A lot of the gear you need for a first trip can be borrowed from friends or repurposed from home, but I wanted to put together a must-haves list for close to $350.
Most of our gear came from Amazon. Without a car it is hard to get to brick and mortar stores. Dicks is an option but they don’t have a large camping selection.
First, you need a tent. We have the Coleman Sundome 6-Person Camping Tent. It’s $153.49 on Amazon for the PFAS-free version. The 6-person size fits two queen-size air mattresses and easily accommodates the four of us (no air mattresses) with room left over for a lot of our gear. My sister in law has the 4-person version which is $82.99. It is smaller, but it is also easier to set up.
For sleeping bags, we have Oaskys Double Sleeping Bags for Adults with two pillows. They’re $34.99. The kids already had sleeping bags. We have a more expensive sleeping bag from REI, but this one is warmer and much less expensive.
For now, an old blanket or comforter works great under the sleeping bags for padding and warmth.
Coleman 2-Burner Propane Stove — $84.99 on Amazon. It’s a bit nicer than the one we have but similar. This is essential for making breakfast!
Lodge Cast Iron Skillet — $24.99 on Amazon. The skillet is heavy but great for everything from the Coleman stove to the BBQ grill to the campfire.
Igloo 52 Quart Cooler with Wheels — $69 on Walmart.com (I could not find it on Amazon). The wheels are super helpful for getting the cooler from the apartment to the trunk and then from the trunk to the campsite. Also I now attach the Coleman Stove and the tent to the cooler with bungee cords.
Check the dimensions to make sure it fits where you want it to fit in the car. A 52 qt cooler takes up a lot of room.
We’re now at $367.46, on a sale day we would be under $350!
