Gear up and get ready to elevate your family camping trip game with our ultimate guide to the top camping gear essentials: best picks for families! Whether you’re pitching tents like a pro or cooking up a storm under the stars, we’ve curated a collection of our must-have items that blend practicality with a touch of adventure. From a cozy sleeping pad to ingenious creature comforts, these recommendations are your passport to unforgettable outdoor escapades with the ones you love most. Let’s dive into the camping essentials gear that will make your next camping trip the envy of the wilderness!
As seasoned car camping pros with a track record of OVER packing on EVERY road trip, we have curated the best camping gear to enjoy the great outdoors. Simple, yet important gear that ensures a good night’s sleep to basic camp kitchen gear to get camp meals done in a snap. At first glance, it may look a bit GLAMPY, but hey, it’s your camping oasis for the weekend and I promise, you’ll thank us!
With this Top Camping Gear Essentials: Best Picks for Families you’ll…
Stay cool and comfortable under the stars during warmer weather with our favorite battery-operated tent fan. Make your epic capsule camping meals on our FAVORITE two-burner camp stove. And don’t forget to hang a strand of twinkly lights and kick back in our top-pick folding chairs. With our top camping gear essentials by your side, you can focus on making memories without worrying about the details.
PLUS, keeping your top essential items minimal, breakdown is a breeze when it’s time to pack up and head home. Don’t let anything hold you back from enjoying the local wildlife, campfire, and mother nature – so grab your COMFY camp chairs to relax in, that JUICY summer read, and your GIANT Jenga game and gear up to hit that National Park with the best camping essentials today!
HERE’S OUR TOP CAMPING GEAR ESSENTIALS: BEST PICKS FOR FAMILIES TO HIT THE ROAD WITH
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A COZY RETREAT WITH OUR TOP CAMPING GEAR ESSENTIALS BEST PICKS FOR FAMILIES
The right tent and accessories to keep you organized are the best way for the whole family to have a great time and a successful camping trip! Whether you’re a solo camper, a couple, or a family on your first camping trip, having a GREAT tent and a place to keep your gear will keep you comfortable no matter the weather forecast. The following items are our TOP tent and must-haves that keep us cozy while out exploring the great outdoors!
We can’t sing the praises enough for the Gazelle T4 Plus. The hub tent design makes set up and break down a breeze and offers the perfect retreat during extreme conditions. This Tesla of tents has great reviews and a great size for the entire family. Still curious!? We thought you might be! Come hang out on the blog and read our full review here!
GET YOUR SLEEP ON.
Sleep is ESSENTIAL and one of the hardest items to get right. An air mattress will leave you deflated and who wants to sleep on the ground!? If you’re camping with young kids, a good cot with a thick and plush cot mattress pad is a must! The cot pads are also excellent for younger kids to get cozy on. Everyone sleeps well is is ready for outdoor adventures.
A MULTIPURPOSE TABLE & CHAIRS.
Sometimes, we need our camping gear to accommodate us in different ways. This bamboo table by KingCamp is an excellent choice to add to your top camping gear essentials. It can be a prep table, used for dining with the Dometic chairs, or how we used it: as part of our “changing” area!
We fell in LOVE with these Dometic GO Compact Camping Chairs the minute we sat in them! These lightweight and heavy-duty foldable chairs can easily go from camp to trail. Most days, it lives in our tent with the bamboo table!
CLIMATE CONTROL WITH THIS ESSENTIAL CAMP GEAR.
Camping in warmer weather or cooler temperatures can pose equal challenges when camping and out in the elements. Stay comfy with our FAVORITE battery-operated camping tent fan and the perfect heater to warm you up during cold weather camping.
ADD THIS TO YOUR FAMILY CAMPING CHECKLIST!
AHEM…may I present the BEST piece of our top camping gear essentials BEST pick for Families!? Drum roll, please… the HUMBLE camping potty! This handy family camp gear is a good idea and doesn’t take up much space. You’re welcome. Grab THESE bags for the best potty set-up.
