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Camping gear has come a long way since the early days of outdoor adventures. Advancements in technology, changes in camping practices and a growing emphasis on sustainability are reshaping camping essentials, from navigation and utensils to lighting and gear.
As camping and outdoor activities evolve, some items that I once commonly brought on camping trips have become obsolete or unnecessary. Below is a list of items I no longer bring on camping trips after refinement over time. I'm hoping you'll find some efficiencies you can apply to your own gear list! Enjoy!
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1. **Paper Maps**: With the widespread availability of GPS devices, smartphone apps, and online mapping services, traditional paper maps might become less essential for navigation. Also, paper maps + rain = obviously not a good combo. I learned this the hard way. Exhibit A below...
2. **Heavy or Separate Utensils**: Spork = spoon + fork. Genius! Most of the time you don't need all three utensils when camping. Sometimes I only bring a spoon. If I go, it's typically a lightweight set made of plastic or light metal like this set from Sea to Summit.
3. **Non-Biodegradable Wet Wipes**: Wet wipes are awesome on camping trips to help make you feel somewhat clean (especially for us ladies if it's our time of the month). Biodegradable alternatives to wet wipes have become available, reducing the impact of these products on the environment. There are tons of options online. Read the package though, as some may say "biodegradable" but you still can't put them down the toilet. You'd have to pack them out and throw them in the trash still.
4. **Heavy Lanterns**: Traditional fuel-powered lanterns have been replaced by lightweight, rechargeable LED lanterns, like this Black Diamond Lantern (an item in my 5 unnecessary but necessary camping gadgets list), that are more energy-efficient and safer. When I was a kid, our family used propane lanterns that you had to pump to light. I have actually lit my hand on fire trying to light one. Whoops!
5. **Rope for a Clothesline**: I used to bring a length of heavy rope for a clothesline but I now use this Sea to Summit travel clothesline (an item in my 5 unnecessary but necessary camping gadgets list).
6. **Single-Function Tools**: Multi-functional tools like Swiss Army knives or multi-tools eliminate the need for carrying individual tools.
7. **Heavy Cookware**: Lightweight, compact, and efficient camping cookware has made heavy pots and pans obsolete. I now own this camper cook set which nests together and even includes a mini cutting board.
8. **Excessive or Non-quick Dry Clothing**: With advancements in clothing technology, such as moisture-wicking fabrics and insulated layers, I need fewer clothing items to stay comfortable. Fast-drying material is key. If I'm on a long trip, I'll wash something mid-trip to refresh it and keep using it.
9. **Non-Compostable Toiletries**: Environmentally-friendly and biodegradable toiletries are now the standard, reducing the ecological impact of personal care products. When I go camping, typically all I'll bring for soap for my body, hair, face, dishes and clothes (on the rare occasion I wash anything) is Campsuds, which is biodegradable.
10. **Disposable Batteries**: Solar-powered chargers and portable power banks reduce the reliance on disposable batteries for electronic devices. I don't have a solar powered one yet but it's on my wish list!
11. **Traditional Camp Chairs**: Seating has become really lightweight, compact, and comfortable. When I need to go ultralight, I use my Therm-a-Rest Z-seat. When I don't need to go light, I'll use my Big Agnes Mica Basin Camp Chair.
12. **Paperback Books**: E-readers make it more convenient to carry a library of reading material without the need for physical books. Also, as I said before, paper + rain = not a great combo.
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13. **Heavy Rain Gear/Tarps**: Lightweight, breathable rain gear has come a LONG way. The invention of Gore-Tex astounds me. How someone came up with waterproof material that's breathable is wild. I used to have a rain suit made out of PVC and I was a hot, sweaty mess after wearing it for even an hour or two. This category also includes tarps. Previously, my family would always lug around massive, thick, blue tarps on our camping trips. A friend had introduced us to Kelty tarps 2 years ago, which are very light and thin and just as effective!
14. **Conventional Camp Stoves**: There is a time and place for a two burner stove. I love to bring mine car camping. However, when wanting to travel light, there are more efficient and compact camp stoves, such as the JetBoil or MSR pocket rocket, which are incredibly light and boil water in less than a minute. Warning: these stoves don't have many levels of heat between on and off, so they are not great for a 'slow and low' kind of meal. They really have one job: boiling water.
15. **Heavy Plates and Cups**: I used to lug around a metal plate and bowl. Now I just use this nesting GSI Gourmet Nesting Mug + Bowl (an item in my 5 unnecessary but necessary camping gadgets list). If I don't need to pack super light, I'll bring my MSR deep dish plate as well - but never a bowl anymore.
16. **Heavy Backpacks**: I wince when I think back to my first backpacking backpack. It was floppy, had no structured back support, dense padding that was not breathable, and was made of heavy material that took forever to dry. Advances in materials and design have led to lighter and more ergonomic backpacks. Now, my partner and I both have Osprey AG backpack: here's a link to the women's (the Aura AG) and the men's (the Atmos AG). It's the most comfortable, light and breathable pack I've ever had. This backpack is a crowd favourite in the hiking community too.
Gear will keep on changing and advancing. While some of these items might become less common over time, they could still be relevant in certain situations or for specific types of camping trips. Always consider the specific requirements of your trip and the principles of Leave No Trace ethics when deciding what to bring.
P.S. Check out The ultimate backpacking packing list for a detailed list of things you may need for a trip and 5 unnecessary but necessary camping gadgets for camping items that I can no longer live without!
Do you have any items you have refined over time, that you no longer bring camping? Comment below!
Happy outdoors-ing!
Tents have come a long way too. The materials are somehow lighter, more waterproof, and tougher!
Oh wow, propane lanterns!? Only upgrade I can think of is the gravity water filters - I never use a hand pump anymore. Oh, and a lightweight camping airbed 🙌