulation tape and spare pole section
Mattress repair: Puncture patches
Backpack/footwear/clothing repair: Sewing kit with scissors, zipties, cord, and superglue (I prefer single-use superglue, because it always glues closed!)
Other equipment: Pocket knife.

First aid items

Short trip: Ibuprofen, antihistamine, and plasters
Long trips: If I am on a long trip, then I will carry a small first aid kit
If I am able to collect water, then I will take my water filter with me.

Food and drinks

I usually prepare the food and water the day before.

Or I may prepare the water 2 days before.

You can read more about preparing water for summer adventures here.

Whereas the other items already mentioned on each camping list above live in my camping backpack, ready for my next adventure.

Water

I take a LOT of water, because it is necessary for drinking (for at least two days and during the night), cooking, making at least 2-3 flasks of tea, two coffees in the morning, for brushing my teeth and washing my face/body.

This is what I use to store it:

Hydration bladder: I have a 2L hydration bladder with straw, that I drink while hiking to/from the camping spot

You can get these in sizes 1L, 1.5L, 2L and 3L

Water pouches: For use in the tent, I use 1L/2L water pouches that are part of my SAWYER filtration system. They are strong, they pack down flat when empty, and they also stand upright when they have water inside.

Tea and coffee

Small mug: I use this for coffee, which is part of my cookware set
Instant coffee: I keep this in a small plastic bag
Butter: I add this to my coffee – because it´s good for fasting and keto.

I use small screw-top containers to store wet food items like this

Winter: Thermal flask (for tea), tea strainer basket that I keep in my cookware set, and green tea leaves that I also store in a small plastic bag.

Make sure your tea strainer fits into your flask!

Food

The food that I include on my camping list can vary widely!

My current obsession is packet noodles that I add curry powder and dried chilli flakes to. I keep the right amount of spices in small plastic bags.

Whether I go wild camping or stay at a campsite, my first thought is to take noodles!

Read all about the type of food you could take with you on a camping trip here.

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Official campsites

Check out these official campsite options in the Costa Blanca…

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Experience Alicante in a whole new way with a unique outdoor quest – “Adventure Hunt”.

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