Spring is in the air. The snow is melting in the high country, daily temps are rising, days are stretching longer, and short sleeves and sandals are emerging in the wild from hibernation. These are all signs that one of the best times of the year is right around the corner. The days of car camping, backpacking, tent pitching, fire tending, and outdoor cooking are upon us — we’ve been waiting.
It’s camping season!
Whether you’ve got a stacked calendar of adventures ahead of you or you’re just starting to think about and plan your trips, there’s always a list of things to take care of ahead of spring before you take to the hills and start sleeping outside — the “Pre-Season Camping Gear Prep and Planning Checklist,” as I like to call it. Depending on how much gear you have, it might take you a couple of hours, a day, or even a week to work through.
But it’s time well spent. When you’re set up with a view, feet up on a cooler, fire crackling beside you, beverage in hand as you watch the sunset over your first successful outing, you’ll no doubt agree. It’s incredible how much more prepared you are when you front-load your camping season with a bit of extra elbow grease.
In short: That’s why we’ve compiled this handy, dandy prep and planning guide for preseason campers who want to get ahead of the game. It’s a rough and dirty compilation of things to do and think about, tips, tricks, and hacks to ensure that you hit the road running with everything you need.
Step One: Get Organized!
![Overview of Hyperlite Mountain Gear pods packed up. Roll top stuff sack for the sleeping bag, side entry pods for the rainfly, footprint, and cold weather clothes. Zipper pods for accessories and other clothes](https://s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com/images.gearjunkie.com/uploads/2023/11/Overview-of-Hyperlite-Mountain-Gear-pods-packed-up-700x467.jpg)
If you’re anything like me, your camping organization is always better going into a trip than it is coming back. I’ll have everything neatly packed up when I’m setting out, but by the time I come home, it’s all gone to pot, and everything is everywhere all at once.
The same is true for the camping season: I tend to be more organized initially. That’s why I need to start the season at a high watermark — from experience, I know it’s all downhill from there.
So, get it together. Drag your camping gear into the living room, garage, or yard, and start laying things out. Make a neat spread of your kitchen gear, sleep systems, tents, packs, lights, electronics, and outerwear. Unpack your tent and assess whether or not it needs to be cleaned or waterproofed. The same goes for your sleeping bag, sleeping pad/air mattress, and bag liner.
![2024 Oregon Trail’R TerraDrop Alpha](https://s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com/images.gearjunkie.com/uploads/2023/06/OT-TDA-Camp-Chef-BWS_0458-700x467.jpg)
Tent Care
![Mountain Hardware Mineral King 3 Tent Rain Fly](https://s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com/images.gearjunkie.com/uploads/2023/05/DSC8143-700x467.jpeg)
![Hunting Tents](https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.gearjunkie.com/uploads/2022/10/Dialed-In-Hunter-8537-700x467.jpg)
Sleeping Bag Care
![](https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.gearjunkie.com/uploads/2017/09/nikwax-wash-700x451.jpg)
Apparel, Footwear, and Outerwear Check
![AKU ROCKET MID DFS GTX Hiking Boots](https://s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com/images.gearjunkie.com/uploads/2023/07/IMG_4878-copy-2-700x525.jpg)
Camp Kitchen Care
![Rivian R1T kitchen](https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.gearjunkie.com/uploads/2019/05/2019_05_Rivian-CampKitchen-002-700x467.jpg)
Clean Water
![HydraPak Seeker 6L gravity filter review; (photo/Will Brendza)](https://s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com/images.gearjunkie.com/uploads/2023/05/IMG_4480-700x525.jpg)
Check Food, Replinish Supplies
![a variety of Trail Snacks, bars, jerky, and more](https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.gearjunkie.com/uploads/2019/08/IMG_5081-700x525.jpg)
Start Planning Trips!
![](https://s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com/images.gearjunkie.com/uploads/2023/12/DSC2693-700x467.jpeg)
Frequently Asked Questions
![](https://s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com/images.gearjunkie.com/uploads/2024/03/DSC3949-700x467.jpeg)
You should always be prepared to camp in the rain, as it’s a distinct possibility whenever you go out. Bring a rainfly for your tent. Don’t forget your rain pants and jacket. Have some warm clothes to layer with in case the temperatures drop. Have cold soak meals and snacks ready if you can’t start a fire or stove.
If it’s really coming down, make sure your tent is positioned out of the grass and somewhere water won’t pool. If you did your homework and prepped pre-camping season, the waterproofing on your rain fly and outerwear should be refreshed. And expect to get muddy if you go out for a hike.
![kelty lowdown couch camping chair 3-person size](https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.gearjunkie.com/uploads/2022/05/kelty-couch-closeup-700x467.jpg)
It depends on the chair. Most of them are easy enough to spray down with a hose in the front yard. I have had incidents where food or drink has spilled on my favorite Kelty camp couch and left stains. In my experience, it’s possible to spot-clean your camp chairs and furniture using a hand towel or sponge and some dish soap or laundry detergent.
![Coleman Camp Stove Griddles](https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.gearjunkie.com/uploads/2022/11/DSC2594-700x467.jpg)
The best way is to do it frequently. But if you’re looking for a play-by-play, here’s how I do it with my Coleman: Break the stove down. Take out the burner grate, the stove basin, the gas canister connector, and any other removable pieces.
Hand wash every single one of them with soap and water. Wash the stove, wiping down any grease and grime, and drain it so no standing water is left inside. Let everything dry.
When all the water has evaporated, reassemble the stove. And it never hurts to test-fire it up. The last place you want to realize your stove is broken is out at the campsite when it’s your only food source.