Camping Gear for Beginners: What You Actually Need (and What You Don’t)
Updated: Sep 13
The camping store aisle wants you to spend $2,000 before your first night outdoors. It's tempting to want it all...
But here's the truth, for a comfortable weekend at an Australian campground, you basically need only 4 things done properly, plus a few things done cheaply. Nothing needs to be expensive if you don't want it to be.
Let's start with the basics, and keep it simple to start with.
The Starter Kit, Ranked by Importance
1. Sleep setup:
This is where comfort lives or dies.
A decent mat or air bed and a season-appropriate sleeping bag beat every other purchase.
2. Tent:
Buy one size bigger than the label. Honestly, a "4-person" tent sleeps two adults and their gear comfortably. We're not doing overland trecking with our tent here, and it's great to have space for your bags in the tent too. You'll thank yourself later if you choose the one that's easiest to set up.
3. Lighting:
Head torches (hands-free) and one hanging/standing lantern. Cheap ones still work well, just ensure you can exchange the batteries, and buy spares.
4. Cooking:
Bring an esky with ice, ice bricks and your food.
A simple two-burner gas stove covers everything a beginner cooks. One with small insert gas canisters is a very easy set-up, bring spare gas.
What You Camping Gear Can You Borrow, Hire or Improvise
Borrow a tent from a friend or neighbour. Most camping gear in Australia spends 51 weekends a year in a garage.
Hire - camping stores and some outdoor clubs hire tents, sleep systems, stoves and more. It's a cheap way to test what you actually like before buying.
Improvise the rest. A doona from home is fine if you don't have a sleeping bag for a campsite trip. Choosing the site is covered in How to Choose a Campsite in Australia.
Buying second-hand camping gear is another great way to save. You can often find items barely used.
Beginners Overspend On?
Tee-pees are fun for glamping, but top-shelf tents and setups for a for simple weekend camp-ground trips aren't a must-have.
Camp kitchens with more benches than your actual kitchen. A large plastic storage container works well.
Specialist gadgets. Like those metal marshmallow sticks....ouch! Besides, real sticks are more than fine for the job.
We recommend spend on the ground you choose to camp at, and what you'll sleep on. Save on almost everything else.
Comfort Upgrades Worth the Money
A good chair each
the difference between an evening around the fire and an early night, or a potentially damp morning behind. Get one for the kids too, or they'll take yours.
A self-inflating mattress or thick air mat upgrade
the single best dollars-to-comfort ratio in camping. Save your breath and It can plug into your car port.
A shade shelter or awning in summer
For when the campground shade is playing catch-me-if-you-can.
What to Upgrade First, Second, Third
After a few trips, upgrade in the order your discomfort tells you: sleep first, shade second, kitchen third.
Buy after camping, not before. Two trips teach you exactly what your setup lacks, and half the wish-list evaporates.
Link to downloadable resource: Camping Must-Haves
You'll find shelter, light, cooking, clothing, food and safety covered, plus the six things campers always forget. Download or print the PDF with full details and keep it in your kit. The phone download version is a quick overview reminder list.
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