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Camping is one of the best ways to de-stress and enjoy a fun and invigorating vacation. In addition to reconnecting with nature, one of the many great things about camping is after you’ve purchased your camping equipment, it can be a pretty inexpensive vacation too. Read our camping gear review to find all the items you need.
Camping Gear List
But before you pack your bags, we’ve selected the best camping supplies and reviewed them in detail below so you won’t be left in the dark. Click on the item below to jump to that section, or read on to see them all.
Sleeping Bag | Sleeping Pad | Stove | Backpack | Chair | Cot | Grill | Lantern | Tents | Coolers
Best Sleeping Bag: Coleman North Rim Extreme Weather Sleeping Bag Review
The Coleman North Rim Extreme Weather sleeping bag is made of polyester and can be used in the single digits. It compresses down to a smaller size to take up less packing space. We want to note that this bag can be used for backpacking trips, but there are lighter and more compact bags out there.
What ultimately made it our pick for best sleeping bag was the fact that you can get it for less than $50, and it’s a 0-degree bag—that is extremely uncommon.
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Looking for a different style sleeping bag? Check out these other recommended products:
- Best Backpacking Sleeping Bag: TETON Sports TrailHead
- Best Lightweight Sleeping Bag: Outdoor Vitals 3 Season
- Best Two-Person Sleeping Bag: TETON Sports Mammoth
Best Sleeping Pad: Better Habitat Review
We were sent a Kids and Single sleeping pad from Better Habitat in exchange for an unbiased review.
These sleeping pads can be used for many purposes, including guest beds, sleepovers for your kid’s friend or camping pads. They are easy to unroll and comfortable with 2 inches of memory foam for the Kids version and 3 inches for the Single and Twin versions.
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- Twin: $159.95 ($0.59 / oz)
There are also Kids and Single sizes available for less money. Click the link above to check pricing.
Firsthand Experience With Better Habitat Sleeping Bag
“I can’t tell you how many times I’ve slept on an air mattress or had a guest sleep on one only to wake up in the morning with it completely deflated. That is not an issue with these comfortable memory foam sleep pads.
We love how easy it is to transport them since they include travel bags with straps. So whether you’re car camping, staying at your grandparents or crashing in a hotel but don’t want to splurge on an extra bed, these sleeping pads are easy to throw on your back and head out the door with.”
-Kimberly Alt
Firsthand Experience With Better Habitat Sleeping BagBest Backpacking Stove: Etekcity Ultralight Portable Outdoor Backpacking Camping Stove Review
You can’t beat this portable backpacking stove from Etekcity. The price is less than $15, and it’s made of aluminum alloy and stainless steel so that it can withstand high temperatures and weight. This stove includes a carrying case so you can toss it in your backpack and hit the trail.
Whether you want to just camp or backpack, this is a great stove to have on hand.
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Best Camping Backpack: TETON Sports Explorer 4000 Internal Frame Backpack Review
Most camping backpacks set you back a couple of hundred dollars—not this one. You can go on a 2-5 day backpacking trip with this adjustable pack. Anyone from 5’1″ to 6’4″ can wear this 65-liter pack.
There are pockets, pouches, loops and straps for all of your gear to fit into or hang from. The back has padding and airflow to make for a comfortable fit.
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Best Camping Chairs: Alps Mountaineering King Kong Chair Review
Having a good chair to sit back in and enjoy the view is important when you’re camping. It needs to be durable with all the packing and unpacking you’ll be doing with your gear.
This chair can hold up to 800 pounds and has 2 cup holders as well as a padded back and seat. The downside? The fabric doesn’t have any air vents, so you may sweat in this chair.
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Best Camping Cot: Coleman ComfortSmart Deluxe Cot Review
This cot is less than $60, and it fits up to 6’6″ people and 300 pounds. There are hundreds of reviews raving about the comfort, size and dimensions of this cot that we couldn’t help but choose it as the best cot for camping.
The unfolded dimensions are 30″ x 80″ x 15″ and folded dimensions are 39.6″ x 30.7″ x 5.5″.
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Best Camp Stove: Coleman Classic Propane Stove Review
When you go camping, you want to be one with nature. That means cooking outside and enjoying every bit of the outdoors you possibly can. This Coleman camping stove pays for itself.
We all know how expensive eating out can be, but for about $40 you can have this stove and it will make you meals on meals on meals. Now that’s a great investment for your camping gear list.
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Best Camping Grill: Texsport Heavy Duty Over Fire Camp Grill Review
If you’re camping and planning on cooking, why not take advantage of your campfire? This grilling rack sets over the campfire, so you don’t have to worry about propane and instead, you can use the fire to cook your food.
This rack is durable enough to hold cast iron pans and comes in various sizes, so you’re bound to find one that will fit over your campfire. It also folds up easily for travel.
Tip: If you want to cook hotdogs or hamburgers directly on the grill, we suggest covering it with aluminum foil first.
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Best Lantern For Camping: Divine LEDs Review
There are no buttons for this one, which is interesting because instead, you pull the lantern “apart” and the LEDs turn on. The handles make it easy to carry, and I’ve even tied mine to my hammock.
I own this camping lantern from Divine LEDs and love it. It collapses to only 5 inches tall, which makes it easy to pack.
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Video: Camping Hacks
Make your next camping trip easier by implementing some of these camping hacks.
Best Tents For Camping
In addition to camping gear, if you’re looking for the best tent to take on your camping trip, check out our in-depth reviews of tents.
Best Coolers For Camping
We’ve reviewed some of the best coolers for various occasions including camping. Read our best cooler comparison article to see which one will keep your food and drinks cold for days.
Which piece of camping equipment has changed your life for the better?
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I’m planning my first hiking trip so glad I stumbled upon this article as I’m clueless as to what to get and bring! That Etekcity portable stove is awesome but don’t forget you need to pack a gas can to hook it up to or else it won’t work! Luckily we will have a car to store it in but I could see that if you were hiking and had to carry a gas can with you it might be heavy so the good old sticks and wood might be a better option? Thanks for these tips, adding all to my Amazon wish list now!
Good point Stephanie, good luck packing and happy camping!