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Southwest Family Adventures

  • Home
  • About us
  • Gear Lists
  • Gear Reviews
  • Map
  • Navigating
  • Index
  • Pictures
  • Privacy Policy

Gear Lists

Download Master list in rich text format (with hyperlinks to items, .rtf)
Download Master list in plain text format (.txt)
Download Overnight list in plain text format (.txt)

The Camping List makes a huge difference in us getting out camping more frequently.  Packing up can be mentally exhausting, and it is hard to avoid a certain amount of anxiety that you are forgetting something important.  That’s all avoided with the camping list.  You don’t ever need everything on the list, but you never need anything NOT on the list.  You get out the list, go down it on autopilot, get to the end and you’re packed.

I have two lists.  The Master list has everything, and will get the whole family prepared for a night or a month.  The Overnight list is what I use when it’s just me and the boys, we pick up a pizza on the way to the woods, and get breakfast on the drive back in the morning (no cooking except heating water for hot chocolate).

Everybody does things differently, so customize to make it your own.  My lists are continually evolving as the boys get older–I recently removed “pack and play” and “baby camp chair” from the list.

The full master list is below.  I also provided download links at the top of this write-up for the same thing.


The Master List

to do before leaving home
take out garbage
close windows
give cats food and water
clean out cat litter bin

en route obtain:
ice
firewood

in hand:
wallet
knife
dermatone lip stuff
headlamp
cell phone + charger
gps + spare batteries
maps/route descriptions/guidebooks/downloaded beta

boys specific:
blankets
milk cups & milk
backpack carrier
diapers
wipes
clothes etc
fleeces
puffies
beanie hats
sun hats
socks
sneakers
sandals
mini frying pan
medicine if sick
picnic blanket
glow stick nightlights
bedtime books
pee bottle

shelter/bedding
tent(s)
camping mattresses
sleeping bags
sheet for really hot weather
pillows

loose (roof rack or elsewhere):
camp chairs (kids camp chairs)
folding table
kids table
shovel
water gerry can
collapsible garbage sack
canopy

firewood bin
wood
hatchet
newspaper for firestarting
lighter

cooking gear—action packer:
stove
cutting board
two propane canisters
paper towels
wipes
lighter
chefs knife
frying pan & lid
big pot & lid
coffee maker
plates: two adult, three children
silverware: two sets adult, three sets children
five bowls
two mugs
three plastic kids cups
serving spoon
spatula
can opener
wine key
two nalgenes with water
sugar bin
olive oil
salt & pepper
ziplocks
garbage bags (to fit pop-up bin)
tent rope/stakes bag: lots of paracord, extra tent stake
sunblock
bug spray
pants wax
toilet paper/shovel

small things
battery bag (AAA for headlamps, AA for gps)
repair kit: patches & sleeping pad glue
climbing tape
spare headlamp
bit of duct tape around lighter

Personals Bin

clothing
fleece
puffy
beanie
underwear
socks
t-shirts
shorts
pants
shirts
rain pants
rain jacket
gloves/mittens
down booties
sandals
sneakers
swim shorts

hygiene
toothbrush
toothpaste
nail clippers
tweezers
bar soap
medicine?
eye drops
lip stuff

mesh drying bag
pee bottle

Car Stuff (stays stowed in xterra)
sunglasses
duct tape
first aid
camp saw: katana boy
air compressor or gas cylinder
snow chains

Activity Specific

thermos

photo/video
nice camera
tripod
gopro

fire grilling
metal spatula & tongs
fire grate

entertainment
poi, white gas
playing cards
slack line

backpacking
bivy sack?
nested pots
stove
white gas
potholder
water purifier tablets

biking
helmet
shoes
gloves
sunglasses
camelback
bike shorts
front tire

climbing
shoes
chalk
tape
belay device
rack
helmet

canyoneering
mesh drying bag
rope
rope bag
dry bag
wetsuit
waterproof video camera
advanced
leeper hook
sand trap
fiddle stick
pot shots

food bin:

condiment possibilities
butter
mustard
mayo
oil
sriracha
red pepper flakes

coffee
half&half
hot chocolate
chai mix

alcohol
whiskey
beer
wine
baileys
gin/tonic/cucumber
rum/soda/mint/limes

snacks
cookies
cheezits
salty chips
cinnamon pop tarts

breakfast
yogurt & granola
cottage cheese & pineapple
cereal & milk
eggs & bacon/sausage
lunch
bread/bagels
cheese
lunchmeat
tomato/avocado/lettuce/sprouts
mustard/mayo/horseradish

dinner

mason jar salad
nice greens
homemade dressing

main courses
stir fry
quesadillas
english muffin pizzas
sage butter ravioli
red sauce pasta
burgers on the fire

Cooler
ice

We’re a homeschooling family in Los Alamos, New Mexico, hoping to give our boys a love for the great outdoors and provide them with skills they’ll enjoy for life. When it comes to camping, we are experts at getting off the beaten path, away from crowded campgrounds.  And adventuring to us can be as simple as checking out a local park or as ambitious as hiking a Colorado 14’er.

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Disclosure

Since we need gas to fuel our roadtrips, we are affiliates through Amazon.com and may earn from qualifying purchases made via our links. However, we will never recommend a product that we don’t use or are not excited about. Just like you, we aim to be resourceful, practical, and intentional with our purchases and will always give full disclosure of our relationship with any vendor, sponsor, or product.

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