Thank you to GSI  Outdoors and RALLT for providing me with product in exchange for review. All opinions belong to myself! I was paid to insert a link into this post.

My family always went camping when I was growing up. Whether it was at a state park, or a small family owned campground I had fond memories of camping growing up. With our kids being so young last year we only made one camping trip but now that they are both bit older we have decided to camp more often! Last years camping trip included kayaking and was on Lake Superior in Munising Michigan.

I had never camped on the beach before and never before camped near one of the great lakes our state is famous for. After that Lake Superior  camping trip my husband and I were inspired to see all the lake like beauty that Michigan had to offer!

With camping came learning. We learned our parents had more planning than we had and that a bit of thought and organization was key to a successful camping trip. So I’d like to share what my top 5 camping necessities are so far in my camping experience.

First Camping Necessity:

A good quality tent. For me this means a tent that can house up to five people at minimum.

We typically take one of our mothers with us camping for extra help and to share fun family memories with. This year we also decided on a tent that had a small closet area which didn’t get used as a closet but did however get used as a small toilet room for our 3 year old and occasionally myself! There were no rushed trips to a toilet area and no rash covered bums from squatting in the woods. Our tent also featured a room divider which helped keep our food area away from our sleeping area with plenty of room to spare.

Second Camping Necessity:

A quality Hammock. This might not sounds like a necessity to some but after bringing it along our last camping trip I was hooked! I loved that anywhere within the trees I could set up a lounge spot for myself and my husband or the kids together. Throughout our campground we also noticed tons of other families bringing hammocks as well. Stretching hammocks between trees within their camp site and letting the kids do gymnastics in them was a no brainier way to spend free time.

The hammock we brought along is a RALLT Hammock, ultra lightweight, totally simple to install, and compact able into a self attached pouch.

Not having ever set up a hammock before I was a bit intimidated on knot tying and security but the knot tying was simple and the security I never even questioned.

Each hammock comes with everything needed to hang already inside, but we also received extra length straps (not pictured) for the super stretch needs between really distant trees.

The RALLT hammock is made with triple stitches and parachute nylon. It easily fits two adults with ease and has a 500 lb capacity. The relaxation and view of a hammock is indescribable and offers a ton of comfort in camping which can sometimes be a rough on the body sort of experience.

Third Camping Necessity:

A compact dinnerware set. Sure grabbing your best cast irons and paper plates and styrofoam cups and plastic silverware works but it doesn’t exactly save space. Let’s be honest when camping packing space is probably one of the more valuable assets to have!

The Pinnacle Camper from GSI Outdoors holds almost all the essentials for camping in one compact little bag. Complete with a 2 and 3 liter pot, 4 bowls, 4 plates, 4 mugs, 1 frypan, 2 lids, 4 cup lids, a pan gripper and a sink sack the only thing missing is some compact utensils for eating with!

The set is BPA free, aluminum, and hard anodized to avoid sticky foods getting stuck and creating more hassle. This kit from GSI Outdoors Outdoors isn’t designed for open campfire use but can be used over a small can of heat or pop up cooker. This set is designed to heat fast and evenly without hot spots.

With a lid that can strain you could be making pasta during your next camping trip!

Fourth Camping Necessity:

Freezer packs! I’ve always kept the non toxic freezer packs from things I’ve ordered in past like Home Chef or freezer pops.

I’ve learned these things are invaluable when it comes to packing the cooler. I no longer have to worry about the ice melting and everything floating in a pool of water. With freezer packs things get slightly damp but certainly not swimming in a cooler of water.

Fifth Camping Necessity:

A well designed cooler. Currently we have cooler that has a side compartment and while at first we thought it would be beneficial it turns out it makes things harder to pack and the dividing section takes up valuable space.

A cooler thats not only compact but efficient at keeping everything cold without the need of a lot of insulation bulk is ideal. Ours is also a bit awkward for packing into the trunk as there is only one spot it fits height wise which leaves up packing around and in front of it.

For more gear, check out Globo Surf!

Lakota

I am a stay at home mother of two, who loves to create in every form, from cooking, to henna, to painting or sculpting, creating with my hands is my passion! I love to dance and let loose when the music flows right. Being outside is a special kind of therapy I think humans need more of as well as mindfulness! I love all things new and adventurous and am always looking to experience more of life 🙂