Camping Calculators
Free camping calculators: firewood estimator, sleep system warmth, meal planning, water needs, pack weight, and outdoor prep tools.
Pack weight, food, water, fuel and sleep systems. 13 calculators for backpacking and car camping trips.
Pack weight works to the standard that experienced hikers use: base weight, meaning everything except food, water and fuel, since those change daily and the rest does not. Under 9 kg base is lightweight territory, under 4.5 kg is ultralight. The useful part is seeing where the weight actually sits, because it is almost always the big three, pack, shelter and sleep system, rather than the gadgets people agonise over. Cutting a toothbrush in half saves 8 grams. A different tent saves a kilo.
Sleeping bag temperature needs the warning printed on the page, because bag ratings mislead badly. The EN and ISO standards publish a comfort rating and a lower limit, and manufacturers frequently advertise the limit. The limit is the temperature at which a standard adult male survives the night curled up, not one at which anyone sleeps well. Women generally sleep colder. Take the comfort figure, not the number on the tag.
Water needs scales with temperature and effort rather than a flat litres-per-day, and it flags where the next reliable source needs to be.
Backpacking Daily Water Needs Calculator
Estimate how many liters of water to carry or filter per day while backpacking. Adjusts for body weight, exertion level, temperature, and altitude.
Backpacking Pack Weight Budget Calculator
Use the 20% body weight rule to plan your backpacking load. Enter your weight and trip length to get max pack weight and a per-system breakdown.
Camping Water Purification Time Guide
Find the right treatment time for your backcountry water source based on elevation and purification method. Covers boiling, UV, and chemical tablets.
Portable Solar Panel Recharge Calculator
Estimate how long a portable solar panel takes to recharge a power bank or battery pack. Based on panel wattage, capacity, and available sunlight.
Backpacking Stove Fuel Burn Calculator
Calculate camping stove fuel needed by trip length, meals, and stove type. Plan canister gas, alcohol, white gas, or Esbit for any backpacking trip.
Hammock Suspension Calculator
Calculate ideal ridgeline length, strap length, and suspension angle for hammock camping. Get the 30-degree angle for optimal comfort.
Backpacking Food Calorie Calculator
Calculate daily calorie needs for backpacking. Plan how much food to carry per day based on pack weight, terrain, and duration.
Bear Canister Food Packing Calculator
Calculate how much food fits in your bear canister by volume. Plan backcountry food storage to meet national park and wilderness regulations by trip length.
Camp Meal Planner Calculator
Calculate how much food to pack for a camping or backpacking trip. Estimate calories, weight, and quantities per person per day.
Campfire Wood Calculator
Estimate firewood for camping nights by fire use, temperature, and wood type. Returns bundles and pieces. Includes the no-transport-across-state-lines rule.
Campsite Lighting Calculator
Calculate lantern brightness, battery life, and coverage area for your campsite. Choose the right camping light for your needs.
Sleeping Bag Temperature Rating Calculator
Find the sleeping bag temperature rating you need from the coldest night you expect and how warm you sleep. Includes the pad R-value to pair with it.
Tent Capacity and Comfort Calculator
Find out how many people actually fit comfortably in a tent. Manufacturer ratings are optimistic, so work out the real comfortable capacity first.