We’re reader-supported. When you click on our chosen products, we may receive a commission.

Dry Camping vs. Wet Camping

Updated on April 16, 2023

by

|

Reviewed by

Camping is a personal experience that everyone does not react to similarly. Every person has weaknesses, strengths, desires, and needs, which they bring to the camping field. Before heading on your camping/RV trip, it is best to know whether you’d be dry or wet camping.

dry camping vs wet camping

Don’t know the difference between dry and wet camping? Well, don’t worry, because we have you covered. In this article, we look at the difference between dry and wet camping. Stay with us as we take you through these differences.

Dry Camping vs. Wet Camping

When you pack your bags for an RV trip and head out camping, you can follow to camp in multiple ways. There are two different methods of camping, segregated based on where you park your RV – wet camping and dry camping. Both can offer a great solution to spend time outdoors with your friends and family but come with entirely different requirements and methodologies.

Based on how you want to approach the technique, there are different outcomes that you can get from them. Wet camping is a technique used to describe camping on an established campground. Wet camping is relatively safe, as you camp on a campground with connected on-grid electricity, a sewerage system for your RV’s sewerage, and several other amenities.

On the flip side, dry camping is the opposite of wet camping. Dry camping is inspired by boondocking, where you park your RV on public lands in the middle of nowhere. The RV is parked without sewage or electricity hookups. In short, dry camping gives you a true nature experience without any contact with man-made amenities.

When dry camping, you are solely responsible for all preparations and accommodations. You have to devise solutions for drinking water, pack emergency safety and first-aid gear, remain connected, and devise a technique to dump your sewage. Dry camping often comes without electricity and even mobile signals at a time.

Amenities of Wet Camping

A wet camping experience is differentiated based on the amenities it provides. Campers will have access to water, sewage, and electrical hookups. As a camper, you aren’t dependent on yourself and will require the campground to provide you with all this necessary equipment. The number of amenities you get is directly determined by the campground you stay at.

Packing for Dry Camping

Dry camping, as you might have imagined, is the more complicated of both camping styles. Knowing how complicated dry camping can get, you must pack all the necessary equipment. You should have all survival gear with necessary sleeping and lighting accessories.

Wet camping is preferred over dry camping because of its services and amenities. However, adventure freaks and true camping enthusiasts prefer dry camping, as it brings them closer to nature and helps them experience the true camping experience.

Safety Tools and Tips for Dry Camping

Before heading out for a camping or hiking trip, you must pack all essentials. The last thing you want on your hitch is to be without something essential. Finding yourself without the right equipment in the middle of your camping trip is a recipe for disaster. Knowing the importance of outdoor gear, we study some of the gear you should have for safety and survival on your dry camping trip.

Create a Travel Toiletry Bag

Dry camping takes you out in the open, so you need to pack your bag with all toiletries inside. Your travel toiletry bag is a dedicated space for you to store all toiletries you will need during your travels.

The first thing to pack is your toothbrush and toothpaste of choice. If you’re going to a remote location, you might not be able to find the exact brand of toothpaste or toothbrush you are accustomed to using. Hence, it is best to have a couple of toothbrushes and toothpaste stacked with you for the journey that is to come.

Secondly, you should have your hair brush or a comb packed in the travel toiletry bag. The hair brush can come in handy during your transit as well. Moving on, it is best to pack a shampoo/conditioner before leaving.

Besides the shampoo, it is also pertinent to pack soap or liquid body washes with you. Also, pack a fresh packet of razors within the bag to ensure you don’t have to run into pharmacies looking for them. Deodorant and sunscreen are also recommended because your preferred brand might not be readily available in the location you are headed to.

If you get a particular prescribed sunscreen or cream from your dermatologist, it is good to talk with them and have a prescription prepared for the period you will be traveling. Finally, you can finish packing your travel toiletry bag with sanitizer and some toilet rolls. Sanitizers are necessary to keep your hands clean and maintain your hygiene during the dry camping experience.

Sleeping Equipment

Another thing you need for your camping trip is a sleeping bag. The sleeping bag is necessary because your camping trip is incomplete without some sleep. And, if you want to sleep, you must have a sleeping bag with you.

The sleeping bag puts you in a position of comfort and gives you the kind of sleeping experience you desire. Make sure the bag you have is waterproof and equipped with other resources to protect you from the weather.

Besides the sleeping bag, you need a good enough water bottle to store water and maintain its temperature. A good water bottle should have proper insulation across all borders so that the weather does not determine the water you drink.

Camping Stove

Dry camping has evolved, and there are now many pieces of equipment and innovations available to help you enjoy the same style of living, albeit in nature. A camping stove is one recent innovation meant to make camping more accessible and manageable for you.

