March 28, 2024
Minimalist Packing

Minimalist Packing

There is nothing like a late summer or early autumn camping trip. The weather is still warm and inviting, making a camping trip beside a lake, river, or another body of water an idyllic destination for swimming and campfires reflecting off the water. As the leaves turn colors and the weather begins to cool, you and your campfire buddies will really appreciate the warmth of the building fire and getting cozy in sleeping bags after a long day of hiking, swimming, canoeing, and other outdoors-related activities that have nothing to do with computer screens and work deadlines.

The Importance of Minimalist Packing

However, before you can go off and enjoy an idyllic weekend camping trip and break from the day-to-day, first you need to organize your things and grab the right camping gear. Putting together a camping pack can be tricky, especially if you are planning to hike or taking a canoe or kayak to the campsite. You want to bring enough things to be comfortable, but you don’t want to overpack and be frustrated later by too heavy a bag.

Even if you’re going car camping, when you’re with friends, there may not be enough room in the vehicle to bring everything. So why not keep it simple and embrace the beauty that is minimalist camping?

Minimalist camping is a lot about maximizing what you know and making the most out of the things you have. While it’s important to note that every environment is different (e.g., camping on a Florida beach requires a different approach from camping in the Colorado foothills), there are some basic must-haves recommended for every camper looking to cut down on their bag’s weight but likewise looking to have the most successful of weekend camping trips.

The key is to choose items that can be used for multiple purposes. Just take a look at the following three items to get a few ideas.

Seven-Strand Paracord Rope

You can buy paracord by the foot at just about any major hardware and marine store, and it is worth ten times its cost. Paracord is a versatile material that can be used to do a hundred different tasks, like securing items on the top of a vehicle, hanging food safely up and away from wildlife, tying up boats once at a campsite, making a last-minute drying line for wet clothes, and so much more. For best effects, be sure to hone your knot-tying skills before setting off on your next adventure.

Metal Cup

If you can bring only one type of dish, make sure it’s a metal, preferably tin, cup. This handy type of dishware can be used to drink water, heat up coffee or soup (in addition to its being able to be used to consume such coffee and soup), bail out boats, and so much more.

Multitool like the Wallet-Do-It-All

This is a fantastic, lightweight tool perfect for minimalist camping. The handy Wallet-Do-It-All from Groovy Groomsmen Gifts may have a primary function of securing bills, but what’s especially great about it is how it incorporates over a dozen tools—including wrenches, screwdriver edges, and a cord cutter—in its design. The wallet-do-it-all also boasts a reliable bottle opener that is quite likely the most commonly used feature.

Function and Convenience in One

As you can see, minimalist camping is about ditching the one-use tools and finding items that offer multiple uses. Having such multifaceted pieces of equipment enables you to enjoy a lighter pack and be more ready for whatever your camping experience throws your way!

SaltLife.com