You have a list of what to pack, but do you have a list of what NOT to bring camping? There are things you just don’t need on a camping trip, as well as things you’re just not allowed to bring. We’ll cover them all here, so read on to learn what not to pack for your next camping trip.
Perfumes and Scented Soaps
Scented soaps and perfumes have a tendency to attract bugs of all sorts. This is due to the strong scents that accompany them. If you don’t want to get eaten alive while you’re camping, leave the scented items at home.
You don’t need fancy soap or body wash. Or your favorite sweet-smelling shampoo or body spray. Keep it all at home and take one, multi-purpose camping soap and a natural or unscented deodorant.
Alcohol or other Beverages in Glass Bottles
Sure, it’s fine for adults to enjoy an adult beverage in the campground, but don’t overindulge and don’t bring any type of beverage in glass bottles. Glass does not belong in the wilderness or at your campsite; it’s definitely something not to bring camping.
Full-Size Toiletries and Too Many Toiletries
The obvious reason to bring your toiletries is to keep yourself clean and make yourself more comfortable. You only need the basics: your toothpaste, toothbrush, sunscreen, hand sanitizer, natural deodorant, a multi-purpose soap and first aid supplies. Skip the hair products, makeup, lotions and powders. This is camping!
Full-size toiletries aren’t something you need at the campsite. Even if you’re not on a backpacking trip, stick to travel-sized toiletries. You can even cut those down further to save more space and weight.
Firewood from Home
Campfire is a great way to bond with fellow campers, and spending the night around a roaring blaze feels great. However, buy your firewood on site or close to your campsite. Don’t ever bring wood from home to a campsite. Ever.
When you bring wood from a different area into your campsite, you can also be carrying diseases or bugs in that firewood that aren’t native to the area and can cause damage. Most campsites will have this clearly marked, but you should know this before you pack firewood in your gear. Leave it at home.
Fancy Clothing or Shoes
Pack comfortable clothing and things you can layer. Pack shoes that can get dirty and will be comfortable on your feet for days at a time out in the elements. Don’t bother bringing anything that you are worried about getting wet or dirty.
Expensive Items
Similarly to the idea above, it is a bad idea to bring any expensive jewelry, keepsakes or electronic equipment. The essential camping gear you require for a trip is investment enough. Don’t risk losing valuables on your trip. Bring what you need and skip luxury items. Bring a lockbox or lock bag for anything important you must bring and hide it in your locked vehicle.
Fire Accelerants
Don’t bring fire accelerants to the campsite, either in the form of liquid or solid. It’s always best to keep things simple and to bring dry wood so that a small fire doesn’t turn into a massive bonfire. Most campsites prohibit it. Bring what you need to start – and extinguish – a fire safely.
Loud Speakers
You’re the only one who wants to hear your music. Bringing a small outdoor speaker is just fine, but keep it at a reasonable level. You can’t play your music too loud, or you’ll bother other campers, and campsites typically don’t allow sound systems that are too loud.
Fireworks
This one should be pretty obvious. Fireworks at the campground they’re just an invitation for disaster. Wildfires happen faster than you can imagine. One stray spark is all that it takes. Fireworks are prohibited on almost all campsites.
Unattended or Unleashed Pets
This is a big one. In the U.S., campgrounds require that pets be on a leash at all times. They must also have proof of current rabies vaccination. Be sure you have the shot paperwork or else they won’t let you in!
Tobacco or Any Smoking Materials
Do you really want to be the person who goes down in history as the person who lit the fire that burned down the forest? Because that is exactly what will happen if you are not careful with cigarettes, cigars, chewing tobacco, or other smoking materials. Also, your camping neighbors don’t want their fresh outdoor smells destroyed by those smells.
Extra Spicy Food for the Campfire
While you might like food with a little burn, try not to cook with really pungent spices over the campfire because they travel in the air toward other guests – as well as wildlife. Don’t attract too much attention to yourself or cause other campers to taste what you are cooking from yards away.
When In Doubt…Leave It at Home
When camping, keep these things in mind: bring what is necessary for your survival, warmth and comfort first. Then, make a list of the nice-to-haves. Look at them with an unbiased eye and think, “would it bother me if someone else brought this?” Or “does this leave behind a trace in nature?” If you question the choice at all, leave it at home. It must not be essential.