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Camping is a beautiful activity, especially when you’re camping in a scenic area with a great view of a lake or nearby mountains. The word ‘luxurious’ isn’t one that most people would tie to camping, but with a few key items, camping can be pretty dang luxurious.
Although you’re surrounded by nature, which is relaxing and gorgeous (most of the time), certain aspects of camping aren’t as enjoyable, like not being able to shower easily or have a homecooked meal. If there’s someone in your life who doesn’t like camping, these items might actually make them want to go camping, but no promises, of course. Or if you already enjoy camping, you’ll just love it even more with a few of these handy products.
A Spacious Tent: Bushnell Shield Series Instant Tent
If you’re truly glamping, chances are you have some sort of cabin that might even have built-in A/C and running water. But if you’re set on having a more natural camping experience, getting a spacious tent that’s easy to put up is essential. This way, you’re still “one with nature” by camping outside, but able to fit tons of luxuries inside to make your trip more enjoyable.
This Bushnell tent can comfortably fit six campers inside, though there are also 9- or 12-camper tents as well. The best feature of this tent is that you can set it up in about 60 seconds; the poles come pre-attached to the tent so you can just unfold everything and extend the leg poles until they click.
Bushnell’s tent is equipped with durable fabric that’s weather-resistant so you don’t have to worry about strong winds or downpours. There’s also a silver-coated rainfly that blocks the sun’s UV rays and keeps your tent darker and cooler. Then, you’ll also find handy internal storage pockets that let you store your things off the ground and an A/C ground vent, though an A/C unit is not included with the purchase of a tent.
A Spacious Tent
For Comfortable Sleep: Exped MegaMat 10 Sleeping Pad
While sleeping bags and air mattresses can be comfortable, there’s nothing more luxurious than sleeping on one of Exped’s MegaMat pads. This sleeping pad is 3.9-inches thick and insulated with air-core channeled foam that’ll keep you warm even in low temperatures. Plus, it self-inflates so you don’t even have to do any work to set it up. Though if you want to adjust the firmness to your liking, you can do so with the Mini Pump that’s included.
If you’ve ever had an air bed, you know that it can miraculously spring leaks and leave you on the floor in the morning, even if it’s brand new. Luckily, Exped’s sleeping pads are 100% airtight, and that guarantee comes after a 72-hour testing period where the mat has to withstand five times the pressure generated by ordinary inflation.
This is a pretty expensive sleeping pad, but it’s worth every penny. That said, if you want a sleeping pad that’s still fairly comfy but more affordable, check out this one from INVOKER.
For Comfortable Sleep
To Power Electronics: Jackery Portable Power Station Explorer 300
If you only choose one item from this list to bring with you on your next camping trip, invest in a portable power station. There’s nothing more luxurious than bringing electricity with you into the wilderness. You’ll have plenty of time to become one with nature and enjoy all the scenic vibes of lakes and mountains around you, but you’ll be happy you have a power station if your phone needs to be charged in an emergency.
Jackery’s Explorer 300 Power Station has two Pure Sine Wave AC outlets that deliver 300W power, as well as one USB-C port that supports input and output, one USB-A port, one DC car port, and one fast charge USB-A 3.0 port. While you’re away from home, you can recharge the power station through your car outlet or through solar power from Jackery’s 100W SolarSaga (sold separately).
If you want even more portable power, check out Anker’s 757 PowerHouse Battery. It has a whopping 1500W of power, plenty for a long camping trip.
To Power Electronics
For Nighttime Entertainment: Nintendo Switch & Games
You might be thinking that it’s a crazy idea to bring a Nintendo Switch on a camping trip, but hear me out. It’s impossible to do outdoor, camping-related activities all the time. When it gets dark outside, or you’re tired from a 5-mile hike, you might want a nice relaxing video game, like Animal Crossing: New Horizons, to chill out with.
Bringing along a Switch can also be a great way for the entire crew to have some fun at the end of a long day. With games like Super Mario Party or Mario Kart 8 Deluxe, everyone can partake in the fun as long as you have enough Joy-Cons. Yes, camping is supposed to be about getting back to nature, but it’s also about connecting with the friends and family you’re camping with!
For Nighttime Entertainment
Nintendo Switch & Games
The Nintendo Switch is the perfect handheld console to take with you while camping because it’s great for single- and multi-player games.
