The best adventures don’t end when the sun goes down. Whether you’re backpacking into the backcountry, setting up a lakeside campsite, or car camping for the weekend, the right camping gear makes every overnight adventure more comfortable. From a spacious tent designed to serve the needs of all campers to expedition-ready backpacks to camp kitchen essentials and durable storage solutions, these camping essentials are built to help you sleep well, eat well, and make the most of every night outdoors.
Our editors have been hard at work, testing these camping and basecamp essentials to find the gear that’s comfortable, reliable, and ready for everything from Type A backpacking missions to more inclusive car camping/glamping adventures.
Jump to:
The North Face Universal Wawona 3-Person Tent
The North Face Wawona 3 is a standout option for campers who prioritize comfort, accessibility, and livable space over shaving grams from their pack weight. While it’s marketed as a three-person tent, its generous dimensions make it an especially great choice for two campers using cots or anyone who appreciates a little extra room to spread out.
At nearly 5’10” at its tallest point, most people can stand comfortably inside, making it feel more like a portable cabin than a traditional tent. The thick, beefy poles create an impressively sturdy structure that inspires confidence when the weather turns.
This isn’t a lightweight shelter at 13 pounds (6.3 kg), but that’s because it’s designed for car camping rather than backcountry adventures. One of its best features is the oversized vestibule, complete with a durable ground mat that helps keep gear out of the mud and provides easier access for wheelchairs and mobility devices.
Designed with accessibility in mind, the Wawona 3 includes thoughtful touches throughout, including a built-in dog leash attachment for your four-legged camping companion. Spacious, rugged, and welcoming, this is a tent built to make camping easier and more enjoyable for everyone.
Gregory Baltoro 75/Deva 70 Backpack
If you’re heading into the backcountry for a multi-day adventure, the Gregory Baltoro 75 (men’s) and Deva 70 (women’s) are built to carry heavy loads without sacrificing comfort. Designed with gender-specific fits, each pack is tailored to better match the shape of your body, helping you stay comfortable over long days on the trail.
Gregory’s AirCushion back panel creates excellent airflow between you and the pack, giving it an almost suspended feel that helps keep your back cooler during hot summer hikes. A rigid alloy frame provides outstanding support for heavier loads, while generous foam padding and an impressive range of adjustments let you fine-tune the fit to your body.
Storage is another standout feature. Easy-access shoulder strap pockets keep essentials close at hand, while zippered hip belt pockets are perfect for snacks or a phone. The angled SideWinder water bottle pocket lets you grab your bottle without taking the pack off, and the oversized stretch front pocket is ideal for stashing a rain jacket or other bulky layers. A floating top lid (“brain”) provides extra organization, while the large U-shaped front zipper gives you quick access to the main compartment without digging through everything from the top.
At 5.34 pounds, the Baltoro 75 isn’t the lightest backpack in its class, but the exceptional comfort, durability, and load-carrying performance make the extra weight worthwhile for serious backpackers. Backed by Gregory’s limited lifetime warranty, it’s a pack that’s built for years of backcountry adventures.
Gregory Alpaca 25L storage box
Keeping your gear organized is one of the easiest ways to make any camping trip, road trip, or day on the water more enjoyable, and the Gregory Alpaca 25L Gear Box does exactly that. Built to be weatherproof and dustproof, it protects your essentials from the elements whether you’re setting up camp, loading the truck, heading out on a paddleboard adventure or storing your stuff in the garage.
The clear lid lets you quickly see what’s inside without digging through your gear, while the innovative hinge design allows the lid to open from any side or be completely removed when you need unrestricted access. It’s a small detail that makes a big difference when you’re packing or unloading camp.
The Alpaca 25L is also compatible with Gregory Gear Pods, making it easy to create a modular organization system for everything from cooking equipment to camera gear. Multiple boxes stack securely together and are compatible with the larger Alpaca 50L Gear Box, helping you keep your campsite or vehicle neat and organized.
