Never been camping but a friend invited me on a trip in the spring. Need to buy basically everything from scratch. What are the absolute essentials on a reasonable budget? I don't need ultralight expedition gear, just stuff that works for car camping.

Biggest concern: sleeping comfort. I like my bed.

A good sleeping pad matters more than the sleeping bag for comfort. Spend the money there. Thermarest makes excellent self-inflating pads around $40-60.

For car camping, don't overthink it. A decent tent ($80-120 from Eureka or Kelty), sleeping bag rated to 30F, pad, headlamp, and a camp stove. That's 90% of what you need.

Get a Coleman 2-burner propane stove. They're $40, indestructible, and make camping food actually enjoyable. Hot coffee in the morning is non-negotiable.