How to Start Camping? Essential Tips for First Time Campers

Camping is a great way to explore nature, take a break from technology and save money while traveling.

In places such as Banff, Jasper or Yellowstone where hotels are expensive or fully booked, camping is a perfect solution.

With proper equipment and preparation, camping can be a very comfortable and enjoyable way to travel and explore.

I personally on many occasions had better sleep in the tent than sleeping in a hotel. What can be better than sitting by the fire or fresh air in the middle of the night?

It took me a while to switch from staying in hotels to camping.

After realizing the amount of money I was spending on hotels during the summer while traveling around Alberta and British Columbia, I decided that it was a time to try something new.

That was one of the best decisions that I ever made. Now I am so used to camping, that staying in a hotel doesn’t feel like an authentic traveling experience anymore.

What’s the Difference Between Frontcountry and Backcountry Camping? 

Before you go ahead and start shopping for camping equipment, it is important to decide what kind of camping will you be doing.

The two main types of camping are frontcountry camping and backcountry camping.

• Frontcountry camping is when you drive to your campsite and park directly by your camping spot. You will usually have access to flush toilets, showers and even Wi-Fi in some spots. 
• Backcountry camping is a more remote type of camping where you will need to walk to your camping spot and carry everything with you. With backcountry camping in most cases, only limited facilities are available.

Depending on what type of camping you will be doing, you will require a different type of equipment.

For example camping chairs are great for frontcountry camping but for backcountry the chairs are just extra weight that you have to carry.

Some campers use a hammock to sleep for backcountry camping instead of a tent to decrease the weight that they have to carry.

I heard some good reviews about this but personally not sure if I would be comfortable sleeping in a hammock.

What Equipment Do You Need to Start Camping?

If you want to start camping, the most important items are:

• Tent – tents come in all types of sizes and styles. If you are doing frontcountry camping it might be worth getting a slightly bigger tent to ensure that you will be comfortable. Also, it is recommended to get a waterproofed tent because at some point you will encounter days when it will rain the entire time and you will have to spend the day in your tent.
• Sleeping mat or air mattress – it is not comfortable and can get really cold to sleep on the ground so it is important to have something to sleep on.
• Sleeping bag – this is a must. In most places temperatures drop significantly at night and blanket will not protect you.
• Pillows – I find it much easier to sleep if I put a small pillow onto my sleeping bag.
• Propane stove – it is much easier to prepare food if you have a small gas stove.
• Cooler – if you are camping for more than a day it is important to have some way to preserve the food.  
• Firewood – many campgrounds will sell firewood or include it in your camping fee. However, if you have your own firewood at home it might be cheaper than buying.
• Flashlight – it can get pretty dark at night especially if you are camping in the middle of the forest.
• Bag and Bear Spray 

All this might cost you several hundred dollars but it still will be cheaper than staying in a hotel in the long term.

There are a lot of other things that you can bring with you to make your camping experience more enjoyable but these are the most important items.

Where to Camp and How To Get Your Camping Spot?

The next step is to decide where you want to camp and actually booking your camping spot.

If you are camping during a high season in a popular location, it is recommended to reserve your camping spot in advance.

Many booking websites will charge a booking fee which can range from $5 to $10.

This is not ideal but for places like Yellowstone, it is the only way to ensure that you will get a spot.

If you are new to camping, it might a good idea to start slowly by first doing a frontcountry camping and after you get more comfortable switch to backcountry which is more remote and arguably challenging because in most cases you have to walk for a few hours to get there and you will only have access to basic facilities.

It also a good idea to do some research about the campground before making your reservation.

Some booking websites have a photo of each camping spot and dimensions so take a look to ensure that it fits your requirements.

You can also read reviews about each campground to see what other campers are saying to avoid any surprises that might ruin your camping experience.

What to Expect When You Arrive at the Campground?

Campgrounds vary significantly with some having hot showers, flush toilets and even an entertainment area where you can watch movies. This will also affect how much you will have to pay per night.

Most campground spots will have a table with a bench and fire pit.

Some more expensive ones might also have a power outlet.

If it is your first time setting up a tent, you might feel a little nervous because it does take some time to figure out how to do it properly but after a few times, you will get a hand on it.

My advice is to try setting up a tent in your backyard before doing actual camping to ensure that you know what to expect before going.

There are also a lot of YouTube tutorials that you can watch in case you get stuck.

Most campgrounds have restrictions on arrival and departure times so confirm before going.

The last thing you want is to arrive too late and realize that your campground spot is not available anymore.

Some campgrounds might even have a gate that closes at night for security reasons.

Additional Tips for First Time Campers

As with every new hobby, you can shorten the learning curve if you go camping with someone who already has experience with it and can show you the ropes.

If you are not sure that you will actually enjoy a camping experience, it might be a good idea to rent all the camping equipment for the first time instead of spending several hundred bucks and then realizing that camping is not for you.

Check your local university or college for cheap rental camping gear or borrow it from your friends if you can.

One of the most frustrating things while camping is forgetting to bring something important like a sleeping bag or flashlight.

There are a lot of items that are required for camping so it is easy to forget small things.

To avoid that we recommend having a short checklist with the most important items like the ones below:

Simple Camping Checklist:

• Tent/hammock
• Sleeping bag or warm blanket
• Propane stove with extra propane canisters
• Sleeping mattress or pad to sleep on
• Cooking gear
• Flashlight
• Bug spray
• Bear spray
• Ax and matches
• Warm clothing
• Tarp
• Pillows
• Food
• Water
• Camping chair
• Firewood
• Phone charger
• Towels

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