How to hardcore camp like a boss...

I love the outdoors and go camping, hiking, kayaking and hunting as often as possible. I'm fortunate that my partner also loves it. (Not the hunting part, she hates that). We go camping together 4-5 times a year as a rule for periods of between 5-10 days at a time and have a pretty decent setup; It's very comfortable. But at the times I go hunting, or for a shorter trip with a couple of mates comfort takes a back seat to ease of set up and minimal gear.

Sitting around the campfire is one of life's simple pleasures. Until you have done it, in an amazing location under a billion stars, they you won't know. This is one of my better efforts although it was so hot we couldn't get too close :)

I thought I'd share some tips here but firstly here's a couple of benefits to a minimalistic camp set up. Firstly it removes some of the distance between us and the environment by focussing on being in itrather than imposing on it. It also provides a nice counter-balance to our fast lifestyle where everything is at our fingertips 24/7. It allows us to slow down and be more human and focused on ourselves and the world we live in. Minimalistic camping is also easier to set up and pack-down and requires less room in the vehicle, back pack or on the campsite itself.

Just contemplating life...

So, here we go...A few tips to get you started. These techniques and ideas are not strictly mine, many campers around the world do these, and other things besides, in the pursuit of a minimalistic camp. These are just a few little hints to get you under way.

Organise meals around a handful of basic foods

• Choosing foods that travel and keep well will simplify preparation and storage (Potatoes, chicken thighs, garlic, onion, beef mince, sausages and stock can be utilised in so many different ways.)
• Limit perishable items which will need refrigeration. (I take a fridge when I go, a purpose built one that lives in the back of my truck but it's only 60L in size and space is of the essence.)
• Calculate water useage according to number of people, conditions and distance from water sources. (No need to take 100kg of water if there's a tap, river or creek 1km away. Just take a foldable bucket. (Remember to purify water you collect though.)
• Portion food for each person and day where possible. Over-calculating food is one of the biggest wastes of space and food.

You don't see this in the city!

Simplify your kitchen and utensils

• My kitchen (on a minimalistic camp out) is the camp fire and a grill top or my Jetboil (https://www.jetboil.com)
• My utensils are tongs, a large stirring spoon, 1 knife, fork and easting spoon and a cup. I also take a paint scraper which I have sharpened to flip eggs, bacon, sausages and cut meat when required. (My hunting knife doubles as a sharp knife when needed.)
• I include a billy (to boil water) and a cast iron camp oven for stews or damper (bread) and I have cooked pizzas in there too!
• I use the tailgate of my truck as a table.
• A small chopping board (one of those very thin ones that rolls up.

My billy and cook top (Cooking some chorizo sausage there I believe)

Here's my cast iron camp stove on the coals making a damper (bread)

Here's the damper ready for cooking

And the finished product. Too many coals on the top of the camp oven is why the very top is a little burned. Live and learn...)

Limit your need for power

• Use solar where possible for lighting and don't overdo lighting. At night there's these things called stars and they look amazing when not in the city. Check it out by turning the lights off!
• Leave the laptop, phones, ipad, and pretty much all electronic devices home. If you cannot then invest in a small, and suitable solar charger to recharge rather than taking loads of batteries. I use a lot of https://www.goalzero.com.au products.
• Invest in a headlamp for night time. They are cheap, cast a lot of light and are easily turned on and off. They are portable as well so your light goes where you go. I use https://www.ledlenser.com.au products for all my lighting needs.

The remote Flinders Ranges in South Australia. This my back yard.

Use dual or multi-purpose equipment

• Doing more with less is the focus when minimalistic camping. Find items that have multiple uses and you can take less gear.
• I have an entrenching tool (shovel) that can be long or short handled, turns into a rake (to rake firebreaks) and includes a hammer. Rope, tarpaulins and cable-ties can be put to so many uses in a campsite and who can forget the good old multi-tool. I use the Leatherman EOD https://www.leatherman.com.au/products/search.aspx?q=eod found here but there are cheaper versions. I always buy quality though as getting stock in the outback with equipment that fails is not fun.
• I use collapsible buckets which pack small and have so many uses like water collection and when collecting sticks and twigs for kindling to start fires.

Here's my girl taking a hike. She wouldn't turn around for the photo :)

Ok, so there you have just a few hints. Camping doesn't have to be difficult or complicated and it certainly doesn't have to be minimalistic all the time but taking less provides an easier set up and less to get in the way between you and nature. If you have been camping for a long time like me you may see it as a challenge to take less and less; I do that's for sure. But one bit of advice...Don't make your first few camping experiences too minimalistic. Camping is supposed to be fun and enjoyable and if your first few trips are not then you may be turned off one of life's great pleasures. Oh, another bit of advice...reading this post won't make you an expert. I have been camping for 30 years and have built knowledge along the way by trial and error. Don't head off into the outback without a lot of planning and the right equipment.

Thanks for reading.
If you like what you read and saw in this post go get yourself some camping stuff and make it happen!

These photo's are all original and taken on my iphone.