Camping is all about getting back to the basics, but it’s easy to spend a lot on everything you think you might need to get away from it all.
To keep costs down, lifelong campers recommend starting small, and not getting too focused on the gear.
“At the heart of it, when you’re going camping, you’re going to be simple, you’re going to go to be in nature,” said travel writer Kathryn Dickson.
“You need maybe a folding chair or a hammock, and you just need some trees. And a book.”
A reliable tent is of course a key piece as well. For bigger-ticket items like that, it helps to buy used, at season-end sales or clearance websites like The Last Hunt, said Dickson.
“I ended up getting a tent second-hand off a friend of mine who was going to sell it at a yard sale anyway, so I just made him an offer I thought was fair.”
Thrift stores also offer a great way to stock up — offering everything from wool sweaters to cooking pots that will help avoid your regular household items from getting banged up in the outdoors.
She said campers just starting out can get away with not buying sleeping bags and use bedding from home instead, but need to keep in mind that if it gets wet, it will offer little warmth. There are also potential challenges with washing the bedding after.
For food, Dickson always makes sure to plan well ahead, both to not waste food when keeping it cold is tricky, and because buying last minute in small towns or campground stores can get pricey.
She also finds reusable utensils help save money on disposable cutlery.
For those unsure if camping is for them, they can take learn-to-camp overnight programs offered by Parks Canada, where the gear is provided as part of the package, before buying their own
“For people who are just starting, I would start with renting or borrowing equipment, just to understand, like, do you actually enjoy it, but also what do you need,” said Oleksandra Budna, who charts her family’s outdoor trips on her Gone Camping blog.
She learned the hard way that it sometimes pays to spend more on key gear like a tent.
“We went through our share of cheap and not very durable tents at the beginning because we felt like, oh, we don’t have much money, but then in fact those would start leaking basically almost on trip one, and wouldn’t last more than one season,” said Budna.
“Eventually we just bought a really good tent, which was a little more expensive, but now it’s been 10 years I think at this point that we are still using it, and it’s still in perfect condition.”
She also learned that bigger tents are heavier to lug around, harder to set up and colder to sleep in, so she went with a smaller tent when she bought one for the longer term.
Budna found her main tent at an outdoor show, which she said can be a good option because they often have discounts and knowledgeable staff, but she also suggested options like gear swaps, such as the ones Mountain Equipment Co. occasionally runs.
Other key equipment, at least for backpacking, would be good hiking shoes and socks, she said. Gear like clothing doesn’t have to be specialized for camping, but it’s good if it dries quickly.
Beyond the basics, there’s all sorts of options like fancy grills, solar chargers, luxury camping mattresses and the like, but they might not pay off.
Budna bought a screened-in food tent, but found it too much of a hassle to bother with so she stopped bringing it along. Those who are more sensitive to bugs might find it more of a necessity.
Besides gear, campground fees can also add up quickly.
Campers heading to national parks this summer could get a bit of a break, as Prime Minister Mark Carney has promised to waive the admission fees (but not the camping fees) from June to August this year.
And much like sharing gear with friends, sharing campsites is also a good way to cut down on costs.
Backcountry sites are also generally cheaper for those a little more confident in their skills, while camping can be found for free on Crown land, noted Budna. Rules vary on using public land, but there are options hidden across Canada.
Hiking into a camp also forces tough decisions on what you actually need, because you need to carry it all. It’s a forced simplicity that Budna likes.
“Realizing that actually you can fit everything you need in your backpack and carry it on your back, there is something to that.”
Getting deeper into the backcountry and away from crowded campsites can not only save money, but also helps to feel more immersed in the quiet of nature that brings her back again and again, said Budna.
“That’s why I like waking up, for instance, before sunrise and just going for a paddle. That’s when I feel most at peace.”
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