Your Eco-Friendly Camping Trip: What You’ll Need

Camping can have a negative impact on the environment. So how can you take advantage of the wonderful outdoors while minimizing your impact? Here are some cool eco-friendly camping items you might find useful while exploring the great outdoors.

Getting to the Mountain

shutterstock_87828124Sometimes the part of your camping trip that is the worst for the environment is just getting to the trail head. Cars that aren’t tuned up can burn oil and waste fuel, emitting more C02 into the atmosphere than they need to. Because of this, it’s a good idea to get a tune-up before you hit the road.

Your engine isn’t the only thing that affects fuel efficiency though. Under-inflated or old tires can cause you to get less-than-optimal fuel efficiency. If your tires are worn it’s probably a good idea to invest in some new ones. Luckily, there is a tire just right for the eco-friendly camper — the Continental ProContact ECOPlus. This tire utilizes the ECOPlus technology to lower rolling resistance and cut down on C02 emissions.

Camping Stoves

There are a couple different options when it comes to eco-friendly camping stoves. Both Solo Stove and BioLite have a variety of options of wood burning camping stoves.

Solo Stoves come in three different sizes. One for simple and personal cooking, another for larger meals, and the campfire substitute, which provides not only a place to cook dinner or breakfast, but can also replace a fire pit.

BioLite stoves also have a lot to offer. A fan attaches to each BioLite product and feeds the flames plenty of oxygen. These stoves serve dual purposes, as the fan also charges from the fire it is feeding. With USB ports built in, this fan turns itself into a battery pack so you can charge your smartphone or camera even when you’re in the wilderness.

It’s important to do product research when deciding what camping stove to buy, as many of them cost a pretty penny and you want to know the one you pick is going to serve your needs. Keep in mind that Solo and BioLite stoves are only usable where dry wood is readily available, so if you are camping above the tree line or in the desert, these might not be your best options.

Some Other Essentials

No matter where you’re camping, you need to be prepared for any weather. Hot, cold, rain or snow. Luckily, Patagonia has prided itself for years on its eco-friendly practices. Patagonia has a whole line of recycled polyester and recycled wool clothing. There are also vegan sleeping bags from MEC. These sleeping bags are made with 50 percent recycled materials and polyester/cotton blend.

If you’re going backpacking you’ll want to grab a good internal frame backpack. The Mountainsmith Maverick is made from recycled PET fabric and 50 recycled bottles. This pack comes ready with an internal frame, weather neck guard, and even a hydration system for your Camelbak.

What do you think? Did we miss any essential Eco-Friendly Camping Gear?

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