I love camping! At least I do when it’s not 90 degrees outside. And because I love camping, I am always looking for that must-have piece of camping gear that makes it even more enjoyable.
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Most of the camping I do is with my family in a tent at a pad site, so we aren’t camping lite like the backcountry campers. We have found that in addition to the necessities of a tent, sleeping bags, flashlights, and cooking supplies, there are several other items that have become essential camping gear for our family.
Essential camping gear for families in no particular order:
Popup shelter
One of the best items I purchased for camping was a popup shelter. Many of the places where I camp have very little natural shade. On a bright, sunny day in the summer, it can be brutal. But if you have a popup shelter, you can create shade wherever you need it! We usually set it up near the fire and pull the picnic table underneath to use as our primary dining location.
Another advantage is it gives you a place to sit (other than in your car or tent) when the weather is less than ideal. If it’s rainy, or cold and breezy, you can hang a tarp on one side and create a dry place out of the wind.
I do have one piece of advice. Throw away those stupid, flimsy stakes that come with most shelters. Instead, buy a set of sturdy tent stakes and some paracord and make guylines for each corner of the shelter. The shelter will handle wind much better if it is staked with ropes tied to the top of each leg.
Pie iron
We bring our pie iron along on every campout. Our family’s favorite campfire treat isn’t s’mores, it’s camp pies! Simply buy a loaf of bread, some butter or butter spray, and a can of your favorite pie filling and you are all set to make camp pies! To make them even better, add a little bit of white frosting or cream cheese frosting to each one. Yum! For the record, I prefer the cast iron versions to the non-stick version.
Inflatable lantern
My solar rechargeable lantern is a more recent addition to my essential camping gear. I bought the Luminaid Packlite Max USB. There is a more recent version that can also be used to charge your cell phone. No fuel. No mess. No noise. These solar lanterns are great!
Camp Stove
Campfire cooking is the soul of an authentic camping trip. However, if you camp regularly, or go on longer trips of a week or more, having a camp stove makes things so much easier than just relying on the campfire. You don’t need anything fancy, just a basic stove like this Coleman.
Sleeping pad or mattress
After sleeping right on the ground as a kid, I eventually wised up as an adult and invested in a camping pad. It made a world of difference! Now that I am even older, I almost always take an inflatable mattress. Sleeping is for me the most difficult part of camping. Why suffer short, sleepless nights when you can throw in a mattress and sleep almost as well as at home? Do it. You won’t regret it!
A good cooler
A large, well-insulated cooler is essential gear for longer camping trips with a family. Sure, there are expensive options out there, but we have managed well with our extra-large, 100-quart Igloo. One tip for extended trips is to purchase blocks of ice rather than cubes when possible. It lasts longer.
Sturdy camp chairs
You probably have several of these already. The value of a good camp chair goes without saying, but what makes a “good” chair? Get a sturdy camp chair. The cheap, ten dollar chairs aren’t worth it. Spend a little more, especially if you are a bigger person, and get one that can stand up to a little more wear and weight. I personally have a chair with its own sunshade. Just be sure to bring one for each member of the family.
A large water container
Having a large water jug or cooler that can hold 5-7 gallons is much better than bringing a case or two of water bottles, especially when camping with your family. Even the one-gallon water jugs are better than individual bottles due to cost and the unnecessary trash you generate with single-serve bottles. Between cooking, washing dishes, and drinking, you need more water than you think. Invest in a larger container to make things easier and less wasteful.
Coffee maker with metal carafe
A few years back, I picked up one of those small, 4 cup drip coffee makers at a yard sale. I did it for one reason – it had a metal carafe rather than glass! I had never seen one like it. Now, this coffee maker lives in my camp box and goes on virtually every camping trip I take. It is so much easier and the coffee is so much better than what I used to get when using a campfire percolator. Obviously, this requires electricity at your campsite, so it won’t work for all situations. For me, this has become essential camping gear!
How about you? What do you take along when camping? What do you consider essential camping gear for families?
