Camping experiences can vary greatly depending on the equipment you have. From the sleeping to the cooking experience, these everyday routines can impact your attitude toward your next camp.

In this brief introduction to the basics, we will discuss what is commonly known within the camping community as the ‘Big 3’ - shelter, sleeping bag, and backpack.

Shelter

Shelter is arguably the most important of the three. It protects you from unpleasant weather and prevents insects and creepy crawlers from getting to you. These are the basics. If you intend to invest time in the bush, there are several questions to ask yourself when looking for suitable shelters, such as:

• Do I value high breathability?

• How fast do I want to set up my tent?

• Can I fit my tent on my backpack?

• Do I want a lightweight tent to be able to backpack?

• Do I want my tent to be free-standing (pegless)?

• How sturdy do I want my tent?

• Is it capable of facing severe weather?

• How many people should be able to fit in it?

• Do I want a tent? Maybe a swag would suit my needs better?

These questions are just some of the many that you should be asking yourself when purchasing a tent. I encourage you to do your research to find a tent that matches your needs and not anyone else’s. There will be multiple options for every price range, and I suggest you check out some of the stores listed here.

Sleeping Bag

There is nothing like looking forward to a nice sleep after a long day of hiking. So why wouldn’t you invest in it? The quality of the sleeping bag is, in my opinion, the most important of the 3. A quality sleeping bag can be the difference between freezing and keeping cozy.

As the Australian climate tends to be on the hotter side of things, a sleeping bag that has poor insulation isn’t as detrimental to your experience as opposed to sleeping in the floorboards of Mt Everest. On this note, I prefer to use a sleeping quilt. The quilt keeps me warm during Winter camping in the valley of Nunes and allows me to move substantially more, as opposed to the cocoon feel of a sleeping bag. Here are just some attributes that either sleeping configuration has to offer.

Sleeping bag

• Better Insulation

• Cocoon feel that keeps you snug

• More products to choose from

• Suited towards colder sleepers

Quilt

• More room to move around

• Useable in hot or cold climates

• Usually weigh less - meaning a lighter pack

• Suited towards hotter sleepers

Hopefully, these help you make the right decision in getting a good night's sleep.

Additionally, it would be disingenuine of me to leave your nighttime experience down to a sleeping bag. You will also need a pillow and a sleeping pad/mattress. Depending on the type of camp you are setting out for, a pillow from home and an air mattress from Aldi will do just fine during a camping trip. If looking to backpack, an inflatable pillow and a smaller mattress would greatly help you. Some things to consider when buying these are your height, width, and if you like to move around when sleeping. If you’re small and peaceful when sleeping, a small sleeping pad and pillow are fine. If a bit bigger or prefer more room and love to wiggle a bit at night, go with a larger option. Sleeping pads also provide heat, and as cold air goes down, that’s where a lot of your warmth is going. Ensure you look at the R rating of a mattress to determine whether it will be suitable for your camping climate. If you need help deciding on a pillow and sleeping pad, we are working on our blog coming soon!

Backpack

Depending on what type of camping you want to do, a backpack can be an afterthought or a necessity. If you are planning on camping next to your car you may not need a backpack to hold all your belongings. In this case a day pack (20L or enough to hold water, first aid, a rain jacket/cover up, subject to weather conditions, and a snack) may work just fine. There are so many backpacks to choose from for day trips so don’t stress over having a super expensive one. Any will do just fine and most people will already have one they can use.

On the other hand, wild camping or multiple day hike/camps will need a higher quality/bigger backpack. Ideally, you want a backpack that holds all your belongings and strong material so it doesn’t break at the swipe of a branch. For these type of trips, the less weight the better so you don’t want anything that adds unnecessary extra weight. A bag anywhere from 50L-70L will work depending on how light you are able to pack and the weather. Look for bags that have straps on the outside for attaching items as it can be helpful to clip these for quick access or may be too bulky to store inside the pack. Its also important to pick a bag with good shoulder straps and back support as you’re going to be carrying it for hours at a time and need to be comfortable. Higher quality items will offer you that extra ruggedness while not breaking the back.

As Australia is a sandstone country you need a bag built for it. Again, do your research that will suit your needs. Blog on picking a backpack coming soon!

Conclusion

In conclusion, the ‘Big 3’ will have a great impact on your camping experience and is worth investing in if you plan to continue the camping lifestyle.

Alternatively, if you are not into the camping lifestyle and just going with some mates for a once-a-year camp, then I’m sure you could just borrow most stuff from a mate or your family, and bring the absolute bare minimum as your stay will hopefully not be too challenging!

Note: Best stores to buy products from in Australia:

Wild Earth, Snowys Outdoors, Survival Supplies Australia, Anaconda, Paddy Pallin and Tentworld