On her first camping trip of the summer, hiker and adventure blogger Taryn Eyton was surrounded by more company than usual.

The Vancouverite, who works as a volunteer trainer with Leave No Trace Canada, normally spends large chunks of each summer outdoors. But COVID-19 restrictions on site reservation and other forms of travel led to increased demand and system bottlenecking, so when reservations opened across B.C. on June 1, they went quickly. She and her sister were lucky to snag a few June days in a provincial park just outside of Whistler.

As an experienced camper, the packing list is something she has down pat. But for many first-timers, knowing what to bring can be a challenge B次元官网网址� one that quickly becomes expensive if youB次元官网网址檙e not careful when shopping for gear.

B次元官网网址淎 lot of people get intimidated by the idea of camping being all this gear that you need, all this special stuff,B次元官网网址� she says. B次元官网网址淚f you go to a popular provincial park on a long weekend youB次元官网网址檒l see people with just incredible camp setups. All power to them B次元官网网址� [but] you really donB次元官网网址檛 need all that stuff.B次元官网网址�

Eyton says campers on a budget should prioritize covering the necessities: Warmth and shelter.

If thereB次元官网网址檚 anything to spend money on, she says, itB次元官网网址檚 a well-made tent. B次元官网网址淭he bare bones tent is probably going to leak or fall apart,B次元官网网址� Eyton notes. While a high-quality tent may set you back a few hundred dollars, itB次元官网网址檚 likely to last two to three times as long as one that costs closer to 50 (but if the former is outside your price range, a tarp can serve as a suitable backup to cover holes in the event of a leak.)

The same rule applies to sleeping bags, with slightly more flexibility, Eyton says. A warm, well-made sleeping bag (at a few hundred dollars) is a plus if youB次元官网网址檙e planning to camp into the colder seasons, but for summer camping alone, a lighter, less expensive bag should suffice. If youB次元官网网址檙e worried about getting cold, pack a few fleece or wool blankets from home as an addition.

And air mattresses, while comfortable, are not always worth it, Eyton says: Foam sleeping pads typically offer more insulation from the ground and run at a similar price point. If any piece of gear is too expensive to justify buying at all, check your local gear outfitter or MEC branch for rentals, a short-term alternative to purchasing equipment you may never use again.

Shane Devenish, executive director of the Burlington, Ontario-based Canadian Camping and RV Council, says demand for both tent and RV camping has been at an all-time high since the start of June.

B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 being perceived as one of the safest ways to go on vacation and take a road trip,B次元官网网址� Devenish says.

Devenish notes that the budget-conscious should also take mileage into account when calculating the cost of a trip, especially in an RV or larger rental vehicle. B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 better to have the expectations before you go,B次元官网网址� he says, B次元官网网址渞ather than disappointment, or youB次元官网网址檙e pretty upset when youB次元官网网址檝e got to go to the gas station so much.B次元官网网址�

Beyond these upfront costs, camping remains one of the most affordable ways to spend a summer, Devenish adds. Eyton echoes the sentiment, and notes that an open-minded attitude and respect for nature are the only other essentials to take with you.

B次元官网网址淚t might rain, it might be cold, there might be bugs,B次元官网网址� she says. B次元官网网址淸Have] a plan for those things and how youB次元官网网址檙e going to deal with it and still have fun.B次元官网网址�

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Audrey Carleton, The Canadian Press

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