Section 01: Camping Kit Checklist
Seventy-Litre Pack Build · Field Edition
Camping Kit Checklist
Seventy-Litre Pack Build · Field Edition
Core items live in the pack permanently. Big 3, Cook, Wear, and Personal get packed each trip. Optional items earn their spot. Weights are typical estimates; actual gear may vary.
01. Always in the pack — 3.0 lb
These items live in your pack permanently and never get unpacked between trips. The goal is that you never have to think about them — they’re always there. The clothesline goes up at every camp without exception: wet socks on a line overnight is the difference between a functional morning and a miserable one. A compact first aid kit, a reliable fire kit, and a water filter are the difference between a bad situation and a manageable one. Note: fire restrictions vary significantly by ecosystem and season — check current burn bans before any trip. Desert and mountain environments frequently have fire restrictions in place. The Sawyer Squeeze is the standard recommendation: lightweight, reliable, and it filters to 0.1 microns without chemicals or waiting.
| Item | Weight |
|---|---|
| Headlamp — charged before leaving home | 2.5 oz |
| Anker 20,000 mAh pack — fully charged | 12.8 oz |
| USB-C cables (2x) — in dedicated pouch | 1.5 oz |
| First aid kit — sealed bag, see First Aid Kit list | 6.0 oz |
| Fire kit — lighter + waterproof matches + tinder in one bag | 2.0 oz |
| Paper topo map — for this trip’s area | 1.5 oz |
| Multi-tool / knife | 4.0 oz |
| Repair kit — tape, zip ties, patches, needle + thread | 2.0 oz |
| Rain cover — attached to pack exterior | 4.0 oz |
| Dry bags — 1 large (sleep), 2 medium (clothes, electronics) | 3.0 oz |
| Sawyer Squeeze filter + squeeze bags (2) | 3.0 oz |
| Clothesline — 30 ft paracord + 6 mini carabiners | 3.0 oz |
| Stuff sacks / compression bags | 2.5 oz |
02. Sleep system — 7.7 lb
The Big 3 — shelter, sleeping bag, and pad — are called that because they dominate your pack weight and your budget. This is where serious weight savings live. A quality three-season tent runs 2-4 lb; ultralight options exist under 1 lb but cost significantly more. Your sleeping bag rating should match the coldest night you expect, not average temps. The pad’s R-value matters as much as the bag — ground pulls heat from your body faster than cold air does. For most three-season camping in the South and Arkansas, an R-value of 2-3 is adequate.
| Item | Weight |
|---|---|
| Tent — packed with poles + stakes in stuff sack | 4.0 lb |
| Sleeping bag — rated for coldest expected night | 2.0 lb |
| Sleeping pad — inflatable, in large dry bag | 1.0 lb |
| Tent footprint / ground cloth | 8.0 oz |
| Compressible pillow | 3.0 oz |
03. Tarp & ridgeline — 2.5 lb
A camp tarp is fundamentally different from a sleep shelter — it’s a communal space, optimized for sitting under in rain or shade rather than sleeping under. A 10x12 or 12x12 silnylon tarp is the standard size for a comfortable hangout area that covers a few camp chairs and a cook setup. Pre-tied prusik loops on the ridgeline give you sliding, lockable attachment points for the tarp — no re-rigging, adjustable under load, and they hold tight in hard rain. The ridgeline goes up with a trucker’s hitch at head height; prusiks slide to position, then lock when weighted. Stake choice matters by ecosystem: titanium skewers in soft forest soil, wide V-stakes or deadman anchors in sand, and long nail stakes in hard desert caliche. Keep the pitch steep enough to shed water fast — a shallow pitch in a hard rain turns into a bathtub.
| Item | Weight |
|---|---|
| Silnylon tarp — 10x12 or 12x12 | 1.5 lb |
| Paracord ridgeline — 50 ft, pre-rigged with loops | 4.0 oz |
| Stakes — 6-8 titanium or aluminum | 6.0 oz |
| Guylines — 4-6 lengths pre-cut to 15 ft | 4.0 oz |
| Pre-tied prusik loops (6) — on ridgeline for tarp attachment | 1.5 oz |
| Stuff sack — tarp + all lines packed together | 1.0 oz |
04. Kitchen — 2.9 lb
The canister stove system is the default for good reason: fast, clean, and simple. A 100g canister lasts roughly 2-3 days of cooking for one person. Bear storage requirements vary by location and land management agency — always check current regulations before the trip. Some areas require hard-sided canisters; others accept a proper PCT hang or Ursack. Water bottles are load-bearing gear. In temperate environments, two 1L bottles is typically sufficient. In desert and high desert environments, carry a minimum of 3L per person between water sources — sources may be 10+ miles apart and seasonal. Verify water source status before any desert trip.
