What to Buy and Bring for a Surf Camp

A surf camp needs more than boards and wetsuits. Plan food, cooking gear, camping equipment, safety items, and dry storage before participants arrive. Use the number of attendees to scale meals, cups, plates, sleeping equipment, and drinks. Pack waterproof phone cases and storage bags early; these are easy to overlook and useful from the first beach session. Check equipment before pickup and leave enough time to rinse and dry it after surfing.

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What to bring

Grouped the way you'd shop for it, with quantities.

Sports equipment

Surfboardsqty 24
Surfboard leashesqty 24
Wetsuitsqty 24
Surfboard finsqty 24
Surfboard waxqty 12
Beach volleyballsqty 2
Frisbeesqty 3
Waterproof phone casesqty 4
Whistlesqty 4

Camping

Camping tentsqty 8
Sleeping matsqty 24
Sleeping bagsqty 24
Headlampsqty 24
Waterproof storage bagsqty 24

Furniture

Foldable tablesqty 6
Folding chairsqty 30
Party tentsqty 2
Picnic blanketsqty 6

Tableware

Reusable platesqty 30
Reusable bowlsqty 30
Reusable cupsqty 40
Reusable cutleryqty 40

Kitchen

Coolersqty 4
Gas burnersqty 3
Gas cylindersqty 4
Large cooking potsqty 3
Frying pansqty 2
Cutting boardsqty 4
Chef's knivesqty 4
Serving spoonsqty 6
Pliersqty 4
Water jugsqty 4
Thermos flasksqty 4

Equipment

Bluetooth speakersqty 2
Power banksqty 6
Extension cordsqty 3

Lighting

String lightsqty 4
Rechargeable lanternsqty 6

Cleaning

Washing-up tubsqty 3
Spongesqty 12
Tea towelsqty 12
Towelsqty 12

Safety

First aid kitsqty 2
Life ringsqty 2
Flashlightsqty 4

Catering

Groceries
- Whole wheat bread - 10 loaves
- Whole wheat wraps - 48 pieces
- Oatmeal - 3 kilo
- Muesli - 2 kilo
- Yogurt - 8 liter
- Semi-skimmed milk - 8 liters
- Butter - 1 kilo
- Peanut butter - 3 jars
- Strawberry jam - 3 jars
- Chocolate sprinkles - 2 packs
- Eggs - 60 pieces
- Young cheese - 3 kilos
- Chicken breast slices - 2 kilos
- Hummus - 2 kilos
- Canned tuna - 12 cans
- Rice - 5 kilo
- Whole wheat pasta - 4 kilos
- Diced tomatoes - 12 cans
- Pasta sauce - 6 jars
- Chickpeas - 8 cans
- Red lentils - 2 kilos
- Chicken breast - 4 kilos
- Peppers - 20 pieces
- Cucumber - 10 pieces
- Tomatoes - 4 kilos
- Carrots - 3 kilos
- Onions - 3 kilos
- Garlic - 6 bulbs
- Lettuce - 10 heads
- Avocado - 20 pieces
- Bananas - 5 kilo
- Apples - 5 kilo
- Grapes - 4 kilos
- Muesli bars - 60 pieces
- Paprika chips - 8 bags
- Plain chips - 8 bags
- Salt - 1 pack
- Black pepper - 1 jar
- Paprika powder - 1 jar
- Curry powder - 1 jar
- Italian herbs - 1 jar
- Olive oil - 2 liters
- Mayonnaise - 2 bottles
- Ketchup - 2 bottles
- Sweet chili sauce - 2 bottles
- Cola - 12 bottles
- Cola Zero - 8 bottles
- Orange soda - 8 bottles
- Sparkling mineral water - 12 bottles
- Flat mineral water - 24 bottles
- Fruit juice - 12 packs
- Coffee - 4 packs
- Tea - 2 boxes
- Sugar - 1 kilo
- Lemons - 12 pieces
- Sunscreen - 12 bottles
- After-sun lotion - 4 bottles
- Tissues - 6 boxes
- Paper towels - 12 rolls
- Toilet paper - 48 rolls
- Trash bags - 3 rolls
- Dish soap - 3 bottles
- Hand soap - 4 bottles
- Hand sanitizer - 6 bottles

Tips

Plan two to three drinks per person for the first hour, then one drink per person per additional hour. Fill the coolers before check-in so meals and water are ready while equipment is being handed out.
Count one reusable plate, bowl, cup, and cutlery set per participant, plus at least 10% extra. Shared tableware gets dropped, misplaced, or left near the beach during a busy surf session.
Bring one headlamp per camper and one waterproof storage bag per person for phones, clothes, and small valuables. Do not wait until arrival to discover that sleeping areas have no light or dry storage.
Match every surfboard with a leash and suitable fins, and bring enough surfboard wax for all planned sessions. Check the equipment before participants receive wetsuits so damaged or missing parts are found early.
Prepare one clearly marked safety point with whistles and the required safety equipment before the first lesson. Keep a waterproof phone case available for the person coordinating the group, not only for participants.

Frequently asked questions

How many tents and sleeping bags do I need for a surf camp?: Plan one sleeping place for every participant and organizer staying overnight. Add at least one spare sleeping bag and one spare sleeping mat for late registrations, damaged gear, or colder-than-expected nights.
How much food and cooking equipment should I buy for a surf camp?: Plan three meals and two snacks per person for each full camp day, then add about 10% for larger appetites and activity-related hunger. For group cooking, allow at least one large cooking pot, one frying pan, one cutting board, and one chef’s knife for every 8 to 10 people.
How many surfboards and wetsuits are needed per participant?: Prepare one suitable surfboard and one wetsuit per participant for each lesson group. Have at least 10% spare wetsuits and enough extra leashes and fins to keep the session running if equipment is damaged or does not fit.
When should I buy and check the surf camp supplies?: Buy non-perishable food, camping supplies, tableware, and waterproof storage bags at least 3 to 5 days before the camp. Check boards, leashes, fins, wetsuits, gas cylinders, and safety equipment on the day before pickup or setup.

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