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First, a couple of qualifiers: my boys are 11 and 9, and the only camping we’ve ever done was at places w/ electricity and running water, where all your gear can be easily unloaded from your car. We knew the weather would be hot, and I wanted the first experience of this type of camping to be a positive one. Thus, we only camped for one night, and the hike in and out was only a quarter mile (albeit very rough Ozark terrain). So my feedback is going to be in reference to a short trip, doing it with younger kids, when it’s hot, on a very limited budget (we couldn’t afford “ultralight” gear of any kind).

So here goes.
1. I took a hatchet and had practiced beforehand, and I was unhappy with any saws for sale at Chinamart. The axe came in handy for cutting up some heartier deadwood that was able to produce a lot of heat, and I hammered the tent stakes with it. But in woodsy areas, especially when the fire is just for cooking, the hatchet added too much weight to my gear which could have been conserved for…
2. Water, water, water. We took roughly 2 gallons. Also discovered our creek was such murky, muddy water, we didn’t even feel comfortable washing dishes in it. The next morning, we desperately hiked back to the truck, drove into town, refilled our bottles, and then trekked all the way back to our campsite. Next time: a camelback and two canteens per kid, two camelbacks and four canteens for me, and we’ll just leave some of our other gear at home.
3. Any suggestions for filtering extremely murky water would be good.
4. Keep in mind salty meats can make you thirsty. For short trips, fresh fruit is good (we took oranges).
5. In addition to paracord, take some cheap string. We had some little projects that made me wince as we used up expensive paracord when cheap twine would have done the trick.
6. The K-Bar could have done the job of the axe and shovel put together: trimming limbs, digging poopholes, and hammering stakes…and it would have saved us a few pounds (so we could carry more water!).
7. We put our cell phone in a Ziploc bag, and I informed my wife I would turn it on every 2-3 hours just to check messages. We also gave out phone numbers and made sure the appropriate people knew where we would be.
8. Coleman makes biowipes that can be buried and decompose very quickly. Duct tape was very handy, as is electrical tape.
9. Add to first aid kit Benadryl and itch cream.
10. We were informed ahead of time that a cougar had actually attacked someone near the area we were camping. I took the smallest, lightest handgun…just in case. Plus, we all remember Deliverance 
11. We took an emergency blanket to use as a tarp, in case of rain. Seemed to make sense since they’re waterproof.
12. The kids loved the glowsticks. Thanks for the idea.
13. We packed a large flashlight/lantern combo with extra batteries. Being summer and the sun not going down until 9:00, it was unnecessary and extra weight. Our little maglights would have been sufficient for this short, summertime trip.
14. I still have to work on my fire starting skills. Tried flint, magnesium, the matches, and finally gave up and resorted to the butane lighter. Once it was going, it kept blowing out. My son suggested I build the fire behind the pile of sticks. He was right.
15. Cotton balls soaked in vaseline do work very well to keep a flame going, as long as you’re protecting it from the wind.
16. Both boys got some little cuts that will remind them to handle a knife the right way in the future. Good lessons!
17. After so many sanitizer squirts and handiwipes, your hands will feel very grimy. A bit of soap and a conservative rinse of water makes a world of difference.
18. Those fuzzy little “lamb’s ear” leaves are nature’s toilet paper if you run out. We didn’t see any, but thankfully brought plenty of our own.
19. The K-Bar could have dug holes big enough for waste and saved us the weight of the shovel.
20-22. Of course.
23. Depends on length of trip. You got me some wonderful thin wool socks, but they still feel too hot. Cotton came through in this instance, where we could change socks frequently.
24. I love lightweight cotton flannel shirts for sun protection and an extra pocket or two. Farmers working outside all day have figured this out.
25. For bedding, the self-inflating pad was a chore to deflate and sleeping bags were unnecessary with the heat as well as taking up too much space. We all wished we’d had pillows of some kind. Next time (for summer camping) we will each bring a closed-foam pad, a blanket, and an inflatable pillow.
26-29. See my #23.
30. Our tent was an “Ozark Trail” backpacking tent for four. It was very light and seemed pretty sturdy with an actual tarp floor. But it didn’t rain, so that will be another report for the future.
31. Disagree on flip-flops. They’re extra weight and you can squirm for an extra minute while slipping on untied boots.
32. Amen and amen.
33-34. Or you can leave the cell phone off except for emergencies. Or take an extra battery.
35. Unkempt wooded areas will provide more than enough wood for your fire, without even cutting it up.
36. Pigskin gloves are thin and light, and were invaluable. They kept my hands clean during the tasks of setting up/tearing down camp and gathering firewood, and they worked as hot pads when cooking.
37. Just keep hands away from face altogether. Working with my boys on this one.
38. Do you have any recommendations for a compass that is reliable and won’t break the bank? Each of our compasses had needles that “wandered” around within 180 degrees of north.
39. We packed a little folding camp stove, so that in the case we couldn’t have a full-fledged fire, we could keep a few twigs dry enough to cook lunch.
40. Smoked a fine cigar. But hate the effects of alcohol when energy and hydration must be conserved.
Thanks again for the great advice. I welcome more advice/feedback on my responses.

Best regards,
Ron
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For all of those who would like to read Best Fitness Tips go to my blog Fitness Interval Training

Cheers,

Jason
Rocky Mountain Bushcraft