What supplies would you need when you’re going on a two month camping trip?
by admin on Tuesday, March 22nd, 2011 | 5 Comments
What supplies would you need when you’re going on a two month camping trip? I need every detail: tents, sleeping bag, back packet, ECT. Anything you can think of!
More detail please. Are you going backpacking or car camping? If you’re going backpacking and truly don’t know what to bring for a two-month trip, I submit that a two-month trip is far too long to be out. Two or three days’ camping will show you those things to bring and those things that just make your pack needlessly heavy. If you’re going car-camping it opens up more options but there again, not knowing what to bring tends to indicate that two months is too long to be out.
Will you be in part of a larger group; and if so, what is the level of experience of these other campers? What kind of country and what time of year? How much camping have you done before? What’s the purpose of this two-month trip? A “thru-hike” like the Appalachian Trail, where camping is the chief reason for the trip? Or an expedition where camping is secondary to the work to be done, such as nature conservancy or archaeological study?
Camping boils things down to their essentials. You need to:
-Stay Warm and Dry
-Have a comfortable place to sleep and ride out weather
-Have a way to eat and prepare your foods
-Have a way to carry all the stuff you bring
-Have a way to keep critters big and small from visiting you, your food and your equipment
-Have a way to effect repairs – on your equipment and on YOU
-And do this all in such a way as to make the excursion enjoyable and/or worthwhile
There are no simple answers, particularly if you have a budget. Example. Suppose I’m going camping and I need a way to cook food but I don’t have much money and payday’s the week after I get back. One possible solution is to scrounge a coffee can that will fit a home-made pop-can stove (again made from scrounged gear and inexpensive tape, fueled by HEET gas-line antifreeze), on which I will set a small saucepan made from a mixing bowl I bought at the Salvation Army for 50 cents. That’s just one example of getting kit while saving money.
This is a much bigger subject than just listing stuff. And if you really don’t know, trying to go two weeks is asking for considerable trouble. I’ve been camping – everything from car-camping to backpacking out of a fitted-up base camp to living out of my pack for a month at a time being resupplied by helicopter – and a two-week trip would still be a big deal for me, to say nothing of two months.
I’d be glad to help more if you gave more background information.
Best,
Phil
where are you going is it going to be cold where your at are you going to be able to get acces to food. and do you mind hunting and fishing. last time I went out for a 2 month long camp I ran out of food the third week.
and had to catch rainbow trout and shoot rabits for food.
do you know how long it would take to list everything
where are you going?
whats the climate?
backpacking?
we need more info to tell you what to bring
This isn’t specific enough to offer you a detailed answer but there are a few things to keep in mind:
Get stuff that is dependable. It isn’t fun when any of your gear fails you but pay particular attention to your boots, your pack, shelter, your rain gear, your flashlight, your cooking gear, and your knife. A malfunction in any of these items will cause you significant discomfort and can even compromise your safety. I’m not saying you need to drop all your money on these things, but do your research and read up on what you are getting. Also make sure you know how to use and maintain these pieces and check that they are in good shape before you start your trip.
You also want to carry stuff that is versatile. You will grow to love anything you use multiple times each day, not stuff that gets in your way reaching for something else. Stuff that is simple is usually more versatile than an item designed for one thing. For example, when I was backpacking I carried a 1.5 yard piece of as is waterproof nylon (not sewn into anything, not even hemmed) that I found in the bargain bin at Wal-Mart, it was about the size of a throw blanket. It rolled up to about the size of a can of bug spray, and weighed about as much. I used it many times a day, all day, for many many different things: I sat on it, laid under it, used it as a picnic blanket, a pack cover, a beak (end wall) for my tarp shelter, wrapped stuff in it to carry things, made a curtain for a sponge bath…it was always in use. And it cost me a dollar!
Don’t carry a bunch of extra if you are backpacking, but you should allow yourself a couple comfort items, and some leisure items, especially for that length of a trip. These should enhance your experience, not define it. That deep significant experience of camping only really comes from personal reflection, challenging yourself physically, interacting with nature and your fellow hikers, and learning to do without the trappings of the modern world. So don’t undo all that by bringing your whole life with you!
Some good comfort items:
Your favorite foofy health and beauty item, like a manicure set and some nail polish, or your favorite facial cleanser.
Down booties or your fav slippers.
A travel pillow.
A few different spice items for your cooking.
A parachute nylon travel hammock. You will love it, and you can sleep in it with a tarp instead of a tent if you are in a warm climate. So comfortable!
Some good leisure items to consider:
A deck of cards or a pack of dominos.
A book that you won’t just breeze through, like a Bible, or a field guide for animals, plants, bugs, birds. You could also get a scouting type manual that teaches you things to make with natural items.
A journal and a pen.
A pair of binoculars.
A frisbee.
A harmonica or recorder or other tiny music instrument.
You also want to plan your trip so as to be as much in one season as you can be. In two months you might encounter any number of different weather changes but try not to straddle the seasons. If you do, you will have to carry clothing and gear for a wider range of temperatures. A good time to start a hiking trip is May for warmer weather or September for cooler weather. Of course this will depend on where you are. No matter what season, you need wet weather gear. Also in almost any situation, unless you are in the most tropical and 24 hour hot climates, you need something to keep you warm. Even in the desert you will get cold at night.
Also make sure your bills are paid up, stop the paper and the mail, and you keep in touch with work, family, and friends.
Other than that, there are tons of ways to do everything, and it depends on your budget, the time of year and location of your trip.
Not enough room to answer the question completely here is a link to get you started
http://www.rei.com/expertadvice/camping#tab_4