By Megan Isola.
Camping is fun and exciting, especially if you bring the right gear. However, you can improve your camping experience by bringing items you know you’ll love. Camping is different for everyone; some people prefer camping in a tent, while others like to rent an RV or cabin for the weekend. However you choose to camp, you might constantly be searching for the best items, tweezers, tools, medicine, and equipment to improve your experience and make camping more enjoyable. Here are a few unique items to bring on your next camping trip:
Contents
1. Wood Burning Camp Stove
If you enjoy camping, you know that fire makes all the difference. With fire, you can cook your food, roast marshmallows, and stay warm wherever you are. Unfortunately, keeping your campfire lit can be difficult, especially when using the wrong wood. A wood-burning camp stove is a perfect alternative to free fires because it’s meant for camping and doesn’t require fuel or batteries.
2. Pocket Blanket
When camping, you must focus on comfort. Whether you’re sleeping on the ground or an air mattress, you need to stay warm. A pocket blanket is a perfect item for camping because it’s so small when folded that you can throw it in your pocket or another bag. Pocket blankets can keep you off the ground while ensuring you stay warm at night. If you don’t want a blanket that fits in your pocket, check out wearable blankets to keep you warm without restriction.
3. LED Lanterns
Lantern flashlights can help you find your way in the dark to ensure you don’t trip on any twigs and can easily find your way to an outhouse without disturbing others. They’re also ideal for when you want to keep your campsite lit without worrying about burning fires all night long.
4. Portable WiFi
A mobile hotspot may not be your priority when you’re camping to get away from daily life. However, you may need access to the internet when camping. Also, if you’re camping with children, allowing them to stream their favorite television shows can be a good distraction for them while you’re trying to relax. Portable WiFi also comes in handy if there’s an emergency or your dog gets hurt, and you need to talk to a vet.
5. Portable Speaker
While the sounds of nature can be relaxing enough, sometimes you just want to listen to some music. A portable speaker connects to your smartphone via Bluetooth, allowing you to amplify your music for everyone to enjoy. Of course, if you’re camping near others, you may want to keep the volume down, so you’re not disturbing other campers.
6. Air Mattress
Sleeping on the ground can be difficult because it’s nearly impossible to find flat earth. With sticks, twigs, and lumps in your back, sleeping while camping in a tent can be difficult. An air mattress can help you sleep better, and they don’t take up too much space in your duffle bag. When you’re ready to inflate your air mattress, all you have to do is blow it up. However, you can also find self-inflating air mattresses that require virtually no work from you.
7. Filtering Water Bottle
Don’t worry about bringing packs of bottled water with you on your next camping adventure. As long as you have access to water, you can get clean drinking water with a filtering water bottle. These water bottles have a built-in filtration system that filters out all the bad stuff in water to ensure you always have something to drink, whether you’re camping, hiking, or traveling.
8. Inflatable Sink
Everyone needs a sink, whether they’re camping or not. You should always wash your hands before eating, and sometimes you just want to clean yourself after a long day of hiking. An inflatable sink can be a great solution when camping, and it won’t tip while in use.
9. Portable Grill
Most people bring their food in a cooler and cook it over a campfire, leaving burnt portions of meat, fish, or whatever else you cook. Since it’s difficult to distribute heat evenly when cooking directly over a fire, you may want to make dinner time more enjoyable with a portable grill.
Portable gas grills allow you to cook all your favorite camping foods like burgers, fish, and hot dogs, and it’s ideal for small spaces. Of course, you can’t fold it up when you’re done with it, so it will take up space in your car.
10. Portable Laundry System
A portable laundry system is a special type of bag that allows you to wash your clothes when you don’t have access to a washing machine. With the portable washing machine bag, you can add water and detergent and swish around your clothing to clean them. When you’re done, you can take them out of the bag and hang them on a line to dry.
11. Camping Chairs
Sitting on the ground can be difficult for some, so make sure everyone has a camping chair for when they’re sitting around the fire. Camping chairs fold up and won’t take up too much space in your car. They also make camping more comfortable, so they’re a must-have item, especially for those with back or knee pain.
12. Wearable Sleeping Bag
Have you ever been so comfortable in your sleeping bag you never wanted to leave? Now you don’t have to. With a wearable sleeping bag, you can take a nap just about anywhere. A mix between a sleeping bag and a onesie, wearable sleeping bags can help you stay warm and cozy no matter what you’re doing.