One of the smartest features is the ability to strap the box down while still opening the lid, so you don’t have to unlash it every time you need something inside. Whether you’re camping, overlanding, or bringing supplies onto a paddleboard, the Gregory Alpaca 25L Gear Box is a rugged storage solution built for adventure.
Gregory Gear Pods
Keeping your gear can make a huge difference when you’re camping, travelling, or heading out on an adventure, and the Gregory Gear Pods are a simple solution that helps keep your kit dialled. Think of them as Gregory’s take on a premium packing cube, designed specifically to work with the Gregory Alpaca Gear Boxes and duffle bags.
Available in 5L and 10L sizes, these versatile storage pods make it easy to separate and organize everything from camp kitchen equipment and clothing to camera gear and outdoor essentials. The padded bottom adds extra protection for your valuables, while the breathable mesh top lets you quickly see what’s inside without having to open every bag or box.
Built with a convenient integrated handle, the Gear Pods are easy to grab and move around camp, and their stackable design keeps your storage system neat and efficient. Whether you’re organizing your vehicle, packing a duffel bag, or building out your basecamp setup, these durable organizers help keep everything in its place.
Backed by Gregory’s limited lifetime warranty, the Gear Pods are a small addition that can make your entire outdoor setup more organized and easier to manage.
Yeti Carbon Steel Skillet 12
For anyone who takes camp cooking seriously, the YETI Carbon Steel Pan brings the performance of a kitchen-quality pan into the outdoors. Carbon steel offers the heat retention and durability of cast iron while being lighter, faster to respond to temperature changes, and easier to maneuver around a campfire.
Pre-seasoned and ready to cook right out of the box, the pan develops a more natural non-stick surface the more it’s used. Its nitrided construction adds rust resistance, making it better suited for outdoor use, while its ability to handle stovetops, ovens, grills, and campfires makes it a versatile option for everything from breakfast at camp to searing dinner after a long day outside.
The real appeal is its versatility. This is one piece of cookware that can replace the cheap camp pan you only use a few times a year while still earning a permanent spot on your home stove.
Yeti Daytrip 20L Tote Cooler
This tote cooler offers reliable food and drink storage without taking up the space or weight of a traditional cooler. Whether it’s packed for a day at the trailhead, a bike ride, a road trip, or just brought along for work, the Yeti Daytrip 20L capacity hits a sweet spot between portability and storage. It’s the kind of cooler you can keep ready to grab whenever you leave the house, giving you dependable cold storage for wherever the day takes you.
The insulated construction helps keep contents cold for hours, while the leak-resistant liner and wide-mouth opening make it easy to pack, access, and clean. The durable exterior is designed to handle daily use, from being tossed in the back of a vehicle to joining you on weekend adventures. The exterior side pocket is a surprisingly useful addition, providing quick-access storage for items you don’t want buried with your food or exposed to condensation, like keys, wallets, napkins, or other small essentials.
Finisterre Mora Wool Sweater
Synthetic layers might dominate the outdoors, but there’s still a good reason merino wool has stood the test of time. Knitted from 100% merino wool, the Mora combines natural breathability, temperature regulation, and odour resistance in a layer that’s equally at home on cool alpine mornings, shoulder-season hikes, or around camp after the sun goes down.
The traditional fisherman’s rib knit uses extra yarn to trap warmth without adding unnecessary bulk, making it easy to pull on over a T-shirt or layer beneath a shell when the weather turns. With classic styling and the performance to back it up, the Mora is the kind of sweater you’ll keep reaching for long after the adventure is over.
Dakine Folding Camp Chair
Not all camp chairs are created equal. Plenty of lightweight options are easy to pack, but they’re often the first thing you want to get out of after a few minutes. This Dakine Folding Camp Chair strikes a better balance, combining a lightweight aluminum frame with a supportive 600/300D double-layered polyester seat that’s comfortable enough to spend an evening around the fire.
Molded plastic arm rails add another level of comfort, while the lightweight design makes it easy to toss in the truck, bring to basecamp, or pack for a weekend away. It’s proof that you don’t have to sacrifice comfort just because you’re travelling light.
More gear features below!
