Preparing for Adventure

This week we headed out on our first ever boat-in camping trip. Getting ready for an adventure I had never done before reminded me of the diligence it can take to get ready and make sure you have everything you need, without over packing. On certain trips, like car camping, carrying excess gear isn’t a big deal as long as you have room in the car. The amount and weight of gear that fits in a backpack or kayak is much more limiting.

Of course some excursions are way more critical than others to make sure you have all the right gear. To help me pack, I build out a schedule to outline meals, clothes and activities. Breaking the days into meals and activities helps outline everything that’s needed. That doesn’t mean you have to live by that schedule but it gives you an outline. You can get crazy and serve Saturday’s meal on Friday! The way I look at it is that the blocks are interchangeable, as are the meals.

A bonus trick is that I group everything together for easy access. Swim outfits get rolled together, a warm outfit into another roll and so forth. Then you can pull out one roll, hand it to the kids and they have everything they need. Otherwise I find myself digging through bags for socks over and over.

Consider the order in which you need items too. If you’re camping, chances are you’ll want the tent first. Snacks always go in arms reach in the car. Sleeping bags towards the back. Think about the order in which you want access to items and pack them in the opposite order so

To pack for four people, and dogs, you need to pack lightly so I prioritize the most critical items first. Sleeping items, clothes, food, lights and items like sunscreen and bug spray. Then I fill it out with nice-to-have items. The further you go the more important it is to make sure you have the right items. In the wilderness a credit card doesn’t cover the forgotten items so think through the list and check it off as you pack!