Under the Stars // A Camping Wishlist

1. Camp Brand Goods Happy Camper Tank Top, UO  //  2. Opinel Folding Saw, Brook Farm General Store  //  3. Stanley Classic Thermos, Target  //  4. Coleman Green Valley Sleeping Bag, Target  // 5. Camp Get Enough Sandwich Maker, Modcloth  // 6. UCO Original Candle Lantern, The Clymb  //  7. Camp Chef Cast Iron Teapot, Kohls  //  8. Cascade Glacier Trail Crew Liquid Soap, Juniper Ridge //  9. Light My Fire 6-Piece Meal Kit, The Clymb  //  10. Trail Remix Radio, Modcloth  //  11. Alps Mountaineering Morado 2, The Clymb 

Although we're only a month into spring here in the northern hemisphere, and the weather of the midwest is only just beginning to climb into non-winter temps, I can already feel myself itching for a camping trip.  The art of camping, in one way or another, fills an almost infinite number of summer memories for me.  I remember sitting aside the lake with my parents in Door County, Wisconsin, maybe 3 years old, eating s'mores we'd just made on the fire, listening to the waves.  I remember on my first road trip to New York City spending a couple of days in a tiny tent deep in the Pennsylvania forest, cooking veggie burgers on a camping stove and making big city to do lists with my girlfriends.  I remember hiking deep into the Rocky Mountains on an impromptu midsummer Colorado adventure, and waking up in the morning to the sweet smell of sage after a night of barefoot dancing and the deepest sleep under a massive sky. 

Now that I have a four month old baby, I'm not quite sure if camping will play a role in this summer's festivities.  But that hasn't stopped me from daydreaming about being back under the stars - or perusing around online for gear and compiling this camping-themed wishlist.  I'm pretty minimalistic when it comes to camping, and although I like to be comfortable, I can usually make do pretty well without a lot of extras.  I do think that there are certain pieces of camping gear that can make or break your experience though, like your tent and sleeping bag. I'd love a small, high quality tent like #11 from The Clymb, and an equal parts practical/affordable/cute sleeping bag like #4 above, from Target.  And because I'm not one to turn down fun details in any experience, I've also included some more trivial goodies, like #1 from Camp Brand Goods, and #10 from  Modcloth.

Whether you're a seasoned outdoors enthusiast who likes to rough it or someone who prefers a slightly more pampered/less rustic experience, I hope that this little roundup inspires the summertime camper in you.