So, you’ve decided to take a trip to explore the great outdoors, either for your first time in a long time — or maybe even your first time ever. But do you have everything you need for a camping trip?

You might be thinking, “How would I even know?” If so, don't feel bad; I was in the same boat until fairly recently myself. It was during my old Boy Scout days that I had last gone on a proper camping trip; the last time I had slept under the stars was waiting outside a Best Buy for Black Friday sales (BTW, you've never envied folks with camping chairs more than when you're lying flat on concrete). But, chalk it up to nostalgia, the call of the wild, or all that time I spent in REIs and Dick's researching packable rain jackets a few months back — either way, I had been itching to go camping once again. Which, of course, meant stocking up on new gear.

Back then, my scout troop simply handed my dad an “everything you need for a camping trip” list that told us what to get and where to get it. But fast-forward to the age of internet retail and “Add to Cart,” and things can still be as overwhelming as ever! As you may have noticed, it’s not that easy, and many equipment recommendations can get a little too, well, deep in the weeds (pun intended).

(Now, here at Best Products, you might have noticed that we appreciate a hyper-focused article or two — and if you know what you want, we've got super thorough guides that help you find the right product for that specific need, from glamping tents to camping kitchens to equipment to help you endure the most extreme of elements.)

But for folks in my position, aka the beginner (or new beginner), the layman who just wants to lay under the stars, we put this guide together for you: a straightforward look at the bare necessities you need for a satisfying first trip back out into the great outdoors. Culled from checklists crafted by the National Park Service and REI, with recommendations pulled from our copious camping guides, user reviews, and my own personal research and experience, this guide is here to help you put together all the gear you need for a great time camping. Happy trails!