The Science of Outfit
The efficiency of a camping outfit is measured not by its weight or its cost, but by the ratio of comfort it provides to the labor of transporting it. A man with a hundred-pound outfit may be less comfortable than a man with forty pounds, if the forty pounds have been selected with knowledge and the hundred pounds with ignorance.
The art of outfitting is an art of selection — knowing what to take, what to leave behind, and above all, why. Every article must justify its place. There is a reason for each item in a well-planned outfit, and the camper who understands those reasons will never be at a loss when circumstances require improvisation.
The Tent
Of all camp equipment, the tent receives more thought and generates more argument than any other item. The simple truth is this: the best tent is the lightest tent that provides adequate protection for the conditions you will face.
The Wall Tent: The standard for semi-permanent camps. Vertical walls provide standing room and livable space. Accommodates a stove in winter. Weight: 30–60 pounds with poles. The wall tent is the choice for base camps, hunting camps of a week or more, and any situation where the tent will be erected once and used for an extended period. It is NOT a trail tent — no sane man carries a wall tent on his back.
The A-Tent (Wedge Tent): Two sloping sides meeting at a ridge, open or closed at the ends. Simple, reasonably light, and sheds rain well. The A-tent is a good compromise between weight and livability for trips of a few days to a week. Weight: 6–15 pounds depending on size and material.
The Lean-To Tent (Open-Front Shelter): Nessmuk's preference and mine for much of the year. A sloping roof with an open front that faces the fire. Advantages: lightest of all tents, reflects fire heat inward, provides fresh air, dries quickly. Disadvantage: no protection from wind-driven rain on the open side, and insects have free entry in buggy seasons. Weight: 3–5 pounds.
The Tarpaulin: The most versatile shelter. A single rectangle of waterproof fabric can be pitched in a dozen different configurations — lean-to, A-frame, flat roof, or wrapped around the body as an emergency bivouac. For the experienced camper who knows how to read weather and terrain, a good tarp is the only shelter needed for three seasons. Weight: 2–4 pounds.
Materials: The best tent material balances water resistance, weight, breathability, and durability. In my experience:
- Cotton drill or duck (canvas): The traditional standard. Heavy but extremely durable, breathes well (reducing interior condensation), and can be made thoroughly waterproof. A well-cared-for canvas tent lasts decades.
- Silk: The lightest material. Used for high-mountain and expedition tents where every ounce matters. Expensive and less durable than cotton.
- Rubber-coated fabric: Completely waterproof but heavy and does not breathe at all — condensation drips on the interior like rain. Suitable only for tarps and ground cloths.
Match Your Shelter to Your Trip
Kephart describes four shelter types because no single tent works for every situation. A wall tent is perfect for a week-long base camp but absurd for a backpacking trip. A tarp is ideal for experienced three-season campers but miserable in a winter storm. Match your shelter to the trip: how long, how far you are carrying it, what season, and what weather you expect. When in doubt, the A-tent is the safest all-around choice for beginners — it handles rain, wind, and bugs while staying under 15 pounds.
Bedding
The camper's bed determines the quality of his sleep, and the quality of his sleep determines the quality of his entire trip. A man who sleeps badly is miserable company, makes poor decisions, and tires quickly.
The Blanket: Wool blankets remain the best all-around bedding for temperate camping. Wool insulates when wet, breathes freely, and resists odor. A single good wool blanket of medium weight (3–4 pounds) is sufficient for summer. Two blankets or a blanket combined with a lightweight quilt handle spring and fall.
The sleeping bag is a modern invention of great merit for cold-weather camping. A bag filled with down or good wool batting weighs less and insulates better than the equivalent weight of blankets, because the bag encloses the sleeper completely, eliminating drafts. For winter camping, I consider a sleeping bag essential.
Ground Insulation: No matter what you sleep under, you must insulate yourself from the ground. The earth draws heat from the body relentlessly through conduction. Options:
- A rubber or oilcloth ground sheet (waterproof, 1–2 pounds)
- A folded blanket beneath you
- Natural materials: balsam boughs, spruce tips, dry leaves, or grass gathered at the campsite
- For permanent camps, a raised cot eliminates ground contact entirely
Cooking Equipment
Camp cooking requires surprisingly little equipment. The temptation to pack a complete kitchen is strong; resist it. I have prepared excellent meals for months at a time with the following:
The Essential Kit:
- One nesting pot (2–3 quart capacity, with lid): For boiling water, making coffee, cooking stews, soups, and beans. Aluminum is lightest; steel is most durable.
- One frying pan (8–10 inch): For frying meat, baking bread, cooking pancakes, and toasting. A frying pan with a folding handle packs efficiently.
- One cup (tin or enamel): Serves as drinking cup, measuring cup, and small cooking pot.
- One plate (tin or enamel)
- Fork, knife, and spoon: One set per person. The knife from your belt serves for both eating and food preparation.
- A small gridiron (wire grill): Optional but useful. Provides a stable cooking surface over the fire without the fuss of balanced sticks.
