29 Outdoor Essentials to Elevate Your Next Basecamp Setup

Field-tested recommendations to amplify comfort and convenience in the great outdoors.

Collage of outdoor and camping scenes featuring a close-up of a hand tossing yellow wireless earbuds, a portable camping heater with glowing flames, a modern camping lantern, a group of people sitting and standing near a tent by a lake, and blurred images of camping gear and activities.Gear Patrol

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Even the best views can’t make up for a poorly constructed basecamp. That’s why your rig deserves gear that works as hard as you do.

Cook better, play harder and rest easier with our picks for the best camping essentials that don’t just get the job done but raise the bar.

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Compact, portable camping chair with a blue fabric seat and backrest, supported by a lightweight metal frame with four legs. The chair features mesh side panels for ventilation and a padded headrest area. The brand "Helinox" is visible on the fabric.Helinox

Best Camp Chair

Helinox Chair One High-Back (re)

Helinox’s iconic camp chair now features new weight distribution tech, dispersing weight around the frame for increased comfort and support.
Black squeeze tube labeled "no normal coffee" with a small coffee cup icon and the words "DARK ROAST" near the top.No Normal

Best Camp Coffee

No Normal

Attention ounce counters and coffee aficionados: one tube of this dark roast coffee paste contains 20 cups of coffee. So go ahead and leave the French press at home.
Bright orange and black portable cooler box with sturdy handles and secure latches, branded with the Dometic logo.Dometic

Best Hard Cooler

Dometic Recon Hardside

Stackable, ergonomic and packed with functional features, including a lid that can open from both sides (or come off entirely), this thrives cooler thrives packed in your rig.
Compact, modern outdoor pizza oven with a dark gray and black exterior, featuring a stainless steel side panel and a large front opening with a warm orange interior. The brand name "GOZNEY" is visible on the front edge.Gozney

Best Outdoor Oven

Gozney Tread

The propane-powered Tread might bill itself as the “world’s most portable pizza oven” but that’s selling it short, as it functionally works as an all-around cooking solution for camping, overlanding and any other type of adventure in-between. It features a lateral gas burner that helps the oven reach 950 degrees in 15 minutes, while a tripod stand (sold separately) means it can work in a variety different locations, regardless of whether or not the ground is even.
Two-burner portable camping stove with a red windscreen and black base. The stove has metal grates over the burners and two red control knobs on the front, labeled "Camp Chef Kodiak." The windscreen is embossed with the "Camp Chef" logo.Camp Chef

Best Outdoor Stove

Camp Chef Kodiak

More power than the average home stove, packed into a compact, 11-pound package.
A portable pressure shower labeled "HELIO" by Nemo Equipment. It has a cylindrical blue body with a black base, a handle on top, a hose attached to a black showerhead, and a black foot pump connected by a tube.Nemo

Best Portable Shower

Nemo Helio Portable Pressure Shower

Anyone who has ever camped knows what a godsend 5-7 minutes of continuous, steady spraying power is. Shower in luxury anywhere you roam.
Teal quilted jacket with a chevron pattern, shown from the back with the collar turned up, revealing a light mint green inner lining.Rumpl

Best Sleeping Bag

Rumpl Wrap Sack 20° Sleeping Bag

Wrappable and adaptable, Rumpl’s multi-layered sleep system flips the script on campsite slumber.
Lightweight orange and beige camping tent with a mesh side panel and an extended rainfly supported by two trekking poles at the front.Big Agnes

Best Backpacking Tent

Big Agnes Copper Spur UL2 XL

Proprietary HyperBead fabric makes this award-winning tent lighter, stronger and more waterproof than ever before.
Gray and black dome-shaped camping tent with yellow accents, featuring a large open entrance and mesh windows on the sides. The tent has a sturdy frame and reflective guy lines for stability.Zempire Camping

