5 Must-Have Items for a Successful Camping Trip in Texas

Planning a Texas Camping Trip? Here's what you need to know (and bring)

There is no specific camping season in Texas, but more people tend to go out in the spring and fall to avoid the blazing temperatures. And honestly, I can't blame them, the Texas heat ain't nothing to play with - especially if you aren't used to it. That being said, I am preparing for my first official camp of the year (pretty late, I know) and I thought it might be a good idea to share some of the items that have really helped me survive.

*Disclaimer: There are multiple ways you can camp, and what you bring will depend often on what you can carry. However, I made this list to include items that I think will be beneficial regardless of whether you are camping in a trailer, or camping primitively.

1. Knowledge

I don't want to be "that guy", but it is so important that you research your campsite/location beforehand. This is true not just for trailers and RVs but for every kind of camping, if you aren't careful you may end up in an unsuitable area for your tent, or in a prohibited or unsafe location.

When doing research make sure to check out the local news for anything sketchy that may have been happening like disappearances, suspicious activity, dangerous wildlife etc. This might sound silly, but this information can be the difference between life and death in some instances. For example, if you are primitive camping and you need to refill on water, but you are unaware that the creek you are planning to drink from is covered in unsafe algae, that could be a problem.

2. Fire Starter

I always recommend bringing some sort of fire starter along with you regardless of how you are planning to camp. It can come in handy and save you huge amounts of time and energy in an emergency situation. You can order these on Amazon:

DIY Fire Starter Kit

For my DIY folks out there, You can also make your own fire-starting kit at home using these 3 items:

• Vaseline/petroleum jelly

• Cotton Balls

• Lighter

I made a video on how this works, but essentially you just want to soak your cotton ball in Vaseline and use your igniting tool to start the flame. Then you can build on that by adding kindling and larger dry sticks/logs.

Note: Just because you can start a fire, doesn't mean you should solely rely on one to cook your food. It takes a lot of time and resources to get a fire hot enough to cook over, so it's good to have other options.

3. Multitool

Another thing I recommend getting if you don't already have one is a Multitool. Gerber is a popular brand, but there are other options like Leatherman as well. However, those two are just options from Amazon so don't limit yourself there. Find the multitool that works best for your specific needs.

4. Water

However much water you have, double it. If you plan on bringing zero water and relying on the park, think again. You need to have water no matter what because you never know what can happen to the water source at your park and you don't want to solely rely on that. In fact as a general rule of thumb, don't solely rely on anything. A big part of survival is having options.

5. Rain Gear

There is a saying in Texas, "If you don't like the weather, wait about 5 minutes." So unless you have acquired our unique ability to smell the rain, I recommend that you just bring extra gear in case. Besides, it is better to be safe than sorry, and if you are tent camping, it is not fun to be soaking wet/muddy when you are trying to sleep. Here are some items that you can bring to help stay dry:

• Trashbags for storing wet items

• Ponchos/Coats - something lightweight and compact

• The right tent - understand the differences between the types of tents and their climates, not all tents are created equal!

• Tarps - these will help you create extra coverage over your sight

• Bright colors - rain can decrease visibility, so bright colors will help you stand out

• Bivvy bag - an extra layer of insulation between you and the ground never hurts

Camping can be an enjoyable experience if you come prepared with the right items, but it is essential to research and have a plan in case something goes wrong. If you have any other recommendations of items to bring on a camping trip comment them down below! And as always

Love, Loren