The Ultimate Camping Gear Guide (2024)

If we hadn’t known the price before we tested it, we might have assumed the Tuck costs twice as much as it does. The spacious shape allowed us to sleep in a variety of positions and still stay warm. The hood and draft tube felt like luxurious touches on a sub-$100 bag. Plus, the zipper placement, which runs across the width of the bag at the shins, lets you create a foot vent for dumping heat. For kids, we recommend the REI Co-op Kindercone 25.

More frontcountry bed than two-person sleeping bag, the synthetic-insulated Dream Island 15 is purpose-built for couples. Big Agnes ditches the standard nylon liner fabric for a less technical cotton blend that’s much more like your sheets back home. Both sides of the bag have a close-to-full length zipper, so you can use it like a blanket if you don’t feel like sealing the whole thing. The built-in pad sleeve fits two 78- by 25-inch models.

We never thought a pillow would be partially responsible for our stoke ahead of car-camping weekends. Then we slept on the Drift. Shredded memory foam creates a 5.5-inch-thick platform to rest your head on that we found to be plush yet supportive. The ripstop polyester side of the reversible case repels water and dirt. Turn it inside out, and jersey cotton offers next-to-skin softness.

The 9.4-inch curved hickory shaft on the Jonaker offers leverage for light-duty campground tasks, like making kindling and driving tent stakes into the ground. The 1-pound Swedish steel head is designed to maintain its sharp edge and, when not in use, is protected by an included leather sheath.

Don’t get caught in the field without a first aid kit. The Sportsman has enough bandages, moleskin, and medication for a four-day excursion, and labeled, injury-specific pockets make finding the tools and supplies you need a cinch. For a portable day kit, choose Lifeline’s Trail Light Dayhiker. It weighs a scant 2.7 ounces and includes a nice variety of supplies for treating maladies like headaches, blisters, and bee stings.

Nalgene doubles down on eco-friendliness with its new Sustain collection. Still lightweight, durable, and BPA-free, the bottles are now made with 50 percent recycled content. The 32-ounce is large enough for a few hours of exploring and comes in 11 colors. And because not every campsite has a spigot in close proximity, don’t forget to pack a reservoir to keep with you.

The Ignite Plus still reigns supreme in our camp stove testing on account of its massive cook surface—large enough for two 12-inch pans—and excellent simmer control. Boiling water takes a bit longer, but not burning dinner makes it worth the wait.

Our tactics for determining how much fuel was left in a propane tank used to be time-consuming, unreliable, or both. Now, we power on the Bernzomatic, clip the device to an open canister, and look at the approximate measurement, displayed on screen in quarter segments. (Jetboil also has the JetGauge specifically for backpacking canisters.) For long trips, skip a standard-size 16-ounce fuel canister for Ignik’s Gas Growler Deluxe, a 1.2-gallon refillable tank.

Cook up a feast with this 21-piece set from Stanley. It has plates, bowls, and sporks for four people, as well as a 3.5-liter pot, a seven-inch frying pan, a cutting board, a dish rack, and utensils. Everything nests and locks together for unfussy carting from your car to campsite and back.

Sporks have their time and place (backpacking, for instance, when dehydrated grub is commonplace). But for car-camping trips, dig into your meal with proper utensils. This full-size set can endure rugged settings thanks to its titanium build.

Don’t be fooled by its retro look—this 12-ounce, lightweight mug is no relic from the camping days of yore. MiiR installs vacuum-insulation and a lid to keep drinks hot or cold for hours. We also like the comfortable handle and the lid’s tight-fitting seal, which prevents dribbles and leaks.

The nine-cup version of this percolator is large enough for you and your crew to get your caffeine fix. The stainless-steel handle has a silicone grip so you can safely pour a cup when your coffee is done brewing. For freshly ground beans, use VSSL’s new Java coffee grinder.

Today’s thick-walled, hard-sided coolers let you buy ice Friday and still bring some home with you on Sunday. Igloo’s new EcoCool series—the first hard coolers made with recycled plastic—is no exception. The 60-quart Latitude promises up to five days of ice retention and has wheels and an extendable handle so you can move it around more easily.

Add a homey touch to your alfresco dining with this affordable tablecloth set. The vinyl fabric is easy to clean and stays in place thanks to six steel clamps.

Don’t be the person who leaves their campsite trashed. Best case scenario, you’ll be pissing off the campground staff or the next group of visitors. Worst case, your scraps pose a threat to wildlife. Avail yourself of this pop-up trash can that folds flat for transport and storage and extends into a 30-gallon bin with handles and a zip top.

This lightweight flameless lighter, powered by a rechargeable lithium-ion battery, uses an arcing electrical current to light things on fire. The rubberized exterior is easy to grip, and an LED light on the bottom makes for a useful flashlight in a pinch. The wrist lanyard combines three feet of paracord with an equally long tinder thread. Of course, it can’t hurt to have a few waterproof matches stashed away just in case.