Best Family Tent

Zempire Aerospeed Air Tent

The worst part about camping? The setup. Zempire’s Aerospeed inflates in minutes via airframe, not poles, creating a sleek shelter with standing height, tunnel-like flow and room for the whole crew.
A portable board game set featuring a black rectangular playing mat with white markings and the brand name "Helinox" in the center. The mat has a pink border on the top edge, a blue border on the bottom edge, and a yellow vertical stripe on the right side. On the right side of the mat, there are pink and blue circular game pieces and several yellow and gray dice. To the left of the mat is a black carrying case with blue and yellow handles and a mesh pocket, also branded with "Helinox.Helinox

Best Camp Game

Helinox YutNori

Helinox reimagines a 1,000-year-old Korean board game with ultralight, campfire-ready flair. It’s packable, playful and proof that gear doesn’t always have to be about going far but having fun.
Compact portable stainless steel Firecan stove with foldable black legs and an orange handle, accompanied by a coiled black gas hose with a control valve.Ignik

Best Portable Firepit

Ignik FireCan Deluxe

The FireCan Deluxe brings clean, controlled propane flames to your tailgate, overland rig or beach hang.
Compact portable gray camping toilet with a raised seat and lid, featuring blue locking handles on the sides and front.Joolca

Best Portable Toilet

Joolca GottaGo Toilet

It might seem excessive bringing a toilet to the campground. Until you wake up in the middle of the night. This one seperates solids from liquids, keeping smells at bay, and it’s easier to empty than a standard toilet cassette.
Crocs Echo RO Clog profileCrocs

Best Camp Clogs

Crocs Echo RO

A new rubber outsole brings capable traction to these comfy clogs.
A close-up view of a modern streetlight head mounted on a black pole. The streetlight features a transparent casing with visible internal components, including a row of LED lights. The top section is black with heat-dissipating fins, and the front has two black buttons and the brand name "DOVOS" embossed on the transparent part. The background is plain white.Devos

Best Camp Lighting

Devos Lightranger 2000

Forget those fussy string lights. This telescoping lantern is quick to set up, easy to move around and packs down in seconds. It boasts 2,000 lumens (enough for 80 feet of illumination) and four hours of runtime.
Pelican case airtagPelican

Best Bluetooth Tracker

Apple AirTag

Who brings an AirTag into the woods? Smart, savvy campers, that’s who. Keep track of valuables like coolers, bikes and other expensive gear by attaching one of these trackers with a compatible mount.
Gray BioLite headlamp with an adjustable black strap featuring the BioLite logo in white, a rectangular light housing with a clear front lens, a red indicator light, and two buttons on top.BioLite

Best Headlamp

BioLite Range 400

BioLite’s updated headlamp offers 400 lumens of brightness, USB-C fast charging and a comfortable, moisture-wicking band. Its IP67 waterproof rating and one-handed tilt make it a versatile choice for a variety of settings.
Yellow cylindrical outdoor battery with black screw cap and attached loop, labeled "OUTDOOR BATTERY 5000N" with features including IP67 waterproof, dustproof, and shock resistance.NestOut

Best Power Bank

NestOut Power Bank

Small but tough, this 5,000mAh charger is the pocket-sized lifeline for your devices. It’s rugged, splashproof and compatible with a range of add-on accessories, such as lanterns and fans.
Portable power station with a metallic gray body, two wheels, and a retractable handle. The front panel features a digital display, multiple power outlets including AC and USB ports, and a horizontal LED light strip above the display. The brand name "Anker" and model "Solix" are visible on the panel.Anker

Best Power Station

Anker Solix F3000

This powerstation might look beefy but it’s a silent, suprisingly mobile off-grid solution or at-home fallback. It’s also Anker’s first portable powerstation with an Anderson port for RV use.
Portable cylindrical Bluetooth speaker with a black mesh exterior and large yellow plus and minus volume control buttons on the front. The top features additional control buttons and a rubberized surface.Ultimate Ears

