In order to pack for our camping trip, Chris and I scoured the internet for a checklist and the most credible one we came across was from REI, which the below was created from 🙂

Check out the other two posts part of this series recap of our camping trip:

• Vegan Camping: Tips from ConsciousChris.net
• A detailed recap of what we did on our spring camping trip to Big Sur, CA and Sweet Pea Farm in Arroyo Grande, CA on HipCamp.com + a list of ALL of our recipes that we used during our trip!

My number one tip: before purchasing anything, try to borrow your supplies!

I’m sure you have friends or family that are outdoor adventurers (or at least thought they were at some point) that have supplies that they can loan you. You may think you don’t, but I encourage you to ask around first, because you never know what you will discover! We borrowed almost all of our supplies, from my brother & his girlfriend + my parents, and this saved us a ton of money, stress, and time!

Below is a list of everything that we packed on our trip! I am not saying that you need to bring all of this, or that you won’t need anything else, but I want to give you a good idea/base for your trip as a vegan camper 🙂 

What to pack in

• Mountain Smith Lariat Backpacks (Chris has the moroccan blue Lariat 65 and I have the hucklberry Lariat 55 WSD both pictured above)
  • The outer pocket is a detachable day pack with shoulder straps
  • Side canted water bottle pocket
  • *Lifetime warranty* on their products>> this was key for Chris and I!
• >> or if not, duffle bags, backpacks etc work. The former Mountain Smith backpacks are perfect for both car camping and backpacking, which is why we chose these.
• Bag for toiletries — for easy transport from the restroom to camp, vice versa.
• Large cooler as main food storage
• Small cooler for daily travels
• Picnic basket
• Reusable grocery bags for any misc. items

In and Around Camp

• Tent with stakes!: my brother forgot to give us stakes but luckily we were able to use the one for our shade tent
• Waterproof shade tent
• Sleeping bags– I believe the Mountain Smith sleeping bags are vegan! I am looking at the site, and there is no mention of down, only poly and nylon 😉 We borrowed vegan ones from a friend.
• Sleeping pads
• Pillows
• Daypacks (see our Day Hiking Checklist)
• Folding chairs
• Small folding table
• Mallet for tent stakes
• Headlamp with extra batteries
• Flashlights with extra batteries
• Lanterns w/ extra fuel or batteries
• Scissors

Clothing and Footwear

• Long-sleeve shirts
• Beanies and/or hats
• Shoes suited to terrain– we didn’t do extensive hikes so tennis shoes were just fine. Be prepared to get them dirty!
• Socks (I doubled up each day)
• Warm sleepwear
• Insulated clothing if needed
• Gloves or mittens
• Jackets
• If chilly nights are possible, come prepared >> Chris an I were surprised by the weather at night, and were ill prepared. I say pack an extra few layers for night sleeping just in case you don’t end up in our boat. Gloves to sleep in helped a ton!

Kitchen

• Portable grill w/ extra fuel (similar to this one)
• Lighter
• Firewood– if allowed. The Ventana Campground in Big Sur had it available for purchase, and only allowed for us to use their precut wood.
• Cooking pan & pots– we forgot their lids so be sure to bring them! It will decrease cooking time.
• Pot holder
• French press
• Bottle opener
• Marshmallow roasting sticks
• 1 large food-storage tupperware– we used this for leftovers we ate the next day
• Pre-made food– Chris and I made chili & rice before we left and ate this the first two days to save us time and space.
• Resealable ziploc bags
• Trash bags
• Coolers + ice
• Refillable water bottles
• Recycled paper plates, bowls & utensils + cups
• Knife
• Spatula
• Cutting board or surface
• Foil
• Soap
• Sponge
• Wash bin
• Towels

Groceries

• Coffee and tea
• Cereal & oatmeal — we had both plain oats, Nature’s Path cereal and a pack of Right Foods oatmeal & hot cereal cups that just needed hot water!
• VeganEgg: transporting the VeganEgg is simpler than regular eggs, as it requires no refrigeration and comes in powder form, making it the perfect travel companion. I recommend this egg alternative to all campers, vegan or otherwise.
• Bread: sourdough slices, bagels, etc — we had brought along bagels but didn’t notice they had honey until we were on site! So make sure to triple check the ingredients.
• Tortillas for quick wraps
• Seasonings: Salt, pepper, nutritional yeast & any additional spices
• Produce: bananas, dates, avocado, zucchini, bell pepper, tomato, potatoes, lettuce, cilantro, lime, etc.
• Boxed beans: black & garbanzo
• Vegan cheese: Field Roast Chao
• Vegan snacks: granola bars, trail mix, crackers, chips, seasoned nuts, etc.
• Chocolate bar(s)
• Beverages: we brought beer, kombucha, and oat milk (or any non-dairy milk) — for cereal and oatmeal and a few gallons of water
• Dips & Spreads: Oil-free hummus, jelly/jam
• Prepackaged seasoned vegan meat substitutes: Tofurky slices & Upton’s chili lime carnitas jackfruit
• Recipes we made with our grocery list:
  • Fire-baked Sweet Potato Smores
  • Zucchini Oatmeal (Zoats)
  • Vegan Egg Breakfast Sandwich
  • Vegan Chia Chili
  • Grilled Veggie Salad w/ Garden Greens & Chickpeas
  • Jackfruit Carnitas Burritos w/ Farm Fresh Asparagus

Personal Items
Tip: To more easily locate gear, keep similar items in a single duffel.

• Vegan lip balm
• Hand sanitizer
• Eyeglasses/contact lenses
• Female essentials
• First-aid kit– we didn’t think we would need it but we were wrong!
• Toiletries– toilet paper, toothbrush, toothpaste, facewash, etc.
• Cosmetics if needed
• Brush/comb
• Sunglasses
• Shower essentials: vegan shampoo, conditioner & soap

Other Items

• Cameras + extra memory cards
• External chargers
• Campsite reservation confirmation
• Maps
• Guidebook
• Notebook and pen/pencil
• Bluetooth speaker
• Cell phone
• Umbrella
• Tripods