That is all. Eight items. They nest together into a compact package weighing under three pounds that will cook any meal the woods can produce.
What NOT to bring: Coffeepots (the nesting pot does the job), Dutch ovens (extraordinary heavy for backpacking), multiple pots (one pot, used sequentially for different courses, serves as well as three), elaborate utensils (a knife and spoon handle 90% of food preparation).
Provisions
The provisioning of a camping trip requires forethought proportional to the trip's length and remoteness. For a weekend, errors are easily corrected. For a month in the backcountry, a poorly planned food supply means hunger or a shortened trip.
Kephart's Provision List (per person, per week):
- Flour: 3 pounds (for bread, biscuits, thickening, and pancakes)
- Cornmeal: 1 pound (for cornbread and mush)
- Rice: 1 pound
- Beans: 2 pounds (navy beans or lima beans — the best trail food ever devised)
- Bacon or salt pork: 2 pounds (provides fat, protein, and flavoring)
- Sugar: 1 pound
- Salt: 4 ounces
- Tea or coffee: 4 ounces
- Dried fruit: 1 pound (apples, apricots, or raisins)
- Butter: 1/2 pound (in a sealed tin)
- Baking powder: 4 ounces
- Pepper and any preferred spices: small quantities
Total: approximately 12–13 pounds per person per week. This provides approximately 3,000 calories per day — adequate for moderate activity. For hard travel or cold weather, increase quantities by 25%.
12 Pounds Per Person Per Week
Kephart's provision system has been tested by over a century of backcountry travelers and it still works. The genius is in the balance: flour and cornmeal provide carbohydrates and bulk, beans deliver protein and fiber, bacon supplies essential fat and flavor for cooking everything else, and dried fruit adds vitamins and variety. At 12-13 pounds per person per week, you can calculate exactly how much food any trip requires — no guesswork, no running short, no hauling excess weight.
Packing Provisions:
- Repack everything from commercial containers into labeled cloth sacks or waterproof bags
- Double-bag flour and sugar to prevent moisture and spills
- Carry butter in a sealed tin, kept as cool as possible
- Bacon wrapped in cheesecloth and then in a waterproof bag
- All provisions stored in a single large sack or pack basket, hung from a tree at night to deter animals
Clothing
Kephart's clothing philosophy aligns with Nessmuk's and with military practice: wool for all seasons, loose fit, neutral colors, and nothing superfluous.
The Standard Outfit:
- One wool shirt (worn)
- One flannel or cotton shirt (spare)
- One pair wool trousers
- Wool socks (two pairs — one worn, one drying)
- Wool underwear in cold weather; cotton in hot
- A wide-brimmed felt hat
- A wool sweater or vest for layering
- A water-resistant outer garment (oilskin or rubber-coated cotton) for rain
- Sturdy leather boots, well-broken-in and well-oiled
On footwear: More camping trips have been ruined by bad boots than by bad weather. The ideal camp boot has a thick but flexible sole, rises above the ankle for support, and fits snugly without pinching when worn with wool socks. Break in new boots thoroughly before any trip — blisters in the backcountry can be genuinely disabling.
Break In Boots Before the Trip — Always
Kephart's warning about footwear has been echoed by every outdoor instructor since 1906 — and ignored by every generation of beginners. New boots on the trail mean blisters, and blisters in the backcountry can end a trip or become a genuine medical problem. Wear new boots around town for at least two weeks before any wilderness trip. Walk in them on pavement, on trails, uphill, and downhill. If they cause hot spots or pinching after break-in, they are the wrong boots — return them and try another pair.
The Tool Kit
The Axe: For any camp lasting more than a night or two, a proper axe is the most useful tool in camp. Not a hatchet (too light for serious wood processing) and not a heavy felling axe (too much weight to carry), but a medium axe with a 2–2.5 pound head and a 24–28 inch handle. This axe fells small trees, splits firewood, drives stakes, and performs a hundred other tasks.
The important thing is not the axe but the edge. A razor-sharp axe in the hands of a mediocre woodsman outperforms a dull axe in the hands of an expert. Carry a file and a whetstone, and sharpen your axe every evening. Touch up the edge before each use. An axe should shave hair from your arm.
A Sharp Edge Matters More Than a Heavy Head
Kephart's axe advice is the single most quoted passage in the book — and the most ignored. Campers spend hours debating axe brands and steel types, then never sharpen the one they own. A $30 axe with a mirror-polished edge will outcut a $200 axe that has been bouncing around in a truck bed all season. Carry a bastard file and a puck stone. File out any nicks, then hone to a razor edge. Five minutes of sharpening before each use transforms a mediocre tool into an extension of your arm.
The Knife: One good, sturdy sheath knife with a blade of 4–5 inches. The knife is the most personal and most constantly used tool in camp. Choose one that fits your hand comfortably and holds an edge well.
Additional Tools:
- A small whetstone (for knife and axe)
- 50 feet of strong cord or light rope
- A few feet of wire (for hanging pots, making repairs)
- Needles and strong thread (for mending clothing and equipment)
- Matches in a waterproof container (carry more than you think you need)