5 Camping Gear Essentials for Families, From Free to $225
I’ve been camping for as long as I can remember, though my camping life falls neatly into two eras.
The first was my childhood in the Midwest with my mom, dad and two younger brothers. My core memories? A heavy, musty mustard-colored canvas tent. Dinners heated straight from cans. A portable toilet that somehow lived inside the tent (horrifying to us kids). My mom and I sneaking into our family fan in the middle of the night to sleep on the comfortable “couch.” And, always, Jiffy Pop.
The second era began in my 30s: California state parks, surprisingly delicious camping meals, sleek gear that packs into impossibly small spaces, and – thank goodness – modern plumbing.
After I got married and had a couple little kids, my brothers helped me launch my adult camping life. They gifted me the basics: a green Coleman stove (which I still use today), four sleeping bags, and a family tent. I felt completely outfitted.
Over the years, though, I’ve camped enough to become more discerning about what I pack. Some lessons came easily, others I learned the hard way. Here are five things I now wouldn’t camp without. I’ll start with the cheapest:
Master Packing List (Free) For years, every camping trip included the same realization: We forgot something obvious. The challenge is that half your gear lives in camping bins, while the other half lives around the house. Sunscreen. Medications. Earplugs. Dog leashes. Games. The Broom. Eventually I stopped reinventing the wheel. I created a master checklist in Google Docs, printed it, slipped it into a plastic sleeve, and taped it to the top of one of our bins. Before every trip, I know exactly what to grab, and when we unpack I can double-check that everything made it home before it’s stored away. (Check out a free list here!)
Fruit Bowl (Practically Free) Setting up camp always takes longer than I expect, but I know we’re almost done when I empty a bag of Cuties into a little wicker basket on the table. It instantly makes camp feel welcoming. They’re also the perfect camping snack! After a long hike they’re refreshing and hydrating, and on slow mornings hungry kids can grab one while breakfast is still cooking. (Just be sure to properly dispose of the peels.)
Silicone Utensil Rest ($8.99) This tiny purchase solved a surprisingly annoying problem. Without one, your spoon or spatula ends up directly on the picnic table – or worse, tumbling into the dirt below. For less than $10, this little silicone rest keeps your cooking utensils exactly where you need them. So civilized!
Therm-a-Rest LuxuryMap Self-Inflating Foam Camping Mattress ($189) Yes, it’s expensive. I know. But after years of wrestling with air mattresses, burning through batteries for noisy pumps, and still waking up “on the rocks” in a half-deflated mattress, I finally invested in a self-inflating Therm-a-Rest. I’ve now slept on it comfortably for well over a decade. It rolls up neatly, sets up with almost no effort, and has been worth every penny.
GSI Pinnacle Ceramic Camper cookset ($225) This is, hands down, the best camping purchase I’ve ever made. Before buying it, I essentially packed my kitchen: stock pot, strainer, saucepan, frying pan, mixing bowl – you name it. It took up an incredible amount of room in the car and was a pain to haul around and wash. Then I spotted this cookset at a Scout camping trip and immediately understood the appeal. Everything nests into one compact package you can hold in one hand. You can saute, boil, fry and strain, and it includes bowls, plates and mugs – even a washbasin for cleanup. The design is genuinely brilliant. Even better, GSI stands behind its products. When one of my cups developed a crack years later, they replaced it free of charge.
Camping has given my family some of our favorite memories. While I’m the biggest enthusiast in the house, I suspect my husband and kids would admit they’ve loved more of our trips than they’ve ever complained about.
The truth is, great camping isn’t about having the most expensive gear. It’s about removing the little frustrations so there’s more room for things you actually want to remember: Hot coffee in the chilly morning air. Happy, tired kids after a hike. Laughter around the campfire. A few thoughtful tools are worth every inch of space in the trunk if they help you find those moments.
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