| Item | Weight |
|---|---|
| Canister stove + 100g fuel — igniter tested | 14.0 oz |
| Pot + lid — lid doubles as pan | 8.0 oz |
| Long-handled spork | 1.0 oz |
| Insulated mug with lid | 3.0 oz |
| Water bottles — 2x 1L, filled before hiking | 6.0 oz |
| Bear hang kit — 50 ft cord + carabiner + bag | 12.0 oz |
| Trash bag — packed in, packed out | 1.0 oz |
| Biodegradable soap + small scrubber | 2.0 oz |
05. Clothing — 5.1 lb
For a 3-4 night mixed-climate trip, this list is exactly enough and no more. Two hiking shirts rotate on a 2-day cycle — shirt 1 worn days 1-2, shirt 2 worn days 3-4. Hiking pants are worn to the trailhead; shorts are packed and swapped at camp or on hot afternoons. The sleep layer is a dedicated set — merino top and bottom — sealed in a dry bag and never worn hiking. It is the one thing that must stay dry. Merino underwear and wool socks are not optional upgrades: they are functional gear that prevents blisters, regulates temperature, and stays wearable across multiple days without odor.
| Item | Weight |
|---|---|
| Hiking shirt 1 (short sleeve) — worn to trailhead | 0.0 oz |
| Hiking shirt 2 (short sleeve) — packed, days 2-3 swap | 5.0 oz |
| Hiking pants — worn to trailhead | 0.0 oz |
| Hiking shorts — packed, swap at camp or hot days | 5.0 oz |
| Sleep top — long sleeve merino, sealed in dry bag | 4.0 oz |
| Sleep bottom — merino or lightweight fleece, sealed in dry bag | 4.0 oz |
| Mid layer — synthetic puffy or fleece jacket | 1.0 lb |
| Rain jacket — hardshell, taped seams | 10.0 oz |
| Camp shoes — Crocs or Chacos | 1.0 lb |
| Underwear — merino: 1 worn + 2 packed (3 total) | 6.0 oz |
| Hiking socks — wool: 1 worn + 2 packed (3 total) | 6.0 oz |
| Warm hat — for cold mornings + evenings | 2.0 oz |
| Gloves — lightweight, packed not worn | 2.0 oz |
| Sun hat — worn to trailhead or clipped to pack | 3.0 oz |
| Sunscreen — SPF 50, applied before hiking each day | 3.0 oz |
06. Hygiene + health — 1.0 lb
Leave No Trace principles apply here: human waste must be buried 6-8 inches deep in a cat hole at least 200 feet from water, trails, and camp. A trowel and waste bag are not optional. DEET remains the most effective tick and mosquito repellent across most ecosystems. In temperate forest and river corridors, ticks are a concern March through November. In desert environments, scorpions and fire ants replace ticks as the primary ground-level hazard — shake out boots every morning. Keep your personal med kit honest: include anything you actually need, not a generic pre-packaged kit full of things you won’t use.
| Item | Weight |
|---|---|
| Toothbrush + travel toothpaste | 2.0 oz |
| Lip balm with SPF | 0.5 oz |
| DEET bug repellent — 30% or higher | 3.0 oz |
| Trowel + TP in bag + hand trowel bag | 4.0 oz |
| Hand sanitizer — 2 oz bottle | 2.0 oz |
| Allergy meds — see Allergy / Personal Meds kit list | 2.0 oz |
| Microfiber towel — quick-dry | 3.0 oz |
07. Trip-specific adds — 6.8 lb
Every item in this section has to justify its weight before it goes in the bag. The rule is simple: if you can’t articulate a specific reason you’ll use it on this trip, leave it behind. A camp chair adds meaningful comfort at any basecamp where you are staying put for multiple nights. Trekking poles are worth their weight on any trip with significant elevation or stream crossings. Everything else is trip-dependent — be honest about what you will actually reach for. In desert environments, add: a wide-brim hat (not optional in sun exposure), gaiters for cactus and rocky terrain, and snake bite protocol knowledge.
| Item | Weight |
|---|---|
| Camp chair — ultralight folding | 1.0 lb |
| Trekking poles — collapsed, strapped to pack | 1.0 lb |
| Camera — charged, memory card installed | 1.5 lb |
| Book / journal + pen | 8.0 oz |
| Hammock + tree straps — in stuff sack | 1.0 lb |
| Fishing kit — rod, line, hooks in compact case | 8.0 oz |
| Extra 100g fuel canister | 8.0 oz |
| Binoculars | 12.0 oz |
Weight summary
| Category | Weight |
|---|---|
| Core system (all non-optional tiers) | 22.3 lb |
| Optional adds (if all packed) | 6.8 lb |
| Max total (everything packed) | 29.1 lb |
A note on pack weight
There is a useful number called base weight — everything in your pack except food, water, and fuel. Serious backpackers obsess over it. Car campers ignore it entirely. The truth is somewhere in the middle: even at a vehicle-supported basecamp where your gear is close, an organized, right-sized kit makes every trip better. You spend less time looking for things. You set up faster. You sleep better knowing the gear is dialed in.
The 70L pack is the right call for a dual-purpose system. It has enough volume for a full basecamp setup and compresses well enough that it doesn’t feel absurd on a shorter hike-in. The discipline is not in the bag — it’s in what you choose to put in it. A heavy pack is almost always the result of decisions made at home, not on the trail. Pack with intention, and the gear disappears. Pack out of habit or anxiety, and you’ll feel every extra pound by mile two.
The best kit is the one you actually know. Use the same gear enough times that setup is automatic, you know where everything is without looking, and you trust it in bad weather. That familiarity is worth more than any single piece of equipment.