13. Pocket Shower
Have you ever wanted a shower when camping, but no matter what you did, you still felt dirty? A pocket shower can help you get clean while camping, and it’s easy to use. All you have to do is fill it up with water and hang it from a tree branch to let the nozzle shower water down on you.
Final Thoughts
Camping is hard if you’re not experienced, but some of these items can help you feel more at home and make your camping experience more enjoyable. Of course, the items you bring will depend on where you’re going and what you need to ensure a successful camping trip.
Your thoughts on Unique Items?
What did you think of this list? Do you have some other unique items you like to take outdoors? Do let us know in the comments below.
Megan Isola holds a Bachelor of Science in Hospitality and a minor in Business Marketing from Cal State University Chico. She enjoys going to concerts, trying new restaurants, and hanging out with friends.
These are extremely helpful items to bring in while camping. Items like pocket blanket and wearable blankets are very useful to carry and portable showers, inflatable sink, filterable water bottles are something I never heard about before but are so innovative. Besides portable grills are so handy for cooking fresh food. Thank you for sharing!
Pocket blankets and Portable WiFi are so helpful. I loved the way you listed everything one needs to carry. Quite a useful list. I loved reading out it. Campers must bookmark this post.
Great tips here for first time car campers. LED Lights have made camping so much easier. I have a solar powered LED lantern, which I love on long-distance hikes. I just clip it to my bagpack during the day (well if it is sunny enough) and once charged it lasts for 2-3 days.
Those are some amazing options to bring for a camping trip. I found the list helpful especially for the first-timer. The wearable blanket can make winter camping bearable. The Portable wifi is a great idea in case something happens, especially if there is no signal. It could save the day.
I must admit I don’t have a packing list for camping and I live my lists when we head out. So your post provided a great start for things we would need if we went camping. I am sure the days of LED lanterns have made things so much easier to add light to the outdoors. I would not have thought of a portable sink but it made total sense when I thought about it. A lot to think about packing.
That’s quite a list. I like LED lights while camping as well, it is so much better than using phone’s light which is quite disruptive, if I may say. Portable wifi is definitely necessary, esp., if there’s an emergency situation. I love pocket shower, it is quite cute! I’ve never heard of inflatable sink though!
A portable speaker is a unique and practical item to bring. We always love listening to music or podcasts when on road trips, and this is an item we wouldn’t originally had thought of before. the pocket shower sounds good too.
I love all of these unique ideas, but I am fascinated by the pocket blanket, wearable sleeping bag, and inflatable sink. Who knew these things even existed? (You did!) Can’t wait to try each of these out on my next camping expedition. They sound like they will make the experience all the better!
I think you need to add in a SteriPen (or other UV water purifier) to kill all the bad guys in the water you will find in the mountains/rivers/lakes/etc.
Those are some great selections of items to keep in mind and it’s better to prepare everything beforehand to avoid or lessen future problems.
This is a great list. As a new camper, I appreciate the list of things I may have not thought of.
I would love to go camping and you have given a wonderful list of things. Will save this post
I have never gone camping but will certainly keep this information handy for when I do. Thank you.
We usually take most everything on this list, but I want the wearable blanket.
I did not know there is something like an inflatable sink. That’s a great idea to take with you on a camping trip
Camping is fun but it’s also a lot of work. These items would definitely make a camping trip more enjoyable.
I am a huge camper, I love it and would camp all summer if I could! I have most of these items except the inflatable sink! I will check this out…
I’m planning a camping trip with my husband by the end of year, and this checklist comes right on time. Thanks for sharing! I will definitely want the portable laundry.
Great things to get, it’s been a while since the last time we went camping. We didn’t take a mattress and it was a mistake.
Hi, do you have any recommendations for a good portable speaker? Something what’s proven already…
At first I was thinking ‘no way’ to the portable wifi but you’re right, it’s a good thing to have it just in case. I just wouldn’t tell the kids we’d brought it along. 😉
Awesome! These items are definitely things we need for our camping needs! These items will make our camping worthwhile, fun, happy, and readily! I’ll take note of these kinds of stuff.
I had thought campers would use a bucket and water as a bath, but I didn’t know a portable shower was available. Thats a must.
Portable wifi and laundry system are gems! I love comfort so much, and I have two sons. Now they are getting crazy about camping. So I better get ready! Thank you for your tips.
I love the idea of the portable wifi and laundry. That makes things so much more convenient.