⛺ Camping and outdoors

Bottled water

Our rule: about three 16.9 oz bottles per person per day out and about.

3 bottles per person per day

Amazon search: “bottled water 16.9 oz 24 pack”

Personal water filter

LifeStraw personal water filter

A light straw filter for a go-bag or a hike.

Good for: Go-bags and hiking

Our rule: one backup filter per four people. Check what a filter removes before relying on it.

Camp water jug

One refillable jug for washing and cooking.

1 jug for the group

Amazon search: “camping water jug with spigot”

Water purification tablets

CDC lists tablets and bleach for making water safe. Follow the label.

1 pack for the group

Reusable water bottles

1 bottle each

Amazon search: “reusable water bottle”

Collapsible water containers

2 containers for the group

Amazon search: “collapsible water container”

Freeze-dried meals

Mountain House Classic meal bucket

12 pouches of freeze-dried meals. Add water.

Good for: Pantry backup

1 pouch per person per day

Our rule: one pouch per person per day as a backup meal.

Electrolyte drink mix

Liquid I.V. Hydration Multiplier, lemon lime, 50 packets

Electrolyte drink packets. Ask a doctor for babies or anyone on fluid limits.

Good for: Heat and stomach bugs

1 packet per person per day

For heat and stomach bugs. Ask a doctor for babies and people on fluid limits.

Canned soups and stews

Our rule: half a can per person per day.

Canned tuna or chicken

Peanut butter

Our rule: one jar per person every two weeks.

Oatmeal

Amazon search: “oatmeal canister”

Coffee

Our rule: a 12-ounce bag covers about 25 person-days.

Amazon search: “ground coffee”

Ice

Our rule: about a pound per person per day for drinks; more if the cooler holds food.

1 pound per person per day

Amazon search: “bagged ice”

Kids' water bottles

1 bottle per kid

Amazon search: “kids water bottle”

Paper plates

Our rule: one and a half per person per meal; people grab seconds.

1.5 plates per person per meal

Cups

2 cups per person per meal

Amazon search: “disposable cups”

Plastic utensils

1.5 sets per person per meal

Amazon search: “disposable cutlery set”

Napkins

3 napkins per person per meal

Bowls

Amazon search: “disposable bowls”

Cooler

Coleman 62-quart wheeled cooler

A big wheeled cooler for camp, games and outages.

Good for: Camping and outages

Our rule: one large cooler for every six or seven people.

Manual can opener

Mebotem heavy-duty manual can opener

Big handles and an easy-turn knob. No power needed.

Good for: Every pantry

1 can opener for the group

Ready.gov puts one in the basic kit.

Lighter or matches

Keep them dry. Ready.gov lists waterproof matches.

2 lighters for the group

Amazon search: “waterproof matches”

Camp stove

Coleman Classic 2-burner propane stove

Two burners on standard 16-ounce propane cylinders. Outdoors only.

Good for: Camping

1 stove for the group

Use outdoors only. Never cook with fuel indoors.

Food thermometer

ThermoPro TP19 instant-read thermometer

A fast thermometer for meat and leftovers.

Good for: Holiday cooking

1 thermometer for the group

Ice packs

4 packs for the group

Amazon search: “reusable ice packs for cooler”

Toilet paper

Our rule: about 3 rolls per person per week.

Zip-top bags

Keep papers and phones dry.

1 box for the group

Amazon search: “gallon zipper bags”

Wet wipes

Ready.gov lists moist towelettes.

5 wipes per person per day

Portable toilet bags

For when toilets cannot flush. Ready.gov lists garbage bags and ties for sanitation.

1 bag per person per day

Amazon search: “portable toilet waste bags”

Dish soap

1 bottle for the group

Amazon search: “biodegradable camp soap”

Sponges

1 pack for the group

Hand sanitizer

2 bottles for the group

Toothbrushes

Spares for guests who forget theirs.

1 toothbrush each

Toothpaste

Our rule: a tube lasts one person about 7 weeks.

Shampoo and body wash

Amazon search: “travel size shampoo body wash”

Deodorant

1 stick per adult

Feminine hygiene supplies

Ready.gov lists feminine supplies.

1 box per adult

Amazon search: “pads tampons”

Prescription medicines

Red Cross: a 7-day supply. Ask your prescriber or pharmacy what is possible.

1 one-week supply each

Amazon search: “weekly pill organizer”

Sunscreen

Our rule: an 8 oz bottle lasts about four person-days with reapplying.

Adhesive bandages

Band-Aid family variety pack, 120

Bandages in several sizes and types.

Good for: Home first aid

1 box for the group

Bug spray

Sawyer 20% picaridin insect repellent

A picaridin spray for mosquitoes and ticks.

Good for: Camping and the yard

Our rule: one can for about four people.

Pain and fever reliever

1 bottle for the group

Amazon search: “pain reliever”

Allergy medicine

1 box for the group

Flashlights

GearLight S1000 rechargeable flashlights, 2-pack

Bright flashlights that charge by USB-C, so a power bank keeps them going.

