Camping Gear Essentials I Actually Use: My Real-World Gear List

Introduction

My no bullshit list of camping gear essentials that I actually use and love. This isn’t some Pinterest perfect checklist. It’s gear that gets muddy, makes my life easier, and helps me enjoy being off-grid without losing my mind.

 

Morning Rituals: Coffee First
  • Nescafe Clasico Instant Coffee: Nothing fancy, just fast caffeine. I stash a small tub of it in my drawer with a teaspoon and bam. Hot water, stir, money!
  • Fire Maple Camping Stove: It’s the budget version of a Jetboil but still get’s the job done. Compact, quick, and perfect for boiling water for ramen or coffee.

👉 Shop Nescafe Clasico Instant Coffee

👉 Shop Fire Maple Camping Stove

👉 Shop Unicorn Adventure Camping Mug

Nescafe Clasico instant coffee with camping mug at campsite
Fire Maple camping stove boiling water outdoors

 
 
Stayin’ Fresh in the Dirt

👉 Shop Dude Wipes

👉 Shop Mrs. Meyer’s Dish Soap

👉 Shop Homaxy Waffle Weave Dish Cloths

👉 Shop Fosjgo Dish Basin

 
 
Fire, Food, and Forks

👉 Shop Coleman Triton+ 2 Burner Stove

👉 Shop MalloMe Camping Cookware

👉 Shop Hot Logic Electric Food Warmer

👉 Shop Teivio 24 Piece Kitchen Dinnerware Set

👉 Shop Quatish Camping and Travel Utensils

Coleman Triton+ 2 burner stove with cookware setup

 
 
Shelter and Sanity: My Camp Setup
  • Gazelle T4 Overland Edition Tent: Roomy, rugged, and takes 90 seconds to pop up. It’s the best thing I’ve ever slept in outdoors. The Overland Edition has stronger stakes and seems a lot better built than the Non-Overland version.
  • Milliard Foam Mattresses (Full & Queen): Whether I’m camping solo or with others, I’ve got a setup for it. I use a full-sized foam mattress cut to fit perfectly in the back of my 4Runner. But if it’s a group trip, I switch to the queen-sized version for extra space.
  • Supa Modern Cooling Pillows: These stay cool and comfy all night.
  • Naturehike FT11 Table + YL08 Chairs: Lightweight but sturdy. I was shocked by the quality of Naturehikes products. The chairs support all 200 lbs of me and break down very small. They’re also a fraction of the cost of higher end camping furniture without sacrificing quality.
  • Thermacell Mosquito Repeller: Bugs can literally ruin a camping trip. This bad boy keep the bugs away from the campfires.

👉 Shop Gazelle T4 Overland Edition Tent

👉 Shop Milliard Tri-fold Memory Foam Mattress

👉 Shop Supa Modern Cooling Pillows

👉 Shop Naturehike FT11 Table

👉 Shop Naturehike YL08 Chairs

👉 Shop Thermacell Mosquito Repeller

Gazelle T4 Overland Edition tent set up at campsite
Milliard foam camping mattress inside SUV setup
Cupa cooling pillows on camping mattress

 
Tools of the Trail: Useful When I Break Things

👉 Shop Mossy Oak Knife

👉 Shop Fiskars x7 Hatchet

👉 Shop Dekopro 228 Piece Tool Kit

👉 Shop Rexbeti 11″ Folding Saw

👉 Shop Waterproof Rechargeable USB Lighter

👉 Shop Bic Multipurpose Lighters

 
 
Light, Power, and Chill

👉 Shop Etekcity Camping Lanterns

👉 Shop Odoland Lantern with Celing Fan

👉 Iceco VL35 ProS Refrigerator

👉 Shop Anker C1000 Power Station

Iceco VL35 camping fridge loaded with food and drinks
Anker C1000 power station charging devices at camp

 
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