To begin with, almost all portable camping stoves can easily be lit through a lighter or a match. The fire on them stays on, even during windy or wet conditions. These stoves are made explicitly for camping trips, so you don’t have to worry about the conditions impacting efficiency.

Also, if we look at it, there isn’t much difference between a camping stove and a typical gas stove from your kitchen. This means that you don’t have to undergo much of a learning experience. The entire experience is bearable, and you won’t have to change much of your ways to adjust to it.

Additionally, you can set the heat accordingly to the level of gas you want to burn and based on what you are cooking. Being in camp doesn’t change the ground rules of cooking, does it? If you’re scouring the internet for possible options, then a Coleman camp stove is just what you need. It carries all the advantages above and is sturdy and mighty portable as an added benefit.

Backpack

Going on a dry camping trip can be quite an adventure. Besides everything else, you need a good backpack to cover your needs. The backpack is perhaps the essential part of your trip and should be chosen with utmost care and detail.

You do not want to choose a backpack that ends up troubling you rather than helping you. You should consider the purpose of your dry camping trip before shopping for backpacks and outdoor gear. If you plan to be gone for long and want to hike through the trip, then you will require one of those extended bottom backpacks. However, if you have a short trip in mind, an average backpack would suffice.

You should also consider the material on the equipment you buy. Outdoor gear should be sturdy and durable, which is why the material should be of utmost importance to you. Buy something that wouldn’t rip off during the journey.

First-aid kit

A small first-aid kit is a necessity for such trips. You should look to add all essential medications and band-aids to this kit. Make sure there is enough inside to tend to your needs for a couple of days at least.

A first-aid kit should also include essential painkillers with ointments for handling bruises. Also, if you have an underlying medical condition, make sure that you have the pills or medications relevant to that stacked with you.

Water and Lighters

Besides this, it is nice to have a water purifier and a camping stove with you. The purifier can help you generate your own drinking water, even if it isn’t available. A camping stove can come in handy for cooking and eating food, something no camper can live without.

You should also have a lighter and fire starter. These can help you create a fire signal or even maintain heat during cold evenings. Windproof lighters are just a lot more convenient to carry and are a lot more stylish and classier. Next time you go on a camping trip and your friends are huddled together in a pile of soggy matches, wet tinder, and useless lighters, the distinctive click of your windproof lighter will tell you that you are here for business. The stylish aspect of these lighters will surely complement your own style to give you the best possible results.

Conclusion

With both dry and wet camping, you’re going to be closer to nature than ever before. Most people head camping in a national or state park, which has acres of wild land free of national forests.

Campgrounds within exotic areas bring you close to the beauty of nature and allow you to experience it in full flow. You can get up close to some of the most beautiful places on the planet Earth through your camping excursions.

How about camping near the sterile waters of Crater Lake or a stone’s throw away from the river in Maine? These are all picturesque locations, and camping nearby allows you to experience something unlike before.

Wet camping is more reliable and trustworthy, but at the end of the day, you want adventure and excitement, which is precisely what dry camping has to offer. Just make sure you pack accordingly and are mentally and physically prepared for what’s to come. 

Popular on Ever RVRight Now!

rv safety

RV Basics 101: RV Safety & Operation

Ever find yourself on the open road, your RV humming beneath you like a gentle giant? You feel a sense ...
how much does it cost to store an rv

How Much Does it Cost to Store an RV? (Spoiler Alert: Not a Fortune)

Picnicking with an all-rounder RV is fun and games until you end up in a storage fiasco. Don’t fret, though! ...
when is it too windy to drive an rv

When Is It Too Windy to Drive an RV?

There’s no feeling quite like being on the open road in an RV. The wind in your hair, the sun ...
do i have to stop at weigh stations with an rv trailer

Do I Have to Stop at Weigh Stations with a Trailer?

All new RVers that hit the road with a large travel trailer, motorhome or 5th wheel often wonder whether they ...

Disclosure: Our content is reader-supported. This means if you click on some of our links, then we may earn a commission. See how WPBeginner is funded, why it matters, and how you can support us.

<span style="color: #01343d">About</span> Editorial Staff

About Editorial Staff

We’re passionate about all things RV and camper, and love sharing tips, “how-to”, and reviewing the latest products to help make your camping experience a success!

<span style="color: #01343d">About</span> Editorial Staff

About Editorial Staff

We’re passionate about all things RV and camper, and love sharing tips, “how-to”, and reviewing the latest products to help make your camping experience a success!

The Ultimate

RV Newsletter

Stay informed about the latest news, tips, and trends in the world of RVing. PLUS receive exclusive offers and discounts on RV-related products and services.