Quick Answer: Camping with insulin is completely doable with proper preparation. Pack extra diabetes supplies, use an insulin cooler to maintain safe temperatures, and bring fast-acting sugars for emergencies. Choose low-carb snacks and plan meals wisely. With the right precautions, you can safely enjoy the outdoors while managing your diabetes effectively.
Camping with insulin can be intimidating if you’re not used to managing diabetes away from home. However, getting away from your daily routine is necessary. Taking a break, benefiting from the healing power of nature, losing yourself in the wilderness, and simply doing what you like is essential and entirely part of your diabetes management.
Remember that diabetes-related burnouts do exist and can lead to severe depressions. So, take some time out and go camping even and especially with diabetes!
Related article: Does Insulin Really Need to Be Refrigerated?
Camping with Diabetes and Insulin: Prepare your Excursion!
Camping with diabetes is a lot less crazy than it sounds. The only difference with camping without diabetes is that you must pay attention to the foods, take your meds, inject your insulin several times a day, and have your hypo snacks just in case…
Isn’t that what you’re doing every single day of your life anyway? So, why couldn’t you do it while camping? The key to traveling with diabetes is preparedness and organization. All the rest is in the power of your mind.
Conscientiously organize your diabetic supplies before departure
Organizing your gear is essential when camping, whether in a campground or in the wilderness. It’s even more essential if you’re carrying diabetes gear. You need to know where your diabetic supplies are at any time so you can quickly and calmly face any unforeseeable situation.
I personally like to pack all my diabetes stuff in a separate bag. Diabetes organizers are a good solution. They come with inside pockets and straps specially designed to hold your insulin pens, needles, test strips, and glucose readers.
Pack backup insulin & diabetic supplies for your camping trip
Camping is unpredictable. Weather conditions are unreliable, physical activity varies, you might get lost or lose a bag. The rain could damage your gear, you might come back a few days later than you thought… You can’t plan everything. But you can plan backup.
Be prepared by packing extra supplies:
✅ Double your essentials: Bring twice the amount of insulin, test strips, and needles you think you'll need.
✅ Backup devices: Pack an extra glucose reader and additional insulin pump materials in case of malfunctions.
✅ Fast-acting sugar: Carry extra glucose tablets, gels, or other quick-sugar snacks for hypoglycemia.
✅ Separate storage: Keep all backup supplies in a dedicated bag at the bottom of your backpack for emergencies.
Chances are, you won’t need them—but having them ensures peace of mind for a worry-free adventure!
Related Article: Diabetes Travel Letter: Everything You Need to Know + Free Printable Sample
Bring fast-acting sugar snacks for hypoglycemias
Taking diabetes out of your comfort zone brings additional challenges to blood sugar management. While camping, you’ll probably sleep a bit less, be more tired, and have more physical activity than usual. All these factors, along with many others like different foods and different mealtimes, can considerably affect your blood glucose levels.
You will probably have to make some insulin units adjustments while camping. These changes might cause more low blood sugar episodes than usual. To handle this, pack plenty of fast-acting sugars! If you have limited packing room or need to limit weight, glucose tabs are a good solution. These chewable sugar tablets are compact, lightweight, and work very fast.
Related article: Tips for Hiking with Diabetes!
Consider a Glucagon Emergency Kit if you’re camping in the wilderness
If you tend to experience severe hypoglycaemia, or plan to have intense physical activities, consider bringing a Glucagon emergency kit. If you’re hiking and camping in the wilderness, you won’t have access to hospitals in case of a very low blood sugar level.
Glucagon emergency kits contain glucagon for one injection. The injection triggers the liver to release stored body sugars which quickly raises blood sugar levels in the event of severe hypoglycemia. It’s very simple to use and it’s an essential safety for insulin-dependent diabetics hiking in the wilderness.
Bring low-carb diabetic camping snacks that don't cause sugar spikes
Diabetic camping snacks are an essential part of managing your blood sugar while outdoors. When hiking or exploring, your energy levels fluctuate, and having the right snacks on hand can help maintain steady glucose levels.
Here are some diabetes-friendly camping snacks that are nutritious, lightweight, and easy to pack:
- 🥜 Unsweetened nuts – Almonds, walnuts, and pecans provide healthy fats and protein without spiking blood sugar.
- 🍎 No-sugar-added trail mix – Look for mixes with nuts, seeds, and unsweetened dried fruits.
- 🐟 Canned sardines or tuna – Great protein sources that don’t require refrigeration.
