If you’re camping:

Tent: If you’re going car camping, tent size and weight doesn’t matter, but if you’re going backcountry camping, it really matters!  We had a huge (like so big that Adam who’s 6’7” could almost stand up in it) tent for the longest time until we started to do some backcountry camping and realized that it wasn’t feasible to lug that huge, heavy thing around. We did some research and ended up getting a Big Agnes Copper Spur HV UL3 mtnGLO tent. We have used it several times now and it’s awesome because it’s super light, rolls up quite small to fit in a backpack, is easy to pitch, and has built in lights!  

Sleeping pad: Once again, car camping vs. backcountry camping will help you determine what’s necessary here. We had been using blow up air mattresses for a long time, but we had large Coleman ones that required a battery powered pump and took up a lot of space. These mattresses are not feasible for the backcountry, so we tried going without mattresses once. This was when we went camping in White Sands National Monument, so we thought the campsite would be soft since it’s all sand…WRONG. Even though it’s all sand, the campsites were so compacted they were practically rock, so let’s just say we didn’t sleep very well and were quite sore in the morning. It was after this trip that we decided to invest in sleeping pads. There are 3 main types: foam, self-inflating, inflatable sleeping pads. We chose to go with the self-inflating style because they roll up smaller than the foam, but are generally more durable (less leakage) than the purely inflatable options. We ended going with the Thermarest Trail Lite self-inflating sleeping pads, but there are several other brands out there with similar models. We went with Thermarest because they had good reviews online and we found them for a decent price at Sportsman’s. They roll up small enough to fit in our backpacks or have a loop on their stuff sacks to attach to the outside of our bags if we bring too much other stuff. Some intense campers prefer to sleep on the dirt. Someone once told us it makes him feel closer to nature and another person told us he thought it was more manly. To each their own, but I like to get a good night’s rest, so I can enjoy my adventures during the day!

Sleeping bag: This is another category of camping gear that we waited way too long to purchase! For awhile, Adam and I shared a sleeping bag because we only had one. We also tried just using sheets and blankets. The sheets and blankets idea does not work well when it’s cold and the sharing a sleeping bag idea is just asking for restless leg syndrome. We finally ended up getting our own NEMO sleeping bags that fit us properly. When purchasing a sleeping bag, keep in mind that there a variety of temperature ranges. I tend to run cold, so I purchased an extra sleeping bag liner for when I’m camping in chilly weather.

Food: We don’t have fancy camp stoves or anything, so when we backcountry camp we tend to eat quite boring. We’ll bring non-perishables such as PB honey banana wraps, apples, trail mix, granola bars, and snack foods. When it comes to car camping though, we like to use the campfire as much as possible! We’ve made hot dogs wrapped in crescent rolls, biscuits with fruit, hobo pizzas, banana boats, grilled cheese and tomato soup, etc. Don’t forget to also bring snacks for when you’re off on your adventures.  If there’s one thing we’ve learned, it’s to pack more food than you think you’ll need.

Clothing: The other thing we’ve learned to pack extra of is clothes. You don’t necessarily need to lug all of your extras around with you, but it’s nice to have an extra set of pretty much everything in the car in case you get soaked, super dirty, cold, etc. More synthetic fiber versus cotton clothing works better to wick away sweat and water, and it keeps you cooler.

If you’re not camping:

Backpack: If you’re not flying to your adventure destination, you have more wiggle room on this front, but it is still nice to travel light. Bring the smallest bag you can that will fit all of your essentials. Roll your clothes to fit more in and use packing cubes for organization if that helps you.  We both purchased Osprey Porter 46 backpacks because these are carry on size for flights! We actually did a six week Europe tour with just these backpacks and it was great to only have one bag that we could strap to our backs.  

Lodging: The best option is to stay with a friend if you’re traveling near them. This way you can catch up with a friend, get good recommendations for the area, and save some money.  If this isn’t an option, check for airbnbs, vrbos, etc. These companies are getting bigger and bigger offering more options even in remote areas. These are generally cheaper than hotels. On our Europe trip we averaged $26/night through Airbnb. Sometimes you can get the place to yourself or sometimes you’ll share with the owner. We like to find places where we’ll stay with the owner. This way you have a local to ask about recommendations and it’s usually less expensive than the touristy bars and restaurants. Another option, of course, is hotels. It’s nice that you usually know what to expect with a hotel (wifi, hot showers, AC, amenities, etc.), but this is definitely the spendiest option for lodging. When we do stay at hotels, we always check the discount sites such as Expedia, Priceline, and Travelocity because sometimes they have good deals, especially if it’s during the week. Also, keep in mind that bundling things such as flights and hotels can sometimes save you money. If you have AAA, always check if hotels offer a discount for members because more often than not they do, and every little discount helps.

Flights: We like to use both Kayak and Hopper for searching flights because both of these sites/apps track trends and give you recommendations for if it’s time to buy or to keep waiting for the flight price to drop. Also, look into credit cards with travel rewards because these can really help you save on flights. Adam and I both have a Flex Perks Visa Credit Card and you can use the points from this for any airline. He also has a Delta Skymiles American Express Credit Card.  The only downfall for this one is that you can only use the points for Delta flights, but a perk is that it gets you a free checked bag. Another cool thing we’ve recently discovered, but haven’t put to use yet is Scott’s Cheap Flights. You can go to their website and sign up to be on their email list.  They use Google flights to track deals and will send you a list of super cheap flights to all sorts of places. The downfall to this one is that you have to be flexible with dates, but if you can be, some of the deals they throw out are real steals!