Good for: Outages

1 flashlight each

One per person, so nobody is left in the dark.

Batteries

Amazon Basics AA batteries, 48-pack

A big pack of AAs for lights and radios.

Good for: Restocking

4 batteries each

Check sizes for your lights and radio.

Headlamps

Energizer LED Headlamp PRO, 2-pack

Light where you look, and batteries included.

Good for: Outages and camping

1 headlamp each

Lantern

Etekcity CL10 LED lanterns, 4-pack

Four battery lanterns for shared rooms. Batteries included.

Good for: Outages

2 lanterns for the group

Power bank

Anker PowerCore Slim 10,000mAh power bank

Pocket-size backup charging for a phone.

Good for: Everyday bag

1 power bank per adult

Battery-powered fan

O2COOL Treva 10-inch battery fan

Runs on D batteries or a wall adapter.

Good for: Summer outages

Charging cables

2 cables for the group

Amazon search: “usb c charging cable”

Tent

Coleman Sundome 4-person tent

A simple dome tent with a rainfly.

Good for: Family camping

Our rule: one 4-person tent per four people.

Sleeping bags

Coleman Brazos 20°F sleeping bag

A machine-washable bag rated to 20°F.

Good for: Spring and fall camping

1 sleeping bag each

Check the temperature rating for your nights.

Air mattress

SoundAsleep Dream Series queen air mattress

A raised queen air bed with a built-in pump.

Good for: Guests

Our rule: one queen mattress for two guests. Skip if you have beds.

Emergency blankets

Swiss Safe mylar emergency blankets, 4-pack

Light foil blankets for the car and go-bags.

Good for: Car and go-bag

1 blanket each

Shade canopy

CORE 10x10 instant canopy

A pop-up canopy with a wheeled carry bag.

Good for: Tournaments and tailgates

Our rule: a 10×10 canopy shades about ten.

Sleeping pads

1 pad each

Amazon search: “camping sleeping pad”

Beach towels

1 towel each

Camp chairs

Coleman quad chair with 4-can cooler

A padded folding chair with a cooler in the arm.

Good for: Sidelines and camp

1 chair each

Multi-tool

Gerber Suspension NXT multi-tool

Pliers, a knife and drivers in one pocket tool.

Good for: Go-bag and car

1 multi-tool for the group

Ready.gov lists a wrench or pliers to turn off utilities.

Duct tape

Gorilla Tape, black, 2-pack

Thick, strong tape for quick repairs and sealing plastic.

Good for: Kits and repairs

1 roll for the group

Ready.gov lists plastic sheeting and duct tape.

Whistle

Fox 40 Classic whistle with breakaway lanyard

A loud pealess whistle on a breakaway cord.

Good for: Go-bags and kids

1 whistle each

Ready.gov lists a whistle to signal for help.

Folding table

Our rule: one 6-foot table per eight people.

Board games

2 games for the group

Amazon search: “family board games”

Card games

Ready.gov suggests activities for kids in a kit.

2 decks for the group

Amazon search: “card games for family”

Travel crib

1 crib per baby

Amazon search: “travel crib pack and play”

Baby sunscreen and hat

Ask your pediatrician about sunscreen under 6 months.

1 set per baby

Amazon search: “baby sunscreen”

Pet food

One day's portion per pet per day. Ready.gov says to plan food and water for pets too.

1 day's portion per pet per day

Amazon search: “dog food”

Leash and ID tag

Ready.gov: keep ID and a current photo of your pet.

1 set per pet

Amazon search: “pet id tag”

Travel pet bowls

CrossMor collapsible dog bowls, 2-pack

Two silicone bowls that fold flat and clip to a bag.

Good for: Walks and trips

2 bowls per pet

Poop bags

Earth Rated poop bags, 315 unscented

Refill rolls of unscented bags.

Good for: Every walk

3 bags per pet per day

Flea and tick prevention

Ask your vet which product suits your pet.

1 supply per pet

Weather radio

Midland ER310 hand-crank NOAA weather radio

Weather alerts, plus hand-crank and solar charging.

Good for: Every home kit

1 radio for the group

Ready.gov lists a battery-powered or hand-crank radio with NOAA alerts.

Fire extinguisher

First Alert HOME1 fire extinguisher

A rechargeable home extinguisher rated 1-A:10-B:C.

Good for: Kitchen and garage

1 extinguisher for the group

Fire blanket

A top-converting item in Amazon's emergency preparedness searches.

1 blanket for the group

Amazon search: “fire blanket for kitchen”

Cooling towels

Mission Enduracool cooling towel

Cools when wet. Soak it again to reuse.

Good for: Hot days outside

1 towel each

Thermal base layers

1 set each

Amazon search: “thermal underwear set”

Wool socks

2 pairs each

Wide-brim sun hats

1 hat each

Amazon search: “wide brim sun hat”

Rain jackets

1 jacket each

Amazon search: “rain jacket”

Zip ties

1 pack for the group

Bungee cords

1 set for the group

Folding shovel

1 shovel for the group

Name labels

1 set per kid

Amazon search: “name labels for kids clothes”