- 🫒 Olives in pouches – Convenient, salty snacks packed with healthy fats.
- 😋 Beef jerky (no added sugar) – High-protein, shelf-stable, and perfect for long hikes.
- 🧀 Cheese sticks or shelf-stable cheese – A tasty low-carb option that provides protein and fat.
Planning your snacks ahead of time ensures you won’t be stuck with high-carb options that can throw off your blood sugar levels. Be sure to pack enough for the entire trip, and always carry extra in case of unexpected delays!
Related article: The 10 Best Diabetic Snacks on the go for Travels and Road Trips
Learn about diabetic-friendly camping recipes
Without any doubt, one of the main adversities when camping with diabetes is food. Camping and hiking foods are often processed industrial ready meals with high carb contents and lots of unhealthy things. You’re right, eating healthy while camping away from farmers’ markets and healthy fresh foods is challenging. But it’s doable.
Bringing a small camping stove definitely helps you cook some very basic yet healthy recipes when outdoors. Angela Manderfeld, diabetes nutrition expert, published a great guide to eating healthy while camping.
Now, from my own experience and every other diabetic camper’s, the biggest challenge of camping with diabetes comes if you’re on insulin and it’s hot outside!
Camping with Insulin: How to Keep insulin cool without electricity?
Remember that insulin is a temperature-sensitive medicine that must be protected from heat. Your unopened insulin vials, pens, or cartridges need to be kept at fridge temperature – between 36°F (2°C) and 46°F (8°C). Once out of the fridge and opened, they’re stable for about a month but need to be kept at room temperature – between 56°F (13°C) and 80°F (26°C). Insulin should never be exposed to temperatures higher than 80°F (26°C), nor should it freeze.
Related Article: How to Store Insulin Without Refrigeration?
Keeping insulin cool while camping under hot weather
If temperatures get higher than 80°F (26°C) during your camping trip, you need a solution to keep it safe and cool.
You can DIY something yourself but honestly, after dozens of wild camping trips with my insulin pens, I came to the conclusion that the unique hassle-free solution is to get yourself a real medical-grade insulin cooler. Not having to worry about ice and enjoying the peace of mind that your insulin is kept safe whatever happens really makes the difference and has no price.
Related Article:Insulin and Heat: How to Keep Your Supplies Safe in High Temperatures!
Use a medical-grade insulin cooler
There are dozens of different insulin coolers out there. From basic cooling pouches to top-notch portable medical fridges.
At 4AllFamily, we’ve launched our own models a few years ago and they’re now best-sellers among campers and outdoor people. Why? Because we’ve made it so versatile you can use it in any situation!
Our performant medical travel coolers can keep your insulin cool at fridge temperature for several days in a row without electricity. If you’re gone for longer, simply plug them into a portable power bank or a travel solar panel. We offer temperature-control options as well as auto shut-off security.
Tricks: Put your insulin cooler into a zipper plastic bag in case it rains! Always keep your insulin and your cooler in the shade and away from direct sunlight.
Prevent insulin from freezing while camping
Be aware that your insulin should never freeze either. Frozen insulin won’t work anymore and is good for trash. If you’re camping high up in the mountains, or if it gets below 32°F (0°C), you need to protect your insulin from the cold. Place it in your inside pocket, close to your body. Your body warmth should be enough to prevent your medicine from freezing.
Related article: Diabetes and Cold Weather, Managing Blood Sugar During Winter.
📌 Key Takeaways:
- 🎒 Stay Prepared – Pack extra diabetes supplies, including insulin, glucose monitors, test strips, and a Glucagon emergency kit for safety.
- ❄️ Keep Insulin Cool – Use a medical-grade insulin cooler to protect insulin from heat, and prevent freezing in cold conditions.
- ⚖️ Manage Blood Sugar Levels – Bring fast-acting sugars for hypoglycemia and adjust insulin doses for increased physical activity.
- 🥜 Choose Smart Snacks – Pack low-carb camping snacks like unsweetened nuts, beef jerky, and olives to avoid sugar spikes.
- 🚨 Plan for Emergencies – Store supplies securely, have backup gear, and inform your camping partners about your diabetes management plan.
💬 We'd love to hear from you!
Share your tips, experiences, and favorite camping hacks in the comments—your story could inspire and help others on their journey. Let’s make the outdoors more accessible for everyone!
📆 Article Update History:
✅ Updated: March 5, 2025
Originally Published: August 18, 2021
