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Camping qualifies as a proper vacation these days (or adventure, depending on how you look at it), and what’s a vacation without some camping accessories? Leave no person left behind, hungry, or in the dark with these 15 helpful items.
Two camping lanterns for double the fun! These camping lanterns have two functions, you can use them as a flashlight or a lantern. Hang them from the top of the tent to make shadow shows for onlookers, or to light your tent. Use them as a flashlight when nature calls, you never know when you need to be sure you aren’t standing on a fire ant nest or peeing on an electric fence!
These are tiny and compact and are very easy to pack.
Your husband refuses to go camping because he can’t take his workshop along? No more excuses for him!
Now he can take along a hammer, pliers, a hatchet, cork puller, screwdriver, etc! No reason for him to stay home when you want to have a girl’s night in. You can send him off to the wilderness while you put on chick flicks, slather on your face masks and bond with your besties.
Eat in comfort with this multi-tool. It not only has a knife, fork and a spoon, but it also has a screwdriver. All the tools fit into the pocketknife sized handle. You can detach the utensils to use without the handle if desired.
This is a sturdy unit that will keep you from needing to eat with your hands. Camping is no excuse for pretending you have some manners.
Just what you need if you plan to get lost in the woods. This is a great kit to take along. You can use the saw to cut trees for firewood or to construct rafts for floating downstream. You can use the whistle to keep your voice from becoming hoarse with all the shouting for help. You have a compass that will not do you any good because you will be pretty lost, and probably have no idea in what general direction you left the car.
There is a fire starter that you can use to make a fire to keep warm or a cautiously laid signal fire. (You will get in very big trouble if you start a forest fire just to be found.) There is a multi-tool pair of needle nose pliers that have several mildly useful tools. There is another credit card sized multi-tool that has various uses. You probably won’t need most of these, but it will make you feel better to have it.
This set would make McGyver proud. There are enough gadgets in here to make the average person feel safer if they are carrying it.
This is the granddaddy of all fire starters. Forget the old method of rubbing sticks together or using a string and a stick. That’s so old school! Today’s modern method is to use this fire starter. (Okay, the really modern method is use a match or lighter.)
You stack your kindling and then use this to make a spark. Gently blow on the kindling and a fire erupts. The beauty of this vs matches or lighters is this doesn’t run out of fuel or get wet.
A power bank? You are camping. What do you need a power bank for if you are camping? Leave all the modern stuff behind and become one with the wilderness.
On second thought, the wilderness contains bears and people tend to get lost even with a compass in their hands. Having a way to charge your cell phone for emergencies is important. You won’t have to worry about your cell phone battery dying if you have this on hand to help.
This is a good way to keep all your stuff contained inside your backpack so that it is easily accessible. Lipstick and eye liner are very important with all the selfies that are taken in the modern world!
This can also carry all the mundane stuff needed for staying clean or your shaving supplies. This is so handy that you can even use it when you camp out in a hotel room.
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This quick dry shower tote will allow all of your toiletries to dry off faster than they would if you shoved them back into your bag while they were still damp. If you are at a campground with a shower or a stream (check for piranha and leeches first) then you can carry your toiletries right to the water.
There is a lot of space in this bag, ample room for soap, shampoo, conditioner, body wash, toothbrush, toothpaste, etc… Skip this bag if you intend to go totally caveman and plan on staying unwashed for the entire camping trip. If you camp that way, this bag can double as a holder for fishing gear.
Tired of living with the pigs who call themselves your campmates? Take this along on your camping trip and tell them to toss their laundry or trash inside. (This might be the same thing, but no one is judging.)
This container pops up easily and folds down just as easily when you have emptied it. It can double as a basket for playing sports if needed.
It’s a clothesline that doesn’t need clothespins. You stick your clothes through the little loops and the bungee holds them tight. There are loops on the end so you can hang this between bushes, from the tent, etc…
In a pinch this could double as a dog leash or be rigged to keep the car trunk closed. This has many uses, don’t leave home without it.
This handy tool has all types of wonderful do dads. A compass, a fire starter, a magnifier, a mirror, a whistle, a thermometer, hygrometer, ruler, level and an LED light.
If you are like us, you are probably wondering what a hygrometer is too. Or if you do happen to know, that means you know how to use it and are ecstatic. Fly your geek flag proudly and show your camping buddies what it does. (Because we are really curious what this does.)
The rest of the tools are self-explanatory and very useful!
There you are, hiking in the wood and trying to camp but it is dark. It’s way, way darker than you were expecting it be after the sun went down. Instead of juggling a flashlight while trying to set up camp, you can use this headlamp.
The beauty of headlamps is that they light up what you are looking at while remaining hands free. This can help make setting up camp easier.
It’s a spork and a hex wrench in one. This is lightweight and comes with a caribener to clip it onto your backpack or on the mess kit.
There is a bottle opener so if you buy beer that doesn’t come in a screw top, you don’t have to have Paul Bunyan contests to see who can open a bottle with your teeth. (It always sounds like a good idea when you are desperate for a beer after hot thirsty work.) Basically, this is a bottle opener with a few other uses. The main use is opening the beer while on the fishing trip.
S’mores, not much better than eating S’mores. (Do real men eat S’mores?) This handy gadget will make up to six at a time, that is a single serving so buy a few of these grill baskets if you are feeding more than one person.
Layer your graham crackers in, then your marshmallows, then the chocolate and another graham cracker and you are good to go. Unless you are a S’more purist who feels that the marshmallow needs to be toasted a certain way. This is not for A type personalities. Nuff said?
Mood lighting for the tent, plain and simple. This light is a soft glow and you can choose the color you prefer or stick with bright white. It charges via usb so you can use your power bank to keep this charged.
This is tiny and light weight, a small clip is included so it can clip into the tent or sit upright. This would be great as a night light or a small flashlight to find your way without waking up the rest of the camp.
