Those months of camping will be upon us before we know it and it’s a great time to begin preparing your checklists and hiking gear so that when the time comes, you will be fully ready to load that car up and go.

In order to alleviate the potential stress of cramming all of your gear into your vehicle, you may need to have a look at something similar to the Yakima Skybox Pro 2 as a cargo carrier. By the time we get this gear list together, you will see the great thing about having everything stored on top of the car or truck in this big compact rooftop carrier.

Now let’s begin with the packing list. Of course this will change as your hobbies and interests may be different but we will assume that hiking, fishing and outdoor activities are high on your list of outings that you enjoy doing while hiking in the woods.

1. Great hiking shoes or boots. This is necessary if any real trekking is likely to occur. Note that you won’t want to wear a brand new pair of boots without first breaking them in a bit. This is important because if you don’t follow this suggestion you could end up with some very sore feet, putting a stop to the lovely camping excursion.

2. Clothing right for the weather and trails you’ll be hiking. If you think there may be rain at all, be sure to bring some decent rain attire as walking in these conditions while wet can get miserable pretty fast.

3. A sturdy pack that is big enough, but not too big, depending on how long you will be hiking at a time and if the hikes will include sleeping somewhere overnight. Be sure that you include food, an extra layer of clothes, a small kit of medical items and water to name a few things.

4. An adequate first aid kit that includes band aids, antibacterial cream, bug repellent, aspirin and any additional medications that you may need while you are gone.

5. A tent if you are roughing it. Also if you are tent camping, of course you will need a sleeping bag, pillow, and items to light your campfire. These bigger things will fit very nicely overhead in your Yakima Skybox cargo storage unit so you need not grow frustrated about the kids fighting for space in the backseat of the truck.

6. A totally charged cell phone and maybe a good portable gps gadget if you will be walking in low populated parts of the woods.

7. Any maps that cover the area that you will be hiking in. You might also consider bringing a compass if you want to do it the old fashioned way without today’s technologically advanced gps systems.

8. Depending on your interests, bring all your fishing gear, hunting equipment, swimsuits, the blow up raft…you name it. Bring those items that will keep you, the children and the dog happy. Hint…don’t forget the dog food if you are bringing the family pet along.

Start getting your hiking list together that includes all of the things that are essential to you and your family. Before you know it, it will be time to pack up the kids, the truck and the Yakima Skybox 21 atop your vehicle and off you go. We hope that this article will get you started and that you have many memorable trekking adventures ahead of you.