Ultimate Packing List for your Canadian Rockies Road Trip

This was an interesting one because we were camping for 9 days straight and needed to pack all of our clothes and essential camping gear in 1 checked bag each. Then, when we landed we shopped at the Dollar Store, Walmart and Goodwill for all items we couldn’t bring with us. Without further ado, here is our packing list:

To Bring from Home:

• Tent
• Tent fly (it rained almost EVERY day – make sure this works!)
• Sleeping pad
• Sleeping bag
• Pillow
• Flashlights/lanterns/headlamps
• Towel – microfiber
• Sunscreen/bug repellent
• 3-in-1 Utensils (if needed)
• Oven mits
• Jetboil (this saved us when we couldn’t cook outside because of the weather)
• Jetboil Coffee Press (if you’re a coffee drinker)
• Portable chargers and cables
• Car USB adapter
• Portable bowl/spork
• Hammock (if wanted)
• Rope (for laundry lines)
• Clothes (layers are key!)
  • Rain jacket
  • Warm jacket
  • Long Sleeve shirts
  • Hiking pants
  • Long Johns (fleece lined)
  • Hiking boots
  • Warm socks
  • Moisture wicking t-shirts
  • Flip flops (for showering)

To Buy at Goodwill:

• Pots/pans with lids
• Camping chairs
• More blankets if cold weather is expected or you want more cushion underneath
• Cooler

Note: there were no camping chairs or coolers available at the Goodwill we went to, but there was a Walmart nearby with cheap enough options. We also donated everything back to Goodwill on the way out.

To Rent:

• Two burner stove & gas – this isn’t a necessity and we probably only used it once on our trip. We mostly used a Jetboil and made items that only needed water to cook (pastas, backpacking meals, etc), and hot dogs over the fire.

To Buy at Dollar Store:

• Aluminum Foil
• Plates/cups/cutlery
• Paper towels/wet wipes
• Toilet Paper
• Ziploc bags (sandwich and freezer)
• Sponge/soap
• Garbage bags
• Lighter/matches
• Food/drinks

To Buy Elsewhere:

• Bear Spray!! You definitely SHOULD have bear spray on this trip (at least for peace of mind) but it is SO expensive and you can’t bring it on flights. We ended up buying it at Atmosphere and then just giving it back to them at the end of the trip. If you post on some local forums, you may be able to find other travelers leaving who will sell (or give) it to you for cheap.
• Jetboil fuel (most outdoor adventure stores carry this)
• Backpacking meals – not necessary but if you want to take the hassle out of deciding what to eat

As always, if you have any further questions, feel free to contact us here.