Summer is upon us which means it is the middle of camping season! We have camped quite a lot as a family, especially over the last year or so. From all of our camping trips we have a pretty good packing list of things that we need, use, and are nice to have. In today’s post we are going to share our top 20 favorite camping supplies and items that will make your next camping trip a breeze.
1. Headlamps
Headlamps are SO USEFUL when you’re camping. They make it so easy to see while still having full use of both of your hands. Headlamps can vary in price and quality a lot. But even the cheapest ones will work! Here are some we found on Amazon that look really good.
2. Tent Lantern
If you are tent camping, a tent lantern is a must! We have a trip-panel lantern that is solar powered so we just have to set it up in the tent and while we are gone during the day it charges and gives us good light at night. It has a hook so we can hang it from the top of our tent inside and it doesn’t get in the way. Here is a similar one we found on Amazon.
3. Solar Stake Lights
We love having these solar stake lights around our campsite. We usually only take 2-4 but they are so useful! We really like to put them near the guide wires on our tent so that when it is dark we aren’t tripping over the lines. It also makes it easy to see which campsite is yours when you’re wandering back to your campsite in the dark. Here are some we found on Amazon, but the ones we use are cheap ones from Walmart or the Dollar Store and they have worked great for many years now!
4. Camping Stove or Grill
We love having a camp stove or grill when we go camping. It makes for easy breakfasts and a second option for cooking when using a campfire isn’t an option. We have had a couple of different stoves before and they all seem to do the job just fine. Here are some we found on Amazon but don’t feel like you have to buy one new! Check out yard sales or your local Facebook Marketplace for used camp stoves or grills. You’re bound to find one that is significantly cheaper and you can test it out to make sure you like it and would actually use it before investing in a higher quality one.
5. JetBoil
In addition to our camp stove, we always bring a JetBoil. Ben got this as a gift for Christmas one year and we love it! It makes for super quick camping meals and drinks. It is basically a tiny stove that can heat and boil water in about 60 seconds. We use it all the time for oatmeal, hot chocolate, and ramen when we are camping. It also doesn’t take up much room and could be a good alternative for people with limited storage or cargo space. Here is the JetBoil that we have but they come in many sizes.
6. Cooler
If you’re going to be camping for multiple days, you are definitely going to want a cooler. Coolers range a lot in price and can vary in quality a lot. For most of our camping experience, we used various sizes of cheaper plastic sized coolers. They kept ice fine but depending on how long we were camping for or how hot it was, we would have to refill with ice each day. For Christmas, Ben got a 65 quart RTIC cooler that works really well. It held a lot of ice and food and drinks and we didn’t have to add more ice at all during our 3 day camping trip. Here are some various coolers on Amazon. And here is a link to the cooler we have and love.
7. Sleeping Mats or Cots
Having a sleeping mat or a cot will make your night much comfier. For a long time we just used inflatable sleeping mats. They work great, inflated most of the way by themselves, stored very easily, and didn’t take up much room when not being used. On our most recent camping trip, Lucy and I both slept on cots which made a world of difference for me since I was 33 weeks pregnant. Cots take up a lot more room when you are taking your gear to your campsite though so make sure that you will have enough room to haul them before you buy them! Here are some sleeping mats we found on Amazon and here are some different cot options as well.
8. Good Sleeping Bags
Having a good quality sleeping bag is key to a good night’s sleep while camping. We have two different styles of sleeping bags. I usually sleep in a mummy bag because I usually get colder when we are camping. And Ben sleeps in a regular, roll-up style sleeping bag that is a little bit wider and isn’t as warm. The mummy bag that I have is from Coleman and is good for down to 15 degrees while Ben’s is from L.L. Bean and is good down to 40 degrees. There have been a handful of times when we’ve camped where the overnight temps go below 40 degrees and for those nights, we have a fleece sleeping bag liner that Ben can add to his sleeping bag if he gets too cold.
9. Camping Pillow
We have tried a few different kinds of camping pillows but the best ones we’ve found are the non-inflatable ones. Camp pillows are nice because they don’t take up a lot of space, but they are big enough to be fairly comfortable while you’re sleeping. Our favorite camping pillow though is the Outbright camping pillow. You can check out Ben’s full review of that pillow here.