Shower in Private: Vidalido Outdoor Shower Tent
One of the worst things about camping is staying clean. Sure, you can rinse off in a nearby water source, and some campsites provide showers outside. Or, you can bring your own shower tent and refillable water bag to take a private shower at your campsite whenever you want.
This tent from Vidalido can be used as a place to shower, change, or use the restroom. If you’re using it as a shower, there’s a hook for a 5-gallon water bag (which you’ll need to purchase separately) and a removable cover that doesn’t show shadows. There’s also a hanging pocket for shower supplies, a zippered window, and a small slip for your phone.
It’s super easy to set up, but it does weigh 13 pounds, so you’ll need to factor that into your plan if you have to walk quite a bit to your campsite. Or, if you’re fine showering outside your tent in your swimsuit, you can take along this more affordable, portable shower.
Shower in Private
Vidalido Outdoor Shower Tent
With Vidalido’s shower tent, you can cleanse yourself of all the sweat and dirt you accumulated while enjoying nature.
Keep Your Campsite Lit: Lepro LED Camping Light Bulbs
Lighting is an essential purchase for any camping trip, whether you go for a lantern or flashlights. What’s awesome about these LED bulbs from Lepro is that they can double as both a hanging lantern as well as a handheld flashlight. With a hanging hook on the top of each bulb, you can hang one inside or outside your tent or camping area and also hang another from your backpack or jeans to use as a flashlight when you need one.
These are incredibly compact and lightweight, even after inserting the three AAA batteries (which are included with your purchase). Depending on which lighting mode you use, each light bulb can last anywhere between 5-10 hours. The 6000K daylight white mode lasts about 10 hours, as does the 3000K soft white mode, but the 5000K cool white (which is a 15W incandescent equivalent) lasts about five hours.
If you’ll be staying at your campsite for a while or you just want to add some fun light decorations, these solar-powered string lights can go inside or outside your tent too!
Keep Your Campsite Lit
Lepro LED Camping Light Bulbs
There’s nothing scarier than a dark campsite at night when you know there are roaming creatures, so keep your campsite lit with Lepro’s LED bulbs!
For Power While Hiking: Anker 21W Portable Solar Charger
Although having a portable power station while camping is a good idea, it’s also smart to bring along a solar charger as well, like this 21W option from Anker. With Anker’s PowerIQ tech, this charger delivers up to 2.4 amps via its two USB-A ports or 3 amps overall when under direct sunlight.
There are stainless-steel eyeholes, so you can easily attach the charger to your backpack while hiking for maximum sun exposure. Plus, the solar panels are sewn into a strong polyester canvas that’s weather-resistant, so you don’t have to worry about it getting wet.
For Power While Hiking
Anker 21W Portable Solar Charger
Solar power shouldn’t be your only source of power on a camping trip, but this one from Anker is great while you’re out hiking for the day.
Movie Fun For Everyone: NICPOW Outdoor Projector
If you’re camping with multiple people, bringing along a projector with built-in speakers and a screen is the perfect way to have a chill movie night. Especially if you have kids, this is a great way to keep them entertained at night when there’s nothing they can really do outside by themselves.
This particular projector supports a 1920 x 1080 resolution and can project a picture between 3.3 feet and 16 feet away, with a viewing size between 32 inches and 240 inches. You can use your smartphone with the projector, though you’ll need some extra cables; for an iPhone, you’ll need a lightning to HDMI adapter, and for an Android, you’ll need an MHL cable.
Movie Fun For Everyone
Enjoy Warm Meals: BioLite Campstove 2
Taking a portable stove with you while camping is an absolute game changer. BioLite’s Campstove 2 can grill, boil, or cook whatever you want, all while also charging devices with 3W of power via a USB-A port. And the best part? It’s powered simply by wood, even small pieces like sticks or twigs, and creates smokeless flames.
For a size reference, you can fit up to four burgers on the grill top at once. If you’re cooking for a large camping party, this might be tedious, but most people camp with a total of two to four people. It also doesn’t take forever to heat stuff up; BioLite boasts that the Campstove 2 can boil one liter of water in about five minutes!
And the best part? The Campstove 2 weighs less than four pounds, so it’s super easy to haul along with the rest of your camping gear.
