Discussion: Essential camping gear

So it's been a while since I slept outside on purpose (that's a whole other thread) but I'm considering attending the NavStock camping and orienteering weekend but have zero camping stuff. I have arranged to borrow a tent and a stove but the rest I'll have to borrow or buy. What I think the AP community of outdoor loving dirt nappers could help me with is a list of the top five essential camping items someone like me should have. I should probably put the emphasis on comfort when sleeping, hygiene and food. (car camping not expedition style voyageur canoe trips).

Suggestions, wit, attempted wit and sarcasm are all welcome.

My observation is that most orienteers will take a motel room over camping any day. Therefore you may discover that there is limited advice on this.

If you are 'rolling out'. i.e. sleeping next to your car. You need very little besides the stuff you would normally take with you...
-Tent
-Sleeping pad
-Sleeping bag
- Flashlight
- Food and cooking gear.
- Beer
- Maybe a chair for lounging.
- Some warm clothes and rain gear

Pillow.

Stakes for the tent. And use them....

Why do you need stakes for a tent? I've never used them. Is this to fend off the Masai warriors or something like that?

To keep the mosquitoes from carrying it away.

Definitely a chair.
Inflatable air matress and battery operated pump.

Bug spray to keep the mosquitoes away from the tent.

I am not a big guy like James S., but I have yet to see a mosquito who could carry away my tent if I am in it. And if there is a mosquito trying to carry away my tent, it is probably ferocious, and I would therefore be inside my tent, cowering.

Apparently you haven't been keeping up with PG's log lately (see the note after the Rogaine account).

1-Cheap slip-ons (toplogically like birkies) for getting out of tent without putting on lace-up shoes every time, but still able to wear socks for warmth.
2-Posh water jug to store & dispense water, really convenient & you know you can go anywhere w/ yer 5 gallon "cushion" in the back of the jeep...
3-Really Nice Knife to cut stuff. I have an ergonomic lil kitchen thingy w/ a wine cork on its pointy end, but a good foldy pocket knife is probably more your style.
4-Spare posh matches, stored dry.
5-Bags to organize garbage/laundry/whatever.

SuperWes, we have all kinds of camping gear available to lend for NavStock, once you've figured out what you'd like to acquire. This includes tents, a couple of sleeping pads, headlamps, etc. You'll want your own sleeping bags for sure, so that's a good place to start your purchases.

Atomic coffee maker- anything else,no!

Go to MEC for the sleeping pads, sleeping bags, packs, etc. But I don't like their tents. If you aren't in a rush for a tent wait until next spring when Adventure Attic (raid the hammer sponsor) has their "GREAT ERECTION". They have dealers 'erect' their tents in Victoria Park in Hamilton. Over 70 erect tents.

Thanks everyone. Good ideas, and Bash, I'll be in touch - I'm especially interested in sleeping pads.

Hammer, I may not be much of a camper but I pitch a lot of tents so I can proably wait till spring for a purchase.

At least swampfox returns the tents. At early 1000-Day, our tent near picnic shelter moved quite a ways downwind while we were on the course. Hard ground/gravel made staking a challenge - "Why bother?" It was brought back before we returned.