A MICHELIN-STAR KITCHEN FOR THE GREAT OUTDOORS WITH OUR TOP CAMPING GEAR ESSENTIALS BEST PICKS FOR FAMILIES
Ok, so that might be a stretch, BUT, who said we couldn’t have a bit of fun cooking at camp!? Meal prep in the fresh air with our FAVORITE camp kitchen essentials from the perfect stove to a collapsible dish drainer.
This is the camp gear that comes EVERY trip. Grab a canopy, a plastic foldable table, and a couple of sand mats and you’re camp kitchen is complete!
THESE BREAKFAST TACOS RULE!
LIGHT, LIGHT, BABY!
When you are out dispersed camping, you will need light and a way to charge your gear. Our carefully curated collection has everything from string lights to inflatable lanterns. We love the Devos Night Rangers to illuminate camp and the EcoFlow River power source and solar panels to keep our cell phones, fans, and lights charged. Honestly, we would be lost without our EcoFlow! Since we live in the GREAT State of Florida, THIS especially comes in handy during hurricane season! So go ahead and light it up!
FIRST AID.
The top camping gear essentials best picks for families is a well stocked first aid kit. BEST case scenario is you don’t need it! REALITY is…you’re GOING to need it. From a small cut to a burn from the campfire, have a first aid kit ready to roll. Generally, I hit the Dollar Tree and stock up. Just in case you run out of time or forget, here is a great one to have.
DO I NEED ALL THIS GEAR!?
Short answer…NO! But if you’ve been camping for awhile and are looking to add a piece here and there, or are new to camping, these are GREAT options at different price points we love and use EVERY SINGLE TRIP! You decide what’s best for your families camping needs.
REI has a great rental program for their camping gear and they also have a FANTASTIC discount section where you can score some sweet gear!
LET’S GET GLAMPING I MEAN CAMPING!
As you venture into the great outdoors armed with these top camping gear essentials, remember: the best memories are made around the campfire, under the stars, and in the company of loved ones. So, pack smart, stay adventurous, and make every moment count on your family’s next epic camping escapade. Happy Wandering!
Lydia Marques
Wonderful information! Thank you for taking the time to put this all together!!☺️
thewanderinghulasquatch
Thank you, Lydia! We love sharing our favorite outdoor gear!
Sarah
I love these ideas. I haven’t heard of many of these products, but they’re so neat! Thank you!
thewanderinghulasquatch
Thanks, Sarah!
Olivia
LOVE all of these tips!! Definitely saving this for later. Thanks for sharing!
thewanderinghulasquatch
So glad you found them helpful! Happy camping!
Lori
I love this post! Thank you for including so many great ideas and shoppable links. That toaster contraption is pretty awesome. I do love the pop up trash can and dish drain as well. These are great for family camping!
thewanderinghulasquatch
Thanks, Lori! Simple is our motto these days out adventuring!
Kara Powers
Thanks for all the great recommendations!
thewanderinghulasquatch
Glad you enjoyed the gear!
Kelly Letalien
LOVE this! So many great products that I need for our next camping trip! Thank you!
thewanderinghulasquatch
Sweet! So glad you found some cool gear!
Jordan
I have to send my husband this post. Lots of really good gear to add to the wishlist! Thank you for compiling this.
thewanderinghulasquatch
Thanks, Jordan! Hope ya’ll find something cool to add to your gear!
Lindsay
Some cool ideas there I actually really liked the table with the storage compartment under it that a cool idea!
thewanderinghulasquatch
Thanks, Lindsay! We love our bamboo table!
Amber
This is a very timely post for me. We our letting MeMaw stay in our camper but we still want to go camping with the kids. I will definitely have to check out that tent!
thewanderinghulasquatch
Amber, it’s a great tent! It has held up to all our Florida crazy weather and is super cozy! Have fun!