There are a ton of awesome and unique pieces of camping gear on the market. Once you have all of the basic and necessary camping supplies, these awesome add-ons will begin to tempt you more and more. The challenge is to decide which of them are actually useful and worth the money. Lucky for you, I’m here to help you figure that out! Here is some must-have camping gear that is worth every penny.
Coffee at Camp
While making coffee over a campfire is entirely possible and really not that hard, for real coffee aficionados, the wait can be excruciating. Especially for those of us who just can’t get going for the day until they have a cup of the hot drink. That’s where a portable propane coffeemaker target=”_blank” rel=”nofollow” comes in. These nifty little devices run off of the small propane tanks that are commonly used to power lanterns and cooking stoves, and work just like the coffeepot you have at home. They can be a bit bulky, but are great to have for a trip to a campsite or campground where bulk doesn’t matter.
Power on the Go
Having a cell phone for emergencies is a great idea, and although the idea of camping is to reconnect with nature and to relax, a lot of us simply can’t afford to be away from important communication for that long. Portable solar charging devices are the perfect way to stay powered up and connected while camping. As long as you live someplace sunny that is! If you don’t, or just don’t want to rely on the sun, there are even charging devices that use heat from boiling water to charge USB devices!
However, the best option might be the Biolite Campstove and USB Charger. This awesome piece of must-have camping gear doubles as both a camp stove and a USB charger. It’ll let you cook your dinner and charge your GPS unit, cell phone, or e-book reader all at the same time. You can’t beat that.
One Less Tripping Hazard
I’d be willing to wager that just about everyone who has ever gone camping has, at one point or another, tripped or almost tripped on a tent’s support rope. Those things essentially disappear at night and always seem to grow longer than they were during the day. Glow-in-the-dark tent ropes easily and reliably solve that problem and will make your campsite a safer place after dark. They aren’t bright enough to disturb your sleep, but they will make nighttime walking around your tent a lot safer. They also look really cool!
Light the Way
The best camping light is the flickering glow of a campfire. However, that’s hardly practical for lighting up the inside of your tent for reading or illuminating the way to a bathroom break. A lantern and flashlight are both essential pieces of camping gear, but things have come a long way from dangerous kerosene lanterns and bulky, underpowered flashlights. An LED lantern is a great option. Not only do they run for days (and in some cases weeks!) on one set of batteries, but they’re also safe and provide a gentle light that is perfect for reading. You’ll also want to upgrade to a powerful flashlight to make those late-night walks around the campsite a little less spooky. There are a huge range of options in this department depending on how much you want to spend. Look for something in your price range that puts out at least 150 Lumens. You’ll have no problem seeing the trail with that level of brightness.
The best advice about must-have camping gear and useful looking gadgets is to picture yourself using the gear while camping. If you have no problem imagining yourself using it frequently, then consider the purchase. Otherwise, resist the temptation and stay away! The last thing you want is to use something once and then have it collect dust in the garage! Test our your camping gear at one of KOA’s great locations!
Brian Belko
Writer. For Roadtrippers. For KOA. For sanity. Catcher of fish. Baseball fanatic. Proud to call Ohio home.
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