The Camping Blogger posted a great article on preparing for the unexpected when camping and it’s a good place to start if you’re getting your gear prepped for the summer. It’s a fact that on most camping trips you’ll forget and/or break at least one item but if you’re prepared with some versatile emergency supplies it won’t ruin your trip. In fact, after you MacGuyver a solution to your problem you’ll probably feel pretty smart - and there’s nothing like a good old-fashioned sense of accomplishment. Some of the versatile camping items mentioned on Camping Blogger (and in the comments):

• Duct dape. ‘Nough said.
• Aluminum foil: great substitute for pots and pans
• Zip lock bags: I like to use these to keep clothes organized and dry but there are hundreds of other camping uses.
• Rope/twine: Roy mentions packing parachute cord specifically but at least having some type of rope or string around can get you out of a pickle. A sewing kit with thread can be helpful as well for mending ripped equipment or clothing or even fishing if you forget your tackle!
• Seam grip: I don’t pack this myself but believe me, I’m adding it to my list right now.

In addition to the things mentioned I also like to bring along an extra tarp just in case I find myself in a huge downpour and need to keep things dry. A plastic tarp can also be helpful if you forget a sleeping bag (like one of the Camping Blogger commenters did). I also bring paper towels which can be used for everything from cleaning to fire-starting to writing notes.

Camping is really just improvised living in the great outdoors - as long as you have a few of these versatile items there isn’t any problem you can’t solve!