Best Bluetooth Speaker

Ultimate Ears Everboom

The IP67-rated UE Everboom isn’t just waterproof. It floats. The Bluetooth speaker also comes with a carabiner to attach to a daypack, making it one of the best choices for outdoor tunes.
Compact, rectangular portable projector with a metallic gray body and black top. Features a prominent lens on the front emitting light, labeled "1080P Resolution" and "Auto Focus Lens." The top has control buttons and a black fabric handle with "Nebula" embossed on it. The front also displays a small camera or sensor and a red "NEBULA" logo. The sides have perforated speaker grills.Nebula

Best Portable Projector

Nebula Mars 3 Air

Tiny, mighty and truly portable, the Nebula Mars 3 Air is a bright, battery-powered projector with 1080p HDR and built-in Netflix. Campground movie nights never looked so good.
Compact gray and black portable air conditioner with a digital control panel on top and adjustable vents on the front.Ecoflow

Best Portable AC Unit

EcoFlow Wave 3 Portable Air Conditioner

Camping with dogs or little ones? Keep them cool and comfortable with this portable AC unit that’s easy to set up and a breeze to control, thanks to an intuitive mobile app.
Black folding shovel with a serrated edge on one side, compactly folded with a handle at the top.SOG

Best Backcountry Shovel

SOG Entrenching Tool

Stay prepared for anything with SOG’s folding shovel, designed with a tempered steel blade with teeth cut in for cutting and slashing. Folded up, you’ll barely notice it.
A Gerber axe with a tan and black handle, a black axe head, a black sheath with the Gerber logo in white, and a black fire starter rod with a paracord-wrapped handle.Gerber

Best Hatchet

Gerber Bushcraft Hatchet

This ergonomic hatchet’s genius isn’t in its blade; it’s in the hidden, water-resistant storage compartment built to house fire-starting material.
Black triangular carabiner with a built-in lock mechanism, accompanied by two silver keys on a small keyring. The carabiner has the brand name "Matador" printed on it.Matador

Best Carabiner

Matador BetaLock

This nifty, aircraft-grade aluminum carabiner can be locked to deter theft. Just don’t lose the keys.
Yellow plastic safety cover with a black inner component, designed to protect the tip of a small tool or device. The cover has a rounded top and an open section revealing the black inner part, with a small rectangular slot at the bottom. The word "ust blastmatch" is embossed on the front.UST

Best Fire Starter

UST BlastMatch

Start fires with one hand (if necessary) thanks to this unique, flint-based fire starter. Lasts up to 4,000 strikes, and works while wet.
Leatherman Signal multi-tool with black handles, featuring needle-nose pliers, a serrated saw blade, a straight knife blade, a bottle opener, a can opener, and a screwdriver bit.Leatherman

Best Muilti-Tool

Leatherman Signal

Nearly two-dozen functional tools, including the first built-in ferro rod, hammer and emergency whistle in a compact multi-tool. In other words: 4.5 inches of pure utility.
Black tactical knife with a textured handle, partially sheathed in a black protective cover featuring multiple rivet holes and the "SOG" logo printed on the sheath.SOG

Best Survival Knife

SOG Hidaka FX 3V

As elegant as it is effective, this survival knife is styled by Kiku Matsuda with a Japanese design influence, featuring a hybrid drop point and tanto blade shape.
White flexible water bottle with a gray flip-top cap, a black strap on the side, and a gray water droplet logo on the front. It has a capacity of 3 liters (100 fl oz).HydraPak

Best Water Filter

HydraPak Seeker+ 3L

This almost-weightless backcountry water storage can now be used as a go-to water filtration solution. Collect water, then roll and squeeze to filter. Pack it down to pocket size when your thirst is quenched.
Compact first aid kit with various medical supplies including an emergency blanket, fabric bandages, adhesive bandages, safety pins, wound closure strips, antiseptic wipes, lubricating jelly packets, blister gels, zip ties, and a small pouch containing additional items. The kit is organized neatly on a white background.Uncharted Supply Co.

Uncharted Supply Co. Triage Kit

Designed with expert input, this collection of first aid essentials packs into a water-resistant, pocket-sized pouch.