10. Camp Chairs
Camp chairs are a must when you’re camping. There are a million different styles, prices, and comfort levels out there. For many years we just used cheap camp chairs we got for our wedding from Walmart and they work great! They don’t take up much space and if they get damaged somehow, they are easy to replace. For our most recent camping trip though I got a director’s style chair and it was a lot more comfortable and easier to get in and out of while being pregnant. Here are a ton of options on Amazon.
11. Roasting Sticks
Roasting sticks are a definite camp kitchen accessory! They make for easy s’mores and roasted hot dogs over the fire. Our favorite kind have telescoping handles as well as a spin wheel on the handle that make it easy to rotate what you’re cooking. Here are some we found on Amazon that look good but most of ours have been cheap ones from Walmart or yard sales.
12. Plastic Drawers
We love using plastic drawers to keep our gear organized when we are camping. We have two drawers, one for food related things (paper plates, plasticware, cups, roasting sticks, etc.) and one for tools (pocket knives, lights and lanterns, lighter, first aid kit, etc.) They stack on top of each other and we can just keep them packed while we are at home and while we are camping so we never lose or forget anything. They stack nice in our car and are super easy to transfer to our picnic table when we camp. Then when we need something it is easy to pull out the drawer and find what you need. We bought our drawers from yard sales and that’s what we suggest doing! Definitely buy them second hand because they might get gross, dirty, or damaged.
13. Good Knife
A good knife when you’re camping can be a great tool whether you need to cut some rope, cut down some branches, cut up some kindling, or open the packaging on something. Ben has this knife and really likes having it for camping but any sort of pocket knife or small utility knife would be great to have.
14. Glow Sticks
Taking glow sticks to your next campout is a great idea if you have kids (and even if you don’t!) They are a great way to keep track of your family members plus they are just fun! The best place to get the disposable glow sticks is the Dollar Store. They come in lots of different colors and styles. I also like to score them on clearance at Walmart after most major holidays for 50-90% off making them just pennies. For Christmas last year we got reusable glow sticks and they were so fun and easy to use!
15. Water Jugs
You are going to definitely need water at your campsite and you’re going to want something that is fairly easy to transport. We have a collection of 1 gallon plastic water jugs that we have gotten over the years that we just reuse season after season. We usually have 2-3 with us when we are camping. We use them to fill up our water bottles from and we also use them to put out our fires each night. In the future we will probably get a water cooler that can hold a few gallons and keep ice so we can have cold water to drink.
16. Tent Mallet
Having a tent mallet makes getting your tent stakes into the ground so much easier! We have one with a hook on the end so it is easy to pull up the stakes when we are ready to head home. It does take up some room in our tools drawer but it is definitely worth it! Here is one similar to the one that we have.
17. Tent Broom
Camping is messy and dirty which means that inside your tent is going to get messy and dirty no matter how hard you try to prevent that from happening. So we always carry a small handheld dust pan and broom to sweep out the bottom of our tent on the morning we are heading out. It does a good job at getting into the corners and makes for a clean tent the next time you go camping. Best part is that kids LOVE having the job of sweeping out the tent. Lucy looks forward to it every single time.
18. Canopy
A canopy is definitely not a need but it is something that is really nice to have if you have the space for one! We just got one this year for camping and even though we only used it once, it was so nice! Last summer we camped in some places that had no shade and in other places where it rained. If we had had a canopy it would have been so convenient! This time when we camped we actually had pretty good shade coverage most of the time, but the canopy made for extra shade and it was nice to have it over our picnic area and made eating meals more more comfortable. We also have a sun shade wall with pockets that was super convenient for keeping track of all of our stuff and giving us extra shade! We have a 10’x10′ size that has straight legs.
19. External Battery
When you’re camping, you will probably not have electricity at your campsite. So we like to bring a couple of external batteries so we can charge our phones and watches at night while we sleep. Make sure to fully charge them before you leave your house! Here are a ton of options on Amazon.
20. Lighter
A lighter is definitely a needed tool for when you’re camping. We like to have the ones with a long neck that make it easier to light campfires and stoves with. We always have one in our tool drawer plus one extra in case the first runs out of fuel.
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