When my husband was in college, he had a really wonderful tent, which he loved deeply. I remember having a camp-out under the stars in that tent, back when we were just dating. His fraternity was going on a camp trip, and one of his buddies needed to borrow the tent. Sach is the kind of guy who loves to help his friends out, so, he loaned his pal the tent... and never saw it again. To this day, he still goes on about that tent, and how he hates that he never got it back. He even asks fraternity brothers to look for it at the school, when they go up for reunions!

So, of course this puts an idea into my head that the poor guy just needs a new tent, and I would probably be the most awesome wife in the world for getting him a new one! I don't know a whole lot about tents or camping gear, but I do know that my husband isn't going to settle for just any old tent. He's going to want a quality tent, made out of durable material, and something that's going to be around for a long, long time.

Family Tent from Coleman

Now that there are three of us in this family, I've been considering a family tent. I'd really love to go on a camping trip (for a night or two) with our family, but I know they won't all want to go, if they can't have their space. Family tents seem to be pretty roomy, allowing everyone space to sleep comfortably, and relax. Coleman is actually a favorite and trusted brand for my husband, so I doubt I could go wrong with a massive six cabin tent!

Of course, I wouldn't know what to pack for a camping trip, so I had to find a helpful packing list, which suggests bringing along items like:

Backpacks

Bandannas/Hats

Hiking Boots and Thick Socks

Heavy Clothing

Day Packs

Pack Covers

Quick-dry Clothing

Water Packs

Flashlights

Camera

Tent

Sleeping Bag

See a full list of camping supplies here.

Vango Trail 35 Rucksack

For camping and hiking, we'd also need some new rucksacks or backpacks. When traveling anywhere with a little one, you need a reliable pack for their necessities, plus your own! I love the Vango Trail Rucksack that I saw while browsing Yeomans Outdoor. It's got a simply design, but lots of extra room for packing and even hiding lots of big and little items!

I keep thinking that a pop up tent would be great to have for impromptu camping in the yard, and would be something Balian would enjoy, as well! Oh, the adventures we could have in our own back yard!

Have you ever been on a family camping trip? 

What kind of gear did you bring along?