Enjoy Warm Meals
BioLite Campstove 2
Cold beans might have been the go-to for campers in the past, but with BioLite’s Campstove 2, you can cook up hearty, tasty meals to keep you satisfied.
For Cool Beverages: YETI Tundra Haul
YETI is known for being the best brand to invest in if you want a quality cooler, but they’re super heavy. So a YETI cooler on wheels? Well, that’s the best option for a camping trip.
This cooler has YETI’s patented FatWall Design, which includes extra-thick walls with up to two inches of insulation, and PermaFrost insulation that’s pressure-injected into the walls and will keep your ice solid for an incredibly long time.
When the cooler is empty, it weighs 37 pounds but obviously gets even heavier when you start adding drinks or food. Not that this is all you’d bring on a camping trip, but for a size reference, YETI’s Tundra Haul can hold up to 45 cans of beer. Luckily, it’s comfortable to roll and even has a heel-friendly design, so you don’t constantly hit the backs of your heel while moving the cooler.
This YETI cooler is also certified as bear-resistant by the Interagency Grizzly Bear Committee (IGBC) with the use of YETI’s tested bear locks. In order for a cooler to be IGBC certified, it has to withstand a bear attack for 60 minutes.
For Cool Beverages
YETI Tundra Haul
If you invest in a YETI cooler, you’ll probably never need to buy another cooler again in your life. Just saying.
Keep Your Clothes Clean: The Laundry Alternative Portable Washing Machine
Many people bring along multiple changes of clothes while camping because they assume they won’t wash anything until they get home. But what if you could lighten your load and bring fewer clothes and a portable washing machine?
This cute little washing machine from the Laundry Alternative weighs less than six pounds and doesn’t require any electricity to power it. Instead, it uses manual crank operation to clean about five pounds worth of clothing in under two minutes. For reference, it can fit up to one large bath towel at a time.
Keep Your Clothes Clean
Play Music Around the Campfire: Anker Soundcore Motion Boom Outdoor Speaker
Every camping trip needs some great music. While you might not always have control over the song choice, you can make sure it at least sounds awesome with Anker’s Soundcore Motion Boom speaker. The drivers inside have pure titanium diaphragms to help sound come out clear and free of distortion, even when it’s loud.
You can connect your smartphone to the speaker via Bluetooth 5.0 and expect about 24 hours’ worth of playtime out of a single charge of the speaker’s 10000mAh battery. The speaker also has an IPX7 waterproof rating and is able to float on water, so if you plan on swimming at all while camping, this is a fantastic option!
Play Music Around the Campfire
Stay Cool on Hot Days: SHALEK Portable Air Conditioner
Did you know you could bring A/C with you while camping? Yes, please! This portable A/C unit weighs less than three pounds and, depending on the water spray pattern you choose, can last anywhere from two to seven hours on a full charge with its 4000mAh battery.
To use it, you add ice cubes and water into the 450mL tank and choose between a single-spray or double-spray pattern, depending on the amount of mist you want. There’s also a remote control included, and it’s super quiet, so you can use it throughout the night if it’s muggy outside.
Or, if you’re camping in a particularly cold season, you can opt for a heater instead of a cooling A/C unit. This small Campy Guy heater is completely safe to use in your tent and even doubles as a stove.
Stay Cool on Hot Days
SHALEK Portable Air Conditioner
If you’re camping in the mountains, you might not need a portable A/C unit, but if you’re camping anywhere else, you’ll love this thing!
Relax With a Good Book: Kindle Paperwhite
Camping is supposed to promote relaxation, and what’s more relaxing than unwinding with a good book at the end of the night? Amazon’s Kindle Paperwhite is a perfect way to bring along thousands of books and only add half a pound of weight to your backpack. Plus, if you’re buying it new, you get three months of Kindle Unlimited for free.
Since it has a battery life of up to 10 weeks, you won’t have to worry about charging it while you’re camping. Also, it’s built to withstand accidental immersion in water, so you can feel safe taking it to the lake with you.
If you do your reading at night, you can adjust the brightness, so it doesn’t hurt your eyes. Or, you can read in bright sunlight with the Kindle Paperwhite’s 300 PPI glare-free display that reads like actual paper.
Relax With a Good Book
Kindle Paperwhite
There’s something special about paper books, but when you’re going on a camping trip, a Kindle Paperwhite is always going to be lighter than all the books you want to bring.
