Essential camping gear for Canadians

First and foremost, you need a tent. The type you need depends on the type of camping you’re planning to do. For example, if you’re a new outdoorsman and car camping in a provincial park with a big group of friends, we recommend a tent with lots of room that’s easy to set up, like the Coleman Longs Peak Fast Pitch. If you’re portaging through Algonquin, you’ll want a tent that’s lightweight and quick to pitch, like the NEMO Dagger.

Gone are the days of sleeping bags with uncomfortable liners and annoying zippers. Modern day sleep sacks are lightweight and compressible with compact pockets to hold eyeglasses, headlamps, and valuables. The MEC Aquila Sleeping Bag features a polyester shell and a light down fill—making it perfect for summer camping.

Although some rugged types might consider a sleeping pad an unnecessary luxury item, it’s a definite must for fair-weather campers. We like the Therm-a-Rest NeoAir All Season pad, which is light enough for backpacking and bike trips, but provides all-season comfort. If you’re new to camping and unsure whether you want to invest in a pad, even bringing along a yoga mat can make a huge difference. Trust us. Your back will thank you in the morning.

No matter how seasoned you are as a camper, it’s always a bit spooky navigating the campgrounds at night. A proper selection of flashlights, head lamps and lanterns will make your experience a whole less scary. Headlamps, like the Petzl Tikka, are a must when you’re heading to the outhouse in the middle of the night, and lanterns that work double duty as insect repellants, like the Thermacell Repellent Camp Lantern, will come in handy on those especially buggy nights.

For car campers, the cooler is essential for storing hot dogs, fresh veggies and, most importantly, beer. This 36-quart cooler with built-in cup holders is spacious enough for 46 cans plus ice. Tip: If you have the space, bring along two coolers and store your food and drinks separately. You now have two extra seats around the campfire too!

It’s always better to be safe than sorry, so bring along a first aid kit on all your outdoor adventuring. We like this basic kit by Coghlan’s, which contains all the most essential items like fabric bandages, safety pins, gauze, sterile butterfly closures, anti-septic towelettes, plus lots more. It all fits inside a lightweight nylon case that has extra room for any items you might want to add.

For all those outdoor chefs, a stovetop is mandatory while camping. The FireHole 100 runs on a 1-pound propane canister and features an integrated fuel line and 24,000 BTUs. If you’re hiking to the campsite and can’t carry a bulky stove, bring along a compact, foldable stove, like the MSR PocketRocket. The PocketRocket’s built-in wind clip prevents the burner from being blown out by gusts.

Think a night sleeping in a dank tent on uneven terrain leaves you feeling uncomfortable? Try dozing off with a fresh sunburn from a day at the lake. A brutal burn can be the difference between the perfect camping trip and packing up early, so protect your largest organ with a slathering of sunscreen. And because you’re days away from your next shower, grab one that refreshes your skin.

Whether you’re cutting rope or carrots, or whittling a branch to make the ideal marshmallow stick, a sharp, compact folding pocket knife will be your best friend. The Opinel #8 knife features a tempered carbon steel blade and a contoured wooden handle.

Again, this essential piece of equipment is more geared towards the car camper. (Sorry, backpackers—you’ll need to find a comfy log to sit on!) Foldable, fabric chairs are ubiquitous around the campfire, and for good reason: they’re easy to pack, feature an integrated cup holder and drop-down pocket, and are pretty darn comfortable too.

Don’t let bugs ruin your trip. Before leaving the city for wilderness, be sure to pack insect repellent to ward off mosquitoes, ticks, biting flies and plenty of other pests. To be safe, bring along some anti-itch treatment gel—just in case that one mosquito stuck in the tent has a feast after you go to bed.